HomeMy WebLinkAbout1997-05-13 - AGENDA REPORTS - LACO LANDFILL ELSMERE (2)NEW BUSINESS
DATE:
SUBJECT:
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BACKGROUND
FAX"Now"Uffne.
May 13, 1997
City Manager
Item to be pre
George A. Caravalho
STATUS REPORT #10 ON LA COUNTY LANDFILL ISSUES AND THE
PROPOSED ELSMERE CANYON LANDFILL IN THE SCV
City Manager
To keep the City Council and the general public informed on these issues, the City Manager presents
a status report once each month at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
I. UCLA Policy Summit
After months of preparation, the UCLA Policy Summit on Solid Waste Management for the
21st Century was held according to schedule on April 23 and 24, in the Sunset Village facility
at UCLA. By all indicators, the Summit was a success.
Day One began with opening remarks by Dr. Eugene Grigsby of UCLA, and an overview, past
to present, of the solid waste management system in Los Angles County. Upon concluding
the overview, Dr. Grigsby turned the program over to the facilitator, Dr. Bonnie Spiesberger.
Dr. Spiesberger led the larger group through several exercises designed to generate team
thinking and creativity, then divided the participants into four smaller groups for exercises
identifying strengths and weaknesses of the existing system, and predictions of future trends.
(Group composition was carefully prearranged by UCLA to provide a cross section of
perspectives within each.) Activities in the early evening (reception/dinner) were designed
to promote informal information sharing and networking for the following day.
On Day Two, participants immediately went into the small work groups and worked on a
desired outcome ("vision") for the future, defined for the Summit's purpose as the year 2010.
Throughout the day, the groups worked independently with trained facilitators to identify
elements, challenges to each group's vision, and actions needed to implement it. This small
group work was then presented to the larger group, through some very creative and amusing
role-play.
The Summit concluded with a call from Dr.. Grigsby for the formation of an eight member ad
hoc committee to move forward the ideas and actions identified by the groups. Dr. Grigsby
also indicated that the UCLA Advanced Policy Institute would remain active in the process
by working with the ad hoc committee, working with State legislators on AB939 and other
bills, and by working to educate members of the County Solid Waste Task Force.
Of the 61 expected participants, 59 were in attendance. Feedback and comments from the
attendees, the sponsors and co-sponsors, UCLA staff, members of the public and other
observers were positive and supportive. According to UCLA staff, the event came in slightly
under the projected budget of $65,000. Two media stories covering the Summit are attached
for your information.
Products coming out of the Summit in the near future include:
1) A not -to -exceed ten page executive summary;
2) An 8-10 minute video, documenting the process and feedback from participants; and,
3) A report providing an in-depth understanding of the process/consensus achieved by the
Summit's attendees.
These materials will be sent to all conference attendees, the 88 cities of Los Angeles County,
and other interested parties, to educate and inform.
Additionally, and as importantly, the Summit also generated the ad hoc committee.
Committee members include representatives from the County, four cities, the Solid Waste
Task Force, the solid waste industry, and community/environmental activists. We are very
pleased with this result, and pleased with the overall success of the event. We will bring
additional information and updates to you in future reports.
II. Committee Actions
SCAG Solid Waste Task Force: The Task Force did not meet in April, but is tentatively
scheduled to meet on May 27, 1997. On April 3, SCAG's Energy and Environment
Committee met and approved distribution of the Task Force Report, and on the 29th the
Report was mailed out each of the 88 Los Angles County cities. The mail -out also contains
the results of a SCAG survey on A13939, and a resolution requesting that the cities support the
findings of the Report.
Los Angles County Solid Waste Committee/Task Force : The regularly scheduled Task Force
meeting for April was canceled. The next meeting of the Task Force is tentatively scheduled
for May 15, 1997. It should be noted that all members of this Task Force were invited to
attend the UCLA Summit; approximately six members did so.
The processing schedule for the Siting Element remains tentative. County staff suggest the
release date of the document to the Board of Supervisors will be determined within three
weeks. We anticipate that the document will begin the mandatory 90 -day review by cities in
early June and continue through August, possibly into September.
