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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRCC AGENDA PK 1991/10/28INDWELLER 1 Infrastructure Dealing with Waste WELL Earth Restoration a non-profit mutual benefit corporation Attn: RECEIVED Resource Conservation Commission OCT ;~ i ~gg~ From: Teresa Aland, Executive Director of i NDWELLER PLANNING Date: October 21, 1991 SUBJECT: EIR - CHULA VISTA AUTO PARK Thank you for allowing me to respond to this Environmental Impact Report. In response to environmental concerns and economic growth I am making the following comments on behalf of the area citizens and businesses developing under Integrated Waste Management Plans. My comments to this plan for an auto park in this planning area are viewed in several respects. They are: 1. Ambiguous as to the use of the term significant when used in defining impact and where mitigation is described. 2. Inconsistent with the General Plan Greenbelt Elements. 3• Converse to future expectations for Chula Vista's Quality of Life Scenario. With respects to resource conservation and economic development, I have responded to as many environmental consequences allowed me in such short notice. However, I would hope that the study be continued and mitigation measures be improved. If there are any further questions please don't hesitate to con- tact me. 1433 Nacion Avenue, Chula Visia, CA 91911-5513 (619) 422-1145 2 Location The environmental setting is in the Otay River Valley, which is inclusive of coastal wetland preservation, and very close in prox- imity to floodway delineation. It is part of the Greenbelt in the General Plan, and the Otay Valley Regional Park development. Fur- thermore, the majority of the project parcel is prime agricultural land, under present conservation considerations by State conserva- tion. Other planning considerations are for the Eastern Territo- ries Planning Area because of the gateway anesthetic view. Land use Land use is incompatible between the Auto Center and Future uses of the Otay Valley Regional Park and adjacent Neighborhoods. Im- pacts are more significant cumulative, and should be planned on a comprehensive basis. Options are available. Agriculture Twenty acres of prime agricultural land could be utilize rather than lost entirely. There is not only a historical, and economic value; but, a future and economic value, which should be consid- ered by General Plan along with visual aspects. There is also other agriculture lands in the regional area. The General Plan Conservation Element states (p. 6-4), "farming activities in the vicinity of urban areas must be viewed as interim uses." Appropriate mitigation measures have not been taken in this respect. Drainage and water Duality Floodway impacts before and after project should be assessed for water degradation due to runoff Landform/Aesthetics Planning of the Otay River Valley Regional Park should take precedence, as well as Main Street Redevelopment 1433 Nacion Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911-5513 (619) 422-1145 Services and Utilities 3 In light of AB93g, Solid Waste compliance for the County Solid Waste Management Plan implementations are a major consideration and would relate to compatible planning. Conclusion A clear definition of significant impact for this regional devel- opment area should be reconfirmed. Consistent land use and reten- tion of agriculturally zoned lands should be paramount. Planning focus on restoration of the vital environment should reflect a quality of life for all citizens in the South County and the Ti- Juana Region. Recommendations The Neighborhood Park should be conceptualized along with the Otay River Valley Regional Park, and should not be anticipate as pas- sive because of the previous impact. Restoration should be pro- posed with Public facilities on a regional basis for Integrated Waste Management in advance of any further Industrial/Commercial Development. Consideration of a land swat would be a viable alternative if land equities could be mitigated. A Main Street location is more con- sistent with zoning and compatibility. Please allow additional time, because of recent developments in resource conservation, to present new land restoration and manage- ment techniques vital to the Regional Planning. County Land Use Planning is in progress for such evaluation. cc/20 1433 Nacion Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91911-5513 (619) 422-1145 RECEIVE® rsi~ ;.~ ;;~~, PLANNING, INFORMATION TO THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE page 1 DATE: October 7, 1991 TO: Doug Reid, Conservation Committee FROM: Teresa Aland, Executive Director of INDWELLER SUBJECT: INTRODUCTION AND INFORMATION Infrastructure Dealing with Waste WELL Earth Restoration is a Non-prof- it Mutual Benefit Corporation organized to develop services for the diversion of "re- coverable resources" from the County Landfills. It is a cooperative for regional eco-nomic development; It is ajoint-venture of recycling businesses; it is a network of community groups and schools to educate the public about recycling; and it will be an infrastructure of public facility, compost, transfer sites for appropriate sustainability. Ref: August 20, 1991, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation "Dear Colleague:" "This letter is to alert you to the fact that in this dynamic and fast-paced era of re- cycling, local governments may be overlooking -- and even foregoing -- economic de- velopment opportunities for their citizens." A letter mailed to all local elected officials and local government waste and re- cycling staff. The intention of the letter is to set the stage for establishing long- term economic development opportunities for cities as well as