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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-02-02; Planning Commission; MinutesPlanning Commission Minutes February 2,2011 Page 1 Minutes of: PLANNING COMMISSION Time of Meeting: 6:00 p.m. Date of Meeting: February 2, 2011 Place of Meeting: COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER Chairperson L'Heureux called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Commissioner Montgomery led the Pledge of Allegiance. ROLL CALL Present: Chairperson L'Heureux, Commissioners Black, Dominguez, Montgomery, Nygaard, and Siekmann Absent: Commissioner Schumacher STAFF PRESENT: Don Neu, Planning Director Jane Mobaldi, Assistant City Attorney Bridget Desmarais, Administrative Secretary Sabrina Michelson, Senior Office Specialist Pam Drew, Associate Planner Terry Smith, Senior Civil Engineer - Utilities APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairperson L'Heureux asked if there were any corrections or revisions to the minutes of the meeting from January 19, 2011. MOTION ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Dominguez, and duly seconded, that the Planning Commission approve the minutes from the Regular Meeting of January 19, 2011. VOTE: 4-0-3 AYES: Chairperson L'Heureux, Commissioner Dominguez, Commissioner Montgomery, and Commissioner Nygaard NOES: None ABSENT: Commissioner Schumacher ABSTAIN: Commissioner Black and Commissioner Siekmann Chairperson L'Heureux directed everyone's attention to the slide on the screen to review the procedures the Commission would be following during the evening's Public Hearing. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ITEMS NOT LISTED ON THE AGENDA None. Planning Commission Minutes February 2, 2011 Page 2 PLANNING COMMISSION PUBLIC HEARING Chairperson L'Heureux asked Mr. Neu to introduce the first item. 1. PDP 00-02(C)/SP 144(L)/RP 10-26/CDP 10-17/HDP 10-05/SUP 10-02/HMP 10-03 - AGUA HEDIONDA SEWER LIFT STATION. FORCE MAIN AND GRAVITY SEWER REPLACEMENT - Request for: 1) adoption of a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; 2) a recommendation of approval for a Precise Development Plan Amendment, Specific Plan Amendment, Redevelopment Permit, and Habitat Management Plan Permit; and 3) approval of a Coastal Development Permit and Hillside Development Permit, Special Use Permit (Floodplain). The requested actions are for: 1) an amendment to the Precise Development Plan for the Encina Power Station (EPS) and the proposed 50 million gallon per day (mgd) capacity Agua Hedionda Sewer Lift Station and associated improvements (SLS) proposed at the EPS; 2) an amendment to the Encina Specific Plan to incorporate the proposed SLS; 3) a Redevelopment Permit for the SLS and associated piping within the boundaries of the South Carlsbad Coastal Redevelopment Area; and 4) a Coastal Development Permit, Hillside Development Permit, Special Use Permit (Floodplain), and Habitat Management Plan Permit. The total sewer project consists of a new 3,960-foot long force main (sewer line) and an 8,420-foot long gravity sewer line, a 50 mgd capacity SLS, associated utility relocations (natural gas transmission and electrical overhead relocations) and a pipe-support bridge spanning 140-feet across the Agua Hedionda Lagoon channel. The proposed project extends a total distance of approximately 12,380 linear feet (2.35 miles) in a north-south direction from near Chinquapin Avenue, south of Tamarack Avenue, to the Encina Wastewater Pollution Control Facility (EWPCF) on Avenida Encinas, south of Palomar Airport Road. The project will be constructed in three phases within the City's Coastal Zone. The locations and phases are as follows: Phase 1 - Cannon Road to the EWPCF within the public right-of-way on Avenida Encinas (sewer and gravity force main and 12 inch recycled water line); Phase 2 - south of Chinquapin Avenue to the south side of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon within San Diego Northern Railroad (SDNR) right-of-way (gravity sewer, including the pipe support bridge, 12 inch recycled water line and 6 inch potable water line); and Phase 3 - southern edge of the lagoon to Cannon Road within SDNR, NRG, SDG&E, and West Development properties and within the city's public right-of-way on Avenida Encinas (SLS, sewer force main, and 12 inch recycled water line). The proposed project is located within Local Facilities Management Zones 1, 3, and 22. Mr. Neu introduced Agenda Item 1 and stated Associate Planner Pam Drew would make the Staff