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Home My WebLink AboutGPAC_2003_09_08*NEW FILE* GPAC_2003_09_08 I� r-I LA 11 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE AGENDA September 8, 2003 7:00-9:00 p.m. 7:00 I. Call to Order 7:05 II. Approval of Minutes July 7, 2003 7:15 MR Police Department Auditorium 870 Santa Barbara Drive III. Discussion of the Hazards Assessment Study IMM • CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Minutes of the General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting held on Monday, July 7, 2003, at the Police Department Auditorium. Members Present: Roger Alford Nancy Gardner Charles Remley Phillip Bettencourt Louise Greeley Larry Root Carol Boice Bob Hendrickson John Saunders Karlene Bradley Mike Ishikawa Ed Siebel Gus Chabre Lucille Kuehn Jan Vandersloot John Corrough Phillip Lugar Jennifer Wesoloski Laura Dietz Marie Marston Ron Yeo Grace Dove Catherine O'Hara Florence Felton Carl Ossipoff Members Absent: Patrick Bartolic Mike Johnson Donald Krotee Ernest Hatchell Alex Kakavas James Schmiesing Tom Hyans Bill Kelly Jackie Sukiasian Kim Jansma Todd Knipp Staff Present: Sharon Wood, Assistant City Manager Patrick Alford, Senior Planner Woodie Tescher, EIP Consultant Debbie Lektorich, Executive Assistant Members of the Public Present: Everette Phillips Marice White Tom Webber I. Call to Order Nancy Gardner called the meeting to order. Ms. Gardner pointed out that it has 2 been difficult to get a quorum the last couple meetings and reminded everyone • to advise staff in advance if you cannot attend a meeting. II. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the June 23, 2003 meeting were approved as submitted. III. Discussion of the Biological Resources Report Patrick Alford reviewed a Power Point presentation outlining the 'Biological Resources Report. The presentation is attached. During and after the presentation the following questions were raised. Gus Chabre pointed out the report shows eelgrass throughout the lower bay, and because it seems to be so pervasive are mitigation measures necessary? He felt that if we are unable to dredge the harbor and bay areas it will have an economic impact on the City; the harbor and bay need to be maintained for boating and recreation. Woodie Tescher pointed out that the jurisdiction may not be with the City, it may be State or Federal regulations. Jan Vandersloot asked why we provide this data, instead of waiting for the government imposing the regulation to ask for the information. Mr. Tescher pointed out that data collection is required by law during the General Plan update process. Mr. Vandersloot then asked how the consultants had arrived at 19 habitats and • pointed out that the west side of Cliff Drive Park was not included. Sharon Wood asked everyone to point out areas they feel are missing or incorrect in the report. Mr. Chabre brought up the difficulty Linda Isle is having obtaining a dredging permit because of the eelgrass. Ms. Gardner asked how we balance all the elements (i.e. environmental vs. economic issues). Mr. Tescher explained that during the policy phase this group will have discussions regarding resources and impacts, and will have to determine what options/trade-offs the community is willing to live with on any issues that may be conflicting. John Corrough pointed out that many of the concerns regarding dredging and eelgrass are addressed in the Harbor and Bay Element of the current General Plan. John Saunders feels that different biologists would report different things and because these studies influence policy, we need to be careful who is selected to do the studies and what they report. Karlene Bradley pointed out that we should not be considering changing or editing the information provided in the reports. Phil Bettencourt pointed out that the characterization of the Banning Ranch property is too broad, it doesn't mention the wells, roads, pump stations, etc. that exist on the property. Charles Remley said Los Trancos has the same problem; the report fails to mention the bike and hiking trails that have degraded the area. Mr. Remley also asked where he could find the Army Corps of Engineers maps referred to on Page 5-3, Section 1, Subsection D. Mr. Corrough indicated the maps can be found at Harbor Resources. Mr. Chabre felt the language on Page 5.4 "5. The following mitigation measures shall be required..." is too strong. Ms. is Wood pointed out that these are "recommended" policies, the City can choose to 2 3 use them or not. Ms. Bradley questioned whether the members of the • committee were qualified to judge the studies. Ms. Gardner pointed out that reviewing data is one of the committee's roles in the process. Mr. Corrough said he had shared the studies with a couple marine biologists who felt the document *contained too many open, sweeping statements with generalized maps, which seem more `boiler plate" instead of accurate research. After hearing these issues, Ms. Wood asked Mr. Tescher to have someone at his firm assist with a peer review of the documents. She asked the committee members to submit their comments in writing which will assist with the review. Mr. Saunders suggested getting more than one peer review to balance the findings. Mr. Bettencourt agreed that a peer review was a good idea, however added that it is still our responsibility to comment on the documents. Marie Marston pointed out that the graphics in the documents were difficult to read. Lucille Kuehn felt that one of the functions of this committee was to seek balance when reviewing material presented. She also pointed out that coastal sage was probably found in most of the City before it was developed, so why is it important to preserve it now. Carol Boice asked that if an area is identified as environmentally sensitive, does that mean that no development will be allowed. Mr. Hendrickson suggested someone needs to review the maps closely for accuracy, he noted that an area of Bonita Canyon Park should have been • included as a habitat area. Mike Ishikawa pointed out the human factor seems to be missing, people have needs that need to be considered also. Laura Dietz asked why Morning Canyon was only mentioned on one document. Catherine O'Hara felt the documents should have provided information regarding the environmental laws, which would help the group determine what is required as well as areas where there is more leeway allowed. Mr. Vandersloot pointed out that only half of the area behind the Central Library is listed in the document; it should list the entire property. Mr. Corrough asked Mr. Tescher about the procedure in the next phase of the process. Mr. Tescher indicated that it had been decided in preliminary discussions that position papers will be prepared which will provide the group with all the information necessary to help formulate policies. Ms. Gardner asked the group to provide comments about these studies to Patrick no later than July 14th; the comments will be forwarded along with the studies for the peer review. IV. Future Meeting Schedule Ms. Wood referred to the Revised Schedule handout and told the group that we will be taking some time off during the summer/vacation months. The July 22"d, • August 1].th and August 25th meetings are cancelled. In addition, we will only be 3 I meeting once in September (8t" or 22"d) and once in October (13th or 27th). The • group was asked to check their calendars and let Debbie know which dates work best by July 14th. Ms. Wood indicated that future agendas will include readdressing the biological studies as well as another technical report on hazards. Mr. Alford also answered questions regarding the LCP certification process. Ms. Wood added that we are only working to get approval of the Land Use Plan, the Implementation Plan will have to go through the same process for certification. V. Public Comments No comments offered. 11 • 0 5 C • Biological Resource Assessment The Study • Field studies of habitats (City Limits, SO[, coastline) • Identify and describe each habitat • Evaluate condition • Identify potential threats and methods of protection • Update LCP ESHA policies Marine Habitats Sandy Beachisolt Bottom Rocky Open Water The Consultants • Hired consultants in May2002 • Coastal Resources Management (marine resources) • Chambers Group (terrestrial resources) • Coastal Zone areas by October 2002 • Non -coastal areas by January 2003 Terrestrial Habitats Scrub s•t ="� Chaparral . 4r Grassland Wet meadows, etc. Riparian Dune Habitat Areas • Lists 28 areas (19 in the Coastal Zone and 9 outside) • Plus dune habitats and eelgrass meadows • Describes the various habitat types in each area • Identifies sensitive species observed and those that might exist in each habitat • Lists impacts and potential mitigation measures 1 Role in General Plan Update • State law requires general plans to have a conservation element and an open space element • Both elements (often combined) address the protection of natural resources • The biological studies will be used to prepare the technical report that will be used in drafting the updated General Plan • 0 City of Newport Beach Hazards Assessment Study Executive Summary Chapter 1 - Coastal Hazards Tsunamis A tsunami is a sea wave caused by any large-scale disturbance of the ocean floor that occurs in a short period of time and causes a sudden displacement of water. The Channel Islands and Point Arguello protect Newport Beach from most distantly generated tsunamis (teletsunamis) spawned in the Pacific Ocean, except for those generated in the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of Chile, and possibly off the coast of Central America. Tsunamis generated in the Alaskan region take approximately 6 hours to make it to the Southern California area, while tsunamis generated off the Chilean coast take 12 to 15 hours to reach Southern California. Given those time frames, coastal communities in Southern California can receive adequate warning, allowing them to implement evacuation procedures. For the Orange County coastline, near -shore tsunamis should be considered worst -case scenarios, as these have the potential to cause high runups that would impact the coastline with almost no warning. The tsunami inundation maps were prepared based on several sea water levels scenarios is for 100- and 500-year tsunamis. The findings are summarized below: Tsunami Inundation at Mean Sea Level. In this scenario, Newport Bay and most of the harbor would be inundated with the potential to damage small vessels and docks. Some of the properties adjacent to the Bay would also be impacted, especially the northwestern section of Balboa Island, which is predicted to be inundated. The water level in Upper Newport Bay is anticipated to rise some but the data available are insufficient to quantify the hazard in this area. Tsunami Inundation at Mean High Water. In this scenario, Most of the harbor area, including the inland, developed portion of the Balboa Peninsula, Balboa Island, and Upper Newport Bay could be inundated during such an event. Near -shore sections of Lido Isle and Linda Isle would also be impacted, and Lido Isle would be cut off from the mainland due to flooding along Newport Boulevard and 32nd Street. This scenario is expected to cause considerable damage to homes in the low-lying areas and to all moored boats. Tsunami Inundation at Extreme High Tide. In this scenario, a significant portion of Newport Harbor and the low-lying areas south of Coast Highway would be inundated by both the 100- and 500-year wave runups. The 100-year event shows that except for a small sliver of Lido Isle, the entire Newport Bay area would flood. Flooding is also anticipated in the area where Newport Dunes Resort is located. In the 500-year event, all of Lido Isle is expected to flood. The probability of a tsunami occurring during extreme • high tide is highly improbable and represents the worst -case scenario. However, these tsunami runups are possible if a tsunami occurs immediately offshore of Newport Beach, • whether as a result of faulting or landsliding. Roque Waves Rogue waves are very high waves, as much as tens of meters high, but compared to tsunamis, they are very short from one crest to the next, typically less than 2 km (1.25 mi) long. Rogue waves arise unexpectedly in the open ocean and their generating mechanism is a source of controversy and active research. Rogue waves are unpredictable and therefore making planning nearly impossible. Nevertheless, some high waves that have historically impacted the Orange County coastline may be best explained as rogue waves. If this is the case, rogue waves have the potential to impact the Newport Beach area in the future. Storm Surges A storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea water level associated with hurricanes and other storms at sea. Surges result from strong on -shore winds and/or intense low-pressure cells associated with ocean storms. Storm surges affect primarily ocean front property, and the low-lying areas of Newport Bay just inland from the jetties. Newport Bay is less affected by storm surge. The most common problem associated with storm surges is flooding of low- lying areas, including structures. Coastal flooding in Newport Beach occurred in the past when major storms, many of these ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) events, impacted isthe area. This is often compounded by intense rainfall and strong winds. If a storm surge occurs during high tide, the flooded area can be significant. Seiches A seiche is defined as a standing wave oscillation in an enclosed or semi -enclosed, shallow to moderately shallow water body or basin, such as lake, reservoir, bay or harbor. Seiches continue (in a pendulum fashion) after the cessation of the originating force, which can be tidal action, wind, action, or a seismic event. Upper Newport Bay, the harbor and some of the reservoirs in Newport Beach could be susceptible to seiches. However, there is no record of seiches impacting the area after both local and distant earthquakes. Wind - generated seishes in Newport Bay also have not been reported. Due to the small surface area of Newport Bay and Upper Newport Bay, the probability that damaging seiches would develop in these bodies of water is considered low and are not considered a significant hazard in Newport Beach. If a seiche developed in Newport Bay, the waves are expected to be low, impacting primarily moored boats. Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Most hurricanes that affect the southern California region are generated in the southern portion of the Gulf of California. Though no hurricane -strength storms have reportedly hit the Los Angeles basin area in modern times, damage from wave swell and weather . related to hurricanes that develop in the Baja California area has been reported throughout F, southern California. Swells caused by offshore storms and hurricanes in Baja California • can cause localized flooding and erosion of the southern California coastline. Only one tropical -strength storm has ever been recorded as actually hitting California. Near the end of September 1939, a tropical storm with sustained winds of 80.5 km/hr (50 mi/hr) came ashore at Long Beach. The storm generated five inches of rain in the Los Angeles basin on September 25th, and between 15 and 30.5 cm (6 and 12 inches) of rain in the surrounding mountains. In Newport Beach, this storm produced 30-foot high waves (as high as a three-story building) that tore away half of Newport Pier and destroyed most of Balboa Pier, damaged portions of the jetties, several homes and small vessels, and caused numerous drownings. Other less severe but still significant storms that impacted the southern California coastline occurred during 1927, 1938-1939, 1941, 1969, 1977- 1978, 1983, 1988 and even more recently in 1995, and 1997-1998. Many of these wet winters have been associated with ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) events. The main hazards associated with tropical cyclones, and especially hurricanes, are storm surge, high winds, heavy rain, flooding, and tornadoes. The greatest potential for loss of life related to a hurricane for coastal communities is from the storm surge, which if combined with normal tides can increase the mean water level by 4.6 m (15 ft) or more. Waves that high would breach or extend over the Balboa Peninsula and impact all development adjacent to the coastline, including areas along Corona del Mar. Sea Level Rise • The level of the oceans has always fluctuated with changes in global temperatures. The last ice age ended approximately eighteen thousand years ago, and since then the world has been experiencing global warming - most of the ice caps have melted, most of the glaciers have retreated, and the sea level has risen. Until about 5,000 years ago, sea level rose rapidly at an average rate of nearly 0.4 in (1 cm) a year. Since then, sea levels have continued to rise but at a slower pace. We are currently in an interglacial period, meaning "between glacial' periods, and as a result, sea levels are relatively high. However, during the previous last major interglacial period (approximately 100,000 years ago), temperatures were about 1°C (2°F) warmer than today and sea level was approximately 6 meters (20 feet) higher than today. • Previous studies suggest that a 1 m (39 in) rise in sea level would generally cause beaches to erode 200 to 400 m (650 to 1,300 ft) along the California coast. Given that the width of the beaches in Newport Beach varies between 15 and 190 m (50 and 600 ft), a sea level rise of as little as 15 cm (6 in) could have a negative impact on the low lying areas around Newport Bay that are not protected by bulkheads and seawalls. Sea level rise would also cause increased sea -cliff retreat in the southern portion of the City where the beaches are narrow, and the surf pounds at the base of the bluffs, eroding away the soft bedrock that forms the cliffs. The record of sea level rise in the last century is poorly constrained in this region, however. Gauge records up and down the Pacific Coast show substantial variations in relative sea level rise. Based on the historical records from the two gauges closest to Newport Beach, 3 W in Los Angeles and San Diego, a 15-cm rise in sea level in the Newport Beach area may • take anywhere between 70 and 180 years, assuming that global warming does not accelerate in the next few decades. These estimates are too poorly constrained to engender policy changes and development of appropriate mitigation strategies. However, sea level rise would lead to the permanent inundation of low-lying areas, with potentially significant changes in land use, so it is not too soon to develop longer -term strategies that can be implemented to cope with these changes. Coastal Erosion In the Newport Beach area, sand was historically delivered to the local beaches by the San Gabriel and Santa Ana Rivers, and to a limited extent, as a result of coastal bluff erosion. With the construction of dams and channelization of portions of the Santa Ana and San Gabriel Rivers, there was a substantial reduction in the volume of sediment reaching the coastline. Construction of harbors, jetties, and other coastal barriers further reduced the amount of sand moved by along -shore currents. Beach sands occur from south of the Santa Ana River to the north entrance to Newport channel. Some of these deposits support dune vegetation, especially the sands forming the Balboa and Newport beaches. When the dune vegetation is well established, erosion of these sediments is minimal. However, foot or vehicular traffic and the burrowing action of rodents can easily compromise the health of this vegetation cover, exposing the near -surface sediments to erosion. Sand is easily transported during • storms and can erode quickly if up -drift sand sources are cut off. The narrow beaches south of the channel entrance are especially vulnerable to high waves caused by tsunamis or storm surge. Beach erosion may be a problem south of the channel entrance due to the impedance of sediment redistribution via longshore flow by seawalls and rocky bluffs to the north. The area north of the jetties is also vulnerable to inundation due to low beach relief and erosion of coastal dunes. • Structures built perpendicular to the shoreline tend to slow the long -shore drift of sediments and thus starve the down -drift area of beach -nourishing sediments. This is seen on a larger scale with the system of groins in the West Newport. The area east of the jetties has an erosional notch due to the blockage of littoral drift from the north. On a smaller scale, groins can have the same effect. In the case of West Newport Beach, eight rock groins were installed in the late 1960's and early 1970's to help maintain the beach. The effect of this groin field on the width of the beach is readily apparent (the beach on the northwest side of the groin field is wider than the beach where the groins are located). Southeast of the groin field, sand is being trapped by the west jetty at the harbor entrance, which stabilizes the Balboa Peninsula. The effect of these structures is complemented and augmented by regular beach sand replenishment. The protection of the beaches provides more than just a wider beach for recreational purposes and real-estate development; it serves as a buffer zone that provides protection from tsunami runup or storm surges, especially in areas where there are no dune deposits in front of residential or commercial development. rd N The Newport Beach coastal bluffs consist of marine sandstone and siltstone of the • Monterey Formation. The siltstone member of Monterey Formation is very fissile and fractured. Sliding and slumping of this unit appears to be the primary mechanism for current bluff retreat, with these processes occurring primarily along slopes that have been oversteepened by wave action (along rocky bluffs) or stream incisions. The sandstone member of the Monterey Formation is the most resistant bluff -forming unit in the area. This geologic unit is prone to landsliding or mass wasting where undercut by wave action, especially at rocky bluffs or points, failing primarily as large blocks. A concern with urbanization of the bluff areas is that the bluff -forming materials become saturated when shallow ground water rises in response to the increased watering of lawns, generally in an attempt to grow non-native vegetation. Agricultural irrigation, septic tanks and leach lines also contribute to the increased water content of these deposits. This over - watering increases the weight of the sediments, lubricates any joints or fractures that can act as planes of weakness, and increases the chemical dissolution of the underling rocks. All of these processes can contribute to slope instability along the bluffs. Erosion stabilization measures that have been implemented in the Corona Del Mar area include concrete covering on one unstable slope, vegetation along the tops and bases of bluffs, boulders at the base of bluffs, where no colluvial cover exists, and channelization of the streams to prevent further downcutting of the terrace and bedrock units. Chapter 2 — Seismic Hazards • The City of Newport Beach is located in an area where several active faults have been mapped. At least two active faults extend through portions of the City: the Newport - Inglewood runs beneath Balboa Peninsula, the City Hall area, and West Newport; the San Joaquin Hills fault may extend under the much of eastern Newport Beach. Both fault zones are capable of causing severe damage to the City. Other faults such as the Palos Verdes, Compton and Elysian Park Thrusts, Whittier, and Chino segment of the Elsinore fault zone also have the potential to damage Newport Beach. Given the location of these faults in and near the City, the 1997 Uniform Building Code requires that Newport Beach incorporate near -source factors into the design of new buildings. In addition to the faults above, numerous other active faults, both onshore and offshore, have the potential to generate earthquakes that would cause strong ground shaking in Newport Beach. Both the Newport -Inglewood and the San Joaquin Hills faults have the potential to generate earthquakes that would be described as worst -case for the City of Newport Beach. The San Joaquin Hills fault is thought capable of generating an earthquake between magnitude 6.8 and 7.3. A maximum magnitude earthquake on the San Andreas fault was also considered as a likely earthquake scenario given that this fault is thought to have a relatively high probability of rupturing in the not too distant future. The loss estimation model indicates that the damage caused by an earthquake on the San Andreas fault to the City of Newport Beach is small compared to the other earthquakes modeled, but not 5 insignificant. Damages of about $65 million were estimated for Newport Beach if three • segments of the San Andreas fault break in a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. Several active and potentially active faults have been mapped across or under the City, including the Newport -Inglewood fault and the San Joaquin Hills fault. An Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone has not been proposed for the portion of the 'Newport -Inglewood fault that has been mapped within the City (Newport Mesa and Balboa Peninsula) as its location is not well defined. The San Joaquin Hills fault has not been zoned as it is a "blind" thrust fault that does not reach the surface. Because trenching studies for most redevelopment projects on the Peninsula are not likely (in most cases) to be successful, mandating these types of investigations is not recommended. However, the public should be made aware of the presence of the mapped fault by requiring disclosure when properties in this area are sold. Critical facilities should not be located on or near the active traces of the Newport -Inglewood fault. Currently, shallow ground water levels (< 50 feet from the ground surface) are known to occur along the coast, around Newport Bay, and along the major drainages in the Newport Beach area. Shallow ground water perched on bedrock may also be present seasonally in the canyons draining the San Joaquin Hills. Seasonal fluctuations in groundwater levels, and the introduction of residential irrigation requires that site - specific investigations be completed to support these generalizations in areas mapped as potentially susceptible to liquefaction. • Those portions of the Newport Beach area that may be susceptible to seismically induced settlement are the alluvial surfaces and larger drainages that are underlain by late Quaternary alluvial sediments (similar to the liquefaction -susceptible areas). Sites in the San Joaquin Hills along the margins of the larger drainage channels and an area just west of the Santa Ana River outlet may be particularly vulnerable. The central and eastern portions of Newport Beach are most vulnerable to seismically induced slope failure, due to the steep terrain. • Chapter 3 — Geologic Hazards The City of Newport Beach is highly diverse geologically. The central and northern parts of the City are situated on an elevated, relatively flat-topped mesa underlain by sands and gravel deposited on a prehistoric marine terrace. In contrast, the southern part of the City encompasses sedimentary bedrock now exposed in the steep slopes and narrow canyons of the San Joaquin Hills. During the latest period of glaciation and low sea levels, Upper Newport Bay was carved through the mesa by the collective downcutting of San Diego Creek and other streams emanating from the foothills to the northeast, while the Santa Ana River eroded the bluffs along the western edge of the mesa. As the sea level rose to its current level, the streams and rivers deposited their sediments, filling the Upper Newport Bay channel and forming beaches, dunes, sandbars and mudflats along the coast. N The diversity of the area is strongly related to tectonic movement along the San Andreas • fault and its broad zone of subsidiary faults. This, along with sea level fluctuations related to changes in climate, has resulted in a landscape that is also diverse in geologic hazards. Of these hazards, slope instability poses one of the