HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/14/2009 - Study SessionCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
City Council Minutes
City Council Study Session
April 14, 2009 — 4:00 p.m.
I. ROLL CALL
Present: Council Member Henn, Mayor Pro Tem Curry, Council Member Webb, Council Member
Gardner, Council Member Daigle
Excused: Council Member Rosansky, Mayor Selich
Mayor Selich arrived at 4:08 p.m and Council Member Rosansky arrived at 4:14 p.m.
II. CURRENT BUSINESS
1. CLARIFICATION OF ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
In response to Council Member Daigle's question regarding the City Hall and Park
Project (Item 22), City Manager Bludau indicated that it is Council's decision whether to
include a dog park in the project.
Council Member Gardner noted that Phase 1 of the Traffic Signal Modernization
Project has been completed (Item 5). Public Works Director Badum indicated that the
system is online, it can detect when loops are bad, and some improvements have already
been realized; however, more improvements will occur over time.
Council Member Webb indicated that he will be pulling Item S24 (Letter of Support for
OCTA Measure M Environmental Mitigation Funding Request from Banning Ranch
Conservancy Regarding Potential Banning Ranch Purchase) during the regular meeting.
2. UPDATE ON LOWER BAY DREDGING ISSUES.
Harbor Resources Division Manager Miller provided a handout and utilized a PowerPoint
presentation to discuss the Upper Newport Bay dredging project and its relationship to
Lower Newport Bay, funding options for the Lower Bay, and the status of the current
testing program in the Lower Bay. He displayed a map of where most of the
contaminants are located and where they are proposing to place the primary and
alternate Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) sites. He emphasized the complexity of the
project and pointed out the many agencies that would need to support the project.
Regarding Item 13 on the evening agenda, he noted that geotechnical exploratory work is
needed prior to moving forward with the project. He reviewed the possible next steps in
the development decision process and indicated that the CAD project can be shovel ready
by September 2010.
Steve Cappellino, Anchor QEA, utilized a PowerPoint presentation and reported that
Anchor QEA was hired to develop a concept plan for contaminated disposal. He
discussed the pros and cons of the following options: 1) creating an on -site sediment
treatment facility, 2) utilizing future port fills, 3) conducting upland landfill disposals, 4)
taking the contaminated disposal to the Long Beach CAD site, and 5) creating a CAD site
in the Lower Bay. He displayed an illustration of a CAD cell and discussed the
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City of Newport Beach
City Council Study Session
April 14, 2009
differences in cost and the permitting process between using a CAD in Long Beach versus
creating a CAD in Newport Beach. He indicated that the timeline for the project would
vary depending on the type of equipment used and whether the project is phased. He
noted that filling the hole takes more time than excavating it and reported that the Port
Hueneme CAD site will take about six months to complete, but larger equipment was
used 24/7. He discussed options to contain the contaminated material when placing it
into the CAD.
In response to Council questions, Harbor Resources Manager Miller discussed the Rhine
Channel, explained the difference between design depth and authorized depth, reported
that the project would go to authorized depth, discussed the meeting with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers' Chief of Staff, Colonel Stephen Hill, and confirmed that he is keeping
documentation between the City and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). He
noted that they are unsure if they should do a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) or
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Regarding costs, City Manager Bludau
indicated that this project will be brought up during budget discussions. However,
Harbor Resources Division Manager Miller suspected that the City would probably be
contributing toward the cost of designing the project, doing the environmental work, and
constructing the CAD site. He noted that it would be easier for the Federal government
to assist with funding if the City had money set aside in its 2009 -2010 budget for the
project.
III. PUBLIC COMMENTS - None
IV. ADJOURNMENT - 5:13 p.m.
The agenda for the Study Session was posted on April 9, 2009, at 11:15 a.m. on the City
Hall Bulletin Board located outside of the City of Newport Beach Administration
Building.
Mayor
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