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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-10-26; Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Fee Committee Ad Hoc; Minutes AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE (ACMF) AD HOC CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES Thursday, October 26, 2017 Faraday Administration Building 1635 Faraday Avenue Carlsbad, CA 92008 Room 173 A 9:00 a.m. 1. Call to Order ACTION: Chairperson Larson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Committee Members Present: Chairperson Eric Larson; Committee members, Ken Alfrey, Carolyn Alkire, Brian Flock, Scott Greenfield, Kerry Siekmann, and Patrice Smerdu. Committee Members Absent: None. Staff Members Present: Staff Members Pam Drew and Sarah Cluff. 2. Welcome new members • Carolyn Alkire • Brian Flock • Patrice Smerdu 3. Approval of November 29, 2016 Minutes ACTION: Chairperson Larson moved to approve the minutes of the November 29, 2016 Committee meeting. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Alfrey and carried with the following vote: AYES: Chairperson Eric Larson; Committee Members Ken Alfrey, and Kerry Siekmann. NOES: None. ABSTAIN: Carolyn Alkire, Brian Flock, and Patrice Smerdu. ABSENT: Scott Greenfield. AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE (ACMF) AD HOC CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE PUBLIC COMMENT: 4. Regg Antle, President of the Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation (BVLF), offered a brief update on the Buena Vista Lagoon Boardwalk grant (AGP 06-04). The boardwalk has been on hold as SANDAG completes an EIR for the lagoon. Mr. Antle stated that Keith Greer, with SANDAG, will complete the EIR for public release within a week. He stated that the BVLF received a $164,000 grant for the environmental review and design of the boardwalk. Phases 1 & 2 are now complete and the final design of the boardwalk will start soon. He will be requesting the remaining grant funds in the next few weeks. The construction of the boardwalk originally had an $800,000 cost estimate, now it is over $1 million. The BVLF is looking for funding as soon as possible. Committee Member Smerdu asked if the boardwalk project will be disrupted by the future restoration of the lagoon. Mr. Antle replied that the boardwalk project was analyzed in the EIR, but the projects can be separate regardless of the dredging and restoration of the lagoon. REPORTS: 5. Receive Status Reports on Active Projects Awarded with ACMF Funding. Staff Member Pam Drew provided updates for the Active Projects. PRESENTATION: 6. Committee Consider Recommending the Request from Chris Calkins, President of Carltas Company, to reallocate $162,833.53 awarded for the Floral Trade Center Project (AGP 13-04). Mr. Calkins came before the ACMF Committee regarding the previously approved Floral Trade Center grant project. Mr. Calkins is requesting that the Carltas Company can redirect the granted funds into three other areas of farming, which are: 1. Water management: Add micro-sprinklers on the sensor system to replace the overhead irrigation network to more effectively irrigate and reduce overall water usage for the field crops. 2. Heat impact management: Installation of an adjustable synthetic shade covering to reduce impacts from extreme heat for the floral crops. The operation is in need of a permanent system; a movable rig to allow for easy shade movement over 10 acres of field area. 3. Retrofit containers to be made into coolers: The acquisition of a generator and retrofit of two coolers for cut flowers and harvest food crops to provide adequate cooler capacity during AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE (ACMF) AD HOC CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE harvest periods. This will benefit both the cut flowers season and food production of blueberries. The request is consistent with the original grant, as the uses are consistent with ancillary uses for improving agricultural operations. The opportunity to reallocate the funds would have economic and long-term sustainability benefits, with immediate impacts now to their survival as a farming operation. Mr. Calkins stated that there is a need to update the Floral Trade Center project’s foundation blocks; the originally applied for improvements will still be built, but those improvements need to occur at different phases. Committee Member Siekmann questioned Mr. Calkins regarding the money being moved towards the flower fields, though the original grant was for the Floral Trade Center project, which has been left out of current request for reallocation. Mr. Calkins responded that he will be going before the Planning Commission soon to make sure the proposed uses at the Floral Trade Center are consistent with the zoning on the parcel. Mr. Calkins expects the building plans for the Floral Trade Center in late spring 2018, construction in early fall, and opening in early 2019. Committee Members Flock and Siekmann questioned how reallocating the money will help the floral industry that will be located at the Floral Trade Center. Mr. Calkins responded that food crops are the basis of this project, and the money used in the three areas he requested would directly improve the agriculture needs and be more sustainable in the long run. Mr. Calkins stated that he is committed to the Floral Trade Center project, and the request for the reallocation of funds is to balance the use of funds to move the Floral Trade Center project forward and sustain and improve floral operation to the overall benefit of the floral businesses. Mr. Calkins agrees that, if reallocation is approved by ACMF, the project plans will be more detailed for the City Council’s review and determination. ACTION: Chairperson Larson moved to recommend approval of the reallocation of $162,833.53 in grant funds approved for the Floral Trade Center for use on the flower fields operation with the stipulation that Mr. Calkins provide additional information to the City Council on the status of the proposed Floral Trade Center including the project timetable, viability and floral distributors and users. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Siekmann and carried with the following vote: AYES: Chairperson Eric Larson; Committee Members Ken Alfrey, Carolyn Alkire, Brian Flock, Scott Greenfield, Kerry Siekmann and Patrice Smerdu. NOES: None AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE (ACMF) AD HOC CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ABSTAIN: None ABSENT: None REPORTS: 7. Update on the Batiquitos Lagoon Resiliency Plan (BLRP) from Fred Sandquist, President of the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (AGP 06-12). Fred Sandquist reported that the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF) is moving forward with the use of $50,000 of the $100,000 that was appropriated recently. Phase 1 was started last week with a stakeholders meeting to inform them of the project and to raise interest in the importance of the project. Phase 2 is ongoing to gather data and complete a gap analysis. Phase 3 and 4 will need additional funds, but at this time he does not know the exact amount until the data collection is completed. He requested that the Committee leave the awarded, but unappropriated amount, in the AGP 06-12 account until it can be determined how much additional funding will be needed to complete the BLRP. He expects that the baseline data will be collected by the fall of 2018 with the final plan completed in the fall of 2019 or spring of 2020. The BLRP, which will address climate change, will be included in the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s management and monitoring plan upon completion. 8. Receive Report on Available Fund Balance and Consider Recommending that City Council Direct Staff to Solicit Grant Applications for the Committee’s Review. Currently, there is $148,000 in grant monies not yet awarded to recipients. Committee Member Flock is in favor of offering multiple grants. Chairperson Larson states grant requests are often too high and suggests the Committee consider capping the grants at $50,000 to keep them small to allow more categories of grants to be funded. Mr. Sandquist stated that he is willing to have $50,000 reallocated from his Lagoon Foundation’s grant (AGP 06-12) to the $148,000 un-awarded monies to bring the available grant funds close to $200,000. ACTION: Chairperson Larson moved to recommend that the City Council: 1) reallocate $162,833.53 in grant funds from AGP 13-04; 2) direct staff to solicit grant applications for the Committee’s review with a $50,000 cap on grants; and 3) reallocate $50,000 in grant funds from AGP 06-12 to the un-awarded monies. The motion was seconded by Committee Member Siekmann and carried with the following vote: AYES: Chairperson Eric Larson; Committee Members Ken Alfrey, Carolyn Alkire, Brian Flock, Scott Greenfield, Kerry Siekmann and Patrice Smerdu. NOES: None ABSTAIN: None AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE (ACMF) AD HOC CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ABSENT: None 9. Adjourn: Chairperson Larson adjourned the meeting at 10:09 a.m.