greatest concerns, especially along coastal bluffs and in the steep -sided canyons of the San Joaquin Hills. Although relatively stable in historic times, bluffs along the beaches and bays are susceptible to erosion, heavy precipitation, and more recently, the adverse effects of increased runoff and irrigation from development. The history of instability in the natural slopes of the San Joaquin Hills is recorded in the abundant landslides that have occurred in nearly every bedrock formation. In addition, smaller slides, slumps, and mudflow deposits are common throughout the hills, particularly during winters of heavy and prolonged rainfall. As large new residential communities encroach deeper into the hills, slope instability is a major focus of geotechnical investigations, and remedial grading can involve moving thousands of cubic yards of earth. Compressible soils underlie a significant part of the City, typically in the lowland areas and in canyon bottoms. These are generally young sediments of low density with variable amounts of organic materials. Under the added weight of fill embankments or buildings, these sediments will settle, causing distress to improvements. Low -density soils, if sandy in composition and saturated with water, will also be susceptible of the effects of liquefaction during a moderate to strong earthquake. Some of the geologic units in the Newport Beach area, including both surficial soils and • bedrock, have fine-grained components that are moderate to highly expansive. These materials may be present at the surface or exposed by grading activities. Man-made fills can also be expansive, depending on the soils used to construct them. Chapter 4 — Flooding Hazards Portions of the City of Newport Beach are susceptible to storm -induced flooding on the Santa Ana River and the other drainages that extend at last partly across the City. These include the low-lying areas in West Newport at the base of4he bluffs, the coastal areas around Newport Bay and all low-lying areas adjacent to Upper Newport Bay. 100- and 500-year flooding is also anticipated to occur along the lower reaches of Coyote Canyon, in the lower reaches of San Diego Creek and the Santa Ana Delhi Channel, and in a portion of Buck Gully. Most flooding along these second- and third - order streams is not expected to impact significant development. However, flooding in the coastal areas of the City will impact residential and commercial zones along West Newport, the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Island and the seaward side of Pacific Coast Highway. Flooding as a result of coastal processes also poses a hazard to the City. There are several flood retention and water storage structures that, should they fail catastrophically, have the potential to flood portions of the City. Several of these structures are located outside the City's boundaries, but their inundation zones extend through the City. Most potential inundation areas are coincident with the 100- and 500- 7 �2 year flood zones, in areas where residents are already required or encouraged to have • flood insurance. However, failure of Prado Dam has the potential to impact the area by and south of the Newport Aquatic Center, an area not identified as within the 100-year flood zone. If Prado Dam failed, the City of Newport Beach is sufficiently far from the reservoir that it would take several hours for the floodwaters to reach the City, which would permit evacuation of the low-lying areas. The same is true for both Santiago Creek and Villa Park Reservoirs, although since both of these structures are closer to Newport Beach, it would take less time for the waters to reach the City. Failure of San Joaquin or Bonita Reservoirs is not anticipated to pose a significant impact, although portions of San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor would be flooded. The structure that poses the highest risk to a small sector of the community is Harbor View Reservoir. Since this reservoir is located within Newport Beach, its failure would immediately impact those areas down gradient, within its inundation pathway. The reservoirs located in the San Joaquin Hills area of the City are not located astride any known active faults. However, all structures are underlain by the San Joaquin Hills thrust fault, which has the potential to generate very strong ground shaking in the hills. Since this thrust fault was only recently identified, these reservoirs were most likely not designed to withstand the near -source ground accelerations that this fault is believed capable of producing. As new data are generated on this fault, it would be advisable to revisit the design of these facilities, and implement a retrofit program if the analyses suggest that this is warranted. A seismic study recently conducted for Big Canyon Reservoir indicates that this reservoir can withstand the strong ground shaking • expected in the area as a result of an earthquake on either the Newport -Inglewood or the San Joaquin Hills fault. Chapter 5 — Fire Hazards Wildland Fires The eastern portion of the City is susceptible to damage from wildland fire. In fact, portions of the Newport Beach region and surrounding areas to the north, east and southeast include grass- and brush -covered hillsides with significant topographic relief that facilitate the rapid spread of fire, especially if fanned by coastal breezes or Santa Ana winds. These areas are vegetated with high fire hazard plants such as tall grasses and coastal sage scrub, include steep slopes and canyons, and are subjected to both strong seasonal Santa Ana wind conditions and westerly winds that can help transport embers up the southwest -facing canyons. During Santa Ana conditions, when winds in excess of 40 miles per hour (mph) are typical, and gusts in excess of 100 mph may occur locally, fire -fighting resources are likely to be stressed, reducing their ability to suppress fires. Even with no unusual wind conditions, fire department response can be hindered by heavy traffic during peak hours, and by the long travel distances in the canyon and hillside areas of the southeastern part of the City. Furthermore, with the transportation corridors that now cut through these fire -prone areas, and the establishment of natural preserves in the canyons, there is an increased potential for • fires, both accidental and purposely set, to impact the region. Therefore, enhanced 0 \15 onsite protection for structures and people in and near these wildfire -susceptible areas • is necessary. In 1997, the City of Newport Beach adopted guidelines that mirror the Orange County Fire Authority guidelines for hazard reduction and fuel modification. Hazard reduction and fuel modification are the two methods that the City of Newport Beach employs for reducing the risk of fire at the urban-wildland interface (UWI). Both methodologies use the principle of reducing the amount of combustible fuel available, which reduces the amount of heat, associated flame lengths, and the intensity of the fire that would threaten adjacent structures. The purpose of these methods, adopted as part of the City's Municipal Code, is to reduce the hazard of wildfire by establishing a defensible space around buildings or structures in the area. Defensible space is defined by the City as "an area, either natural or man-made, where plant materials and natural fuels have been treated, cleared, or modified to slow the rate and intensity of an advancing wildfire, and to create an area for firefighters to suppress the fire and save the structure." These standards require property owners in the UWI to conduct maintenance, modifying or removing non -fire -resistive vegetation around their structures to reduce the fire danger. This affects any person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining the UWI. Structural Fires The western, extensively developed portion of Newport Beach is at risk from structural • fires. Many of the structures in these areas are of older vintage, some dating back to the 1930s, built to older building standards and fire codes, made from non -fire resistive construction materials, and with no internal sprinklers and other fire safety systems in place. The density of construction in these areas is also an issue. Residences are close to each other, generally with only 3-foot setbacks (4-foot setbacks in Corona del Mar) between the houses and the property lines, and projections (such as window and roof awnings) into this 3-foot area are allowed. These projections into the 3-foot setback hinder emergency access to the back of residences, and should therefore be discouraged or prohibited. The narrow streets in these areas of the City also make' it difficult to maneuver and position response vehicles so as to be most effective in fighting a fire, and have the potential to severely constrain efforts to evacuate the area if necessary during a fire or other disaster. The City's permanent residential population is currently about 75,660, but this number does not include the thousands that come into Newport Beach daily to work, dine or shop. On weekends, and during the summer, because of the City's tourist draw, the population in the City may swell to well over 200,000. A large percentage of these visitors park their vehicles and visit in the older sections of town, adding to the congestion and difficulty of ingress and egress of emergency response vehicles. Geography is also at odds with fire safety in the City. Upper and Lower Newport Bay essentially divide the City into two regions, with approximately one-third of the Fire Department assets located west of the bay, and the remaining assets east of the bay. Connection between these two sides is provided by only a handful of roadways (Pacific • Coast Highway in the south, Bristol Street and the 73 Freeway on the north), making it (7 �t difficult for fire stations on both sides of the bay to support each other during multiple • alarm emergencies. Often, it best to request support from adjacent cities via mutual aid agreements than to have Newport Beach fire stations from the 'other side of the bay send in reinforcements. Catastrophic failure of the bridge connectors on any of these roadways as a result of an earthquake, for example, would hinder emergency response from fire stations in east Newport Beach and Newport Coast into the densely populated areas of the City west and south of the bay. Fires in Newport Beach represent only about 5 percent of all calls, with structure fires representing less than 2 percent of all calls. This is due to the use of modern fire and building codes, effective fire prevention inspection work by the Fire Department, and effective public education. Fires, when they do occur in newer occupancies, are kept small by fire sprinkler systems and the efforts of the Fire Department. Therefore, in recent years, there has been a concern that in some areas, when a major structure fire does occur, the Fire Department personnel will have to apply "seldom used skills." This can result in firefighter injuries, and perhaps larger fires than would have occurred in past years when Fire Departments were accustomed to responding to more structure fires due to the absence of sprinkler systems, poor construction, and lack of ongoing Code enforcement. The Newport Beach Fire Department, however, participates in extensive fire -fighting training. Chapter 6 — Hazardous Materials Management • The primary concern associated with a hazardous materials release is the short and/or long term effect to thepublic from exposure to the hazardous material. The best way to reduce the liability for a hazardous material release is through stringent regulation governing the storage, use, manufacturing and handling of hazardous materials. These regulations are typically issued by the EPA, but various local agencies are tasked with the responsibility of monitoring those facilities that use, storage, transport, and dispose hazardous materials for compliance with the Federal guidelines, or if applicable, with more stringent State guidelines. Air Quality Data from the South Coast Air Quality District for the year 2001 show that the ozone levels were above the Federal standards for only one day that year in the North Coastal Orange County area, which includes the City of Newport Beach. All other pollutants were below both Federal and State air quality standards. Air quality criteria are expected to become more stringent, however, as the results of recent studies indicate that air quality in many parts of the southern California area is still poor. Drinking Water Quality Two water agencies provide drinking water to the Newport Beach area. The two agencies are: Orange County Water District and the Metropolitan Water District of 10 Orange County. Neither of these agencies is listed on the EPA Safe Drinking Water. • Violation Report. