HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 1996 0807 CC REG ITEM 10KI T
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AGENDA REPORT
CITY OF MOORPARK
TO: The Honorable City Council
FROM: Nelson Miller, Director of Conm unity Developme�
Deborah S. Traffenstedt, Senior Planner
DATE: July 31, 1996 (CC Meeting of 8 -7 -96)
SUBJECT: CONSIDER DRAFT COMMENTS ON NOTICE OF PREPARATION (NOP) OF
A DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR COUNTY OF VENTURA
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT (CUP) 4874, GRIMES ROCK, INC.
BACKGROUND
The Project applicant, Grimes Rock, Inc., has requested a County
CUP to commence sand and gravel excavation and materials processing
at a previously mined site, totaling approximately 160 acres, and
located off of Grimes Canyon Road, north of Broadway, as shown on
Attachment 1. The previous mining operation resulted in
disturbance to approximately 15 acres. The proposed mining
operation would impact approximately 40 acres with active mining
limited to 12 acres at any one time. Mining is proposed to occur
on a large hill in the west central portion of the site. The
mining method would be to place a bulldozer on top of a ridge and
push material off the top and down the face of the slope. Mining
export would be primarily sand and gravel for making ready mix
concrete. Rock would also be prepared for sale as base.
The primary physical on -site changes requested by the applicant are
to create three level benches, with the lowest being even with the
previously created bench at elevation 1130. The center bench is
proposed at elevation 1230 and the upper bench at elevation 1330.
The proposed use for the mining site, after reclamation, is open
space, which is the current land use designation.
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0D ®110
County CUP -4874
To: Honorable City Council
July 31, 1996
Page 2
The applicant is requesting approval to operate up to a maximum of
100 one -way heavy truck trips per day, and 22 one -way trips per day
involving other car and light truck traffic (total volume of up to
a maximum of 122 one -way trips per day) . An estimate has been
provided that approximately 50 percent of the truck trips would
proceed from the project site south along State Route (SR) 23 to
SR -118, then west to the State Ready Mix plant located on Los
Angeles Avenue, at the Santa Clara River. The remaining 50 percent
of the truck traffic is expected to proceed from the project site
north along SR -23 to SR -126 through the City of Fillmore, then
southwest to the State Ready Mix plant located on Los Angeles
Avenue. A turn lane on Grimes Canyon Road is proposed to provide
access to the site.
The applicant has identified that the proposed project would
eliminate the current need to import sand and gravel from other
quarries, as summarized below:
Quality Rock 5.0%
Best Rock 11.4%
Channel Basin 2.8%
Transit Mixed Concrete 33.6%
Bronco 47.1%
99.9%
(local)
(local)
(Hansen Dam area off of SR -210)
(local)
(Lamont, CA near Bakersfield)
The Initial Study identifies the potential that the proposed
project would result in no net increase in traffic, if deliveries
from the above listed quarries are discontinued. No information
has been presented at this time, however, regarding access routes
for sand gravel trucks traveling from the above listed quarries to
the State Ready Mix facility near Fillmore. The Initial Study also
identifies that the State Ready Mix facility is currently operating
without benefit of a CUP or conditions of approval; therefore,
there is no direct means of ensuring the curtailment of these
deliveries. For example, if the State Ready Mix facility increased
its rate of operation, the proposed project would add truck trips
regionally. The Initial Study concludes that the CUP would need to
be conditioned so as to reduce the project's truck trips in
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OW 1_,tJ.
County CUP -4874
To: Honorable City Council
July 31, 1996
Page 3
response to increased truck traffic to State Ready Mix from other
facilities.
To summarize, the Initial Study concludes that the proposed project
would have a significant visual impact upon those driving along
State Route 23, an "eligible" County Scenic Highway (the processing
facilities would be directly visible from SR -23 and the proposed
excavated slopes would also be highly visible) ; and would result in
potentially significant impacts to air quality (from dust and
nitrogen oxide emissions), noise impacts along proposed haul
routes, and biological impacts due to loss of sensitive habitat and
protected tree species (direct impacts to at least 40 acres of
Venturan coastal sage scrub, cumulative impacts to wetlands, and
potential loss of 26 coast live oaks and one California sycamore).
Traffic impacts are identified as less than significant.
DISCUSSION
Staff proposes that the following comments be included in a letter
to the County of Ventura on the NOP /Initial Study and proposed
quarry project.
Air Ouality, Biological Resources and Visual Resources
The City concurs that the proposed project may result in
significant air quality, biological, and visual impacts and that an
EIR is required. The Draft EIR should include the proposed
Reclamation Plan, including final grading and revegetation
requirements.
