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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-06-19; City Council; 19041; Agua Hedionda Lagoon Management PlanCITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL RECOMMENDED ACTION: 16 AB# 19,041 MTG. 06/19/07 DEPT. PLN EXTENSION OF INTERIM PLAN AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON DEPT. HEAD \M ffl CITY ATTY. -M7 CITY MGR. J&Z. That the City Council INTRODUCE Ordinance No. NS-844 , EXTENDING the term of the Interim Plan until June 30, 2008 to facilitate Caulerpa taxifolia monitoring and containment device removal. ITEM EXPLANATION: After the discovery of Caulerpa taxifolia, an invasive marine seaweed, in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon in 2000, the City Council adopted an Interim Lagoon Management Plan and associated ordinances to temporarily control lagoon activities to facilitate eradication of the infestation. On May 14, 2007,/the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team (SCCAT) made recommendations to the City Planning Department staff to extend the Interim Plan for Agua Hedionda Lagoon for an additional six months. The California Department of Fish and Game declared that the Caulerpa taxifolia infestation in Agua Hedionda Lagoon had been eradicated on July 12, 2006. Members of SCCAT are still removing the containment tarps and sandbags and need to conduct a final survey once all materials have been removed. Therefore SCCAT is requesting an extension to the term of the Interim Plan and related ordinances to allow that work to be completed. The Agua Hedionda Interim Plan describes the different activities needed for monitoring of the lagoon for Caulerpa taxifolia and provides background for the accompanying City ordinances that have temporarily restricted the location of boat anchoring, the limitation on wake height, and the restriction of fishing to the eastern, passive use area of the Lagoon. The Lagoon was re-opened to active recreational uses in May 2003. Due to the need to continue removal of the containment tarps and complete surveys, SCCAT has recommended to the City that the Interim Plan be extended again to allow completion of their work, from June 30, 2007 until December 31, 2007. All regulations within the Interim Plan would remain in force until December 31, 2007 at which time they will be automatically repealed unless extended by City Council action. Three code sections are proposed for amendment (11.24.055, 11.24.056 and 11.24.057), which will replace the termination date for lagoon activity restrictions from June 30, 2007 to December 31, 2007. The fishing, anchoring and large wake limitations currently in effect, as well as the revised Interim Plan, will be extended for another six months, until December 31, 2007. By approving the proposed six-month extension of the Interim Plan, containment tarp removal can be completed and a post-removal survey can be conducted while allowing for recreational use. On-going monitoring by the SCCAT and City partnership will ensure that neither the completed eradication, nor DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Michael Grim 760-602-4623 mgrim@ci.carlsbad.ca.us FOR CITY CLERKS USE ONLY. COUNCIL ACTION: APPROVED DENIED CONTINUED WITHDRAWN AMENDED Gf D D D D CONTINUED TO DATE SPECIFIC CONTINUED TO DATE UNKNOWN RETURNED TO STAFF OTHER -SEE MINUTES Dnnn Page 2 public safety of Lagoon use, is compromised. If the entire six-month period is not needed for completion of the tarp removal and surveys, SCCAT will advise the City and the restrictions on anchoring, wave height, and fishing may be removed prior to the proposed December 31, 2007 extension date. FISCAL IMPACT: Extending the Interim Plan for another year will not create any additional fiscal impact to the City. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: Extending the Interim Plan and amending Chapter 11.24 is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per Section 15308 of the CEQA Guidelines, which exempts the actions of governmental agencies to establish regulations or procedures to assure protection of the environment. EXHIBITS: 1. City Council Ordinance No. NS-844 2. Strikeout Version of Revisions to Chapter 11.24 of the Carlsbad Municipal Code. 3. Letter from Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation 1 ORDINANCE NO. NS-844 2 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING CHAPTER 11.24 OF 3 THE CARLSBAD MUNICIPAL CODE TO EXTEND THE INTERIM PLAN FOR AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON. 4 WHEREAS, portions of Agua Hedionda Lagoon have been infested with 5 Caulerpa taxifolia, an invasive marine seaweed; and 6 WHEREAS, the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team (SCCAT) has been 7 coordinating with the City to eradicate Caulerpa taxifolia while also allowing for recreational use 8 of the lagoon via the Interim Management Plan as last amended by the City Council on April 11, 2006; and10 WHEREAS, the California Department of Fish and Game, on July 12, 2006, declared the eradication of Caulerpa taxifolia from Agua Hedionda Lagoon; and WHEREAS, additional time is needed to remove all of the containment tarps and sandbags and perform a final survey; and WHEREAS, the current provisions of Chapter 11.24, which regulate Agua , 6 Hedionda Lagoon and effect the Interim Plan, are set to expire on June 30, 2007; and 17 WHEREAS, SCCAT is recommending that the City Council amend the 18 appropriate sections of Chapter 11.24 that will effectively extend the revised and updated 19 Interim Plan and its provisions until December 31, 2007. 20 NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Carlsbad does ordain as 21 follows: 22 SECTION 1. That Section 11.24.055(6) of the Carlsbad Municipal Code be 23 amended to read as follows: 24 "11.24.055 Fishing. 25 (b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2008, unless amended or 26 repealed by further action of the city council." 27 SECTION 2. That Section 11.24.056(d) of the Carlsbad Municipal Code be 28 amended to read as follows: 3' 1 "1 1 .24.056 No anchoring in posted areas. 