Loading...
1995-0912_ORANGE ,COUNTY OF_Notificationr 1 • September 11, 1995 Dear Resident; Javan � UINI114.Vuo WWI$ II 1961 1776 MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL COLLENE CAMPBELL WYATT HART GILJONES CAROLYN NASH DAVID SWERDLIN CITY MANAGER GEORGE SCARBOROUGH The issue of solid waste importation at the Prima Deshecha landfill is very important to the City. Earlier this year, the City solicited help from residents to try to stop the County from getting environmental exemptions from the State which would allow solid waste from other counties to be disposed of in Orange County landfills. Because of the significant support of residents of San Juan Capistrano, the emergency bill SB 17xx was modified to require the County to bring their operating permit into compliance with the City's regulations before they could import solid waste at the local landfill. This provision in the emergency legislation has provided the leverage necessary for the City to get significant concessions from the County as it moves ahead with a plan to start solid waste importation. These concessions are contained within a settlement agreement that is being approved by both the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors. Information about the settlement agreement has been provided to the media, however, the City Council wanted you to receive the same information in case the media does not choose to print all of the important points. The attached document provides details about all the County will have to do to benefit San Juan Capistrano and result in less impacts on the portions of our community near Ortega Highway and the Prima Deshecha landfill. An important requirement is the County has agreed to construct the Antonio Parkway extension by 1999 -to get traffic off of the Ortega Highway. This will result in significant reductions in traffic trips on Ortega Highway. Also, the County has agreed to place fewer tons of solid waste at Prima Deshecha than they were proposing prior to SB 17xx. The City Council believes that the concessions the City will gain through this agreement are significant and will result in less impacts on the community than would have been possible without the County importing solid waste to Prima Deshecha. We hope you will agree. 32400 PASEO ADELANTO, SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA 92675 0 (714) 493.1171 PRESSRELEASE City of Sen Jan Capistrano • 32400 Fun Adelante • San Joan Capistrano, CA 92675 • (714J 493-1171 • Fu:(714) 493.1053 For Immediate Release Date: September 8, 1995 Contact: George Scarborough, City Manager Phone: (714) 493-1171 Fax: (714) 493-1053 City Approves Agreement to Secure Environmental Mitigation for County Solid Waste Importation San Juan Capistrano, CA—Expressing satisfaction, the San Juan Capistrano City Council approved the terms of a settlement agreement with the County of Orange today in closed session, spelling out terms and conditions the County will have to meet to import out of County solid waste for disposal in the Prima Deshecha Landfill. One third of the 1,500 acre landfill is located within City limits. Two key elements of this victory are the delay of solid waste -importation to Prima Deshecha Landfill until 1997 and a greatly accelerated time frame for construction of the Antonio Parkway extension. These elements will provide significant traffic relief for Ortega Highway and upon completion of the Antonio Parkway extension, will result in an immediate reduction in existing traffic of 5,900 vehicle trips per day. This represents 34% of the present traffic. (Over the next 15 years, this will result in a reduction of 11,447,000 vehicle trips on Ortega Highway, resulting in far fewer vehicles on Ortega Highway than what would have been realized without importation). (See Attached Traffic Schedule) r The City had been vigorous in its opposition to solid waste importation earlier this year, when Senate Bill (SB)17xx, sponsored by Senator Craven was making its way through the legislature in emergency session. SB 17xx passed and the State permitted the County to bypass California Environmental Quality Act requirements for solid waste importation. However, the effectiveness of the City's opposition to SB 17xx resulted in the bill's modification and provided the leverage necessary to protect and improve the quality of life for San Juan Capistrano residents. The modified bill requires the County to obtain General Plan consistency of the landfill operations before solid waste importation can occur. Because the County was forced by SB 17xx to bring its operating permit into compliance with the City's requirements, the City has been able to negotiate significant concessions from the County which will benefit the community greatly and mitigate the adverse environmental impacts. Stated Mayor Carolyn Nash, I believe we have gained more protection for the community by doing this. With this agreement improvements necessary to reducing traffic and other impacts to residents in the vicinity of Ortega Highway and the landfill have been secured. The settlement agreement between the City and the County, structured as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), requires the County to take several measure to protect the environment and the quality of life in San Juan Capistrano when importation begins. Important provisions of the MOU are as follows: 1. The County will initiate the process with the City to gain General Plan compliance for the landfill itself. This process will require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report, an important point stressed by the City in its earliecopposition to Senate Bill 17xx. 2. The County must begin construction of the Antonio Parkway extension between Oso Parkway and Ortega Highway by December 31, 1996 for completion by May 31, 1999. This road will be very important to reducing traffic volume on Ortega Highway. The first year it should bring a 34% reduction in traffic on Ortega Highway. The Antonio Parkway Extension was not planned for completion until the year 2010. By moving its completion forward, this will allow for a reduction of 11,447,000 traffic trips on Ortega Highway over these intervening years. This would not be possible without the funds that importation fees will generate to pay for the Antonio Parkway construction. 3. The County has agreed not to construct the Antonio Parkway extension as a toll road, thereby encouraging its use upon completion. 