Noise
The Initial Study identifies that truck deliveries and returns
would occur between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and that normal truck
operating hours are between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The Initial
Study further identifies that up to 20 truck trips per day are
expected to occur between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. The City
concurs with the conclusion of the Initial Study that the proposed
project may result in significant cumulative noise impacts along
the proposed haul route through the City of Moorpark, and that the
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000312
County CUP -4874
To: Honorable City Council
July 31, 1996
Page 4
impacts resulting from after hours trucking between 6:00 p.m. and
10:00 p.m. warrant preparation of a noise study and an EIR.
Information should also be provided in the EIR regarding potential
operations on weekends and holidays and the noise impacts analyzed.
The City would not support truck deliveries or returns occurring
before 7:00 a.m. and after 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and no
operations should occur on Sundays and legal holidays.
Consistent with the City's comments on the Transit Mixed Concrete
Project, the City does not support unlimited ability for the
applicant to operate 24 hours a day "in cases of emergency." A
temporary or emergency use permit should be required to ensure that
there is control over any 24 -hour operations. The Draft EIR
should also include a requirement that the City be notified, prior
to County approval, of any proposal by Grimes Rock, Inc., to
operate outside of normal permitted hours. In addition, all of the
noise mitigation measures included in the Second Revised Transit
Mixed Concrete Draft EIR should be included for the proposed
project (for example, mitigation prohibiting jake brake use).
Traffic
The Initial Study concludes that the project is not expected to
result in significant project specific traffic impacts because: 1)
no significant impact would occur under proposed operations,
including under the cumulative traffic scenario developed by the
City of Moorpark for the year 2000; 2) the permittee will be
required to comply with the conditions of the reciprocal traffic
fee mitigation agreement between the County of Ventura and the City
of Moorpark, and between the County of Ventura and the City of
Fillmore; and 3) the permittee will also be required to pay a
County traffic impact mitigation fee corresponding to the proposed
project's pro -rata share of future improvements to the Regional
Road Network. Staff does not concur that these conclusions are
warranted.
No evidence has been presented that the project would not result in
significant direct and cumulative traffic impacts. A traffic study
should be prepared, and the Draft EIR should include detailed
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000313
County CUP -4874
To: Honorable City Council
July 31, 1996
Page 5
discussion on existing and projected (Year 2000 and Year 2010)
level of service at all potentially affected intersections in the
City of Moorpark, especially including High Street /railroad,
Poindexter Avenue /Moorpark Avenue, and Moorpark Avenue /Los Angeles
Avenue. The cumulative analysis for projected traffic should
include, but not be limited to, the Transit Mixed Concrete Project,
Quality Rock Project, M Maintenance Construction Recycling
Facility, City General Plan buildout (including traffic from
Specific Plan Nos. 1, 2, 8, 9, and 10, and the new elementary
school proposed on Casey Road). The City concurs with the County
Planning Division that the applicant should not be given credit for
reducing truck trips to the State Ready Mix plant that is operating
without a CUP or conditions of approval. The City does not agree
that a 50 percent split in traffic will occur. The EIR should
clarify the worst case traffic impact on the City (100 percent of
truck trips will travel through the City of Moorpark).
The City recognizes that the County has adopted a Traffic Impact
Mitigation Fee Ordinance; however, we are requesting that the Draft
EIR fully analyze the traffic impacts of the project. The County's
traffic fee mitigation program for cumulative impacts does not
provide funding for any roadway improvements within the City
limits. The City requests that a mitigation measure be included in
the Draft EIR that requires the permittee to participate in any
reciprocal traffic mitigation fee agreement between the City of
Moorpark and the County of Ventura that is designed to reduce
cumulative traffic impacts.
Law Enforcement /Emergency Services
Separate comments will be submitted by the City Police Department
on the NOP. The Draft EIR should document that increased truck
traffic through Moorpark could increase the potential for traffic
accidents, and require increased investigation of noise complaints
by the City Police Department due to jake brake use.
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VV031A
County CUP -4874
To: Honorable City Council
July 31, 1996
Page 6
Alternatives
The City recommends that the Draft EIR include discussion of one or
more circulation alternatives that would reduce or eliminate truck
trips on Walnut Canyon Road /Moorpark Avenue (SR -23) and Los Angeles
Avenue (SR -118) within the City limits.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Direct staff to prepare a letter to the County, which addresses
City Council and staff comments on the NOP /Initial Study and
proposed quarry project.
Attachment: Project Description
Location Map
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0001315
CEQA INITIAL STUDY
CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT 4874 (GRIMES ROCK, INC.)
