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Home My WebLink About11-10-2014 PC FoleyCOUNCIL MEETING: 9 I/ /o/ 1,q ITEM NO.: F(_ Goodwin, Goodwin, Heather From: Mejia, Anthony Sent: Monday, November 10, 2014 4:30 PM To: Goodwin, Heather - - - -� Subject: FW: Nov. lo, 2014 City Council Meeting R E_�nF.IVFD NOV 10 2014 C , y �" From: Smurf [mailto:slosmurf @charter.net] Sent: Monday, November 10, 2014 4 :28 PM To: Ashbaugh, John; Carpenter, Dan; Christianson, Carlyn; Codron, Michael; Dietrick, Christine; Lichtig, Katie; Marx, Jan; Smith, Kathy; Mejia, Anthony Subject: Nov. 1o, 2014 City Council Meeting To the City Council, In the 4 months since the Laguna Lake Conservation plan was approved, it doesn't feel as though much has been done. Last month the Council instructed Bob Hill to provide them with an update at today's meeting. I would like to thank Bob for his effort on this project. At the last PRC meeting Bob confirmed that it would be cheaper to excavate the lake while dry and that the city was moving forward with 2 parallel plans- one for dry conditions and one wet. He has also confirmed that Atascadero dredging cost them approximately $15 /cu yd (That would be under 2 million dollars for the Laguna Project). In the memo that Bob submitted to the council there is a list numbered 1 through 6 on what is needed to begin this project. Item 1 - Preparation of updated studies.... Item 2 - Engineering and project specifications.... Item 3 - Sediment disposal site ..... Item 4 — Get Permits..... Must wait for items 1— 3 to be completed Item 5 - Updated project- specific environmental document.... Item 6 - Consideration of funding..... I ask the council to direct Staff to begin items 1, 2 and 3 immediately. It is my understanding that these three items are all done in house. If you are not going to do that please explain why not. It seems that in all the explanations or arguments against dredging or excavating, the project is always taken in its entirety. I would ask the city to please keep in mind that smaller portions of the project can be done at different times. A variety of cheap disposal sites for smaller amounts could also save money. I found a permitted disposal source for $3 /cu yd- let's see if we can beat that price I would also like the council to direct the staff to determine the costs for item 5 and to return that information to council for their approval. This is the only item requiring outside contractor work. I would like to personally thank Kathy Smith for not letting my last request disappear into the council archives. She insisted multiple times that the council give me answer and not let me walk away feeling unheard. We will miss you Kathy. I am constantly asked why was Atascadero Lake done and not Laguna? I know the standard responses- more complex, more sensitive conditions, more permits, more money, more time ... bottom line though... WE NEED MORE ACTION! They actually started! That is what I am asking for from my City Council. Just get started. Jim Foley Nov. 10th, 2014 E`91�° ". o . S November 6, 2014 TO: City Council FROM: Robert A. Hill, Natural Resources Manager Michael Codron, Assistant City Manager VIA: Katie Lichtig, City Manager SUBJECT: Laguna Lake Dredging and Sediment Management Project At the October 21 St City Council meeting, following public testimony for items not on the agenda, the Council requested that staff prepare a memorandum that details the process and timeline for implementing a prospective dredging project for Laguna Lake. At the present time, staff has prepared a draft Capital Improvement Plan ( "CIP ") project proposal, known as the "Laguna Lake Dredging and Sediment Management" project, which will be reviewed and ranked by the CIP Committee in the coming weeks. Ultimately, the Council will have the opportunity to determine if this project should be prioritized as part of the 2015 -17 Financial Plan process. The CIP project is intended to provide one of the key implementation steps contemplated by the City Council adopted Laguna Lake Natural Reserve Conservation Plan ( "LLNRCP ") and the timing of its implementation is subject to available funding, which is anticipated in the LLNRCP to include a variety of sources, including a property based assessment. If prioritized in the Financial Plan, the project would proceed in two distinct phases. The first phase of the project includes development of all of the information necessary to obtain the necessary funding and permits for what is anticipated to be a long term and expensive project. At minimum, this work includes: 1. Preparation of updated studies (soil / sediment samples; biological, noise, and traffic / emissions) to include with permit applications to resource agencies, including our own environmental review process. 2. Engineering and project specifications (suitable for permitting and contractor's bid packages pursuant to issuance of a formal Request for Proposals). 3. Sediment disposal site land tenure (disposal could be accomplished partially on -site; plus an off -site local location may be needed, with license agreement, easement, or purchase). 4. Regulatory agency permit applications (CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Streambed Alteration Agreement; Regional Water Quality Control Board, Section 401 Water Quality Certification; US Army Corps of Engineers, Section 404 Dredged Materials [note: up to 135 day review period allowed by law following issuance of Army Corps permit]; NOAA Fisheries Biological Opinion Consultation, and possible US Fish and Wildlife Service and Tribal consultations). 5. Updated project - specific environmental document (City Council previously adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act for Laguna Lake Dredging and Sediment Management Project Page 2 a dredging project in 2009; however, an updated environmental document would be required that is adopted within 1 year of project initiation). This work will be prepared by a consultant and review would be overseen by the Community Development Department. 6. Consideration of funding sources is also a key preliminary consideration for the project. A detailed evaluation, feasibility tests, community outreach, and potential initiation of a Community Facilities District or similar financing mechanism will be required, as was discussed in the LLNRCP at the Fiscal Statement section (p. 34) and Appendix F Conceptual Framework for Cost Allocation. We anticipate that the first phase of work will require as much as 18 months to complete. Once the components of the first phase are in hand, the second phase can begin with the physical dredging project. The exact strategy for the dredging project (e.g. timing / duration, equipment, costs, impact avoidance and mitigation) will be better understood following the first phase of work. Preliminary conversations with contractors and others that have embarked upon lake excavation or dredging projects indicate that ideal lake conditions are either completely dry for excavation, or as full as possible for a dredging project. An excavation project is the least expensive option, while a dredging project appears to be the environmentally superior option as it entails less noise, dust, and heavy equipment emissions. Staff will attempt to leave both options open, from both a job specification and permitting standpoint, so that we can potentially begin work under either condition, unless otherwise directed by City Council. In the meantime, as the Laguna Lake dredging project was previously included in the City's long -term CIP, the City Council and community will next have the opportunity to discuss the potential for this project at the November 13th "Setting the Stage" Special Workshop where the status of General Plan goals, Major City Goals, and both long -term and current CIP projects will be discussed. As always, please feel free to be in touch with Natural Resources Manager Robert Hill at (805) 781 -7211 or rhillgslocity.org. TAAdmin \Natural Resources \Laguna Lake 2014 \Council Memo on Laguna Lake 11- 05- 14.docx