TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Public Works Director
Katherine Doherty, City Engineer
Tim Birthisel, Senior Civil Engineer
SUBJECT:Title
Status Update on the Santa Monica Bay Total Maximum Daily Load High Flow Capacity Trash Treatment Control Devices Project; and Adoption of a Determination of Exemption Pursuant to Section 15301 (Class 1) of the State California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Public Works Director Lee).
A) RECEIVE REPORT
B) ADOPT DETERMINATION OF EXEMPTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council receive a status update on the Santa Monica Bay Total Maximum Daily Load High Flow Capacity Trash Treatment Control Devices Project (TMDL Trash Treatment Project) and adopt a determination of exemption pursuant to CEQA.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
The TMDL Trash Treatment Project is included as part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 Capital Improvements Program with a total budget of $1,960,000 to install full capture devices to the City’s storm drainage system tributary to the Santa Monica Bay and to provide for dune restoration. The project will be partially funded by a grant from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) via the Prop 1 Integrated Regional Water Management Implementation Grant (IRWM) Program, which is anticipated to cover $830,000 of the project costs. There are no additional fiscal implications for the project at this time.
BACKGROUND:
The cities of Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD) have jointly developed an Enhanced Watershed Management Program (the Beach Cities EWMP) to help comply with the 2012 Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) Storm Water Permit. The Beach Cities EWMP identifies capital improvement projects that will minimize wet weather discharges and eliminate dry weather discharges into Santa Monica Bay to reduce pollutants entering the Bay and meet the water quality-based effluent (outflow) limitations. City Council authorized staff to submit the Beach Cities EWMP to the RWQCB on June 15, 2021.
Because stormwater runoff from Manhattan Beach discharges via the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) to Santa Monica Bay, the City is identified as a responsible jurisdiction subject to the Santa Monica Bay Trash TMDL. As outlined in the City's approved Trash Monitoring and Reporting Plan, the City plans to meet the final compliance milestones by installing full capture devices to address 100% of the storm drainage system tributary to Santa Monica Bay within its jurisdiction. This was part of a broader effort, including adopting ordinances prohibiting public smoking, plastic bags at point-of-sale, and polystyrene food service ware. The City has obligations with the RWQCB to implement the TMDL Trash Treatment Project and has committed to a deadline of August 31, 2025 to complete its construction.
In September 2022, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) approved an $830,000 grant from the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) program for The Coastal Restoration and Resiliency Project. This project includes two major initiatives: the TMDL Trash Treatment Project, constructed by the City of Manhattan Beach, and the Dune Restoration Project, constructed by The Bay Foundation. These combined efforts form the core of The Coastal Restoration and Resiliency Project. Of the total grant, the installation of full capture devices has been approved for $540,000, while the remaining $290,000 in grant funding has been approved for use on dune restoration.
DISCUSSION:
The TMDL Trash Treatment Project is proposed to significantly reduce contaminated runoff from the City of Manhattan Beach into Santa Monica Bay. The project will serve to close the gap in the City's discharge compliance requirements for approximately 40% of the City's watershed, with the remaining areas being captured either by existing devices or by the upcoming 28th Street Stormwater Infiltration Project.
The project scope includes the installation of six hydrodynamic separator units, a debris separating baffle box, and 56 trash screening devices. With the implementation of this project, stormwater will run through these units where sediment, oil, trash, and debris will be removed before the outflow reaches the ocean. The six hydrodynamic separators will be located on 14th Street, 24th Street, 27th Street, 32nd Street, and 39th Street near Ocean Drive. The debris separating baffle box will be located on 1st Street near The Strand, and the remaining screening devices will be located throughout the coastal area west of Highland Avenue.
Residents living adjacent to the installation sites of the six hydrodynamic separators on 14th Street, 24th Street, 27th Street, 32nd Street, and 39th Street near Ocean Drive, and the Debris Separating Baffle Box on 1st St near The Strand will experience significant constructions impacts due to excavation, demolition, shoring and pavement removal and restoration activities. These activities will cause noise, dust, and traffic disruptions during construction operations. The installation of the six hydrodynamic separators will cause periodic impacts for approximately three months, while the installation of the largest structure on 1st Street near The Strand will contribute to periodic impacts for a six month period. In contrast, residents in the general vicinity of the coastal area west of Highland Avenue, where the 56 trash screening devices are being installed, will experience relatively minor impacts including noise relating to saw cutting, concrete catch basin retrofitting, and pavement rehabilitation. These activities will be shorter in duration, lasting two to three weeks per catch basin location, and will likely cause less noise and disruption compared to the more substantial construction sites.
The project is in the final stages of design. The TMDL Trash Treatment Project’s plans, specifications, and estimates are currently under final review by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. Recommendation for Council award of a construction contract is anticipated for December 2023. The construction work is anticipated to start in early 2024 and last approximately 12 months.
The County will not issue necessary permits to complete this project until the recommended Notice of Exemption is filed. While it is City practice to normally include these types of CEQA determinations with recommendations to the City Council for award of construction contracts, this situation is different and requires Council adoption of this exemption determination at this time.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
Regular updates have been posted to the City website providing status updates and location maps for the proposed construction areas. A community meeting is scheduled to be held in fall 2023 to inform the public of the project scope, benefits to the community, and construction timeline. The project will then be presented to the Parking and Public Improvements Commission (PPIC) for additional feedback to be considered by the City Council when it considers the construction award. Targeted notices will also be distributed to area residents once the design plans have been formalized with the County and construction is scheduled to begin.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
City staff has reviewed the proposed Project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and determined that the Project qualifies for a Class 1(c) categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) of the State CEQA Guidelines since the Project improvements are located within existing storm drain infrastructure, involving no expansion of public facilities. A Notice of Exemption will be filed following City Council adoption of this report.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Proposed Design Schematic
2. Location Map