4. Importation is prohibited until January, 1997 and may not exceed 2,000 tons per day prior to completion of the Antonio Parkway extension. 5. If the Antonio Parkway extension is not completed within the stipulated time frame, the County agrees to stop all importation to Prima Deshecha. 6. The County will maintain grades of landfill operations which protect the City's ridgelines. No activity or material will be allowed to "silhouette" above major ridgelines. 7. The County will construct an earthen berm to buffer residences located nearby the landfill from noise of vehicles using La Pata, the access road to the landfill. 8. The County will establish a plan for financing the construction of a park over the landfill site, when the landfill closes. It will be the County's ultimate responsibility to construct a regional park at the landfill site. 9. The County will pay the City eighty one (81) cents per ton for each ton of imported waste deposited in the landfill. This fee is mitigation for landfill access only, not compensation for acceptance of solid waste. This fee could generate as much as $447,000 annually, depending on the amount of solid waste disposed at Prima Deshecha. The City plans to use this money to fund increased traffic enforcement along Ortega Highway, additional hours of commercial vehicle enforcement, and will use it to fund road and signalization improvements on Ortega Highway. 10. The County will limit the total tonnage for all trash to 4,000 tons per day for the life of the landfill; approximately 70 years. This represents a significant limitation of the potential impacts to San Juan Capistrano from long term use of the landfill. 11. Any out of county waste haulers using Prima Deshecha landfill must use a haul route approved mutually by the County and the City. 12. Any imported solid waste must be brought in transfer trailer vehicles, approximately twenty tons of cargo, each so as to reduce traffic impacts. The use of these vehicles will mean fewer trips. 3 Arriving at a decision to negotiate with the County rather than litigate was not easy for the City Council. "[t was very difficult to sit down with the County to discuss the possibility of solid waste importation, given our opposition to the concept," stated Mayor Pro Tem Wyatt Hart, "however, 1 believe the citizens of San Juan Capistrano and their quality of life will be improved because of the measures the County will be required to provide if it chooses to dispose of imported waste in San Juan Capistrano. Getting the best for our community was ultimately more important than fighting with the County." "Getting the County to commit the $45 million necessary to construct Antonio Parkway is a significant accomplishment which ultimately improves the long range traffic situation. By requiring funds from solid waste importation to pay for the Antonio Parkway extension, the City forced the County to construct this road about 11 years earlier and save millions of traffic trips on Ortega Highway," added Council Member Dave Swerdlin. Approval of the Memorandum of Understanding is scheduled for County Board of Supervisors consideration on September 12. This agreement will become part of the settlement plan for the County's bankruptcy. The settlement agreement will be ratified by the San Juan Capistrano City Council in public session on September 19. Attachment: Estimated Trip Reduction Chart G! ESTIMATED TRIP REDUCTIO, •c ORTEGA HIGHWAY WITH ANTONIO PARKWAY YEAR DAILY INCREASE/DECREASE YEARLY TOTAL ORTEGA HIGHWAY TRIPS 1997 +720 * +221,040 1998 +720 +221,040 1999 +720 ** +108,000 1999 -5,880 *** -1,264,200 2000 -5,880 -2,146,200 2001 -5,238 **** -1,911,870 2002 -4,596 -1,677,540 2003 -3,954 -1,443,310 2004 -3,312 -1,208,880 2005 -2,670 -974,550 2006 -2,028 -740,220 2007 -1,386 -505,890 2008 -744 -271,560 2009 -102 -37,230 2010 +504 +183-960 -11,447,410 " These trips represent the number of passenger car equivalent trips that are associated with the initiation of importation (equals 180 tractor trailer round trips on Ortega Highway) based upon 307 days of operation of landfill. * * Represents number of trips prior to completion of Antonio Parkway (to be completed by May 31, 1999) * *' Represents reduction in traffic due to Antonio Parkway completion. Represents projected trip adjustments due to development of the Homo Planned Community and other traffic using Antonio Parkway to travel south and connect with Interstate 5. • SOLID WASTE IMPORTATION AGREEMENT PRO'S CON'S Importation delayed until January 1, 1997. Separate law suit may have resulted in same outcome or even later. County will start process to bring Prima Separate law suit may have resulted in same Deshecha Landfill into compliance with San outcome. Juan Capistrano General Plan. Construction of Antonio Parkway Extension Construction of road may have its own must begin by December 31, 1996, and be environmental impacts on pristine back completed by May 31, 1999. country. First year open, Antonio Parkway should Traffic will increase by approximately 200 bring 34% reduction in traffic on Ortega. trucks per day over existing volume (17,000 Over 15 years, reduction will total 11.4 trips per day) between January 1997 and May million. 1999. Traffic on La Pata will increase. Antonio Parkway will not be constructed as a toll road. If Antonio Parkway is not completed by May 31, 1999, then importation must stop. The grade of landfill operations (which Separate law suit may have resulted in same protect City Ridgelines) will not silhouette outcome. above major ridgelines. County will construct an earthen berm along Berm will lessen, but not eliminate, noise. La Pata to buffer residents near the Landfill from current visual and noise impacts. The County will establish a plan for financing the construction of a regional park over the Landfill site when the Landfill closes. County will pay City $.81 per ton for Funds will be spent to mitigate maintenance mitigation fee. This could generate as much as and traffic impacts exacerbated due to $447,000 annually. Mitigation money will be increased traffic on Ortega Highway during used to increase enforcement and make the 29 months from January 1997 to May improvements. 1999. County will limit total tonnage for all trash to 4,000 tons per day for life of Landfill. Imported solid waste to be brought in in Vehicles are heavier and may put more stress transfer trailer vehicles to reduce traffic on roadways. impacts (fewer, heavier trucks).