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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packet 10/23/1996 *PUBLIC REVIEW COPY rfit do ve ATASCADERO CITY COUNCIL fmm 20 SPECIAL MEETING WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1996 CITY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING 6500 PALMA AVENUE, 4T" FLOOR ROTUNDA ROOM �-0O P.M. George Ray George Harold r David Luna Johnson Highland Carden Bewley This agenda is prepared and posted pursuant to the requirements of Government code Section 54954.2. By listing a topic on this agenda, the City Council has ejqvessed its intent to discuss and act on each item. In addition to any action identified in the briet general description of each item, the action that may be taken shall include: A referral to staff with specificrequests for information; continuance; specific direction to staff concerning the,poli r or mission of the item; discontinuance of consideration; authorization to enter into negotiations and execute agreements pertaining to the item;adoption or approval;and,disapproval. Copies of the staff reports or other documentation relating to each item of business referred to on the agenda are on file in the office of the City Clerk (Roo 208) and in the Information Office (Room 103), available for public inspection during City Hall business hours. The City Clerk will answer any questions regarding the agenda. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a City meeting or other services offered by this City, pleas contact the City Manager's Office, (805) 461-5010, or the City Clerk's Office, (805) 461-5074. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the meeting or time when services are needed will assist the City staff in assuring;that reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibifty to the meeting or service. CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL BUSINESS ITEM: 1. MILLHOLLIN QUARRY - Consideration of Reclamation Plan Amendment and Operations Agreement A. Negative Declaration - Adopt as adequate under the requi ements of CEQA (Staff recommendation: Adopt) B. Ordinance No. 316 - Approving an Operations Agreement to ensure the success of an approved Reclamation and Closure Plan amendment (CUP #96003) for the Millhollin Quarry (Staff recommendation: Motion to waive reading in full a)id introduce on first reading, by title only) C. Conditional Use Permit #96003 -Reclamation and Closure Plan for the Quarry, as amended during this hearing (Staff recommendation: Approve, based on Findings & Conditions) REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL / CITY OF ATASCADERO Agenda I em: L �) Through: Andrew J. Takata, City Manager Date: Oct. 23, 1996 Via: /j.�,. - Steven L. DeCamp, Acting Community Development Director From: (SAM Gary Kaiser, Associate Planner File No: SMARA SUBJECT: Millhollin Quarry -- Consideration of Reclamation P an Amendment. and Operations Agreement. RECOMMENDATION: The Council should consider public testimony and th n: 1. Adopt the Negative Declaration prepared for the project (Attachment C) as adequate under the requirements of California' s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) based on the Findings contained in Attachment D; 2. Introduce Ordinance 316 (Attachment E) , which could Oi. authorize the City's participation in the Oper ons Agreement as amended during this hearing, based on the Findings contained therein; and 3. Approve Conditional Use Permit' #96003, being a Reclamation and Closure Plan for the Quarry as amended during this hearing, based on the Findings and Conditions contained in Attachments F & G, respectively. - I DISCUSSION- On March 12, 1996 the Council held a public hearing whereby it was mutually agreed that a revised Reclamation Plan should be prepared for the Millhollin Quarry that would ensurl both closure of the Quarry, and reclamation of the Quarry site, 4n accordance with General Plan policies. It was further agreed that the revised Plan and supporting environmental documentation would be prepared "in-house" using technical information already available to the extent possible. On August 21, 1996 a draft document entitled Millhol lin Quarry: Reclamation and Closure Plan Operations Agreement end Environmental Assessment was released and made available for public review. The 45-day public review periods ma dated by California' s Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) ran concurrently throug the State Clearinghouse and Department of Conservation, respectively. y 1 000001 With the mandated review periods now closed, four (4) letters have been received -- two from state agencies and two from the public. One of the letters received from the state is from the Governor' s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) . This letter confirms compliance with CEQA's state review mandates and conveys that, with the exception of the Department of Conservation, none of the reviewing state agencies had any comments with respect to the adequacy of the Plan or preliminary environmental determination. The other letter received from the state is from the Department of Conservation (DOC) . This letter recommends specific revisions to the draft Plan and confirms SMARA compliance upon making those revisions. The two letters received from the public were from Fred Strong and the Santa Lucia Neighbor's Association (SLNA) , the latter being a much-appreciated group effort on the part of residents in the vicinity of the Quarry. The letters from the DOC, Fred Strong and the SLNA are attached hereto along with staff' s response to each of the individual points raised (Attachment A) . . It is staff' s recommendation that all revisions recommended by the DOC be made. Staff also recommends several revisions in response to the other letters received. All recommended revisions to the Plan/Agreement are presented in Attachment B. Once the Council agrees as to the specific revisions necessary, action can be taken to approve the Plan and Agreement subject to those specific revisions. Such revisions would then be incorporated verbatim into a Final Reclamation and Closure Plan,. Operations Agreement and Environmental Assessment document for distribution, filing and reference. This approach avoids the unnecessary costs and delays that could have been associated with premature production of a "final" document only to revise it and reproduce it a third time. CONCLUSION: The Reclamation and Closure Plan, together with the Operations Agreement, accomplishes the project goals of establishing a reasonable closure date for the Quarry and ensuring the Quarry site is reclaimed to a condition consistent with General Plan policy. Staff stated previously that ultimate resolution of concerns and issues surrounding the Quarry would and should be the product of reasonableness, fairness and compromise on the part of all involved. The draft Plan and Agreement is the result of years worth of effort and negotiations. Non-optimizing by nature, the revised Plan and Agreement now before the Council represents the best possible solution given the circumstances and together they address all of the concerns and competing interests in a manner that is indeed both fair and reasonable. 