III. Consultant Progress
Due to frequent phone contacts and group coordination of the UCLA Summit, the consultant
team did not need to meet in April, but will meet in mid-May to discuss and finalize our
strategy regarding the expected release of the Siting Element..
Gil Smith had no significant new activities to report, primarily as his effort is directed towards
monitoring the status of the Siting Element, which did not change, and the County Task Force
which did not meet. Gil has suggested that the Siting Element's delayed release is, at least in
part, tied to the UCLA Policy Summit, as County staff may have believed it prudent to await
the results of the Summit prior to sending the document to the BOS. Gil indicates that County
staff remains comfortable in its decision to identify both Elsmere and Towsley Canyons in the
Siting Element.
Paul Brotzman reported approximately 30 meetings and contacts with city representatives
from throughout the County. Concerns with the Siting Element continue to surface, but are
general at this time. Many of those contacted express an interest in reviewing the final Siting
Element (not yet available) prior to making any serious commitment. Paul has begun focusing
on several key cities and city groups (Los Angeles, West Covina, West Side Cities, and San
Gabriel Valley Cities). At the April meeting of the SGV group, which Paul attended, they
opted not to recommend opposition to the Siting Element to the member cities, recommending
instead that each act based on independent review.
IV. Public Participation
The Elsmere Community Leaders meeting was held on April 15, 1997. Items on the groups
agenda included updates on the above items. The group also received a brief presentation on
a new Seismic Hazard Evaluation study prepared for Elsmere Canyon by.Hushmand and
Associates under contract to the City. The group reported it's recent activities, and requested
that staff provide follow-up information regarding property appraisals and related issues for
Whitney Canyon. The group also requested that staff schedule a meeting with USFS officials
to further discuss recreational uses and opportunities within Whitney Canyon. Parks &
Recreation staff has followed up with both of these requests and is continuing to develop new
information. After significant discussion, the group also agreed that it will suspend regular
monthly meetings and will meet in the future as needed to exchange information.
V. Permit/Facilities Monitoring
Elsmere Permit (CUP): No change in status since last report. BFI has not withdrawn the CUP
application to date and has not responded to the County's written request that it do so..
RECOMMENDATION
Receive and discuss update information, provide guidance, and consider any potential new direction
to staff.
Attachment(s)
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Shaun DyariSpecial to the Daily News
ay at Angeles National Forest.
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By Amy Collins
Daily News Staff Writer
SANTA CLARITA — Officials
from Santa Clarita will take part
today in a summit at UCLA to help
develop landfill policies for Los
Angeles County into the next
century.
"A summit like this is
unprecedented," said Don Will-
iams, a senior planner for the city
of Santa Clarita. "It's not just the
cities and the county, it's every-
body .:. all the stakeholders."
Santa Clarita Mayor Clyde
Smyth said the two-day meeting
could be critical in developing new
solutions for countywide solid
waste management. Smyth said he
hopes the meeting will produce
"first, a realization that we have
got to find another way to handle
solid waste other than landfills,
and secondly, a strong dialogue to
realize what these other ways are
going to be."
The city of Santa Clarita con-
tributed $20,000 for the hands-on
meeting, which is co-sponsored by
the UCLA Advanced Policy Insti-
tute; the cities of Los Angeles,
Culver City, Beverly Hills, Santa
Monica and West Hollywood; Los
Angeles County; and the Western
Waste Industries Sanitation Dis-
tricts of Los Angeles County.
About 50 people are expected to
attend the meeting, including -Santa
Clarita Councilwoman Jill Klajic,
Lynne Plambeck of the Santa
Clarita Organization for Planning
the Environment and Marsha
McLean of the Save the Canyon
Committee.
Smyth said Santa Clarita has
particular expertise with landfill
issues because of its successful
battle to keep BKK Corp. and
Browning-Ferris Industries from
open ing a dump in Elsmere Canyon
in the Angeles National Forest.
"We've been in the forefront
simply because we've been faced
with Elsmere," Smyth said; warn-
ing that other communities will find
themselves in .the same situation
soon enough.
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