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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReal Estate, Environmental & Planning MINUTES 11-19-24Page 2 of 7 LCENTRAL SAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS: MARIAHN. LAURITZEN President REGULAR MEETING OF THE MICHAEL R. MCGILL CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA President Pro Tem SANITARY DISTRICT BARBARA D. HOCKETT TAD J PILECKI REAL ESTATE, ENVIRONMENTAL ELORENCET WEDINGTON & PLANNING COMMITTEE PHONE: (925)228-9500 FAX.- (925) 372-0192 MINUTES www.central.van.org Tuesday, November 19, 2024 8:30 a.m. (:nmmittaa Chair Florence Wedington Member Barbara Hockett Staff. Roger S. Bailey, General Manager (left during Item 4.b.) Katie Young, Secretary of the District Greg Norby, Deputy GM - Operations Philip Leiber, Deputy GM - Administration Danea Gemmell, Planning and Development Services Division Manager (left and returned during Item 4.b.) Edgar Lopez, Capital Projects Division Manager (arrived during Item 3.a., left after Item 4.a.) Melody LaBella, Resource Recovery Program Manager Lori Schectel, Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Division Manager Blake Brown, Laboratory Program Administrator Dana Lawson, Senior Engineer David Wyatt, Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program Administrator (left after Item 4.a.) Winston Ingram, Senior HHW Technician (left after Item 4.a.) Karen DeLong, Administrative Services Assistant 1. Call Meeting to Order Chair Wedington called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. 2. Public Comments None. December 5, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 269 of 274 Page 3 of 7 Real Estate, Environmental & Planning Committee Minutes November 19, 2024 Page 2 3. Items for Committee Recommendation to Board a. Review Draft Position Paper to adopt Resolution Nos. 2024-xxx, 2024-xxx, 2024-xxx, and 2024-xxx Accepting Grants of Easements at 2101 San Miguel Drive, 2115 San Miguel Drive, 0 San Miguel Drive, and 1229 Oakland Boulevard in Walnut Creek, as Related to District Project 100023, and Authorizing Staff to Record Documents with the Contra Costa County Recorder Ms. Lawson provided an overview of the draft Position Paper included in the agenda materials. She explained that the zero address is because the County does not regularly assign address numbers to properties with no buildings, therefore zero was used as an identifier. In response to an inquiry from Chair Wedington regarding the cost breakdown, Ms. Lawson stated that the difference in cost per property is related to the width of the easement, the length of the easement on the property, and any credit from the prior easement. There were no public comments. COMMITTEE ACTION: Recommended Board approval. b. Review draft Position Paper to adopt Resolution No. 2024-XXX authorizing (1) execution of a Real Property Agreement for Property located at 8 Valley Vista Lane, Lafayette, and (2) staff to record documents with the Contra Costa County Clerk -Recorder's Office Ms. Lawson provided an overview of the draft Position Paper included in the agenda materials. There were no public comments. COMMITTEE ACTION: Recommended Board approval. 4. Other Aaenda Items a. Receive Fiscal Year 2023-24 Household Hazardous Waste Program Annual Report and Supporting Presentation Mr. Ingram reviewed the presentation included in the agenda materials. In response to Chair Wedington's inquiry regarding the origin of the four percent minimum participation goal, Mr. Wyatt responded that the goal had been established when the program began in 1997. It is believed that the goal December 5, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 270 of 274 Page 4 of 7 Real Estate, Environmental & Planning Committee Minutes November 19, 2024 Page 3 was based on the experience of other permanent Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection facilities throughout California at the time. Mr. Ingram explained that the HHW cost measurement of Cost per Household would continue to be used instead of the historical Cost per Car to more accurately reflect cost and benefit to all rate payers. Mr. Wyatt explained that the Cost per Household measures the HHW program portion of the sewer service charge paid by every rate payer rather than on a per -visit basis, as with Cost per Car, which does not account for the cost to rate payers that do not use the program during the year. Member Hockett opined that Central San's HHW services are available to customers at a very reasonable rate. Chair Wedington inquired whether HHW accepts pharmaceuticals. Ms. Schectel replied that the HHW facility does not, but Central San does sponsor four remaining collection sites where a third -party contractor collects the pharmaceuticals for disposal. Mr. Wyatt explained that because there is a statewide manufacturer -funded program available, the remaining Central San collection sites are being asked to convert to the manufacturer funded program. Ms. Schectel shared that the statewide program for collection of pharmaceuticals paid for by the pharmaceutical companies is the motivation for these conversions from Central San's program. Chair Wedington shared appreciation for the HHW program and particularly for the reuse room. There were no public comments. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the update and recommended Board receipt. b. Receive update on the most recent meeting of the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (BACWA) Ms. Schectel shared that the last BACWA Board meeting was held on October 18, 2024 at Central San, followed by a very successful Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) tour. Over 35 BACWA members attended, as well as members of the Regional Water Board staff. The next Board meeting will be held on December 6, 2024. On Friday, November 22, 2024 there will be a joint meeting with the Regional Water Board. The BACWA Board received an update from San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) staff on the Regional Monitoring Program (RMP), which is in its 31 st December 5, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 271 of 274 Page 5 of 7 Real Estate, Environmental & Planning Committee Minutes November 19, 2024 Page 4 year and is made up of a steering committee and technical review committee, including BACWA members. They hosted their multi -year planning workshop to develop priorities for study focus areas for 2026 on November 4. The program will receive approximately $4 Million per year over the next five years through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s new San Francisco Bay Program Office funding, effectively doubling RMP annual funding. BACWA agencies fund approximately 46 percent of the current funding levels for the RMP. Funding will be used for water quality