20070619_m

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT

DATE:

June 4, 2007

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 19, 2007

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Four-fifths

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

SUBJECT:

Approval of an Appropriation Transfer Request for the Agreement with Thomas Reid Associates for the Mitigation Monitoring Program at Guadalupe Valley Quarry

RECOMMENDATION

Adopt a Resolution authorizing an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) transferring $27,516 from unanticipated revenue to Services and Supplies to provide appropriation from which to pay Thomas Reid Associates to carry out a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Guadalupe Valley Quarry.

VISION ALIGNMENT

Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment.

Goal 14: Important natural resources are preserved and enhanced through environmental stewardship.

The Agreement funded by this ATR contributes to this commitment and goal by providing inspection services to monitor compliance with permit conditions that ensure the protection of the environment.

BACKGROUND

In September 1995 the Board of Supervisors approved the renewal of the Surface Mining Permit for the Guadalupe Valley Quarry for a period of five years. Concurrently, the Board also approved a Mitigation Monitoring Program to be paid for by the quarry in order to monitor the implementation of measures that were adopted as permit conditions so as to reduce the potential environmental impacts. After a Request for Proposals was issued, Thomas Reid Associates was selected to perform the program.

DISCUSSION

In conformance with the conditions of approval for the Surface Mining Permit, an application for renewal was submitted prior to the expiration of the permit. The last time an ATR was before the Board in January 2005, the quarry operator was working with the City of Brisbane on a pre-annexation application, which envisioned a residential end use for the quarry site. That process has been abandoned. The quarry operator intends to complete the renewal of the operating permit and continue to operate the quarry for the short term. The operator is currently working with a development firm to prepare plans for the conversion of the quarry property to a light industrial use (which it is currently zoned for and would be in compliance with the approved reclamation plan). Because of changes in the State’s Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, the existing reclamation plan for the quarry must be updated. The quarry operator is currently preparing an updated reclamation plan that reflects these changes in State regulations and anticipates submitting this revised plan shortly.

While the County processes the quarry’s application for renewal, surface mining operations continue, thus requiring continued mitigation monitoring. Pending the completion of the County’s permitting processes, the current Agreement to continue with the MMRP has been extended until December 31, 2009. Staff believes this will provide sufficient time to complete the permitting process. Further mitigation monitoring beyond this time frame will be subject to the results of the permitting process.

The additional amount for the contract extension is not to exceed $27,615, which has been received from the quarry operator, bringing the total contract obligation to $49,659. The requested transfer would set up an appropriation from which to pay the consultant.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Contract costs are paid for by the developer. There is no net County cost.



COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence

PLANNING AND BUILDING DEPARTMENT


DATE:		June 4, 2007
BOARD MEETING DATE:		June 19, 2007
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:		None
VOTE REQUIRED:		Four-fifths


TO:	Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:	Lisa Grote, Director of Community Development

SUBJECT:	Approval of an Appropriation Transfer Request for the Agreement with Thomas Reid Associates for the Mitigation Monitoring Program at Guadalupe Valley Quarry

RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution authorizing an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) transferring $27,516 from unanticipated revenue to Services and Supplies to provide appropriation from which to pay Thomas Reid Associates to carry out a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program (MMRP) for the Guadalupe Valley Quarry.
VISION ALIGNMENT
Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment.
Goal 14: Important natural resources are preserved and enhanced through environmental stewardship.

The Agreement funded by this ATR contributes to this commitment and goal by providing inspection services to monitor compliance with permit conditions that ensure the protection of the environment.

BACKGROUND
In September 1995 the Board of Supervisors approved the renewal of the Surface Mining Permit for the Guadalupe Valley Quarry for a period of five years. Concurrently, the Board also approved a Mitigation Monitoring Program to be paid for by the quarry in order to monitor the implementation of measures that were adopted as permit conditions so as to reduce the potential environmental impacts. After a Request for Proposals was issued, Thomas Reid Associates was selected to perform the program.
DISCUSSION
In conformance with the conditions of approval for the Surface Mining Permit, an application for renewal was submitted prior to the expiration of the permit. The last time an ATR was before the Board in January 2005, the quarry operator was working with the City of Brisbane on a pre-annexation application, which envisioned a residential end use for the quarry site. That process has been abandoned. The quarry operator intends to complete the renewal of the operating permit and continue to operate the quarry for the short term. The operator is currently working with a development firm to prepare plans for the conversion of the quarry property to a light industrial use (which it is currently zoned for and would be in compliance with the approved reclamation plan). Because of changes in the State’s Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, the existing reclamation plan for the quarry must be updated. The quarry operator is currently preparing an updated reclamation plan that reflects these changes in State regulations and anticipates submitting this revised plan shortly.

While the County processes the quarry’s application for renewal, surface mining operations continue, thus requiring continued mitigation monitoring. Pending the completion of the County’s permitting processes, the current Agreement to continue with the MMRP has been extended until December 31, 2009. Staff believes this will provide sufficient time to complete the permitting process. Further mitigation monitoring beyond this time frame will be subject to the results of the permitting process.

The additional amount for the contract extension is not to exceed $27,615, which has been received from the quarry operator, bringing the total contract obligation to $49,659. The requested transfer would set up an appropriation from which to pay the consultant.

FISCAL IMPACT:
Contract costs are paid for by the developer. There is no net County cost.