2 (d) This section shall be operative until December 31, 2007, at which time it shall automatically be repealed unless extended by further action of the city council." 3 SECTION 3. That Section 11.24.057(b) of the Carlsbad Municipal Code be 4 amended to read as follows: 5 "1 1 .24.057 No large wakes. 6 (b) This section shall be operative until December 31 , 2007, at which time it shall 7 automatically be repealed unless extended by further action of the city council." 8 EFFECTIVE DATE: This ordinance shall be effective thirty days after its 9 adoption, and the City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this ordinance and cause it to be 10 published at least once in a publication of general circulation in the City of Carlsbad within fifteen days after its adoption. 12 /// /;/ 15 /// 16 /// 17 /// 18 /// 19 /// 20 /// 21 /// 22 //, 23 /// 24 25 26 27 28 -2- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 INTRODUCED AND FIRST READ at a regular meeting of the Carlsbad City Council on the19th day of June, 2007, and thereafter PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Carlsbad on the day of , 2007, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Council Members Lewis, Hall and Packard NOES: None ABSENT: Council Members Kulchin and Nygaard APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: RONALD R. BALL, City Attorney CLAUDE A. LEWIS, Mayor ATTEST: LORRAINE M. WOOD, City Clerk STRIKEOUT/BOLD VERSION OF ORDINANCE CHANGES 11.24.055 Fishing (a) Fishing from the shoreline or from a passive vessel shall be limited to the passive use area; fishing from a powerboat shall be limited to the powerboat area. It is unlawful to cast fishing lines into any transit corridor or in the traffic pattern of any vessel. (b) This section shall become operative on July 1,2006 January 1,2008, unless amended or repealed by further action of the city council. 11.24.056 No anchoring in posted areas. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter and except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful to anchor a boat in any area of the inner lagoon. (b) The city manager may allow anchoring in the passive use area or in the powerboat area if the city manager finds, based on available scientific data, that allowing fishing or anchoring in these areas is consistent with the interim management plan and will not cause the spread of Caulerpa taxifolia inside or outside of the lagoon. (c) Nothing in this section precludes a person from anchoring in an emergency situation in order to prevent personal injury or property damage. (d) This section shall be operative until June 30, 2007 December 31,2007, at which time it shall automatically be repealed unless extended by further action of the city council. (Ord. NS-700 § 2, 2004; Ord. NS-661 § 2 (part), 2003; Ord. NS-631 § 5, 2002: Ord. NS-630 § 5, 2002: Ord. NS-596 § 1, 2001: Ord. NS-595 § 1, 2001) 11.24.057 No large wakes. (a) Except when necessary for starting and stopping only, it is unlawful to operate a personal watercraft or powerboat in any area of the inner lagoon in a manner that generates wakes in excess of twelve inches above the undisturbed water line. (b) This section shall be operative until June 30, 2007 December 31,2007, at which time it shall automatically be repealed unless extended by further action of the city council. (Ord. NS-700 § 3, 2004; Ord. NS-661 § 2 (part), 2003; Ord. NS-631 § 6, 2002: Ord. NS-630 § 6, 2002) Mayor Lewis City of Carlsbad 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008 SUPPORT FOR EXTENSION OF INTERIM PLAN Dear Mayor Lewis and Councilmembers: The Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (AHLF) is in full support of extending the Interim Management Plan for Agua Hedionda Lagoon for at least six months, up to one year. This extension is necessary to complete the successful eradication effort that was celebrated last July 12, 2006. As with any major undertaking of this scale and magnitude, time is necessary for proper de-staging of the equipment and the infrastructure involved. Specifically in this case, the time is needed to complete the removal of the tarps that were used to eradicate the invasive marine seaweed, Caulerpa taxifolia, as detected in the Summer of 2000. The time extension being requested is not related to further eradication efforts, but rather to activities necessary to remove tarps as described above. Furthermore, this request is being made and supported by the Southern California Caulerpa Action Team (SCCAT). Therefore, our support is in concert with the affected and responsible agencies involved. Thank you for considering the extension request to the Interim Plan as it furthers the stewardship and management efforts of Agua Hedionda Lagoon, in light our global precedent: the eradication of Caulerpa taxifolia from our local wetland. Sincerely, and on behalf of the AHLF Board of Directors - ERIC MUNOZ President A California Non-Profit Corporation, 1580 Cannon Road, Carlsbad CA 92008 • 760-804-1969, www.aguahedionda.org All Receive-Agenda Item # l(c> For me Information of the: CITY COUNCIL . Asst Date£- fo City Manai JUNE 19, 2007 TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: Planning Director VIA: City Manager ITEM 16 - AB#19,041 - EXTENSION OF INTERIM PLAN FOR AGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON As stated in the Item Explanation portion of the Agenda Bill and the attached Ordinance, the proposed extension of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Interim Plan would expire on December 31, 2007. The Recommended Action portion of the Agenda Bill erroneously states that the plan would be extended to June 30, 2008. Therefore staff is proposing the following revision to the Agenda Bill: "RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the City Council INTRODUCE Ordinance No. NS-844. EXTENDING the term of the Interim Plan until December 31, 2007 to facilitate Caulerpa taxi/folia monitoring and containment device removal." DON NEU DN:MG:bd c:Principal Planner DeCerbo File Copy CITY OF CARLSBAD,.CITY CLERK'S OFFICE