science, program management, quality assurance, and other related items. Ms. Brown shared that a program manager and a communications role will be hired. Ms. Schectel stated that BACWA is working with the EPA to create a non- competitive grant rationale to get new EPA Program Office funding for required reports under the Third Nutrient Permit and to be able to set up its own selection process for additional EPA program funding for individual BACWA members. A proposed selection committee, if approved, would be able to directly allocate funds to BACWA members' efforts such as nutrient management planning, and pilots, among other things, but not necessarily construction. Ms. Schectel noted that BACWA published a request for proposals (RFP) on October 9 for nutrient annual reports and regional planning efforts under the 3rd Nutrient Watershed Permit. A contract will be presented to the BACWA Board at the December 6 meeting. Ms. Schectel shared regarding the Third Nutrient Watershed Permit, that the Regional Nutrient Management Science Program Steering Committee and Planning Sub -Committee met two weeks ago and will have additional meetings over the next few months to determine priority science work for the next five years. Some of the areas of additional scientific focus over the next five years could include better understanding of episodic conditions adding to harmful algal bloom and spread, reducing uncertainty in the current model, refining dissolved oxygen assumptions included in the current permit, greater understanding of the Delta, impact of refineries, the biology of the 2022 bloom, and near -term results from nutrient reduction efforts already underway. Science priorities will also be discussed with the Regional Water Board on November 22, 2024. Ms. Schectel noted that BACWA is working with the Regional Water Board to develop alignment on what management questions need to be answered and science priorities that correspond to those questions. BACWA has emphasized that its members do not want to chase moving targets, that is, continually changing nutrient limits. Member Hockett opined that the nutrients issue is a dynamic process based on multiple variables, and that outcomes will continue to change. She expressed hope that the Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR) project could make a positive, cost-effective impact. December 5, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 272 of 274 Page 6 of 7 Real Estate, Environmental & Planning Committee Minutes November 19, 2024 Page 5 Mr. Norby emphasized that in addition to the capital projects underway and anticipated success with MABR, scientific research into nutrients is also a high priority for the next five year permit term. The conditions are shifting even as efforts are underway to understand the underlying concerns. The Bay is a complex system being driven by climate change, temperatures, wind patterns, and variations in clarity and sedimentation loads. It is important for the Regional Water Board to understand the nutrient issue as a holistic and long- term risk mitigation process across several factors, most of which are beyond control. The rate of nutrient loading into the Bay is important but is only one factor. The pragmatic issue for dischargers is the current target that will take a decade or more to reach, while the larger issue is long-term risk mitigation. Ms. Schectel added that there are staffing changes at the Water Board and the EPA and that BACWA wants to work with the staff to ensure collaboration. The Nutrient Management Science Program has also been without a crucial program manager. All parties are aware that this position needs to be filled and are working on staffing to move things along in an efficient way. Ms. Schectel stated that the Air District/BACWA collaborative group will meet regarding the need for efficiency in processing air permit requests for construction. The Water Board staff might attend to discuss the need for efficient air permitting for nutrient mitigation projects. Ms. Schectel shared that at the November 22, 2024 joint meeting with the Water Board, the topics will include collaborative regulatory strategies, the regional monitoring program, pollution prevention and source control coordination, the third nutrient watershed permit implementation including the funding opportunities mentioned above, and management questions over the next five years. Chair Wedington expressed appreciation for Ms. Schectel's thorough updates. There were no public comments. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the update. C. Status report on Mt View Sanitary District - Central San Consolidation Study Mr. Leiber gave a verbal update on the status of the study. The kickoff meeting with the consulting team, led by Raftelis, was held on November 5, 2024, to outline the issues to be studied and the approach to be taken. Mr. Leiber added that the nutrients permit requirements have added additional complexities that will need to be assessed for each agency. December 5, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 273 of 274 Page 7 of 7 Real Estate, Environmental & Planning Committee Minutes November 19, 2024 Page 6 Ms. Lawson shared that topics at the kickoff meeting included project charter, deliverables and expectations, concerns and opportunities, and defining legal definitions around any possible reorganization. She estimated an update for the Committee in the middle of 2025, and a recommendation of feasibility by mid-2026. There will be a communications planning meeting later this week to coordinate a unified communications plan within the two districts. Mr. Leiber added that there could be a positive outcome for both District's customers, but variables have changed over the past year and a half. There were no public comments. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the report. 5. Announcements Ms. Gemmell announced that the Permit Department is experiencing an issue with Oracle Permitting and Licensing (OPAL) software indicating incorrect payment status. Currently only emergency permits are being issued. The problem is being addressed with Oracle. • Ms. Gemmell announced that the Planning Group is working with Collection System Operations (CSO) to install 35 Smart Covers for data retrieval beginning on December 3, 2024. COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the list and provided input to staff. 6. Suggestions for future agenda items a. Receive list of upcoming agenda items and provide suggestions for any other future agenda items COMMITTEE ACTION: Received the list and provided input to staff. 7. Future scheduled meetings Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. 2025 Meeting Schedule -TBD 8. Adjournment —at 9:41 a.m. December 5, 2024 Regular Board Meeting Agenda Packet - Page 274 of 274