small, independent, and non-profit businesses involved with all aspects of recyclables: collecting, pro- cessing, remanufacturing and the selling of end products. (Recycling Economic Development of Californians Against Waste Foundation) INFORMATION TO THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE page 2 Ref: Preparing for community economic development through Waste Reduction and Recycling: Initial Checklist "With a little planning, you can redirect local resources, already earmarked to help implement A.B. 939, to improve the position of existing non-profit, community-based organizations and to establish new opportunities for local entrepreneurs small busi- nesses and minorities in the recycling industry." Infrastructure Dealing with Waste WELL Earth Restoration requests cooperation from the Resource Conservation Committee, Economic Development Committee, and Park and Recreation, to present to Council; the necessary objectives to address theses as- pects of the Integrated Waste Management Plan, Economic growth, and Land Use. Information will soon be available from the Northern California Recycling & Economic Development Roundtable, P.O. Box 289, Sacramento, CA 95812-0289 Important Considerations: 1) To implement A. B. 939 California Local governments will spend (or reallocate from disposal fees) close to one billion dollars annually. Who will benefit? 2) Make community economic development a planning priority of your A. B. 939 Source Reduction and Recycling Element NOW! 3) Contract language development for Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF's) 4) Mandate recycling and a flow control version in franchise agreements. 5) Examine all contracts and franchise agreements for "joint venture" possibilities that will aid the community's non-profit and small businesses. INFORMATION TO THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMITTEE page 3 6) Protect the quality of your recyclables as feedstock for manufacturing in the com- munity, design recycling, collection, and processing systems that place primary em- phasis on source separation of materials. 7) Review contract bidding processes to ensure that local non-profits or small busi- nesses are not inadvertently penalized. 8) Act now to redirect local and regional sources of funds, especially capitalization resources, to "even the playing field" for non-profits and small businesses. Ref: Considerations for Local Government MRF Development and Financing. INTRODUCTION. Local governments like yourself seeking to comply wiht AB939 waste diversion mandates and responding to public pressures to recycle, increasingly are considering the development of materials recovery facilities (MRF's), where re- cyclable materials (e.g. paper, glass, cans, plastics) can be separated from mixed waste mechanically and by hand sorting. If you have already implemented or plan to implement curbside recycling, you may be considering the development of an interme- diate processing center (IPC), where source separated materials are further separat- ed and prepared for marketing. This outline highlights considerations that you should weigh in developing a MRF or IPC processing facility which helps you meet your man- date at an acceptable price. The two questions, or goals, you should constantly as- sert are: 1. How do I comply with AB 939 diversion mandates of 25% by 1995 & 50% by 2000? 2. What is a justifiable price to pay for diversion compliance? 1 RECOVERABLE RESOURCES IN THE SOLID WASTE STREAM: INDWELLER CONSERVATION by Teresa Aland September 1991 PREFACE Agricultural soil was America's greatest resource. Seventy-five percent of the original topsoil in America has been lost. Sixty-seven percent of the Agricultural Industry has been lost to other countries. The demise of great civilizations was due to the depletion of top soil. LAND Land and land use, and cyclical use of resources now in the solid waste stream is the focus of the INDWELLER project. These are recommendations to balance society's long-term social, economic and en- vironmental interests. Public and private investing to operate transfer sites within agricultural zones pro- vide better land use protection. Land use criteria is being developed toward sustainable family farm agriculture be- cause of the "generation stake" for the stewardship ethic. ""Provisions in land use planning an zoning for waste reduction, recycling, compost- ing and related facilities; should be assessed with growth just as any other required public service" (Californians Against Waste, Cut Your Waste in Half, page 41 INFRASTRUCTURE DEALING WITH WASTE WELL EARTH RESTORATION will pursue the development of a 'Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for recoverable re- sources. 2 Related Policies: 1. Development orientation to recycling services. 2. Discourage high waste industry. 3. Design "quotas" for new commercial development. 4. Designate vacant lands for new commercial development. 5. Improve zoning and other land use policy tofacilitate the establishment of necessary recycling and waste reduction infrastructure 6. Impose recycling conditions in General Plan elements: air, noise, water and soil. 7. Require recycling facilities as condition of use. 8. RECYCLING DEVELOPMENT ZONES with a. special tax credits zoning preferences. b. procurement preferences. c. agricultural siting for material markets. d. elimination or reduction of fees for applications, permits and local government services: a streamline local permit process; and elimination or reducing construction and business license taxes. e. value added for cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-cradle products. 9. Economic Development for local longterm markets. Recoverable resource commodity pricing; like, farm and floral markets, and landscape and nursery markets. 