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) The City of Newport Beach is a member of the Orange County's Stormwater Program, the local administering agency for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. NPDES permits in the Newport Beach area are issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region. The City of Newport Beach holds a NPDES permit, adopted January 2002, to operate its municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4). The permit requires the City to keep pollutants out of its MS4 to the maximum extent practicable, and to ensure that dry -weather flows entering recreational waters from the MS4 do not cause or contribute to exceedances of water quality standards. The City also has a stringent Water Quality Ordinance and requires the use of "best management practices" in many residential, commercial, and development -related activities to reduce runoff. Superfund Sites According to the EPA, there are two Superfund sites in the City of Newport Beach, but neither of them is listed in the National Priority List (NPL). Furthermore, one of the sites is considered by the EPA as a "No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP) site, while the other site has reportedly been cleaned up, although the EPA data is not yet reflecting this information. Given that both sites appear to no longer pose an environmental hazard to the area, they have not been included in the •list of most significant hazardous sites in the City of Newport Beach. Toxic Release Inventory According to the EPA records, there are three facilities in the Newport Beach area that are listed in the most recently available Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). One of these facilities has since closed its plant in Newport Beach. TRI sites are known to release toxic chemicals into the air. The EPA closely monitors the emissions from these facilities to ensure that their annual limits are not exceeded. The South Coast Air Quality Management District also issues permits to facilities that emit chemicals, both toxic and non -toxic, into the atmosphere. These facilities include restaurants, hotels, dry-cleaners, and other small businesses. Hazardous Waste Sites According to the most recent EPA and City data available, there are two large quantity generators and approximately 115 small quantity generators in the Newport Beach area. In addition there are four transporters of hazardous waste with offices in the City. The number of small quantity generators is expected to increase with increasing development in the City, since this list includes businesses like gasoline stations, dry cleaners, and photo -processing shops. 11 X6 • Leaking Underground Storage Tanks According to data from the State Water Resources Control Board, 76 underground storage tank leaks have been reported in the Newport Beach area. Of these, according to the State list, 47 sites have been either cleaned up or deemed to be of no environmental consequence, leaving 29 cases that are still open and in various stages of the remediation process. Information provided by the City, however, suggests that some of the cases still on the State list have already been closed. None of the leaks that have been reported in the City have impacted a drinking source of ground water. The Orange County Environmental Health Department provides oversight and conducts inspections of all underground tank removals and installation of new tanks. Hazardous Materials Disclosure Program Both the Federal government and the State of California require all businesses that handle more than a specified amount of hazardous materials or extremely hazardous materials to submit a business plan to a regulating agency. Business plans are currently reviewed by the Newport Beach Fire Department, who also conducts annual on -site reviews of permitted businesses to confirm that the information in their business plans is current and correct. Household Hazardous Waste • The County of Orange operates four household hazardous waste collection centers in accordance with the California Integrated Solid Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). These centers are located in the cities of Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine, and San Juan Capistrano. The two locations closest to the City are the Huntington Beach center at 17121 Nichols Street and the Irvine location at 6411 Oak Canyon. • Oil Fields There is one oil field in the City of Newport Beach and one in its Sphere of Influence. Hazardous materials are often associated with these facilities, usually as a result of poor practices in the early days of exploration, when oil cuttings, brine water, and other by-products were dumped onto the ground. The development of oil fields for residential or commercial purposes typically involves a detailed study to identify any areas impacted by oil or other hazardous materials, and the remediation of the property prior to development. Methane Gas Mitigation Districts Natural seepages of gas occur in the western and southwestern portions of the City. Methane gas associated with an abandoned landfill has also been reported near the City's northwestern corner. The City has implemented a series of mitigation measures 12 n to reduce the hazard associated with methane gas. Continuous implementation of • these guidelines is recommended. Chapter 7 — Aviation Hazards The City of Newport Beach is located in the take -off path of aircraft departing John Wayne Airport (JWA), which statistically increases the risk of a plane crash into the City. A commercial plane accident might be a 1-in-25- to 1-in-40-year occurrence. However, pilots are instructed to follow the Newport Bay away from residential or developed areas. The author did not detect a hazard risk that might be likely to result in a catastrophe for Newport Beach. Given the amount of resources available in the City and throughout the County of Orange, any impact will be significantly reduced by fast, coordinated, and skilled response operations of all available emergency services. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that arrangements be made to ensure that Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) units can and will respond immediately to a major airplane accident within the City limits of Newport Beach. Any JWA ARFF vehicle responding to an off -airport aircraft accident is equipped to and required to use the designated 800 MHz frequency for communicating with the Fire Incident Commander of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). It is critically important and required by FAA regulations that the airport is not allowed to • operate if the minimum fire protection coverage is not guaranteed. Therefore, airport fire vehicles are allowed to respond off -site only if the airport has been shut down to commercial air traffic. • According to JWA documents, the primary fire, rescue, and law enforcement responsibility for off -airport accidents is with the jurisdiction(s) involved. It is recommended that a formalized Memorandum of Understanding regarding the response of ARFF vehicles in case of commercial airliner crash within the City of Newport Beach be established between John Wayne Airport, the Orange County Fire Authority, and the City of Newport Beach. During the evaluation, possible areas of increased vulnerability within the City of Newport Beach are as follows: Balboa Island In a worst -case scenario, a fully loaded commercial plane might crash into Marine Avenue on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The area is usually crowded with cars, pedestrians, and day visitors, and the island's access and egress is limited to a small bridge. Many of the two-story buildings, including shops, small restaurants, and residences, are wood -frame structures, and very close to one another. 13 I¢ Uooer Newport Ba • A more likely scenario than an accident on Balboa Island is a major airliner ending up in the Upper Newport Bay area. The soft underground and the abundant water might limit the impact force and the spread of fire and, therefore, ensure a high degree of survivability for the aircraft occupants. The fast and well -coordinated response of City and County emergency services into the difficult terrain is crucial. Other Residential Areas A crash into a residential area west or east of the Newport Bay has an extremely low probability because, without a doubt, the pilot crew of an airplane in distress will make every effort to avoid these areas and attempt to stay above the uninhabited bay. Moreover, the area's population density is relatively low (mostly single freestanding houses), with the exception of some retail areas and schools. It would be a localized and manageable incident. (Such an accident would be comparable to the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 immediately after take -off from New York's JFK Airport on November 12, 2001. All 260 people aboard perished, 12 residences were destroyed by the impact and fire, and five persons on the ground perished.) Newport Center A crash into a high-rise building in Fashion Island also has an extremely low probability because pilots would avoid these areas at all costs. In addition, the buildings themselves . (concrete with sprinkler systems) might offer some protection for occupants. The area contains large open spaces that allow for fast egress and access for emergency vehicles. L Pacific Ocean A crash into the Pacific Coast Highway bridge over the Lower Newport Bay is highly unlikely, but this is the primary connection between the northern and southern parts of Newport Beach. For an airplane to hit the overpass it would have to make a sharp turn towards the bridge. The resulting disruption would have a significant impact on tourism and business in the area. A detour via Highway 55, Freeway 73, and Jamboree Road would cause a major inconvenience with consequences for commuters, local restaurants, retail stores, and other businesses. Schools A crash into a school during classes could become a nightmare for the community of Newport Beach. Numerous elementary, intermediate, and high schools are located within the City of Newport Beach. An airplane crashing into one of these facilities is extremely unlikely, but this scenario cannot be excluded. Many of these schools house hundreds of students (i.e., Newport Harbor High School at 600 Irvine Avenue, nearly 2,000; Ensign Intermediate School at 2000 Cliff Drive, more than 1,100; four elementary schools with 14 more than 500 pupils each are located at 300 East 15th Street, at 14th Street and Balboa • Boulevard, at 2100 Mariners Drive, and 1900 Port Seaboume Way). Even if the statistical risk of such an event is extremely low, the emotional consequences of several children injured or worse will be colossal. Such an occurrence cannot be ruled out. On May 4th, 2002, a BAC one -eleven aircraft crashed shortly after take off from Kano International Airport in Nigeria. The plane veered off into houses, two mosques and a school in a densely populated neighborhood approximately 1.2 miles from the runway threshold. Seventy-five people on the ground and 74 of the 77 people aboard the short- range passenger jet perished. Mitigation procedures that might save lives in an airplane crash scenario are similar to those addressing other hazards. It includes clear and designated evacuation routes and procedures, well maintained fire suppression systems, regular drills and testing, and a proactive mindset of teachers, parents, and children. An up-to-date and exercised school emergency plan will reduce the number of potential casualties. Mid -air Collisions Mid -air collisions (i.e., Cerritos, California on August 31, 1986; San Diego, California on September 25, 1978), mid -air bombings (i.e., PanAm Flight 103 above Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988), and mid -air break-ups (i.e., Alaska Airlines MD 80 off the Coast of Ventura County on January 31, 2000; American Airlines on November 12, • 2001 in New York City) are, despite their seemingly increased frequency in southern California, extremely rare events. Crashes with significant loss of life on the ground are the exception and rarely produce more than ten fatalities in a community. • The FAA has classified the airspace surrounding JWA, which includes the City of Newport Beach, as CHARLIE. Every aircraft, including helicopters and general aviation planes must announce its flight intention and receive permission from JWA Air Traffic Control to enter this space up to a height of 5,000 feet. 15 M, CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Roger Alford 1862 Tustin Newport Beach 92660 Phone: 949-645-3199 Work: 949-833-2815 Fax: 949-833-2876 E-Mail: roaerOhbla.com Patrick Bartolic 620 Iris Ave. Corona del Mar, CA 92625 Phone: 949-463-6328 Fax: 949-640-2990 E-Mail: pbart4re@aol.com • Phillip Bettencourt 10 Sugar Pine Road Newport Coast, 92657 Phone: 949-760-6061 Work: 949-720-0970 Fax: 949-721-9921 E-Mail: pbcourt@pacbell.net Carol Boice 2945 Catalpa Street Newport Beach, 92660 Phone: 949-759-0809 E-Mail: wboice(c adelphia.net Karlene Bradley 9 Summerwind Newport Beach, 92663 Phone: 949-548-3016 E-Mail: karlyjob aol.com 0 Gus Chabre 1130 E. Balboa Blvd. Balboa, CA 92661 Phone: 949-675-6433 E-Mail: gchabre@adelphia.net John Corrough 1004 South Bayfront Balboa Island, 92662 Phone: 949-673-8927 Work: 949-673-8077 E-Mail: jcorrouah(c aol.com Laura Dietz 325 Cameo Shores Road Corona del Mar, 92625 Phone: 949-721-8035 Fax: 949-721-1357 E-Mail: coloma18480yahoo.com Grace Dove 117 15th Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 Phone:949-675-1573 Work: 949-923-2246 E-Mail: doveperch@aol.com Florence Felton 230 Lille Lane #201 Newport Beach, 92663 Phone: 949-646-6192 Work: 949-553-5923 E-Mail: florence.felton0mindspring.com Nancy Gardner (Co -Chair) 323 Jasmine is Corona del Mar, 92625 Phone: 949-673-0706 Fax: 949-646-7093 E-Mail: gardnerncy aol.com Louise Greeley 16 Swift Court Newport Beach,, 92663 Phone: 949-931-1475 Fax: 949-645-0065 E-Mai I: louisesaa)pacbell. net Ernie Hatchell 19 La Rochelle Newport Beach, 92660 Phone: 949-721-8739 E-Mail: ehatch pacbell.net Bob Hendrickson 1815 Newport Hills Drive East • Newport Beach, 92660 Phone: 949-759-1202 Work: 949-721-9747 E-Mail: rhpacrealtywagol.com Tom Hyans 21719 Street Newport Beach, 92663 Phone 949-673-0333 Work: 949-673-3777 Fax: 949-673-0377 E-Mail: tomhyans pacbell.net Mike Ishikawa 438 Riverside Ave. Newport Beach Phone: 949-650-3996 Work: 949-293-1976 E-Mail: mnishikawaC6)adelphia.net n U Kim Jansma 615 St. James Rd. Newport Beach, CA 92663 Phone: 949-650-2418 Work: 310-794-8922 E-Mail: Jansma@humnet.ucla.edu Mike Johnson 5803 Seashore Drive Newport Beach, 92663 Phone: 949-642-3125 Work: 949-250-6369 x127 Fax: 949-642-5369 E-Mail: delandmike earthlink.net Alex Kakavas 1132 W. Balboa Blvd., #A Newport Beach, CA 92661 Phone: 949-675-0874 E-Mail: alex kakavas hotmail.com Bill Kelly 409 E. Edgewater Newport Beach, CA 92661 Phone: 949-673-0128 Work: 949-673-9575 E-Mail: balboabeacon@adelphia.net Todd Knipp 3110 Clay St. Newport Beach, 92663 Phone: 949-650-7068 Work: 949-644-3378 Fax: 949-650-3843 E-Mail: tknipp ciW.newport-beach.ca.us Donald Krotee 2916 Clay Street Newport Beach, 92663 Phone: 949-646-6030 Work: 714-547-7621 Fax: 714-647-0193 E-Mail: dkrotee(o)krotee.com 2 As of 7/23/03 Lucille Kuehn Charles Remley • 1831 Seadrift Dr. Corona del Mar, CA 92625 101 E. Balboa Blvd. Newport Beach, CA 92661 