MINUTES

NOVEMBER 17, 2003 MEETING OF THE

CITY OF SANTA MONICA

TASK FORCE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

 

 

The meeting was convened at 7:05 p.m.  Task Force members in attendance: Susan Mearns, Bill Selby, Erik Neandross and Mark Gold.  Santa Monica City staff in attendance: Craig Perkins, Celeste Peele, Greg Reitz and Dean Kubani.  Others: Mayor Pro tem Kevin McKeown, Council member Mike Feinstein, Recreation and Parks Commissioner Jennifer Wolch, Laurel Roennau, Louisa Fish, Gene Burke, Stacy Brown, Mary Davis, Kathy Knight, Adam Holt, and two other members of the public.

 

Minutes

The minutes from the October 20, 2003 meeting were unanimously approved.

 

Recommendations Regarding Playa Vista Phase II Draft EIR

Dean Kubani discussed the timeline for comment submittal on the EIR.  City staff recommendations on the EIR will be presented to City Council at the December 9 Council meeting.  This will allow Council to make comments to the City of LA by the December 22 comment deadline.  Susan Mearns reviewed the Safety/Risk of Upset, Air Quality, and Earth sections of the draft EIR and presented her comments.  Mark Gold provided comments on the Water and Biotic Resources sections of the document.  A complete list of Task Force comments is attached to these minutes (Note: these comments were forwarded to City Council for their December 9 meeting as an attachment to the staff report).  Several members of the public expressed their concern about potential impacts of the Phase II development on Santa Monica and the environment.

 

Update Regarding City’s Solid Waste Transfer Station Proposal

Craig Perkins and Solid Waste Manager Celeste Peele presented information on the proposal.  Staff began evaluating alternatives for upgrading the City Yards and Solid Waste/Recycling Recovery Transfer Station in 1996 to address current deficiencies at the site.  Staff’s preferred alternative is to construct a new facility that will bring the facility into compliance with NPDES and SCAQMD requirements, improve operational effectiveness, and provide capacity for improving recycling among residents and businesses.  Other alternatives include modifying the existing facilities at the site and contracting with a private waste hauler to use their off site facility.  Staff presented options for the City Yards to City Council in August and were asked to return in December or January for a City Council study session on this topic. 

 

Discussion of Task Force Mission and Priorities

Discussion on this item was postponed until the December 15 Task Force meeting.

 

Discussion on Sustainable City Presentation to Westside COG

Kevin McKeown indicated that he has proposed that Santa Monica give a presentation on the Sustainable City Plan to the Westside Council of Governments in January.  The COG was very receptive.  A meeting date for January is forthcoming.  It was noted that Sandy Grant had expressed interest in participating in the presentation.  Kevin indicated that elected officials and/or representatives from the City Manager’s office typically make presentations at these meetings, and that the City Manager’s office would likely decide who would present on behalf of the City.

 

Update on Sustainable City Task Force

Kevin McKeown reported on the City Council action on October 28 that called for the creation of an 11-member Sustainable City Task Force (SCTF) to oversee development of a community implementation plan for achieving Sustainable City goals.  The application process for this Task Force will begin in December and it is expected that appointments will be made by City Council in February or March 2004.  A discussion regarding designation of a Task Force on the Environment representative to apply for the SCTF will take place at the December meeting.

 

Subcommittee Updates

Regarding the Airport Ad Hoc Committee, Susan Mearns reported that no meetings have taken place since late summer.  Dean Kubani noted that City Airport staff have met with SCAQMD staff and were told that AQMD plans to include the proposed air monitoring study at the Santa Monica airport into their comprehensive MATES III air quality assessment of the southern California air basin.  The timeline on this process is currently unknown.  Regarding water fluoridation, Mark Gold and Susan Mearns recently met with the City’s consultants Black and Veatch.  Mark and Susan convinced them to do some additional work to improve the weather data used to determine the fluoride dosage.  This would likely result in a lower fluoride dosage being added to Santa Monica’s water.  Susan and Mark were also successful in convincing Black and Veatch to eliminate one of the two proposed fluoridation facilities planned for installation because it was deemed unnecessary.

 

Metropolitan Water District Update

This item was not discussed because MWD Board member Judy Abdo was not present.

 

Public Input

Gene Burke commended the Task Force for their work to address water fluoridation.  He recommended that City Council revisit the fluoridation issue due to potential security issues regarding the delivery and storage of fluoridation chemicals.

 

Laurel Roennau noted that proposed traffic mitigations in the Playa Vista draft EIR would do nothing to improve volume capacity ratios in Santa Monica.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 pm