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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 5660RESOLUTION NO. 5660 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL DECLARING ITS POSITION REGARDING DEVELOPMENT OF AN AIR QUALITY MITIGATION PROGRAM FOR THE EASTERN MARIN-SOUTHERN SONOMA WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN WHEREAS, it is the policy of the State Water Resources Control Board's Clean Water Grant Program to coordinate water quality planning and construction with air quality planning activities; and WHEREAS, regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) require that wastewater treatment works funded with Federal funds comply with all pertinent requirements of the Clean Air Act and other applicable Federal, State, and local environmental laws and regu- lations (40 CFR 35.925-14); and WHEREAS, EPA in a policy statement to the State Water Re- sources Control Board stated that grant applications for Federal funds are expected to demonstrate that attainment and maintenance of air quality standards will not be interfered with by the proposed project and the population it serves so that EPA may fund the complete project as the grant applicants may apply for; and WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael recognizes that the population growth that can be served by the project may interfere with the attain- ment and maintenance of air quality standards, but the project is needed to solve a water quality problem and comply with State and Federal water pollution control requirements; and WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael is a part of the San Francisco Bay Area Basin which has been designated a Non -Attainment Area because the area exceeds the primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards for photochemical oxidants and carbon monoxide; and WHEREAS, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 require the development of a Non -Attainment Plan to be submitted to EPA as a re- vision to the State Implementation Plan by January 1, 1979; and WHEREAS, ABAG has been designated as the lead agency for de- velopment of the Non -Attainment Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area and is currently developing the Non -Attainment Plan; and WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael and other governmental agencies are currently taking or have taken actions to improve air quality as listed on Exhibits "A" and "B"; and -1- WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael is committed to implementing those actions to improve air quality measures contained in Exhibit "C" which are planned but not currently being undertaken; and WHEREAS, implementation of the measures contained in the Non - Attainment Plan are generally beyond the statutory authority of sanitary and sanitation districts. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of San Rafael agrees to leave in place those measures contained in Exhibit "A" and to implement measures contained in Exhibits "B" and "C", and also those measures in the approved Non -Attainment Plan which it considers to be reasonably within its capabilities, resources, and statutory authority; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of San Rafael agrees to participate in the continuing planning process evaluation of air quality improvement measures that are not contained in the Non -Attainment Plan but which have the potential for significantly improving air quality, and that the City of San Rafael shall implement those measures which it considers to be within its capabilities and statutory authority that are determined to be feasible and effective in improving air quality and that are subsequently approved as part of the Non -Attainment Plan, and the City of San Rafael will provide information to the San Rafael Sanitation District for inclusion in the semi-annual mitigation monitoring report, to the extent practical. I, JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk of the City of San Rafael, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of said City held on Monday the 16th day of April 1979, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: COUNCILMEN: Breiner, Jensen, Nixon and Mayor Mulryan NOES: COUNCILMEN: None ABSENT: COUNCILMEN:Miskimen APANNE M. LEONCIN , City Clerk -2- EXHIBIT "A" IN-PLACE AIR QUALITY MITIGATION MEASURES The City of San Rafael has implemented a land use planning and management tool which constitutes in-place air quality mitigation. It is described as follows: 1. Density Projection Technique In San Rafael, the only substantial undeveloped acreages are in hillside areas. In evaluating development proposals for these lands, City Staff employs the Density Projection Technique which utilizes land capability analysis to evaluate specific environmental constraints and the scenic value of each parcel. Although this technique has not been adopted as an Ordinance, the information is made available to the City Council before the development proposal is acted upon. The effect of this technique is to reduce residential density in undeveloped areas and limit the extent of any adverse impacts. EXHIBIT "B" ON-GOING AIR QUALITY MITIGATION MEASURES The City of San Rafael is now implementing a number of projects which will have direct or indirect effects in maintaining air quality. These projects fall into three categories: 1. Those which would limit the extent of urbanization by regulating the density and location of new development. 2. Those which would encourage economic and job growth and thereby serve to potentially reduce commuting. 3. Transportation measures which enhance the feasibility of transit or improve traffic circulation. Specific measures are discussed below: 1. Land Use Measures a. Redevelopment Projects - Two projects are being implemented. The first, in the downtown business area, will relieve con- gestion (Level E) on existing arterials by re- moving on -street parking to off-street locations. Major activities involve acquisition of land for parking. The project is now 50-60 per cent com- plete and is scheduled to be completed by 1983. The second project, in East San Rafael, is to encourage light industrial, manufacturing, and retail commercial uses. It is scheduled to be completed by 1987. Increased employment result- ing from this project would potentially reduce the need to commute. Public improvements to this area include better traffic circulation. b. Open Space Acquisition - The City is pursuing an active open space acqui- sition program to implement the open space policies of its General Plan. Also, the State has acquired substantial land within San Rafael for recreational use. These acquisitions have the effect of limiting the land available for future urban use and air quality impacts related to future development. 2. Transportation Measures a. Road and Traffic Circulation Improvements - In addi- tion to those noted above (see Redevelopment), San Rafael is implementing improvements to enhance the accessibility of existing developed areas. W, EXHIBIT "C" PLANNED AIR QUALITY MITIGATION MEASURES The following air quality mitigation measures are in the planning stage: 1. One potential annexation is presently under study. The Santa Venetia area may be annexed in the future. This is an existing developed area. Although formal annexation requests have not yet been prepared, the annexation would appear consistent with the general policies of the Marin County LAFCO. 2. In the future, the City will be working with the Golden Gate Transit to build a new transit terminal to serve Marin County transit users. This project has not, as yet, been spelled out in enough detail to establish the imple- menting role of the City. 3. The East San Rafael Plan designates a number of bikeways as a means of increasing nonvehicular travel. Projects to im- plement this Plan have not yet been implemented. Recently, however, the City did make "bicycle -proof" improvements to catch basins and grade replacements.