2 000002 Attachments: Attachment A - Letters and Responses Attachment B - Recommended Revisions to Draft ''Plan/Agreement Attachment C - Draft Negative Declaration Attachment D - Environmental Findings Attachment E - Draft Ordinance 316 Attachment F - Findings for CUP Approval Attachment G —Condition(s) of CUP Approval Separate Cover: Draft Reclamation and Closure Plan Operations Agreement and Environmental Assessment, City of Atascadero, August 1996. c:\data\wp\mine\recplan.sr 3 060003 _ --- ATTACHMENT A siAfFnFCAIIFORNIA - THFRFSOIIRCFSAGENCY LETTERS & RESPONSES MILLHOLLIN QUARRY DEPARTMENT OF CONST=HVATION Office of Mine Reclamation Reclamation Unit 8G', K Street, MS 09-06 v®V Sacramento, CA 95814-3529 (916) 323-8567 PHONE (916) 322-4862 FAX r September 18, 1996 - Mr. Gary Kaiser Planning Division City of Atascadero 6500 Palma Avenue Atascadero, CA 93422 Dear Mr. Kaiser: MILLHOLLIN QUARRY RECLAMATION AND CLOSURE PLAN, OPERATIONS AGREEMENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT The Department of Conservation's Office of Mine Reclamation has reviewed the Millhollin Quarry Reclamation and Closure Plan, Operations Agreement, and Environmental Assessment. Supporting information for the reclamation and closure plan is found in 1993 Report of Results, Mined Land Reclamation and Compliance, City of Atascadero, California. The reclamation and closure plan is an amendment to the 1980 reclamation plan for the quarry. The amendment allows the extraction of approximately 20,000 cubic yards of material per year for a three to four-year period. I fie quarry will be reclaimed to grazing land. Subsequent uses of this property, including possible development of a subdivision, are beyond the scope of this reclamation plan. The reclamation plan and Report of Results satisfy the majority of requirements of the Surface dining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA) (PuL' c Resources Code Section 2710 et seq.) and the State Mining and Geology Board regulations for surface mining and reclamation practice (California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 14, Chapter 8, Article 1, Section 3500 et seq.; Article 9, Section 3700 et seq.). The following comments prepared by Mary Ann Showers are offered for your consideration. 1. Grazing is proposed for the quarry end use. The reclamation plan, however, does not provide measurable performance standards to ensure that this end • use will be achieved [SMARA Section 2772(c)(8)]. We recommend that a specific animal carrying capacity (AUM) be proposed for the quarry. 06;0004 Mr. Gary Kaiser September 18, 1996 Page 2 Alternatively, the reclamation plan can propose a specific forage yield per acre to demonstrate that reclamation has been completed. The carrying capacity and /or forage yield should be demonstrable over a specified time period (monitoring period). The time period should mutually agreeable to both the applicant and the City of Atascadero. 2. The reclamation pian proposes to resoil the site and hydroseed it with a standard erosion control mix containing blando brome, rye grass, zorro fescue, and legumes. The proposed revegetation performance standard is 40 percent cover. We question the appropriateness of a cover of 40 percent in providing adequate forage for grazing animals and sufficient erosion control. Due to the �, Z• high CPPfI anplicatiOP. rags nrpn�ceri ata nroY.ifllatol 13(1 nr�i�nrlc� .,nr OC .0 tiein .g.. ;.. , N r approximately n n i t rl Nva a..v��.. ry recommend that a cover standard of at least 80 percent be used. Bare areas should not exceed a specified size, such as 10 feet X 10 feet, without remediation. The higher cover standard will provide increased forage and be more effective in controlling erosion on the site. 3. We recommend that the site not be grazed until the plant cover is achieved and the plants have set seed. Deferred grazing will ensure an adequate seed •3 bed for subsequent seasons. Please send a copy of the approved reclamation plan, response to our comments, and permit issued by you as lead agency under SMARA to the Office of Mine Reclamation at 801 K Street, MS 09-06, Sacramento, CA 95814-3529. The approved documents will be placed in the project files pursuant to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act. If you have any questions on these comments or require any assistance with other mine reclamation issues, please contact me at (916) 323-8565. Sincerely, r� James Pompy, Manag r Reclamation Unit cc: Tim Kustic, Reporting and Compliance Unit John Parrish, State Mining and Geology Board Keren Yowell, OGER 000005 I i Response to Letter 1 -- Department of Conservation (DOCS 1.1 Grazing is proposed as an end use for the Quarry site more as a means of describing the physical "unused" condition of the property after mining than to indicate a viable and long-term agricultural activity will be established. Nevertheless, the DOC is correct and the Plan should be revised to preclude the possibility of overgrazing. No more than one ( 1) cattle unit (caw/calf combination) should be allowed to graze on the quarry site, meaning the 20-acre parcel on which most of the mining and reclamation activities will occur. If the area accessible for grazing includes adjoining parcels the total number of cattle could be proportionately higher. See recommended revision to page 12, first paragraph. 1.2 The proposed performance standard indicating revegetation would be deemed successful when a coverage of forty percent (40%) is achieved is a mistake. That would suggest that sixty percent (60%) of the site could remain barren and thus unsightly and highly susceptible to erosion. The standard should indeed be changed to ensure that revegetation is not deemed successful until a coverage of eighty percent ( 80%) is achieved, commensurate with that which exists on adjoining slopes undisturbed by mining and reclamation activities, and that no expanses of barren ground over 100 square feet in size are present. See recommended revisions to page 17, third paragraph. 1.3 As stated above, there is no pressing desire to commence active grazing on the site after mining. The DOC is nevertheless correct and the Plan should indeed be revised to preclude premature grazing on the site. The third paragraph on Page 17 of the Plan (same paragraph referenced in the preceding response) states that "revegetation must prove successful without human intervention. . .for at least two (2) years before financial assurances for revegetation are released. " This paragraph should go on to preclude active grazing (as opposed to passive foraging by wildlife) within that two (2 ) year period. See recommended revisions i ns to page 17, third paragraph. i 0010006 ■ F. Strong & Associates L"and'Ilse Consulting Division P.n. Po,Y 3621 Paso Robles, CA 93447-3621 phone/FAX (805) 238-5400 August 22, 1996 Immediate concerns regarding August 1996 Reclamation';and Closure Plan, Operations Agreement and Environmental Assessment for the Mffiollin.Mine Reclamation and Cloqure Plan p. 12 "Proposed Use of Site Upon Reclamation" We would like to see some language added here that might say, Also, nothing in this pian shall preclude nor act' as a bar to 2. 