HomeMy WebLinkAbout13 - Nature Reserve of Orange CountyCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. 13
October 9, 2007
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: City Manager's Office
Dave Kiff, Assistant City Manager
9491644 -3002 or dkiff @city.newport- beach.ca.us
SUBJECT: Appointment to the Governing Board of the Nature Reserve of
Orange County (NROC)
ISSUE:
Should the City name its designee to the Nature Reserve of Orange County (NROC)
Board?
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve the Mayor's designation of Council Member Nancy Gardner as the City's
representative to the NROC Board.
DISCUSSION:
On July 1, 2005, the City took title to the five "view parks" along Newport Coast Drive
and San Joaquin Hills Road and the open space resources of Buck Gully from the
County of Orange (see attached map). Inland of 5th Avenue, the Gully is publicly
owned. Coastward of 5th Avenue, private property owners on adjacent streets own the
land in the Gully all the way to the centerline of the streambed, except for limited
easements in the area.
The 254 -acre Buck Gully is zoned as Open Space, Passive and is part of the Orange
County Central Coastal NCCP area. Being within the NCCP means that the land is
protected habitat that has been set -aside in perpetuity as mitigation land in exchange
for development elsewhere. NCCP lands must be managed in a specific manner to
preserve their natural resources, as described in the NCCP Implementation Agreement
(to which the City is a signatory).
NROC is a non - governmental organization formed to manage the Central Coastal
NCCP lands per the NCCP Implementation Agreement. Each party that owns land
NROC Appointment
October 9, 2007
Page 2
within — or that serves a regulatory role — in the NCCP is entitled to be a voting member
of NROC. Current NROC board members are:
• US Fish & Wildlife Service
• CA Department of Fish & Game
• CA State Parks
• County of Orange
• Irvine Ranch Water District
• Metropolitan Water District
• Southern California Edison
• Santiago County Water District
• UPI
• Transportation Corridor Agencies
• The City of Irvine
• The Irvine Company
• Headlands Reserve, LLC
• California Department of Forestry
• Coastal Greenbelt Authority
• Orange County Fire Authority
In addition to the above, three at -large public members representing the environment,
business, and recreation communities are appointed to the NROC Board.
The City is now entitled to become an NROC member (given that we own the Gully and
that we have completed and filed an accepted "Incidental Take" permit with the US Fish
and Wildlife Service). NROC meets quarterly and, among other things, is currently
developing fuel modification policies. The City should designate an individual from the
City Council to serve as the City's representative to NROC, in part to participate in this
important fire - related process.
Environmental Review: City Council's approval of this action is not subject to CEQA,
but the RRMP will require environmental review.
Public Notice: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours
in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
Funding Availability: Not applicable.
Submitted by:
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Dave Kiff
Assistant City Manager
Attachments: Map of Affected Properties
NROC Appointment
October 9, 2007
Page 3
Exhibit A -- Map of Affected Properties
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