VENTURA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
June 20, 1996
SECTION "A"
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The project applicant. Grimes Rock. Inc.. is requesting approval to commence sand and -ravel
excavation and materials processing at a previously mined site. The project site is located off of
Grimes Canyon Road, north of State Route 118 and south of State Route 126 in Ventura County (see
Figure 1). The proposed permit area consists of approximately 160 acres. (APN 500 -0- 090 -02 and
500 -0- 050 -13) with a proposed mining area of 40 acres, and would. Active mining would be limited
to 12 acres. The Ventura County General Plan designation for the proposed project area is Open
Space and both parcels are currently zoned O- S -160Ac MRP (Open Space, 160 Acre. Mineral
Resource Protection). This land use designation includes areas managed for the production of
resources, "including areas containing major mineral deposits... ". Approval of the proposed project
would allow sand and gravel extractions to occur at the site for approximately 15 years. Extractions
are expected to total 6,337,500 tons over the life of the project.
Mining is proposed to occur on a large hill in the west central portion of the site. The mining
method would be to place a bulldozer on top of the ridge and push material off the top and down the
face of the slope. A front loader would carry material to the conveyor. The second phase of the
project is proposed to include the northern most pinnacle which has been previously mined. This
project would create three level benches with the lowest bench being even with the previously created
bench at an elevation of 1130 feet. The center bench would be at an elevation of 1230 feet and the
upper bench at an elevation of 1330 feet.
Export would be primarily sand and gravel for making ready mix concrete. Rock will also be
prepared for sale as base. Mining is expected to produce 40% rock and gravel and 60% sand. Some
sand would be washed as would some rock and gravel. The operation is expected to produce excess
sand over that needed for concrete. Washed sand is proposed to be sold for plaster sand and
unwashed sand sold for fill.
The project proposes two ponds to be prepared. One pond would be impervious to be used for
storage of supply water. The second pond is proposed to be used as a depository for waste water
which would be recycled. Silt and fines would be removed from the recycling pond. This waste
would be sold off site as top soil.
The objectives of this project, in priority order, are as follows:
1. Mining and processing operations at the site in order to supply Ventura County with
construction grade aggregate materials (e.g., sand and gravel) at a reasonable price.
2. Provide for the environmentally sound and economically viable closure of the site.
000376
Section "A" - Project Description
Grimes Rock, Inc. (CUP -4874)
.Tune 20, 1996
Page A -2
The project being requested by Grimes Rock is described in the three components detailed
below. Additional details are contained in Table 1 (Project Description) and Table 2 (Mining Phases).
Existing water supply is from existing wells and cistern. Proposed project water is to be supplied
from "Egg City" pursuant to an agreement that has been affected and review by the PWA - Water
Resources and Development Department.
Existing sanitation facilities consist of a septic tank located adjacent to the existing dwelling.
Because the system has not been in use in recent years it would need to be replaced.
The applicant is requesting approval to operate up to a maximum of 100 one -way heavy truck
trips per day, and 22 one -way trips per day involving other car and light truck traffic. This total
volume of up to a maximum of 122 one -way trips per day. Approximately 50% of the truck trips
would proceed from the project site, south along State Route 23 to State Route 118, then west to
the State Ready Mix plant located on Los Angeles Avenue. The remaining 50% of the truck traffic
would proceed from the project site, north along State Route 23 to State Route 126, through the City
of Fillmore, then southwest to the State Ready Mix plant located on Los Angeles Avenue.
The primary physical on -site changes requested by the applicant is to create three level benches,
with the lowest being even with the previously created bench at elevation 1130. The center bench
is proposed at elevation 1230 and the upper bench at elevation 1330.
As excavated material will be moved off -site and benches will be created within the mined area.
Phase I and Phase H mining areas will create a bench at an elevation of 1130 feet which is equivalent
to that created by the previous mining operations. Upon completion of mining, three level areas will
be created at approximately elevation 1130 feet, 1230 feet, and 1330 feet. The proposed end use for
the reclaimed land is "open space" which is the current designation. Upon reclamation, the mined
area will be revegetated using native seed mixes.
Following this introductory description of the proposed project (Section "A "), this Initial Study
contains the following additional sections:
Section B" - Initial Study Checklist;
Section "C" - Initial Study Checklist - Discussion of Responses;
Section "D" - Mandatory Findings of Significance; and
Section "E" - Determination of Environmental Document.
VENTURA COUNTY
RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT
AGENCY
PROPOSED CUP -4874
(GRIMES ROCK)
FIGURE 1