1 any terms or conditions contained in the Operations Agreement. Page 17, "Revegitation Monitoring": please clarify this section. 40 Z. Z percent coverage of final reclamation phase??? . Page 18. Why are water wells included? Attachment B "Environmental Assessment Page 53: 1. (d) no. We would like to see the paragraph of explanation reworded to say something like: Although not unique, the site has been in the process of being altered by mining operations for many Z years. The project presents a practical plan'trec«aim the site for other bbeneficial uses with diminished- potential for H. IYA NN.ifN�iv! if it a...�rn {�eft.n �n a �r ...ie roi vnieooieeub uuii�u�G bu b1be Jibe alb" tt SUi�r'ldt%iding area. Mining is recognized by the State of California as a "beneficial use" and not as "destruction" of property. This type of negative connotation borders on being an editorial comment ' regarding the previous and present owners of this economically and societally beneficial property use. Page 60. The section on "Population Characteristics" justifies a more 5- definitive statement in the plan itself regarding potential residential use of the property in the future [see page 12 comment]. 00000'7 Response to Letter 2 -- Fred Strong 2.1 This letter has been considered by Mr. MillhoIlin' s attorney, John Belsher, and by the City Attorney and neither feel such additional language is necessary. The addition of such language would only introduce unnecessary confusion and redundancy as such legal arrangements are covered in the Operations Agreement. 2.2 The commentor is correct. The forty percent (40%) performance standard for revegetation coverage was indeed written in error as was omission of a "cap" as to the size of barren areas remaining. See revisions to page 17, third paragraph. 2.3 Water wells (and other conceivable surface openings obviously not relevant in this particular case) are included because they were included in the prototype reclamation plan provided by the State Mining and Geology Board for the City' s use in this case. Staff was intent on preparing as complete a Plan as possible and therefore decided to leave that language alone for fear that the Plan and./or associated financial assurances worksheets would be deemed incomplete without it. Although it is perhaps unnecessary, the inclusion of such language does not seem to create any problems and should remain. 2.4 See response 2. 1 above. All of these comments received within the public review period become a part 'of the record automatically. This particular comment does not affect the project' s potential environmental effects nor does it change the environmental determination that no significant effects will result from project approval. The comment is noted and well-taken but does not warrant any revisions. 2.5 See response to 2.1 and 2.4 above. No revisions are recommended in response to this comment. 2.6 Paragraph (i) on page 33 obligates the property owner to plant "a minimum of fifty (50) native Oak trees. . .in locations approved by planning staff. " Given that staff is recommending approval of the phased landscape '?,plan shown on page 23, plantings per that plan would be approved. What the aforementioned paragraph (i) means, then, is that any other planting arrangement would require staff; approval. Thus, the location of the trees to be planted 'is required yet changeable. 060003 i SANTA LUCIA NEIGHBORS' ASSOCIATION, INC. P. O. Box 20 Atascadero, CA 93423 September 27 , 19964, ".; Atascadero City Council RE : Millhollin Mine C-'v �ti.✓ Gentlemen: 0 V14 After reviewing the draft of the MillholliV Reclamation Plan, Operations Agreement and Environmental Assessment, I spent time with both Gary Kaiser, Associate Planner, and Art Montandon, City Attorney. I went over, at length, the questions and concerns that I and my neighbors have concerning these documents . Many of our questions were explained to our satisfaction, and those concerns will not be mentioned in this letter. The Santa Lucia Neighbors, Association, Inc. has since met to review these documents and discuss my meetings with Gary and Art . This letter will address the concerns we still have . Instead of all of us writing to you with our concerns, we decided to send you one letter which includes our joint concerns . If any one of us felt strongly about something not voted on to be included in this letter, then they will contact you themselves . RECLAMATION PLAN PAGE 6 "The Quarry property, . . . " (3rd. paragraph) These documents include a grading plan which actually affects 3 legal parcels, not just 2 . This Reclamation Plan is an expansion of the previous one. Mr. Millhollin is 3 . � proposing that the mining operation will now include a 3rd. parcel that he owns adjacent to the original 2 . We feel these documents should reflect all three parcel numbers . (The parcel numbers are also mentioned on page 40 and should be corrected there also. ) - PAGE lso. ) -PAGE 10 "An inspection will occur within one (1) year of Plan approval and then annually (at least) thereafter. " (2nd. paragraph) Who will be making these inspections? The City? Mr. Millhollin? The County? This should be clarified. We feel 3 it should be an independent entity chosen by the City but paid for by the Owner. 0 00.10 September 27, 1996 Atascadero City Council Page 2 PAGE 11 "Topographic surveys of the Quarry will be done annually, in conjunction with annual inspections, . . . " (3rd. , paragraph) 3.3 As on page 10, we feel the Reclamation Plan should clarify who is being required to do the surveys . PAGE 12 "Since the owner of the Quarry property is the operator of the Quarry, . . . ff (3rd. paragraph) On page 33 of the Operations Agreement it says, "Should Property Owner request replacement of the County as an operator on the Property, . . ." We feel these two documents should agree on who is the operator of this mine . Since Mr. 3•� Millhollin is asking for the option of changing who he sells rock to, we feel that the Owner should be the Operator, especially if he will be possibly selling to 'more than one customer. Any of those customers will not be operating the mine for the benefit of other customers . Therefore, there needs to be one constant operator, and that should be the owner. "Topsoil will be salvaged throughout Plan implementation and redistributed over the site prior to revegetation. " 4th. paragraph) Since this topsoil will be stored on the hillsides of this property, the topsoil not only needs to be salvaged, but it needs to be protected from erosion. There should be 3, s included in this Plan a requirement of erosion control, such as sedimentation fences, for this topsoil . If this is not done, a large percentage of the topsoil will end up at the bottom of the hill, far from where it is ultimately to be returned. PAGE 18 Paragraph 3 talks about erosion control measures required by the City Engineer. This only addresses sediment that might �. � leave the property and end up in a neighbors yard, the street or creek. This does not address the topsoil erosion control that was not addressed on page 12 . PAGE 21 & PAGE 23 ATTACHMENT B & D (Maps) The elevation lines on the grading maps included with these documents are not consistent with other information provided. At the right (south) end of the grading, the 3-7 lines should be curved so as to blend with the existing topography. 