presentation assisted by Senior Civil Engineer Terry Smith. Chairperson L'Heureux opened the public hearing on Agenda Item 1. Commissioner Dominguez stated that while he is in within 600 foot radius of the inner lagoon, the Assistant City Attorney acknowledged he was within 600 feet of Agua Hedionda Lagoon but was not within 600 feet of the project, therefore he would be able to participate in the meeting. Ms. Drew gave a detailed presentation and stated she would be available to answer any questions. Chairperson L'Heureux asked if there were any questions of Staff. Commissioner Montgomery asked about the phases of the project. Mr. Smith stated the southern end of the project will be the first phase because it is the area of the project that does not require any outside agency permits for the work in Avenida Encinas. Having the section closest to the treatment plant and connected and ready to receive sewage will make it easier to test the pumps. Commissioner Montgomery inquired about traffic control for the project and if Staff anticipates having to close Avenida Planning Commission Minutes February 2, 2011 Page 3 Encinas to traffic during any part of the project. Mr. Smith stated Staff does not anticipate having to close the portion of Avenida Encinas between Cannon Road and Palomar Airport Road during the construction of the project. During construction of the pipeline south of Palomar Airport Road, there may be periods of time that require night work or short term road closure. Commissioner Montgomery asked what hours of the day the roads could potentially be closed. Mr. Smith stated that many times with connections to sewer systems, it is beneficial to do the work at night when the flows are the lowest. There will be a need for occasional night work, but it will not be on a regular basis. Commissioner Nygaard inquired as to how Staff calculated the eventual need for the size of the pipe. Mr. Smith stated both the City of Carlsbad and City of Vista have recently updated Sewer Master Plans. Staff used the projected flows from both of those Master Plans, and Staff feels very confident that the future needs have been adequately addressed with the sizing of the pipeline. Commissioner Dominguez asked Staff to discuss the improvements for recovery in the event of a disaster similar to the one at the Buena Vista Lagoon. Mr. Smith stated that as part of the project, the existing overflow basin will be removed, and Staff felt it would be best to build a sewer lift station and pipelines that have extra reliability and redundancy. There will be two pipelines so there will be flexibility to pump into one or both of the pipelines. Mr. Smith stated the lift station itself will have two sets of four pumps each and there will also be redundant electrical feeds as well as an emergency generator that will have 24 hours worth of fuel storage that will run the pumps in the event of an emergency. There will also be an emergency response plan in place. Commissioner Dominguez asked if there will be any basic changes to the early warning system that are currently employed. Mr. Smith stated there will be state of the art electronics and monitoring equipment. The monitoring equipment uses an auto-dialer system to go through the phone lines or cell service and will connect to an on duty operator at the Encina Waste Water Authority. The City of Carlsbad Maintenance and Operations staff will also receive that alarm. Commissioner Montgomery asked what capacity and timing the city has in order to respond to an emergency. Mr. Smith stated that it clearly depends on the time of day and the weather conditions but there are several miles of excess capacity in those lines under normal flow conditions. Mr. Smith further stated it would be at least a couple of hours for response time. Chairperson L'Heureux asked how long the project will take to construct. Ms. Drew stated that the project still needs to obtain approvals from City Council and the Coastal Commission as well as the resource agency permits. It could take up to a year or longer to receive all the necessary approvals. Mr. Smith stated that the construction part of the project will be approximately 18 months long for work in Avenida Encinas. The lift station itself will take 18-24 months and the bridge will take approximately 12 months. Chairperson L'Heureux asked about the process of notifying the businesses and restaurants along Avenida Encinas. Mr. Smith stated Staff will put together a newsletter and there will be public outreach to keep the public informed