Phone: 949-673-0685 Phone: 949-673-8770 Fax: 949-675-6986 E-Mail: ccbts@compuserv.com E-Mail: Lucycdrneaol.com Larry Root Phillip Lugar (Co -Chair) 1210 Polaris Dr. P.O. Box 7246 Newport Beach, 92660-5724 Newport Beach, 92658 Phone: 949-548-9474 Phone: 949-675-4982 E-Mail: rootis@adelphia.net Work: 949-824-9460 E-Mail: plugar uci.edu John Saunders 26202 Glen Canyon Marie Marston Laguna Hills, 92653 331 Lugonia St. Phone: 949-643-2399 Newport Beach, CA 92663 Work: 949-251-0444 Phone: 949-645-1203 Fax: 949-251-0888 Work: 714-438-1095 E-Mail: iohn(@Iondoncoin.com E-Mail: marie.marstonC)mp-eng.com James Schmiesing Peter Oeth 19712 MacArthur Blvd., Ste. 210 420 Mendoza Terrace Irvine, CA 92612 • Corona del Mar, 92625 Phone: 949-760-6804 Phone: 949-721-0191 Work: 949-863-0200 Work: 949-721-0191 Fax: 949-863-0164 Fax: 949-721-8323 E-Mail: jschmiesing(a)sbsmlaw.com E-Mail: peteroeth(a)adelphia.net Ed Siebel Catherine O'Hara 114 Apolena Avenue 1937 Port Albans Place Balboa Island, 92662-1214 Newport Beach, 92660 Phone: 949-673-7448 Phone: 949-640-7433 Work: 949-675-8736 E-Mail: oharas5 pacbell.net Fax: 949-675-0461 E-Mail: . es cenprowest.com Carl Ossipoff 720 Bison Ave. Jackie Sukiasian Newport Beach, 92660 45 Feldspar Way Phone: 949-644-0469 Rancho Santa Margarita, 92688 Work: 818-569-7633 Phone: 714-293-4581 E-Mail: hiincyber yahoo.com E-Mail: iackie.sukiasian@adam-us.com As of 7/23/03 Jan Vandersloot 2221 E. 16t' Street • Newport Beach, 92663 Phone: 949-548-6326 Work: 714-848-0770 Fax: 714-848-6643 E-Mail: ionv3c&aol.com • Tom Webber 121 Apolena Ave. Newport Beach, 92662-1213 Phone: 949-723-6006 Fax: home #-call first E-Mail: rtwebber@earthlink.net Jennifer Wesoloski 307 Montero Ave. Balboa, 92661 Phone: 949-675-3929 Work: 949-644-3147 Fax: 949-673-0838 E-Mail: jdwesoloski@cs.com Ron Yeo 604 Iris Corona del Mar, 92625 Phone: 949-644-7896 Work: 949-644-8111 Fax: 949-644-0449 E-Mail: ronyeo@earthlink.net CITY STAFF: Sharon Wood, Assistant City'Manager Work: 949-644-3222 Fax: 949-644-3020 E-Mail: WWood@city.newport-beach.ca.us Patty Temple, Planning Director Work: 949-644-3228 Fax: 949-644-3229 E-Mail: PTemple@city.newport-beach.ca.us Tamara Campbell, Senior Planner Work: 949-644-3238 Fax: 949-644-3229 E-Mail: TCampbell cily.newport-beach.ca.us Debbie Lektorich, Executive Assistant Work: 949-644-3000 Fax: 949-644-3020 E-Mail: DebbieL@city.newport-beach.ca.us 4 As of 7/23/03 City of Newport Beach Planning Department Memorandum To: GPAC From: Patricia Temple, Planning Director Date: September 4, 2003 Re: Hazards Executive Summary In response to comments received regarding some editorial content of the Hazards Executive Summary, staff has made some revisions to the document to clean-up some terimnnlnuv used. and made a few minor corrections to the report. • City of Newport Beach Hazards Assessment Study Executive Summary Chapter 1 --Coastal Hazards Tsunamis A tsunami is a sea wave caused by any large-scale disturbance of the ocean floor that occurs in'a short period of time and causes a sudden displacement of water. The Channel Islands and Point Arguello protect Newport Beach from most distantly generated tsunamis (teletsunamis) spawned in the Pacific Ocean, except for those generated in the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of Chile, and possibly off the coast of Central America. Tsunamis generated in the Alaskan region take approximately 6 hours to make it to the Southern California area, while tsunamis generated off the Chilean coast take 12 to 15 hours to reach Southern California. Given those time frames, coastal communities in Southern California can receive adequate warning, allowing them to implement evacuation procedures. For the Orange County coastline, near -shore tsunamis should be considered worst -case scenarios, as these have the potential to cause high runups that would impact the coastline with almost no warning. The tsunami inundation maps were prepared based on several sea water levels scenarios • for 100- and 500-year tsunamis. The findings are summarized below: Tsunami Inundation at Mean Sea Level. In this scenario, Newport Bay and most of the harbor would be inundated with the potential to damage small vessels and docks. Some of the properties adjacent to the Bay would also be impacted, especially the northwestern section of Balboa Island, which is predicted to be inundated. The water level in Upper Newport Bay is anticipated to rise some but the data available are insufficient to quantify the hazard in this area. Tsunami Inundation at Mean High Water. In this scenario, mMost of the harbor area, including the inland, developed portion of the Balboa Peninsula, Balboa Island, and Upper Newport Bay could be inundated during such an event. Near -shore sections of Lido Isle and Linda Isle would also be impacted, and Lido Isle would be cut off from the mainland due to flooding along Newport Boulevard and 32Id Street. This scenario is expected to cause considerable damage to homes in the low-lying areas and to all moored boats. Tsunami Inundation at Extreme High Tide. In this scenario, a significant portion of Newport Harbor and the low-lying areas south of Coast Highway would be inundated by both the 100- and 500-year wave runups. The 100-year event shows that except for a small sliver of Lido Isle, the entire Newport Bay area would flood. Flooding is also anticipated in the area where Newport Dunes Resort is located. In the 500-year event, all of Lido Isle is expected to flood. The probability of a tsunami occurring during extreme • high tide is highly imprebable not likely, and represents the worst -case scenario. However, these tsunami runups are possible if a tsunami occurs immediately offshore of • Newport Beach, whether as a result of faulting or landsliding. Roque Waves Rogue waves are very high waves, as much as tens of meters high, but compared to tsunamis, they are very short•from one crest to the next, -typically less, than 2-km (1.25 mi) ,long. Rogue waves arise unexpectedly in the open ocean and their generating mechanism is a source of controversy and active research. Rogue waves are unpredictable and theizefere make +ng planning nearly impossible. Nevertheless, some high waves that have historically impacted the Orange County coastline may be best .explained as rogue waves. If this is the case, rogue waves have the potential to impact the Newport Beach area in the future. Storm Surges A storm surge is an abnormal rise in sea water level associated with hurricanes and other storms at sea. Surges result from strong on -shore winds and/or intense low-pressure cells associated with ocean storms. Storm surges affect primarily ocean front property, and the low-lying areas of Newport Bay just inland from the jetties. Newport Bay is less affected by storm surge. The most.common problem associated with storm surges is flooding of low- lying areas, including structures. Coastal flooding in Newport Beach occurred in the past when major storms, many of these ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) events, impacted • the area. This is often compounded by intense rainfall and strong winds. If a storm surge occurs during high tide, the flooded area can be significant. Seiches A seiche is defined as a standing wave oscillation im an enclosed or semi -enclosed, shallow to moderately shallow water body or basin, such as lake, reservoir, bay or harbor. Seiches continue (in a pendulum fashion) after the cessation of the originating force, which can be tidal action, wind action, or a seismic event. Upper Newport Bay, the harbor and some of the reservoirs in Newport Beach could be susceptible to seiches. However, there is no record of seiches.impacting the area after both local and distant earthquakes. Wind - generated seishes in Newport Bay also have not been reported. Due to the small surface area of Newport Bay and Upper Newport Bay, the probability that damaging seiches would develop in these bodies of water is considered low and are not considered a significant hazard in Newport Beach. If a seiche developed in Newport Bay, the waves are expected to be low, impacting primarily moored boats. Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Most hurricanes that affect the southern California region are generated in the southern portion of the Gulf of California. Though no hurricane -strength storms have reportedly hit the Los Angeles basin area in modern times, damage from wave swell and weather • related to hurricanes that develop in the Baja California area has been reported throughout VJ sSouthern California. Swells caused by offshore storms and hurricanes in Baja California • can cause localized flooding and erosion of the southern California coastline. Only one tropical -strength storm has ever been recorded as actually hitting California. Near the end' of September 1939, a tropical storm with sustained winds of 80.5 km/hr (50 mi/hr) came ashore at Long Beach. The storm generated five inches of rain in the Los Angeles basin on September 25t', and between 15 and 30.5 cm (6 and 12 inches) of rain in the surrounding mountains. In Newport Beach, this ,storm produced 30vfoot high waves (as ..,� high as a three-story building) that tore away half of Newport Pier and destroyed most of Balboa Pier, damaged portions of the jetties, several homes and small vessels, and caused numerous drownings. Other less severe but still significant storms that impacted the sSouthern California coastline occurred during 1927, 1938-1939, 1941, 1969, 1977- 1978, 1983, 1988 and even more recently in 1995, and 1997-1998. Many of these wet winters have been associated with ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation) events. The main hazards.associated with tropical cyclones, and especially hurricanes, are storm surge, high winds, heavy rain, flooding, and tornadoes. The greatest potential for loss of life related to a hurricane for coastal communities is from the storm surge, which if combined with normal tides can increase the mean water level by 4.6 m (15 ft) or more. Waves that high would breach or extend over the Balboa Peninsula and impact all development adjacent to the coastline, including areas along Corona del Mar. Sea Level Rise • The level of the oceans has always fluctuated with changes in global temperatures. The last ice age ended approximately eighteen thousand years ago, and since then the world has been experiencing global warming - most of the ice caps have melted, most of the glaciers have retreated, and the sea level has risen. Until about 5,000 years ago, sea level rose rapidly at -an average rate of nearly 0.4 in (1 cm) a year. Since then, sea levels have continued to rise but at a slower pace. We are currently in an interglacial period, meaning "between glacial' periods, and as a result, sea levels are relatively high. However, during the previous last major interglacial period (approximately 100,000 years ago), temperatures were about 10C (2°F) warmer than today and sea level was approximately 6 meters (20 feet) higher than today. is Previous studies suggest that a 1 m (39 in) rise in sea level would generally cause beaches to erode 200 to 400 m (650 to 1,300 ft) along the California coast. Given that the width of the beaches in Newport Beach varies between 15 and 190 m (50 and 600 ft), a sea level rise of as little as 15 cm (6 in) could have a negative impact on the low lying areas around Newport Bay that are not protected by bulkheads and seawalls. Sea level rise would also cause increased sea -cliff retreat in the southern portion of the City where the beaches are narrow, and the surf pounds at the base of the bluffs, eroding away the soft bedrock that forms the cliffs. The record of sea level rise in the last century is poorly seastrained established in this region, however. Gauge records up and down the Pacific Coast show substantial variations in relative sea level rise. Based on the historical records from the two gauges 3 closest to Newport Beach, in Los Angeles and San Diego, a 15-cm rise in sea level in the • Newport Beach area may take anywhere between 70 and 180 years, assuming that global warming does not accelerate in the next few decades. These estimates are not detailed enough to engender policy changes and development of appropriate mitigation strategies. However, sea level rise would lead to the permanent inundation of low-lying areas, with potentially significant changes in land use, so it is not too soon to develop -longer -term strategies that can be implemented to cope with these changes. Coastal Erosion In the Newport Beach area, sand was historically delivered to the local beaches by the San Gabriel and Santa Ana Rivers, and to a limited extent, as a result of coastal bluff erosion. With the construction of dams and channelization of portions of the Santa Ana and San Gabriel.Rivers, there was a substantial reduction in the volume of sediment reaching the coastline. Construction of harbors, jetties, and other coastal barriers further reduced the amount of sand moved by along -shore currents. Beach sands occur from south of the Santa Ana River to the north entrance to Newport channel. Some of these deposits support dune vegetation, especially the sands forming the Balboa and Newport beaches. When the dune vegetation is well established, erosion of these sediments is minimal. However, foot or vehicular traffic and the burrowing action of rodents can easily compromise the health of this vegetation cover, • exposing the near -surface sediments to erosion. Sand is easily transported during storms and can erode quickly if up -drift sand sources are cut off. The narrow beaches south of the channel entrance are especially vulnerable to high waves caused by tsunamis or storm surge. Beach erosion may be a problem south of the channel entrance due to the impedance of sediment redistribution via longshore flow by seawalls and rocky bluffs to the north. The area north of the jetties is also vulnerable to inundation due to low beach relief and erosion of coastal dunes. • Structures built perpendicular to the shoreline tend to slow the long -shore drift of sediments and thus starve the down -drift area of beach -nourishing sediments. This