060011 i September 27, 1996 Atascadero City Council Page 3 OPERATIONS AGREEMENT G PAGE 28 "THIS OPERATIONS AGREEMENT. . ." (1st . paragraph) This is not an operations agreement . Under Recitals, Section A, it explains that this is a development agreement . Why not call it that. We feel that the City Council needs to be fully aware of what they will be agreeing to and signing. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, then let' s call it a duck. In the years 3'$ to come, if you sign this document titled "Operations Agreement" , future Councils will think you "gave away the store" without realizing what you were signing. If Mr. Belsher and Mr. Millhollin feel that calling this document an "Operations Agreement" softens its content, they are very wrong. Let' s call it what it is, a development agreement . Then, if after reviewing its contents, you want to sign it, fine . "Certain risks and uncertainties associated with the long- term nature of the reclamation of the Property. . . " (Recitals, Section D. ) Mr. Millhollin has paid his financial assurances to reclaim the property after the mine is closed. There should be no 3.9 risks or uncertainties . However, we think they are referring to development of the property. If so, then the 3 times the word "reclamation" is used in this paragraph, should be changed to "development . " PAGE 29 "The City acknowledges that Property Owner would not consider or engage in the Reclamation without assurances that future development opportunities which the Reclamation is designed to enable will be available. " (Recitals, Section F. , last sentence) Starting on this page, this document asks for many guarantees from the City to the Owner concerning future development of the site. Frankly, there are many different 3,ko opinions throughout our neighborhood concerning this issue . Generally speaking, we don' t want you to "give away the store" but we also realize the value of enticements, to a point . 0010012 September 27, 1996 Atascadero City Council Page 4 PAGE 30 "All other provisions, particularly those relating to Property Owner's development rights, shall remain in force. . . twenty-five years from said effective date. . . " (Section 3 b. ) We interpret this to say that if the mining takes from 6-15 years (which is being requested on page 7 of the Reclamation Plan) , the Owner wants an additional 10 years of guaranteed development rights . We think that 5 years would be more appropriate, as that is the standard development map life in Atascadero. But, whatever number you agree on, it should be 3•t� added on to the date of closure, not the proposed maximum date of closure. For example, if the mine closes in 6 years, as is expected, then if you add the 10 years of guaranteed development rights on to that, the Owner will get guaranteed development rights for 16 years from this date . But, if you sign this document as is, you are guaranteeing current development rights to him for 25 years from this date. There' s a big difference . "The City and Property Owner may terminate this Operations Agreement pursuant to Section 20 hereof prior to expiration of the Term. " (Section 3 c. ) This section needs to be made more clear. Section 20 is on 3•�Z page 38, but is unclear to us how it relates to termination of this document . ,PAGE 31 This whole page begins the portion of this document that involves the numerous development guarantees requested by 3A S the Owner. Please be sure you understand this section fully before agreeing to sign it . PAGE 33 "Should Property Owner request replacement of the County as an operator on the Property, . . . " (Section 9 g ) 3• '� Refer to our comments of Page 12 concerning who is the Operator. "The site will be reclaimed as grazing land. ., . " (Section 9 i . ) Since Mr. Millhollin is requesting so many development guarantees, we feel this statement should read, "The site will be reclaimed consistent with the development 3.15' agreement . . . " or something similar. If Mr. Millhollin doesn' t want that statement included because he feels it commits him to developing the site, let us paint out to you that on page 35 it states, " . . .but that Property Owner is 000013 September 27, 1996 Atascadero City Council Page 5 not under any obligation to commence construction of any development within any time period or at all . . . " . That statement protects him from feeling forced to develop. PAGE 38 "In the event this Operations Agreement is terminated, except by default of the Property Owner, all rights to continue mining by the Property Owner, consistent with the 1980 Reclamation Plan. . .shall remain in force. . . " (Section 19 d. ) Our position on this issue is that once the State Mining Department approves this amended Reclamation Plan, the 1980 Reclamation Plan is null and void. If this "Operations 3•� � Agreement" is terminated, it would have no bearing on the status of the State-approved amended Reclamation Plan. Again, once this amended Reclamation Plan is approved, the 1980 Reclamation Plan is terminated. PAGE 39 "Section 24. Reservation of Rights. " �'7 Please refer to our comments of page 38 . PAGE 43 & PAGE 44 "EXHIBIT D" These 2 pages are actually the real Operations Agreement . We would like to see the hours of operation changed to read ,ca 8 : 00 a.m. to 4 : 00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Operating on Saturday increases the dangers for children who are present on that day. "AMOUNT OF MATERIAL REMOVED" "The operator shall provide City with truck counts and purchase orders or invoices as proof of compliance, when requested. " (2nd. paragraph) For the last few years, the County has been providing the City with purchase orders, I believe approximately, on a weekly basis . This system has worked well and we feel should be continued. Please change the "when requested" to "weekly." 000014 September 27, 1996 Atascadero City Council Page 6 MENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PAGE 45 & PAGE 46 The term "the project" is used 15 times on these pages . However, there is no explanation what "the project" 3.Z0 specifically is . We would like to see that clarified so there is no confusion or misinterpretation in the future. PAGE 56 (last paracrraph) Regarding native re-vegetation. We feel that the site should be re-vegetated with native grasses etc. A standard 3.2- 1 erosion control mix has many non-native seeds that could ultimately prove to be invasive to the neighboring native land. PAGE 61 13 .c. Regarding road use, we do feel that the Millhollin Mine should enter into an agreement with the City to pay into a road fund, so much per truck or ton, for the excessive wear and tear of our roads and bridges. This 2-7— would be similar to the fees other mines within our County pay to the County for excessive wear and tear on County roads . For years, this mine barely operated and, therefore, there was not much truck traffic. Now that the mine is operating regularly, it should pay its fair `:share as other mines do. MISCELLANEOUS COMMENTS Regarding reclaiming the site after the mine closes : There does not seem to be any time limit required by any of these documents . The Reclamation Plan does say on Page 17 that ". . . the Operations Agreement obligates the mine 3 operator to plant at least fifty (50) native Oak trees prior•z 3 to mine closure. " But there is no mention of when the site is to be re-vegetated. We suggest that the 50 trees be planted first (prior to mine closure) and then the hydro- seeding within 60 days of the tree planting. Also, if the term "grazing land" is to remain in these documents, how soon after seeding will cattle be allowed to L be released on the property? There needs to be a time limit � .Z; t imposed so that the grass seeds that are dispersed have a chance to root and grow before cattle are allowed on the property. As you can see be the above comments, we are basically comfortable with the Reclamation Plan which was written by the City but we hope you will consider our suggestions concerning that document . The "Operations Agreement" is another matter. 