10. Land use initiatives for fee/enterprise fund examples: a. utility tax-extra fee b. special tax-AB939 fee (dedicated revenues to SRRE & HHWE) c. developer tax add-on (Building Design for Recycling A61327 by Assemblymember Sam Farr would require local communities to develop design guidelines for new development projects to in- sure that the projects will have allocated the space necessary to separate and store recyclable material in a convenient and accessible manner.) 3 e. franchise fee percentage of gross revenues. f. impound account-collect impound surcharges or tipping fees. In order to meet the elements of AB939, a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) is an alternative to siting new landfills. There are several such facilities developing in the State, and San Diego County should be soon to follow. Article VIII section 68.570 of County ordinance states cities that provide services will be exempt from surcharge. The maximum surcharge being $100 by February 1994 in the South Bay Region as incentives to meet the County's source reduction goals for integrated waste management. One of the most accurate definitions in the county's technical volume is the term "solid waste management", which means the systematic control of the generation, storage, collection, transport, separation, processing, recovery, recycling, and dis- posal of solid waste. This has certainly been the case while in the hands of the solid waste enterprises. The more appropriate terminology for the new recycling era is the "systems ap- proach" to recycling, which is simply practical management in the appropriate in- dustry. MATERIALS The materials in this proposal have been defined for the purpose of characteristic markets and the appropriate industry development. They are not the "Designated Recyclables Containers" as in AB2020 along with newsprint. Nor are they among the "Designated Recyclables" in Section 21, A of the franchise contract in the City of Chula Vista. The County's Designated Recyclable Materials for the purposes of this proposal are with the categories of industrial recyclables and yard waste. These include and are still being characteristically studied for more appropriate analysis of the solid waste stream. INDUSTRIAL: Asphalt, concrete, dirt, land clearing brush, sand, rock. YARD WASTE: Leaves, grass, weeds, and wood materials from frees and shrubsgenerated from residential sources. 4 The May 1989 Waste Characterization and Market Study by the County of San Diego, summarizes these material components and references Open Drag-on vehicles as containing 98.3% of these resources. Quoting the overview by the County, open drag- on vehicles collect waste from commercial outlets, manufacturers, industries, land- scapers, construction sites, and demolition sites. These wastes can be categorized into two type of waste." 1. Commercial, industrial, manufacturing and landscape. 2. Construction and demolition. At each landfill ,approximately 22% of the open drag-on subwaste stream was com- prised of these two types of waste. The County has also establish specific terminology for this waste characteristic study, and for the County's Recycling Mandated Ordinance which was adopted and went into effect July 11, 1991. (County of San Diego Department of Public Works, Division of Solid Waste, Resource Recovery Section, (619) 694-2734.) For the purposes of this report, these definitions are provided. ` Recyclable Material means any ;material separated from the waste stream for uti- lization as a raw material in the manufacture of a new product. This includes both source separated materials and mechanically separated materials. Resource Recoverv is the mechanical extraction of useful materials that can save and /or produce energy from solid waste stream materials. The materials can be re- cycled, burned or composted. ` Recoverable Resources are defined as recovery of resources which still have use- ful chemical or physical properties after serving a specific initial purpose and which can be reused in it's current state or recycled. ` Reclamation means restoration to a better or more useful state. Specifically, land reclamation; hence, EARTH RESTORATION. THE "SYSTEM APPROACH" With these broad definitions and limited characteristics you can see why the "sys- tems approach" to recycling is necessary. The system to facilitate a recycling infrastructure for "recoverable resources" has been presented by INDWELLER, and more specifically defined materials will be adopted. A non-profit mutual benefit corporation for which Mother-A-Land is one associated business consulting a recycling joint venture: Infrastructure Dealing with Waste WELL/ Earth Restoration. This organization does and will include any related business in the pursuit of eco- nomic development for "recoverable resources" for the purpose of reclamation of soils and land conservation. The cooperative will develop a systems facility for the processing of resources and for the research and education of these natural resources. The appropriate markets will be developed to feedstock the agricultural and horticultural industries. I hope from this report your perception and handling of waste is changed and the word "waste" will someday no longer be an environmental nightmare. Because the City of Chula Vista will announce requests for proposal in November, INDWELLER will be ready to bid on processing the stated materials, and provide the public with the benefits of these natural resources. The businesses participating and the representative board of directors would appreciate developer input and City agency collaboration to meet the goals for this regional facility and the waste di- version elements of AB939.