is seen on a larger scale with the system of groins in the West Newport. The area east of the jetties has an erosional notch due to the blockage of littoral drift from the north. On a smaller scale, groins can have the same effect: In the case of West Newport Beach, eight rock groins were installed in the late 1960's and early 1970's to help maintain the beach. The effect of this groin field on the width of the beach is readily apparent (the beach on the northwest side of the groin field is wider than the beach where the groins are located). Southeast of the groin field, sand is being trapped by the west jetty at the harbor entrance, which stabilizes the Balboa Peninsula. The effect of these structures is complemented and augmented 'by regular beach sand replenishment. The protection of the beaches provides more than just a wider beach for recreational purposes and •eal estate deve'�mG t; it serves as a buffer zone that provides protection from tsunami runup or storm surges, especially in areas where there are no dune deposits in front of residential or commercial development. Ell • The Newport Beach coastal bluffs consist of marine sandstone and siltstone of the Monterey Formation. The siltstone member of Monterey Formation is very fissile and fractured. Sliding and slumping of this unit appears to be the primary mechanism for current bluff retreat, with these processes occurring primarily along slopes that have been oversteepened by wave action (along rocky bluffs) or stream incisions. The sandstone member of the Monterey Formation is -the most resistant bluff -forming -unit in the area. This geologic unit is prone to landsliding or -mass wasting where undercut by wave action, especially at rocky bluffs or points, failing primarily as large blocks. A concern with urbanization of the bluff areas is that the bluff -forming materials become saturated when shallow ground water rises in response to the increased watering of lawns, generally in an attempt to grow non-native vegetation. Agricultural irrigation, septic tanks and leach lines also contribute to the increased water content of these deposits. This over - watering increases the weight of the sediments, lubricates any joints or fractures that can act as planes of weakness, and increases the chemical dissolution of the underling rocks. All of these processes can contribute to slope instability along the bluffs. Erosion stabilization measures that have been implemented in the Corona Del Mar area include concrete covering on one unstable slope, vegetation along the tops and bases of bluffs, boulders at the base of bluffs, where no colluvial cover exists, and channelization of the streams to prevent further downcutting of the terrace and bedrock units. Chapter 2 — Seismic Hazards • eThe City of Newport Beach is located in an area where several active faults have been mapped. At least two active faults extend through portions of the City: the Newport - Inglewood runs beneath Balboa Peninsula, the City Hall area, and West Newport; the San Joaquin Hills fault may extend under the much of eastern Newport Beach. Both fault zones are capable of causing severe damage to the City. Other faults such as the Palos Verdes, Compton and Elysian Park Thrusts, Whittier, and Chino segment of the Elsinore fault zone also have the potential to damage Newport Beach. Given the location of these faults in and near the City, the 1997 Uniform Building Code requires that Newport Beach incorporate near -source factors into the design of new buildings. In addition to the faults above, numerous other active faults, both onshore and offshore, have the potential to generate earthquakes that would cause strong ground shaking in Newport Beach. • eBoth the Newport -Inglewood and the San Joaquin Hills faults have the potential to generate earthquakes that would be described as worst -case for the City of Newport Beach. The San Joaquin Hills fault is thought capable of generating an earthquake between magnitude 6.8 and 7.3 and the Newport -Inglewood fault could generate an earthquake of magnitude 6.9. eA maximum magnitude earthquake on the San Andreas fault was also considered as a likely earthquake scenario given that this fault is thought to have a relatively high probability of rupturing in the not too distant future. The loss estimation model indicates 5 that the damage caused by an earthquake on the San Andreas fault to the City of • Newport Beach is small compared to the other earthquakes modeled, but not insignificant. Damages of about $65 million were estimated for Newport Beach if three segments of the San Andreas fault break in a magnitude 7.8 earthquake. eSeveral active and potentially active faults have been mapped across or under the City, including the Newport -Inglewood fault and the San Joaquin Hills fault. An Alquist- Priolo Earthquake Fault Zone has not been proposed for the portion of the Newport - Inglewood fault that has been mapped --within the City (Newport Mesa and Balboa Peninsula) as its location is not well defined. The San Joaquin Hills fault has not been zoned as it is a "blind" thrust fault that does not reach the surface. Because trenching studies for most redevelopment projects on the Peninsula are not likely (in most cases) to be successful, mandating these types of investigations is not recommended. However, the public should be made aware of the presence of the mapped fault by requiring disclosure when properties in this area are sold. Criticalfacilities should not be located on or near the active traces of the Newport -Inglewood fault. eCurrently, shallow ground water levels (< 50 feet from the ground surface) are known to occur along the coast, around Newport Bay, and along the major drainages in the Newport Beach area. Shallow ground water perched on bedrock may also be present seasonally in the canyons draining the San Joaquin Hills. Seasonal fluctuations in groundwater levels, and the introduction of residential irrigation requires that site - specific investigations be completed to support these generalizations in areas mapped • as potentially susceptible to liquefaction. eThose portions of the Newport Beach area that may be susceptible to seismically induced settlement are the alluvial surfaces and larger drainages that are underlain by late Quaternary alluvial sediments (similar to the liquefaction -susceptible areas). Sites in the San Joaquin Hills along the margins of the larger drainage channels and an area just west of the Santa Ana River outlet may be particularly vulnerable. eThe central and eastern portions of Newport Beach are most vulnerable to seismically induced slope failure, due to the steep terrain. Chapter 3 — Geologic Hazards The City of Newport Beach is highly diverse geologically. The central and northern parts of the City are situated on an elevated, relatively flat-topped mesa underlain by sands and gravel deposited on a prehistoric marine terrace. In contrast, the southern part of the City encompasses sedimentary bedrock now exposed in the steep slopes and narrow canyons of the San Joaquin Hills. During the latest period of glaciation and low sea levels, Upper Newport Bay was carved through the mesa by the collective downcutting of San Diego Creek and other streams emanating from the foothills to the northeast, while the Santa Ana River eroded the bluffs along the western edge of the mesa. As the sea level rose to its current level, the streams and rivers deposited their sediments, filling the Upper 2 Newport Bay channel and forming beaches, dunes, sandbars and mudflats along the • coast. The diversity of the area is strongly related to tectonic movement along the San Andreas fault and its broad zone of subsidiary faults. This, along with sea level fluctuations related to changes in climate, has resulted in a landscape that is also diverse in geologic hazards. Of these hazards, slope -instability poses one of the greatest concerns, especially along coastal bluffs and in the steep -sided canyons of -the San Joaquin Hills. Although relatively stable in historic times, bluffs along the -beaches and bays are susceptible to erosion, heavy precipitation, and more recently, the adverse effects of increased runoff and irrigation from development. The history of instability in the natural slopes of the San. Joaquin Hills is recorded in the abundant landslides that have occurred in nearly every bedrock formation. In addition, smaller slides, slumps, and mudflow deposits are common throughout the hills, particularly during winters of heavy and prolonged rainfall. As large new residential communities encroach deeper into the hills, slope instability is a major focus of geotechnical investigations, and remedial grading can involve moving thousands of cubic yards of earth. Compressible soils underlie a significant part of the City, typically in the lowland areas and in canyon bottoms. These are generally young sediments of low density with variable amounts of organic materials. Under the added weight of fill embankments or buildings, these sediments will settle, causing distress to improvements. Low -density soils, if sandy in composition and saturated with water, will also be susceptible of the • effects of liquefaction during a moderate to strong earthquake. Some of the geologic units in the Newport Beach area, including both surficial soils and bedrock, have fine-grained components that are moderate to highly expansive. These materials may be present at the surface or exposed by grading activities. Man-made fills can also be expansive, depending on the -soils used to construct them. 0 Chapter 4 — Flooding Hazards Portions of the City of Newport Beach are susceptible to storm -induced flooding on the Santa Ana River and the other drainages that extend at least partly across the City. These include the low-lying areas in West Newport at the base of the bluffs, the coastal areas around Newport Bay and all low-lying areas adjacent to Upper Newport'Bay. 100- and 500-year flooding is also anticipated to occur along the lower reaches of Coyote Canyon, in the lower reaches of San Diego Creek and the Santa Ana Delhi Channel, and in a portion of Buck Gully. Most flooding along these second- and third - order streams is not expected to impact significant development. However, flooding in the coastal areas of the City will impact residential and commercial zones along West Newport, the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Island and the seaward side of Pacific Coast Highway. Flooding as a result of coastal processes also poses a hazard to the City. There are several flood retention and water storage structures that, should they fail VA catastrophically, have the potential to flood portions of the City. Several of these structures are located outside the City's boundaries, but their inundation zones extend isthrough the City. Most potential inundation areas are coincident with the 100- and 500- year flood zones, in areas where residents are already required or encouraged to have flood insurance. However, failure of Prado Dam has the potential to impact the area by and south of the Newport Aquatic Center, an area not identified as within the 100-year flood zone. If Prado Dam failed; the City of Newport Beach is -sufficiently far from the reservoir that it would take several hours for the floodwaters to reach the City, which would permit evacuation of the low-lying areas. The same is true for both Santiago Creek and Villa Park Reservoirs, although since both of these structures are closer to Newport Beach, it would take less time for the waters to reach the City. Failure of San Joaquin or Bonita Reservoirs is not anticipated to pose a significant impact, although portions of San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor would be flooded. The structure that •poses the highest risk to a small sector of the community is Bg Canyon VaFber `r- �.rReservoir. Since this reservoir is located within Newport Beach, its failure would immediately impact those areas down gradient, within its inundation pathway. —The reservoirs located in the San Joaquin Hills area of the City are not located astride any known active faults. However, all structures are underlain by the San Joaquin Hills thrust fault, which has the potential to generate very strong ground shaking in the hills. Since this thrust fault was only recently identified, these reservoirs were most likely not designed to withstand the near -source ground accelerations that this fault is believed capable of producing. As new data are generated on this fault, it • would be advisable to revisit the design of these facilities, and implement a retrofit program if the analyses suggest that this is warranted. A seismic study recently conducted for Big Canyon Reservoir indicates that this reservoir can withstand the strong ground shaking expected in the area as a result of an earthquake on either the Newport -Inglewood or the San Joaquin Hills fault. is Chapter 5 — Fire Hazards Wildland Fires The eastern portion of the City is susceptible to damage from wildland fire. In fact, portions of the Newport Beach region and surrounding areas to the north, east and southeast include grass- and brush -covered hillsides with significant topographic relief that facilitate the rapid spread of fire, especially if fanned by coastal breezes or Santa Ana winds. These areas are vegetated with high fire hazard plants such as tall grasses and coastal sage scrub, include steep slopes and canyons, and are subjected to both strong seasonal Santa Ana wind conditions and westerly winds that can help transport embers up the southwest -facing canyons. During Santa Ana conditions, when winds in excess of 40 miles per hour (mph) are typical, and gusts in excess of 100 mph may occur locally, fire -fighting resources are likely to be stretchedstfessed, reducing their ability to suppress fires. Even with no unusual wind conditions, fire department response can be hindered by heavy traffic during peak hours, and by the long travel distances in the canyon and hillside areas of the southeastern part of the City. f1 Furthermore, with the transportation corridors that now cut through these .fire -prone • areas, and