000015 September 27, 1996 Atascadero City Council Page 7 Actually, the Reclamation Plan is more important to us in that it is the protection we wanted from uncontrolled, unlimited mining in our neighborhood. However, the Operations Agreement as written, will have a substantial effect on the City as a whole for many years to come. This document is basically legalese which most of us don' t completely understand. We can only hope that you have requested and received the best legal advice possible to ensure that whatever decision you make will be the best for the City. If you have any questions concerning our comments, please call me at 466-7980 . We look forward to see this item as a public hearing on your October 1996 agenda. Sincerely, Marcia McClure Torgerson Vice President /m CC: Andy Takata, City Manager Art Montandon, City Attorney Gary Kaiser, Associate Planner James Pompy, Dept . of Conservation, Mine Reclamation Div. Kate Neiswender, Esq. 000016 Letter 3 -- Santa Lucia Neighbor's Associatipn, Inc 3.1 First, staff does not view the proposed reclamation plan amendment as "an expansion of the previous one. " The purpose of the amendment, after all, is to put an end to the use and establish a tangible cap as to the amount of material ultimately removed. Although this has been the subject of debate in the past, it is a moot point at this juncture, as the conditional use permit approval previously lacking, thus making it a nonconforming use, is now before the Council for approval. The commentor is correct that grading and revegetation activities would spill onto a third parcel (Lot 21, 14/MB/63) and that should indeed be corrected. See recommended revisions on pages 6, 12 & 40 3.2 The last paragraph on page 32 confirms the Ci&v will conduct the annual inspections, as required by SMARA, 'as does the second complete paragraph on page 34. The same paragraph on page 34 clarifies that the property owner will not be charged a fee for the inspections. With the materials the property owner is obligated to provide to facilitate the inspections, costs of conducting the inspections would be negligible. See response 3.3 below. 3.3 The last paragraph on page 32 obligates the property owner to "prepare and submit" annual cross sections ;,that show the current condition of the site and the condition of the site twelve months prior. The third paragraph on page 11 further requires that these annual topographic surveys be performed by a registered civil engineer or licensed land surveyor. Thus, a competent private professional will prepare the surveys at the property owner' s expense. 3.4 Although the third paragraph on page 12 could indeed be revised to clarify that the property owner is "presently" the operator of the Quarry, it does not appear, necessary as that paragraph merely confirms that both parties have been properly notified of the pending reclamation plan amendment. The City cannot legally prohibit the property owner from selling or leasing his property during the effective life of the Agreement and it remains unclear as to what public purpose would be served in doing so even if they could. By making all obligations and duties the responsibility of the property owner rather than the operator, the Agreement would run with the land and be enforceable through that single entity regardless of who might be using the Quarry at any given time. 3.5 It is doubtful that a "large percentage" of stockpiled topsoil could be lost due to erosion, but the commentor is correct. The Plan should be revised such that sedimentation fencing or other approved means of protecting stockpiled topsoil from erosion is required. Covering the piles with tarps, planting the stockpiles and/or moving them to lower, flatter areas could also accomplish this. See recommended revisions to page 15. 3.6 See response 3.5 above. 3.7 The commentor is correct that Attachments B & D (Phased Grading and Landscape Plans, respectively) are inconsistent with one another with respect to the rounding of contours along the extreme southeastern portion of the affected ridgeline. If fact the Grading Plan was recently revised (more recently than the Landscape Plan) for precisely that reason and is correct. Since the Grading Plan is the one that will be used to determine grading compliance, this discrepancy does not appear to be a problem. 3.8 The Agreement was drafted by John Belsher, esq. , funded by Glenn Millhollin and proof-read by the City Attorney. When first presented to the City it was entitled a "development agreement" and referenced as such throughout. The wording was changed to "operations agreement" in response to staff ' s request because staff wanted to make sure that no future development of the site after reclamation would be guaranteed or presupposed. The commentor is correct that the Government Codes referenced in the Agreement are those which provide for development agreements -- the Operations Agreement is a Development Agreement. Although the reclamation of mined lands can be (and in this case has been) construed as "development, " staff still prefers the word "operations. " Changing the word "operations" to "development" throughout the document would require a substantial amount of editing, because the word is used so often, and would accomplish nothing from a legal standpoint. See response 3.9 below. 3.9 The commentor is correct in that financial assurances have been posted which are adequate to guarantee site reclamation. Having done that, the property owner should indeed wish to avoid the risk and uncertainty that perhaps the property will be "downzoned, " affected by a moratorium or otherwise further restricted with respect to future use. The language in the Agreement is standard language commonly included in development agreements. In the case of this rather unique project, however, "development" means "reclamation" but not vice versa. The comment is noted but no revisions are recommended in response to it. 060018 3.10 Comment noted. The only significant "enticement" or "guarantee" by the City is a commitment not to "downzone" the property or impose some sort of moratorium during the life of the Agreement that would further restrict development of the property after reclamation. 