about the upcoming project. Once construction begins, Staff will work closely with the neighborhoods and businesses to keep them informed. There will be a full time construction manager who will be available 24 hours a day to take phone calls if need be. Chairperson L'Heureux asked if there were any other questions of Staff. Commissioner Siekmann asked if there will be a person to contact if work being completed at night is too loud. Mr. Smith stated yes and that any night work will be minimized, and if the work is in the proximity of neighborhoods or businesses, Staff would let those areas know. Chairperson L'Heureux asked if there were any members of the audience who wished to speak on the item. Seeing none, Chairperson L'Heureux opened and closed public testimony. Chairperson L'Heureux asked if there were any further questions of Staff. Commissioner Nygaard asked if there was any way to encourage the owners of the gas line to complete their work concurrently with this project. Jane Mobaldi, Assistant City Attorney, stated that Staff has been communicating with representatives of SDG&E and Staff can certainly encourage them to do that, but as a practical matter that entity does not have any applications before the Commission or the City so there is no jurisdiction over them and no way to mandate timing. Commissioner Nygaard asked if the City had sent any letters to SDG&E requesting that the gas line be worked on concurrently. Mr. Smith stated that Planning Commission Minutes February 2, 2011 Page 4 at this point, Staff is cautiously optimistic that SDG&E will see the benefits in putting the gas line in the bridge. Staff is continuing to work with SDG&E on the scope and cost relocating the gas line. Commissioner Dominguez asked where the Coastal Sage Scrub on the site will be mitigated. Ms. Drew stated there is a mitigation parcel at Lake Calavera where credits will be purchased. DISCUSSION Commissioner Nygaard thanked staff for all the time and effort on the project. Because of the built-in redundancy, this will be a great project. She stated she is happy about the rail trail as well as the color of the fence. Commissioner Siekmann also thanked staff for putting together a forward-thinking project. She appreciates the visual aesthetics as well. She stated she is happy to see that there will be a biologist onsite. Commissioner Montgomery also stated his support of the project. Commissioner Black also stated his support for the project. He thanked staff for all of the work done on the project. Commissioner Dominguez also stated his support for the project. He stated that Staff has been sensitive in the design process of the project and is pleased with the built-in redundancy as well. Chairperson L'Heureux concurred with his fellow Commissioners and stated his support of the project. He feels this is truly a state of the art project and it is a very high quality project. MOTION ACTION: Motion by Commissioner Dominguez, and duly seconded, that the Planning Commission adopt Planning Commission Resolution No. 6753 recommending adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program; adopt Planning Commission Resolutions No. 6754, 6755, 6756, 6758 and 6760 recommending approval of Precise Development Plan Amendment (POP 00-02(C)), Specific Plan Amendment (SP 144(L)), Redevelopment Permit (RP 10-26), Hillside Development Permit (HDP 10-05), and Habitat Management Plan Permit (HMP 10-03); and adopt Planning Commission Resolutions No. 6757 and 6759 approving Coastal Development Permit (CDP 10-17) and Special Use Permit (SUP 10-02), based on the findings and subject to the conditions contained therein including the errata sheet. VOTE: 6-0 AYES: Chairperson L'Heureux, Commissioner Black, Commissioner Dominguez, Commissioner Montgomery, Commissioner Nygaard, and Commissioner Siekmann NOES: None ABSENT: Commissioner Schumacher ABSTAIN: None Chairperson L'Heureux closed the public hearing on Item 1 and thanked Staff for their presentation. COMMISSION COMMENTS None. Planning Commission Minutes February 2, 2011 Page 5 PLANNING DIRECTOR COMMENTS Mr. Neu stated the City Council heard the El Fuerte View project at that last Council meeting. The appeal was denied, and the project was returned to the Planning Director for modifications to the project. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS None. ADJOURNMENT By proper motion, the Regular Meeting of the Planning Commission of February 2, 2011, was adjourned at 7:13 p.m. DON NEU Planning Director Bridget Desmarais Minutes Clerk