Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1987-09-22; City Council; 9171; Joint Powers Agency North County Sanitary LandfillCIT- OF CARLSBAD - AGENU- BILL PROPOSED JOINT POWERS AGENCY FOR MTG. 9-22- 8 7 DEPT. CC NORTH COUNTY SANITARY LANDFILL RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve in concept City of Carlsbad participation in further discussion of a proposed joint powers agreement to acquire and operate a landfill site and operate a recycling program in North County. Appoint Mayor Lewis and Council Member Mamaux as the City's representatives for further discussions. ITEM EXPLANATION: On August 26, 1987, Council Member Mamaux and I attended a meeting of officials of most of the North County cities to discuss a proposal to form a joint powers agency to acquire, develop and operate a landfill site in Keys Canyon. The proposal was presented by Mayor Marjorie Gaines of the City of Encinitas assisted by Melba Bishop, former Council Member of the City of Oceanside. The proposal appears to have merit, since the joint powers concept could provide the structure to finance and administer a landfill. The presentation and ensuing discussion was general in nature with solid waste and financial consultants answering questions from the group. Several concerns were expressed which merit further consideration: 1. Are more cost effective sites available than Keys Canyon? 2. Shouldn't recycling be a responsibility of the proposed joint powers agency? 3. Shouldn't the County be a member of the joint powers agency? In view of the above concerns and other unanswered questions, continued study and discussion is required. The proposal for a joint powers agency has merit and I believe that the City should participate in further discussions of the proposal. Due to the potential problems with the Keys Canyon site, I believe that additional landfill sites should be evaluated. Recycling should also be one of the specific responsibilities of the joint powers agency. I Page 2 of Agenda Bill No. 9/7/ FISCAL IMPACT: No direct fiscal impact as a result of this recommendation. EXHIBITS: 1. county of San Diego, Keys Canyon Landfill Site Report NORMAN W. HICKEY , CHIEF ADMlNlSTRATlVli OFFICCII (619) 236 2726 C H I E F AD M I N I STRATI V E OF FI C E 1600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY. SAN OIEGO. CALIFORNIA 92101 June 23, 1987 TO : Supervisor Brian P. Bilbray, Chairman Supervisor George F. Bailey, Vice Chairman Supervisor Susan Golding Supervisor Leon L. Williams Supervisor John MacDonald FROM: Norman W. Hickey Chief Administrative Officer KEYS CANYON LANDFILL SITE We have received an amended preliminary report from Lawrence/Trumbull & Associates on the potential of the Keys Canyon site as a landfill. The amended report concludes that the site will have more difficulty with regulatory agencies than the Committee selections, but can be operated and maintained in an environmentally safe manner. This site was rejected in Phase I of the study because of high stream flows and flooding. While the report includes both positive and negative observations on the viability of the site, we believe the consultant may have seriously underestimated the cost and complexity of resolving three site selection factors: . Flood Control site is considerably larger than indicated in the amended report which results in larger flood flows and more costly solutions. Further, the option to construct a dam to control flood flows would result in a structure of such size as to be subject to regulation by the State Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams. The area of the drainage basin tributary to this - Cover Material The report states ..." Granitic boulders and bedrock are exposed over much of the site which results in inadequate quality and quantity of cover material." soil cover will be more costly and environmentally complex than The development of 3 Board Members - 2- June 23, 1987 the report implies, considering the potential need to site and operate a borrow pit nearby and the impact of added truck traffic to haul cover material to the landfill. Substitutes for soil as a cover material, such as foam, may have merit but further analysis is needed. . Environmental Impact The scope of work for the report did not require the consultant to determine the specific mitigation required by State and Federal agencies. Our staff, however, has determined that the site is under the jurisdiction of the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers due to the presence of the stream in the canyon. Our recent project experience indicates that for each acre of riparian habitat damaged or destroyed by land- filling the Corps may require the County to purchase and maintain in perpetuity an equal acreage of riparian habitat. On June 2, 1987 the Board of Supervisors directed me to return with a Scope of Work for an expanded North County Landfill Siting Study together with information on fee structures, landfill emissions and recycling. The report is due to the Board of Supervisors no later than August 11, 1987. In view of potential Board direction regarding an expanded study and because of the signific,ant problems identified at Keys Canyon, I have directed that further staff and consultant work be suspended on this site. considerable interest in the report it has been marked "Preliminary" in order to minimize possible misinterpretation. Respectful ly, Furthermore, since there has been NWH:RFW: jb Attachment 4 -- 155 Forest Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301 Telephone (415) 322-0505 TERRY A. TRUMBULL, President :d Scvcrson, Yro-jsct !.ianayer County of Sail aiego lh2artw:it OC Puolic i!ori:s ii.S. 0323 5555 i)vzrlani3 Avenue 3an Dizcjo, CA 92123 suaj~cr: Xeys Canyon Evaluation !iorth County LanciPili Siting Project Dtlar EQ: As our earlier reiort ini3icate3, Keys Canyon is Ca&tDl~? of bein-j a ncw landfill site for the EJo~tii County, Tile najor proalen is the size 02 Zcys Crzek, which caused us ta,initially reject it in tile Phase i work (see 9. 15, Pnase I report). The strea,.i size lJroa1ei.i can se solved with an unuerdrsin i2 tLie '2 County Zinds til? e:qense acce$able. F ~11e site iias a 2oten'iial caincity for a 60 million cubic yax3 Ini1<iZillI aiid t:iis could oe e;c+:iGed if quarryiiig occurs . Horrever, tiiGre is not sufficient cover oiisite Cor the landfill. k?,iilc tnere would be soia2 usaule fines Zroa cparrying, tlie cover shortaGe would rmain, gar aiialysis witil tile state De?arti,ient 02 Fisn and Gain2 did not indicate any significant ssecial ;lant or ailii:lal proAci.is . ;JililtJ average hauling distances to Reys Canyon were about 50% nigher tnan the Coanittee's selected sites, we do not believa these are a serious inpilimefit. Tnc proxinitjj 02 tae site to 1-15 nesns that the tine needed to drive to tile site is less of a disadvmtage than the distance. blc have evaluated the Keys Canyon site accordin;. to the Citizens' Cormittee's criteria. Tais evaluation concludes that the Keys Cnnyoil site will nave norc difeicuity with reguiatory agencies than ti:e Conrnittec selections, but can be oi-erate'cj and safe nannur. cc: Snaron Reid !