3.11 Mr. Millhollin has agreed to such a change, where development rights conveyed by the Agreement would extend no more than ten ( 10) years from the date the Quarry closes and site reclamation is deemed complete. See recommended revisions to Page 30. 3.12 The commentor is correct; the reference to Section 20 is a typo and should reference Section 19. See recommended revisions to Page 30. 3.13 Comment noted. See response 3. 10 above. 3.14 Staff still fails to foresee how the County or anyone else becoming the operator could be problematic. This section of the Agreement simply reiterates that the terms of the Agreement will run with the land and remain effective for the life of the Agreement regardless of the operator unless modifications are specifically approved by the City Council. • 3.15 Comment noted. The property owner would not be "guaranteed" much at all with respect to future development and would indeed be obligated to reclaim the site consistent with the Agreement. 3.16 SMARA requires that the state review new and amended reclamation plans and financial assurances prior to their approval by the lead agency and that the leadjagency consider any comments received from the state prior to approval. SMARA then requires that lead agencies provide the state with copies of all approved plans/as-surances along with explanations as to the disposition of comments provided by the state prior to approval. The City is the lead agency not the state and it will be the City, not the state that approves the plan. The commentor is correct on the second point in that newly- approved reclamation plans/conditional use permits would typically supersede and moot any reclamation plan/ conditional use permit previously approved. One of the items negotiated and reflected in the Agreement could allow resurrection of the 1980 Reclamation Plan if the Operations Agreement is terminated other than by default )?v the Property owner. This indeed is not a typical case. 3. 17 See response 3. 16 above. 000019 3.18 Staff fails to see how quarry operations on Saturday would "increase the dangers for children who are present on that day" as there is presently no prohibitions whatsoever on Saturday operations, nor Sunday operations, nor are there presently limits on the hours the Quarry may operate on any given day of the week. By establishing such limitations and restrictions, the Plan/Agreement would in fact decrease the potential dangers for children and everyone else. According to the traffic study recently prepared as part of the 3F Meadows EIR, traffic in the area peaks from 7: 15 am to 8:15 am and again from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm and that these peak hours represent 8.4% and 10% of total daily traffic volumes, respectively. Restricting Quarry hours to between 7: 00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Saturday, would avoid truck traffic during the highest peak hour of traffic while still allowing a normal eight-hour workday, with an hour lunch break and a short break in the morning and in the afternoon. Mr. Millhollin has agreed to a prohibition on Sunday Quarry operations in exchange for being allowed to offer a normal eight-hour workday on the days when the Quarry is in operation. Staff feels this is fair and the Agreement should be revised accordingly. See recommended revisions to Page 43. 3.19 Purchase orders have not been provided regularly, but truck counts specifying the number of trucks used per day, the size of each truck, the driver of each truck and the number of truck trips made that day have been. It is not uncommon for the Quarry to be idle for a week or more, but requiring the provision of such tallies on a monthly basis would be reasonable as would requiring the information every other month or every six months, etcetera. The existing language is suffice to ensure that such records will indeed be kept and made available to the City upon request. Staff agreed to the existing language thinking that "when requested" would allow the City to require this information in conjunction with annual inspections AND if excessive usage was ever suspected. Staff continues to feel the existing language is adequate. 3.20 The first paragraph on Page 5 states "the first two parts of this document constitute the project" and goes on to state "the project consists of a Reclamation and Closure Plan and an Operations Agreement. " Throughout the document, then, all references to "the project" refer to both the Plan and Agreement while references to one or the other are made using the words "Plan" or "Agreement. " 0000 :0 The third paragraph on Page 5 confirms the Environmental Assessment covers the whole "project, " meaning both the Plan and Agreement. 3.21 The commentor is correct that exclusive use of native species for revegetation would indeed be preferred (in spite of the fact that reduced level of erosion control would result) . The proposed mix was selected, in part, because of its non-invasiveness with the hopes that native plant species surrounding the reclaimed area will eventually take over. As stated above, the Plan and Agreement can be modified in the future with the consent of both the City and property owner. If additional monies are made available to supplant the proposed revegetation plan in this regard,; both parties would likely agree to such a change. Staff does not recommend such a change at this point, having ,'tried long and hard to negotiate for it in the past, as it is not worth the risk that Mr. Millhollin would withdraw from the project as a result of the considerable higher costs involved. 3.22 Comment noted. The City has spent a substantial amount of time and money through the years attempting to resolve this matter. Most recently, the Council directed staff to develop the Plan and Environmental Assessment "in-house" and agreed to waive the conditional use permit fens. Given the history, collecting some nominal fee to offset road maintenance costs would make little sense and 'could appear punitive. Although Mr. Millhollin could agree to such a fee, there does not appear to be a nexus to require it as project approval would actually reduce potential wear and tear on City streets in the long run. The appropriateness of such a fee warrants consideration by decision-makers but does not affect the environmental determination that no significant adverse effects on transportation systems or circulation patterns would result from project approval. 3.23 The commentor is correct that the timing of Oak tree plantings should be specified. See recommended revisions to page 17. The timing of grading and revegetation activities is mentioned in the document and is directly tied to the rate at which material is exported from the site. Because this rate will be a function of future demand for the material, a precise calendar timeline is impossible at this time. On page 7, the Plan states that "at the latest, mining and reclamation activities would be completed. . .fifteen ( 15) years from the date of Plan approval" and "in all likelihood, mining and reclamation activities would be 00001 �I complete. . .approximately six (6) years from Plan approval" (assuming an average annual export rate of 20,000 cubic yards per year) . According to the phasing plan described on pages 13 & 14, and the language in the third paragraph on page 18, topsoil would be applied to slopes and the slopes would be revegetated immediately upon the final grades being reached. 