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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRCC MIN 2005/06/06MINUTES OF A REGULAR MEETING OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION COMMISSION June 6, 2005 Ken Lee Building Conference Room 430 'F' Street MEETING CALLED TO ORDER by Chair Doug Reid at 4:04 p.m. ROLL CALL/MOTION TO EXCUSE MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair Doug Reid, Vice-Chair John Chavez (4:16 p.m.), Commissioners Teresa Thomas, Juan Diaz, Stanley Jasek, Pamela Bensoussan and Tracy Means STAFF PRESENT: Marilyn Ponseggi, Environmental Review Coordinator Maria Muett, Associate Planner Marisa Lundstedt, Environmental Projects Manager Linda Bond, Recording Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Mr. Ha Ta, 1450 Third Avenue APPROVAL OF MINUTES: April 18, 2005 MSC (Jasek/Thomas) to approve the minutes of April 18, 2005 as submitted. Vote: (6-0-0-1) with Chavez absent. ORAL COMMUNICATIONS: None. NEW BUSINESS 1. IS-04-19 ---Optima Car Wash, 1450 Third Avenue Ms. Maria Muett (Associate Planner) described the project. Commissioner Comments The Commissioners raised questions regarding noise impacting the apartments directly west of the project. Ms. Muett stated that the noise level is within City code. Ms. Marilyn Ponseggi (Environmental Review Coordinator) indicated that, because the existing noise level from traffic is already so high, the actual noise that will be generated from the car wash would not exceed the existing noise level. RCC Minutes - 2 - June 6, 2005 Commissioner Jasek mentioned a car wash that was brought to the RCC a year or so ago located on Otay Lakes Road. In all its discussion about being a car wash, there was nothing ever mentioned about it being a major lubrication and oil change facility, which is what it has now become. Ms. Ponseggi stated that she would look into that and get back to Commissioner Jasek. MSUC (Thomas/Means) that the RCC finds the Initial Study adequate and recommends that the Mitigated Negative Declaration be adopted. Vote: (7-0) 2. Selection of Environmentalist of the Year and Historic Preservationist of the Year Awards Environmentalist of the Year Award Commissioner Bensoussan nominated Teresa Thomas for the Environmentalist of the Year Award. Commissioner Bensoussan requested that the following be placed in the record: Terry is recently retired from Southwestern College as a tenured professor where she worked for 25 years as professor of Environmental Biology and Microbiology and Human Heredity. She founded the Bio-technology Education Consortium of Southern California in 1993. She alse was a member of the team that founded the Baja Study's Certificate Program that includes a group of environmental courses. She did two terms on the International Boundary and Water Commission and two terms on the County of San Diego Solid Waste Hearing Panel, etc. MSC (Bensoussan/Reid) to nominate Teresa Thomas as Environmentalist of the Year. Motion amended by the second and agreed to by the maker that a resolution be prepared by Commissioner Bensoussan and brought back to the RCC. Vote: (6-0-1-0) with Thomas abstaining. Historic Preservationist of the Year Award MSUC (Bensoussan/Jasek) to nominate Rufino and Soledad Roque, owners of the EI Primero Hotel, as Historic Preservationists of the Year and that a resolution be prepared and brought back to the RCC. Vote: (7-0) Commissioner Bensoussan agreed to prepare the resolution. 3. RCC's Recommendation to the Mayor Regarding an Appointment to Fill a Vacancy on the Resource Conservation Commission The Commissioners raised the following regarding the appointment to fill RCC vacancies: • For openings on the Commission, notify people on the General Plan Update Environmental, Open Space and Sustainable Development Subcommittee. RCC Minutes - 3 - June 6, 2005 • Advertisements are too generic; make them more specific to RCC. Provide press release just for RCC vacancies. Request that the City Clerk send out more detailed information about the purpose of the RCC. Recommend that the Municipal Code be amended to have specific requirements for members of the Commission. Vice-Chair Chavez suggested that the Resource Conservation Commission have a name change because it's a little obscure to the average person what RCC means. Commissioner Diaz announced that, as of July 15~, he would be submitting his resignation because he is moving to San Diego. MSUC (Thomas/Bensoussan) that the Chair will write a memo to the Mayor summarizing the RCC concerns and recommending that the citizen(s) appointed to the RCC have expertise in environmental quality, historic resources and energy conservation/resource recovery. Vote: (7-0) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW COORDINATOR COMMENTS Ms. Ponseggi indicated that there might be a need for a special RCC meeting on July 11t". Members have already been polled, and there would be a quorum. Ms. Ponseggi asked the Commissioners if they could make a quorum for 4:00 p.m. on July 11' if needed? The Commissioners agreed by common consent. Ms. Ponseggi stated that Parkway Gym will be celebrating its 50t" birthday. There is a call from Mr. Buck Martin (Recreation Director) for anyone who grew up in the City and may have used Parkway Gym over the years to provide pictures of activities that have happened at Parkway over the years. CHAIR COMMENTS: None. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioner Jasek announced that Wednesday from 5:00-8:00 is the opening night for the "Blast From The Past" old cars on Third Avenue. Vice-Chair Chavez asked to be excused from the June 20, 2005 RCC meeting. Commissioner Thomas announced that the International Boundary and Water Commission is having a forum on the 16~h of this month in Imperial Beach. The main topic will be a bi-national desalination plant presented by the County of San Diego Water Authority. Commissioner Thomas questioned a letter she had received from Jim Sandoval (Director of Planning & Building) regarding the Planning & Building RCC Minutes - 4 - June 6, 2005 Department year-end report. There was nothing about historic preservation or the accomplishments of the RCC. She asked the Commissioners to look it over to see if they notice other gaps that should be a part of the letter. Commissioner Bensoussan asked the status of the Historic Preservation Program including establishing a Certified Local Government and the status of a Citywide survey. Ms. Ponseggi stated that currently there is no staff in the budget to work on historic preservation. Ahalf-time person has been incorporated as part of the Work Program for the Planning Division for the upcoming budget (2005-2007). Commissioner Bensoussan recently found out that the fees for a Mills Act application had been raised from $0 to $500. She questioned the fee. Commissioner Bensoussan thought it would be important for the Commission to make a recommendation about that and asked that it be put on the next agenda. ADJOURNMENT: Chair Reid adjourned the meeting at 5:18 p.m. to a regular meeting on Monday, June 20, 2005, at 6:00 p.m. in the Ken Lee Building Conference Room, 430 "F" Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910. Prepared by: i ~c~o'Q~~~~ ~ Lin a Bond Recording Secretary (J:\Planning\RCC\2005\RCC060605Mins.doc)