the establishment of natural preserves in the canyons, there is an increased potential for fires, both accidental and purposely set, to impact the region. Therefore, enhanced onsite protection for structures and people in and near these wildfire - susceptible areas is necessary. In 1997, the City of Newport -Beach adopted guidelines that mirror the Orange County _ Fire Authority guidelines for hazard reduction and fuel modification. Hazard reduction and fuel modification are the two methods that the City of Newport Beach employs for reducing the risk of fire at the urban-wildland interface (UWI). Both methodologies use the principle of reducing the amount of combustible fuel available, which reduces the amount of heat, associated flame lengths, and the intensity of the fire that would threaten adjacent structures. The purpose of these methods, adopted as part of the City's Municipal Code, is to reduce the hazard of wildfire by establishing a defensible space around buildings or structures in the area. Defensible space is defined by the City as "an area, either natural or man-made, where plant materials and natural fuels have been treated, cleared, or modified to slow the rate and intensity of an advancing wildfire, and to create an area for firefighters to suppress the fire and save the structure." These standards require property owners in the UWI to conduct maintenance, modifying or removing non -fire -resistive vegetation around their structures to reduce the fire danger. This affects any person who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains a building or structure in, upon, or adjoining the UWI. • Structural Fires The western, extensively developed portion of Newport Beach and the older portion .of Corona del Mar are is -at risk from structural fires. Many of the structures in these areas are of older vintage, some dating back to the 1930s, built to older building standards and fire codes, made from non -fire resistive construction materials, and with no internal sprinklers and other fire safety systems in place. The density of construction in these areas is also an issue. Residences are close to each other, generally with only 3-foot setbacks between the houses and the property lines, and projections (such as window and roof awnings) into this 3-foot area are allowed. These projections into the 3-foot setback hinder emergency access to the back of residences, and should therefore be discouraged or prohibited. -The narrow streets in these areas of the City also make it difficult to maneuver and position response vehicles so as to be most effective in fighting a fire, and have the potential to severely constrain efforts to evacuate the area if necessary during a fire or other disaster. The City's permanent residential population is currently about 75,660, but this number does not include the thousands that come into Newport Beach daily to work, dine or shop. On weekends, and during the summer, because of the City's tourist draw, the population in the City may swell to well over 200,000. A large percentage of these visitors park their vehicles and visit in the older sections of town, adding to the congestion and difficulty of ingress and egress of emergency response vehicles. 41 Geography is -also complicates at-�fire safety in the City. Upper and Lower • Newport Bay essentially divide the City into two regions, with approximately one-third of the Fire Department assets located west of the bay, and the remaining assets east of the bay. Connection between these two sides is provided by only a handful of roadways (Pacific Coast Highway in the south, Bristol Street and the 73 Freeway on the north), making it difficult for fire stations on both sides of the bay to support each other during multiple alarm emergencies. Often, it •best to request support from adjacent cities via mutual aid agreements than to have Newport Beach fire stations from the other side of the bay send in reinforcements. Catastrophic failure of the bridge connectors on any of these roadways as a result of an earthquake, for example, would hinder emergency response from fire stations in east Newport Beach and Newport Coast into the densely populated areas of the City west and south of the bay. Fires in Newport Beach represent only about 5 percent of all calls, with structure fires representing less than 2 percent of all calls. This is due to the use of modern fire and building codes, effective fire prevention inspection work by the Fire Department, and effective public education. Fires, when they do occur in newer occupancies, are kept small by fire sprinkler systems and the efforts of the Fire Department. Therefore, in recent years, there has been a concern that in some areas, when a major structure fire does occur, the Fire Department personnel will have to apply "seldom used skills." This can result in firefighter injuries, and perhaps larger fires than would have occurred in past years when Fire Departments were accustomed to responding to more structure fires due to the absence of sprinkler systems, poor construction, and lack of ongoing Code • enforcement. The Newport Beach Fire Department, however, participates in extensive fire -fighting training. • Chapter 6 - Hazardous Materials Management The primary concern associated with a hazardous materials release is the short and/or long term effect to the public from exposure to the hazardous material. The best way to reduce the liability for a hazardous material release is through stringent regulation governing the storage, use, manufacturing and handling of hazardous materials. These regulations are typically issued by the EPA, but various local agencies are tasked with the responsibility of monitoring those facilities that use, storeage, transport, and dispose hazardous materials for compliance with the Federal guidelines, or if applicable, with more stringent State guidelines. Air Quality Data from the South Coast Air Quality District for the year 2001 show that the ozone levels were above the Federal standards for only one day that year in the North Coastal Orange County area, which includes the City of Newport Beach. All other pollutants were below both Federal and State air quality standards. Air quality criteria are expected to become more stringent, however, as the results of recent studies indicate that air quality in many parts of the southern California area is still poor. 10 Drinking Water Quality • Two water agencies provide drinking water to the Newport Beach area. The two agencies are: Orange County Water District and the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County. Neither of these agencies is listed on the EPA Safe Drinking Water Violation Report. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) The City of Newport Beach is a member of the Orange County's Stormwater Program, the local administering agency for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. NPDES permits in the Newport Beach area are issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Santa Ana Region. The City of Newport Beach holds a NPDES permit, adopted January 2002, to operate its municipal separate storm drainage seweF system (MS4). The permit requires the City to keep pollutants out of its MS4 to the maximum extent practicable, and to ensure that dry -weather flows entering recreational waters from the MS4 do not cause or contribute to exceedinganses-ef water quality standards. The City also has a stringent Water Quality Ordinance and requires the use of "best management practices" in many residential, commercial, and development -related activities to reduce runoff. Superfund Sites • According to the EPA, there are two Superfund sites in the City of Newport Beach, but neither of them is listed in the National Priority List (NPL). Furthermore, one of the sites is considered by the 'EPA as a "No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP) site, while the other site has reportedly been cleaned up, although the EPA data is not yet reflecting this information. Given that both sites appear to no longer pose an environmental hazard to the area, they have not been included in the list of most significant hazardous sites in the City of Newport Beach. • Toxic Release Invento According to the EPA records, there are three facilities in the Newport Beach area that are listed in the most recently available Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). One of these facilities has since closed its plant in Newport Beach. TRI sites are known to release toxic chemicals into the air. The EPA closely monitors the emissions from these facilities to ensure that their annual limits are not exceeded. The South Coast Air Quality Management District also issues permits to facilities that emit chemicals, both toxic and non -toxic, into the atmosphere. These facilities include restaurants, hotels, dry-cleaners, and other small businesses. Hazardous Waste Sites According to the most recent EPA and City data available, there are two large quantity generators and approximately 115 small quantity generators in the Newport Beach 11 area. In addition there are four transporters of hazardous waste with offices in the City. • The number of small quantity generators is expected to increase with increasing development in the City, since this list includes businesses like gasoline stations, dry cleaners, and photo -processing shops. Leaking Underground Storage Tanks According to data from the State Water Resources Control Board, 76 underground storage tank leaks have been reported in the Newport Beach area. Of these, according to the State list, 47 sites have been either cleaned up or deemed to be of no environmental consequence, leaving 29 cases that are still open and in various stages of the remediation process. Information provided by the City, however, suggests that .some of the cases still on the State list have already been closed. None of the leaks that have been reported in the City have impacted a drinking source of ground water. The Orange County Environmental Health Department provides oversight and conducts inspections of all underground tank removals and installation of new tanks. Hazardous Materials Disclosure Program Both the Federal government and the State of California require all businesses that handle more than a specified amount of hazardous materials or extremely hazardous materials to submit a business plan to a regulating agency. Business plans are currently reviewed by the Newport Beach Fire Department, who also conducts annual • on -site reviews of permitted businesses to confirm that the information in their business plans is current and correct. L Household Hazardous Waste The County of Orange operates four household hazardous waste collection centers in accordance with the California Integrated Solid Waste Management Act of 1989 (AB 939). These centers are located in the cities of Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine, and San Juan Capistrano. The two locations closest to the City are the Huntington Beach center at 17121 Nichols Street and the Irvine location at 6411 Oak Canyon. Oil Fields There is one oil field in the City of Newport Beach and one in its Sphere of Influence. Hazardous materials are often associated with these facilities, usually as a result of poor practices in the early days of exploration, when oil cuttings, brine water, and other by-products were dumped onto the ground. The development of oil fields for residential or commercial purposes typically involves a detailed study to identify any areas impacted by oil or other hazardous materials, and the remediation of the property prior to development. 12 Methane Gas Mitigation Districts • Natural seepages of gas occur in the western and southwestern portions of the City. Methane gas associated with an abandoned landfill has also been reported near the City's northwestern corner. The City has implemented a series of mitigation measures to reduce the hazard associated with methane gas. Continuous implementation of these guidelines is recommended. - — Chapter 7 — Aviation Hazards The City of Newport Beach is located in the take -off path of aircraft departing John Wayne Airport (JWA), which statistically increases the risk of a plane crash into the City. A commercial plane accident might be a 1-in-25- to 1-in-40-year occurrence. However, pilots are instructed to follow the Newport Bay away from residential or developed areas. The author did not detect a hazard risk that might be likely to result in a catastrophe for Newport Beach. Given the amount of resources available in the City and throughout the County of Orange, any impact will be significantly reduced by fast, coordinated; and skilled response operations of all available emergency services. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended that arrangements be made to ensure that Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) units can and will respond immediately to a major airplane accident within the City limits of Newport Beach. Any JWA ARFF vehicle responding to an • off -airport aircraft accident is equipped to and required to use the designated 800 MHz frequency for communicating with the Fire Incident Commander of the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). It is critically important -and- required by FAA regulations that the airport is not allowed to operate if the minimum fire protection coverage is not guaranteed. Therefore, airport fire vehicles are allowed to respond off -site only if the airport has been shut down to commercial air traffic. According to JWA documents, the primary fire, rescue, and law enforcement responsibility for off -airport accidents is with the jurisdiction(s) involved. It is recommended that a formalized Memorandum of Understanding regarding the response of ARFF vehicles in case of commercial airliner crash within the City of Newport Beach be established between John Wayne Airport, the Orange County Fire Authority, and the City of Newport Beach. During the evaluation, possible areas of increased vulnerability within the City of Newport Beach are as follows: Balboa Island In a worst -case scenario, a fully loaded commercial plane might crash into Marine Avenue on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The area is usually crowded with cars, pedestrians, and 13 day visitors, and the island's access and egress is limited to a small bridge. Many of the • two-story buildings, including shops, small restaurants, and residences, are wood -frame structures, and very close to one another. Uooer Newport Ba A more likely scenario than -an accident -on Balboa Island is a major.airliner ending up in the Upper Newport Bay area. The soft underground and the abundant water might limit the impact force and the spread of fire and, therefore, ensuFe a high degFee of increase survivability for the aircraft occupants. The fast and well -coordinated response of City and County emergency services into the difficult terrain is crucial. Other Residential Areas A crash into a residential- area -west or east of the Newport Bay has an extremely low probability because, without a deubtT the pRet-crew of an airplane in distress will make every effort to avoid these areas and attempt to stay above the uninhabited bay. Moreover, the area's population density is relatively low (mostly single freestanding houses), with the exception of some retail areas and schools. It would be a localized and manageable incident. (Such an accident would be comparable to the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 immediately after take -off from New York's JFK Airport on November 12, 2001'. All 260 people aboard perished, 12 residences were destroyed by the impact and fire, and five persons on the ground perished.) • Newport Center n A crash into a high-rise building in Fashion Island also has an extremely low probability because pilots would avoid these areas -at a!! -rests. In addition, the buildings themselves (concrete with sprinkler systems) might offer some protection for occupants. The area contains large open spaces that allow for fast mod -access for emergency vehicles. Pacific Ocean A crash into the Pacific Coast Highway bridge over the Lower Newport Bay is unlikely, but this is the primary connection between the northern and southern parts of Newport Beach. The resulting disruption would have a significant impact on tourism and business in the area. A detour via Highway 55, Freeway 73, and Jamboree Road would cause a major inconvenience with consequences for commuters, residents, and local businesses. Fest ' , retail st, Fes, and 9theF busiResses. Schools Newpert-Beach-Numerous elementary, intermediate, and high schools are located within the City of Newport Beach. An airplane crashing into one of these facilities is extremely 14 unlikely, but this scenario cannot be excluded. Many of these schools house hundreds of • students (i.e., Newport Harbor High School at 600 Irvine Avenue, nearly 2,000; Ensign Intermediate School at 2000 Cliff Drive, more than 1,100; four elementary schools with more than 500 pupils each are located at 300 East 15th Street, at 14th Street and Balboa Boulevard, at 2100 Mariners Drive, and 1900 Port Seabourne Way). Even if the statistical risk of such an event is extremely low, it -would be a tragic event, and such an occurrence cannot be ruled out. On May 4th, 2002, a BAC one -eleven aircraft crashed shortly after take off from Kano International Airport in Nigeria. The plane veered off into houses, two mosques and a school in a densely populated neighborhood approximately 1.2 miles from the runway threshold. Seventy-five people on the ground and 74 of the 77 people aboard the short-range passengerjet perished. Mitigation procedures that might save lives in an airplane crash scenario are similar to those addressing other hazards. It includes clear and designated evacuation routes and procedures, well maintained fire suppression systems, regular drills and testing, and a proactive mindset of teachers, parents, and children. An up-to-date and exercised school emergency plan will reduce the number of potential casualties. Mid -air Collisions Mid -air collisions (i.e., Cerritos, California on August 31, 1986; San Diego, California on September 25, 1978), mid -air bombings (i.e., PanAm Flight 103 above Lockerbie, • Scotland on December 21, 1988), and mid -air break-ups (i.e., Alaska Airlines MD 80 off the Coast of Ventura County on January 31, 2000; American Airlines on November 12, 2001 in New York City) are, despite their seemingly increased frequency in the United States and the world euthem Galifbmia ^�* are extremely rare events. Crashes with significant loss of life on the ground are the exception and rarely produce more than ten fatalities in a community. The FAA has classified the airspace surrounding JWA, which includes the City of Newport Beach, as CHARLIE. Every aircraft, including helicopters and general aviation planes must announce its flight intention and receive permission from JWA Air Traffic Control to enter this space up to a height of 5,000 feet. 15 .w 1% E • • GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Monday, September 8, 2003 Roger Alford Patrick Bartolic Phillip Bettencourt Carol Boice — Karlene Bradley -Gus Chabre John Corrough —Laura Dietz Grace Dove Florence Felton Nancy Gardner Louise Greeley Ernie Hatchell Bob Hendrickson Tom Hyans — Mike Ishikawa Kim 3ansma -- Mike 3ohnson Bill Kelly Todd Knipp -- Donald Krotee Lucille Kuehn Philip Lugar Marie Marston Peter Oeth Catherine O'Hara �Ca� 1 Carl Ossipoff • —Charles Remley Larry Root John Saunders James Schmiesing Ed Siebel Jackie Sukiasian Jan Vandersloot Tom Webber Ron Yeo E 0 �&6' nap S = S 1:T GENERAL PLAN ALOSORY COMMITTEE Monday, September 8, 2003 PUBLIC SIGN -IN NAME ADDRESS/PHONE E-MAIL ADDRESS GENERAL PLAN ADOSORY COMMITTEE Monday, September 8, 2003 PUBLIC SIGN -IN NAME ADDRESS/PHONE 11 E-MAIL ADDRESS P CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH GENERAL PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE Minutes of the General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting held on Monday, September 8, 2003, at the Police Department Auditorium. Members Present: Roger Alford Bob Hendrickson Carl Ossipoff Patrick Bartolic Tom Hyans Larry Root Carol Boice Kim Jansma John Saunders John Corrough Bill Kelly Jackie Sukiasian Grace Dove Lucille Kuehn Jan Vandersloot Florence Felton Phillip Lugar Tom Webber Nancy Gardner Marie Marston Ron Yeo Louise Greeley Peter Oeth Ernest Hatchell Catherine O'Hara Members Absent: Phillip Bettencourt Mike Ishikawa Charles Remley Karlene Bradley Mike Johnson James Schmiesing Gus Chabre Todd Knipp Ed Siebel Laura Dietz Donald Krotee Staff Present: Sharon Wood, Assistant City Manager Patrick Alford, Senior Planner Tamara Campbell, Senior Planner Debbie Lektorich, Executive Assistant Members of the Public Present: Joe Gleason I. Call to Order Phillip Lugar called the meeting to order. Bob Hendrickson had a comment regarding the maps provided with the Biological Resources Report which was presented at the July 7t' meeting. He felt they were difficult to read and thought aerial photographs should be provided to show the surrounding area land uses. • He added that the maps in the presentation were not provided to the group and asked that new maps be distributed. Mr. Lugar reminded everyone that this report was undergoing a peer review and he expected the maps to be distributed after that review. Sharon Wood confirmed that more meaningful maps could be produced when the report comes back to the committee. II. Approval of Minutes The minutes of the July 7, 2003 meeting were approved as submitted. III. Discussion of the Hazards Assessment Study Patrick Alford reviewed a PowerPoint presentation outlining the Hazards Assessment Study. The presentation is attached. During and after the presentation the following questions/issues were raised. Patrick pointed out that the Executive Summary provided in the agenda packets was provided to the committee because the full study would have been too costly to reproduce, however members were invited to borrow a hard copy or CD to review the entire report. He added that this is a technical document and not a • policy document, the information collected in this report will be used by staff and this committee to assist when determining policy for the General Plan. John Saunders commented that the information in technical documents could add constraints to policy, so we need to review the technical studies carefully. Tom Webber asked about the Tsunami inundation maps and how deep the water would be in the different areas. Ron Yeo added that the map does indicate an inundation elevation of 7.47 feet which might give an indication of how deep the water would be, Nancy Gardner asked about the number of buildings in the city after hearing estimates on damaged buildings after an earthquake. Ms. Wood estimated 41,000 residential structures. Lucille Kuehn asked about reviewing the Open Space element to allow more fire resistant plants (replacing coastal sage & tall grasses) in these areas to help mitigate the fire hazard. Jan Vandersloot pointed out the Orange County Fire Authority has developed a list of plants more resistive to fire. Mr. Saunders asked if we should create a policy statement encouraging the replacement of older buildings due to the fire and earthquake hazards. John Corrough pointed out the Harbor Commission had learned there has been quite a bit of cross training between the water- and land -borne firefighting, which is a great 2 resource when the fire is either on the waterfront or access is difficult due to . damage or traffic issues. Bob Hendrickson asked about the location of the superfund sites. He also asked if there was a report showing how Newport Beach's drinking water quality compares to other cities and/or state and federal guidelines. Ms. Wood thought the City's Utilities Department produced a report regarding drinking water quality annually. Patrick Bartolic also asked about the location of the superfund sites. Mr. Alford indicated the locations could be found in the full report. Mr. Corrough pointed out the Chapter 7 subheading of Pacific Ocean talks more about the PCH Bridge instead of the ocean. He also acknowledged that the revised version of the executive summary was an improvement over the earlier version, however the examples provided in the aviation section had nothing to do with Newport Beach. Carol Boice felt Corona del Mar High School and the new school on Vista del Oro needed to be added under Schools. Mr. Hendrickson felt the report lacked historical information for the hazards and thought the information would be important to take into consideration when determining future General Plan policies. Catherine O'Hara asked if the editorializing found in the executive summary was also in the full report, and if so, would that language be cleaned up? She felt it takes away from the professional quality of the document. Ms. Wood acknowledged that some of the • descriptions could be changed, however the information in the report is technically correct and it would not be worth paying extra for staff or the consultant to go through the document again. Mr. Corrough agreed with Ms. O'Hara and is concerned that because as a public document, someone could sensationalize bits of the report by pulling out sound bites instead of reading the complete report. However, he indicated if staff was satisfied with the report he was okay with it also. Carl Ossipoff asked if there was a previous hazardous assessment study to determine if the hazards are increasing or decreasing. Mr. Alford did not believe there had been a previous report that went into as much detail on hazards as this report. Kim Jansma felt the report covered hazards that may or may not occur, however' did not cover the erosion problems we are currently experiencing. Mr. Ossipoff asked if the erosion problems were being exacerbated by the structures in the areas and if current regulations would allow those buildings to be built today in the same locations? Mr. Alford pointed out that current setbacks do protect the bluff areas in the planned community developments. Ms. Wood added that the issue of protecting our coastal bluffs was discussed during the visioning process and it is an issue that can be addressed during policy development. Grace Dove asked if sediments in the bottom of the bay were listed under the hazardous materials section of the report. Mr. Alford thought this issue was • included under the "water quality" section of the report. Ron Yeo recommended 3 committee members look at the full report; it includes some very interesting • information. Mr. Saunders felt there should be a hazard regarding the possibility of a terrorist attack in Newport Beach or at San Onofre which could affect the City. Mr. Alford indicated that "public enemy" is an unknown factor and the question is if we want to address scenarios in this document which would outline potential weaknesses in the City. Ms. Wood did not see the need to include this issue for general plan purposes. Mr. Webber commented that the consultants who write these studies/reports are in a better position to recommend mitigation measures for all the hazards and should present them with the studies. Lucille Kuehn asked if global warming should be considered as part of the hazards report. Mr. Lugar asked if a copy of this report could be put at the main library for the public. Ms. Wood agreed to put a copy at the library as a reference document. At the end of the presentation/discussion, Ms. Wood discussed the future agendas for the committee. For the next meeting, staff is trying to arrange for a guest speaker to discuss how other cities are dealing with similar issues. In November, staff will return to the Committee with additional information on traffic issues, and then Woodie Tescher will lead a discussion regarding guiding principles for the General Plan process. Also in November, EIP may be ready to present the peer review on the biological report. After a break for the holidays the Committee will be asked to review issue papers by working in subcommittees to determine what alternatives should be looked at using the traffic and fiscal impact models. IV. Public Comments No comments offered. C� M