3.24 The Department of Conservation had the same comment. See recommended revision to the third paragraph on Page 17. 00002`2 ATTACHMENT B RECOMMENDED REVISIONS MILLHOLLIN QUARRY i Recommended Revisions to Draft Plan/Agreement COVER Add the word "Final" before the word "Reclamation" and change date to October 1996. TABLE OF CONTENTS Ensure page numbers referenced are correct after all revisions deemed appropriate by the Council are made. RECLAMATION AND CLOSURE PLAN Re-write the third paragraph on Page 6 as follows: '' Maps contained in Attachment A show the location of the Quarry property. The Quarry property, which is comprised of tws—+2} three (3) legal parcels, can also be identified by Assessor' s Parcel Number (055-451-006, & 055-451-030 & 055- 451-031) and Legal Description (Parcel 6 of PM 28-30 & Lots • 20 & 21 of Tract 1422) . Re-write the first paragraph on Page 12 as follows: Proposed Use of Site Upon Reclamation Upon closure of the Quarry and the completion of final site reclamation, the site will either be left vacant or will be used as grazing land. If used as grazing land, no more than one cow/calf combination shall be allowed on the +/- 20-acre parcel on which the majority of mining and reclamation activities occur. If the area accessible for 'grazing includes adjoining parcels, the total number of allowed cattle may be proportionately higher. Although the Operations Aareement establishes some ground rules for possible future residential development, the only "end use" being proposed at this time is grazing. 0000ti3 Re-write the second paragraph on Page 12 as follows: Considering that the twe-(2) three (3) parcels which comprise the Quarry site are zoned for single family residential use, it is possible that applications could be made for the construction of twe-(2) three (3) homes on the site, one on each parcel. Moreover, considering that the twe--(2) three (3) parcels which comprise the Quarry site are larger than that required for new residential lots, it is possible that application could be made for a residential subdivision. Any of these possible future residential uses, however, would be subject to entirely separate review and approval. Re-write third paragraph on Page 15 as follows: Recently, topsoil and mulched vegetation has been stockpiled along the upper northeast-facing portion of the ridge. As described above, topsoil from areas newly disturbed will continue to be stockpiled on-site. In Phases 1 & 2, stockpiling will continue to occur along the perimeter of the Quarry while topsoil stockpiles during Phase 3 will occur on the flatter "saddle" area along the ridge created during Phase 2. Stockpiles will shall be allewed -r-evegetated by hand broadcasting of the seed mix described below naturally to control erosion and the leaching of soil nutrients. If this approach to controlling erosion of stockpiled material is determined unsuccessful by the City, the property owner shall install sediment fences to the approval of the City. The property owner shall install said sediment fencing, and/or any other erosion control devices deemed necessary by the City, within two (2) weeks of being directed to do so. Re-write the first paragraph on Page 17 as follows: Supplemental to the revegetation herein proposed, the Operations Agreement obligates the mine operator to plant at least fifty (50) native Oak trees prior to mine closure. These trees shall also be planted in the late fall, after the placement of topsoil yet prior to hydroseeding. 00002-4 Re-write the third paragraph on Page 17 as follows: 0 Revegetation Monitoring As mining and reclamation activities near completion, the first Phase of revegetation will have existed and been monitored for at least (2) years. Revegetation must prove successful without human intervention (application of irrigation, fertilizer, etc. ) for at least (2) years before financial assurances for revegetation are released. Revegetation will not be considered successful until a minimum feEty-peEeent(4A-%- eighty percent (80%) coverage is achieved. Revegetation will also not be considered successful if any barren areas at or exceeding 100 square feet exist. In addition, there shall be no grazing allowed until all revegetation has been deemed successful, as described herein. OPERATIONS AGREEMENT Re-write forth paragraph on Page 30 as follows: (b) The provisions of this Agreement relatingl' to operation of the Quarry, including those conditions listed in Exhibit D hereto, shall remain in effect from the effective date of this Agreement until reclamation is complete to the satisfaction of the City. All other provisions, particularly those relating to Property Owner' s development rights, shall remain in force and effect until resident units are eenstEuetedat a density equal to that-allew d under the-DevelepmeRt Regulatiens in eiEistenee-ear-the " feetiy date-ef this Agreement, er twenty-five years fro said effeetive-date, whiehevems eaFl_eEy ten (10) years from mine closure and site reclamation is deemed complete by the City, subject to earlier termination as hereinafter provided. Re-write fifth paragraph on Page 30 as follows: (c) The City and Property Owner may terminate this Operations Agreement pursuant to Section -20 19 hereof prior to expiration of the Term. 000025 Re-write both paragraphs on Page 40 as follows: Millhollin Quarry Legal Description: The property is Parcel 6 of Parcel Map recorded in 28/PM/30 and Lots 20 & 21 of Tract Map (Tract 1422) recorded in 14/MB/63 in the City of Atascadero, County of San Luis Obispo, State of California. Assessor' s Parcel Numbers: APN 055-451-006,-& APN 055-451-030 & APN 055-451-031 Re-write first paragraph on Page 43 as follows: HOURS OF OPERATION The quarry shall only be operated 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. -Truelecs whieh haul gravel, whetleE empty=eE net, shall taveEse Santa- ueia lead—enly between tic—heuEs of 8:00 to St v pam . The operator shall coordinate with the Atascadero Unified School District and attempt to minimize the presence of trucks along Santa Lucia Road when school children are likely to be present awaiting bus pick-up and/or following bus drop-off; an effort shall be made by the operator to adjust workers' lunch breaks to avoid truck traffic altogether during and immediately following the noontime drop-off of younger school children along said road. In addition to the substantive changes recommended above, the following incidental typos should be corrected: * Page 13, second paragraph from bottom: First sentence should read 1.3 acres, not 1.3 areas. * Page 16, first paragraph: Delete open parenthesis at the end of second sentence. * Page 17, second paragraph: Correct double negative by changing "non-prime" to "prime. " * Page 45, third paragraph: First sentence should use the word "environmental" instead of "environment. " * Page 60, first paragraph: The word "noone" in second sentence should be spelled "no one. " 000U:�+6 ATTACHMENT C ItR DRAFT NEGATIVE DECLARATION CITY OF ATASCADERO M I LLHOLL I N QUARRY 014 to , COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT rirry n� JT.�Ct`d7�FT?!7 va�a a va araaav yra��wa�v I+ NI VIROMMEINTAL COORDINATOR NEIGATIVE DECLARATION CON?i,.UN171Y DE•+ni 0P.-AEN ^.?i. 6500:�1?ii.� XIE. AL-)ZC.3DER O. C.-k 93422 (805)461-5035 APPLICANT: Mr. Glenn Millhollin 8758 E. Barstow Clovis, California 93611 PROJECT TITLE: CUP #96003 & Ordinance 316 PROJECT LOCATION: 11600 Santa Lucia Road PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Reclamation and Closure Plan combined with Operations Agreement to establish a reasonable closure date for the Quarry and ensure the Quarry site is reclaimed in accordance with';, General Plan FINDINGS: policy. See attached materials (Plan, Agreement & Environmental Assessment) . 1. The project does not have the potential to degrade the environment. 2. The project wild not achieve short-term to the disadvantage of lor_g-tern ea,iron:nental goals. 3. The project does not have impacts which are individually limited, but ce:nulatively considerable. "'lin nt ill nt - .hc- moi �.?:a*•ce r .�n TT�� .. _ .^,fie.. .. .... ..........., .,.� ....__ .., __..,...... DE 1 L'♦4Y11NATL ION! Based on the above hidings, and the :`ormal-jon contained in the—Initial study(made a part her.-Of by refer- ence and on file in the Community Development DeparLanent), it has been deterrnin ed that the above project will not have an ad,. impact on tie environment. cro„o., i norT art; n; ter,. Community Devetopment Department Date Posted: August 21, 1996 Date Adopted: i CDD 11-89 i ATTACHMENT D — Environmental Findings Negative Declaration prepared for Conditional Use Permit #96003 Joint Reclamation and Closure Plan/Operations Agreement Millzollin Quarry -- 11600 Santa Lucia Road October 23, 1996 ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS: 1. The proposed project includes (and for practical purposes constitutes) mitigation measures, enforceable monitoring responsibilities and implementation/compliance assurances agreed to by the mine owner/operator (applicant) and incorporated into the project prior to the release of the proposed Negative Declaration for public review. 2. Said mitigation measures, monitoring responsibilities and implementation/compliance assurances are sufficient to avoid significant effects on the environment, or mitigate them to the point where clearly no significant effects would occur. 3. There is no substantial evidence in the record as a whole supporting a fair argument that the project may have significant adverse effects on the environment. 4. The Negative Declaration prepared for the project is indeed the appropriate environmental documentation for the project and, as prepared, it is both complete and adequate pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) . 00001:8 ATTACHMENT E DRAFT ORDINANCE MILLHOLLIN QUARRY ORDINANCE NO. 316 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF''' ATASCADERO APPROVING AN OPERATIONS AGREEMENT TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF AN APPROVED RECLAMATION AND CLOSURE PLAN AMENDMENT (CUP #96003) FOR THE MILLHOLLIN QUARRY The City Council of the City of Atascadero, California, does ordain as follows: SECTION 1. The Operations Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit A and hereby incorporated herein is hereby found consistent with the General Plan and approved. SECTION 2. The Mayor, and in the Mayor's absence the City Manager, is hereby authorized to execute said Agreement on behalf of the City for properties described in the Agreement. SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall cause this ordinance to be published once within fifteen (15) days after its passage in the Atascadero News, a newspaper of general circulation, printed, published, and circulated in the City in accordance with Section 36933 of the Government Code; shall certify the adopting and posting of this ordinance and shall cause this ordinance and this certification together with proof of posting to be 'entered into the Book of Ordinances of the City. SECTION 4. This ordinance shall go into effect and be in full force and effect at 12:01 a.m. on the 31st day after its passage. On motion by and seconded by , the foregoing Ordinance is approved by the following role call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: DATE ADOPTED: By: George P. Highland, Mayor ATTEST: City of Atascadero - � LEE PRICE, City Clerk 00U012:9 Ordinance No. 316 Page 2 of 2 APPROVED AS TO FORM: ARTHER R. MONTANDON, City Attorney PREPARED BY: STEVEN L. DeCAMP, Acting Director Community Development Department 000030 ATTACHMENT F - Findings for Approval Conditional Use Permit #96003 Joint Reclamation and Closure Plan/Operations Agreement Millhollin Quarry -- 11600 Santa Lucia Road October 23, 1996 FINDINGS FOR APPROVAL: 1. A Negative Declaration has been prepared for the project, considered and adopted based on the Findings contained on the preceding page (Attachment ?) . The Negative Declaration is adequate as project approval would not have significant adverse effects on the environment. 2. The proposed project is consistent with the General Plan. 3. The proposed project satisfies applicable provisions of the Zoning Ordinance, Surface Mining and Reclamation Ordinance (Ordinance 242) , Uniform Building Code (UBC) and Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) . 4. The establishment, and subsequent operation and conduct of the use will not, because of circumstances and conditions applied in the particular case, be detrimental to the health, safety, or welfare of the general public or persons residing or working in the neighborhood of the use, or be detrimental or injurious to property or improvements in the vicinity of the use. 5. The proposed project is not inconsistent with the character of the immediate neighborhood or contrary to its orderly development. 6 . The proposed project will not generate a volume of traffic beyond the safe capacity of all roads providing access to the project, either existing or to be improved in conjunction with the project, or beyond the normal traffic volume of the surrounding neighborhood that would result from full development in accordance with the Land Use Element. 7. The proposed project is consistent with the City' s Appearance Review Guidelines. 000032 ATTACHMENT G - Condition(s) of Approval Conditional Use Permit #96003 Joint Reclamation and Closure Plan/Operations Agreement Millhollin Quarry -- 11600 Santa Lucia Road October 23, 1996 CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL: 1. Conditional Use Permit #96003 effectuates an amendment to the Reclamation Plan approved for the Quarry by the County of San Luis Obispo in 1980. The approval is granted upon the single and critical condition that each and every term, provision, stipulation, duty, role and responsibility of the following document is adhered to with respect to both site reclamation and interim mining and in good faith respected: Millhollin Quarry• Final Reclamation and 'Closure Plan, Operations Agreement and Environmental Assessment, City of Atascadero, October 1996. Any substantial modification of, or deviation from, the project as hereby approved shall require Reconsideration of this approval by the City Council at a noticed public hearing. 000033