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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 297-07TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 14 CITY MANAGER DEP:~RT~ IENT. UTILITIES JULY 9, 2007 CMR: 297:07 RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF TO PLACE AN ADVISORY MEASURE ON THE NOVEMBER 6, 2007 BALLOT ASKING VOTERS WHETHER .6.N AREA UNDER EL C.~MINO PARK SHOULD BE USED FOR AN UNDERGROUND WATER STOIL~GE RESERVOIR AND WELL TO SUPPLY THE CITY OF PA~LO ALTO WITH WATER DURING AN EMERGENCY RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council approve the attached resolution (Attactmaent A) authorizing staff to ptace an advisory ballot measure on the November 6, 2007 bal!ot. The measure would ask voters whether an area under E1 Camino Park should be used for an under~ound water storage reservoir and well to supply the City of Palo Alto with water during an emergency, the existing pmnp station replaced and all existing park facilities fully restored upon completion of construction. BACKGROUND On March 5, 2007, Council held a public hearing for the Emergency Water Supply and Storage Project (the Project) in which Council a) adopted a resolution certifying the adequacy of the ELY,; b) adopted a resolution approving the project and desi~aating the project sites, including E1 Camino Park as the prefened site for the new under~ound reservoir, pmnp station and well; c) approved Park Improvement Ordinances for E1 Camino, Eleanor Pardee, Timothy Hopkins, Rinconada and Peers Parks; d) directed the City Attorney to return with language for an advisory measure regarding placement of the rese~woir underneath E1 Camino Park; and e) directed the City Attorney and City Clerk to take appropriate steps to place an advisory measure on the ballot for November 6, 2007, regarding placement of the rese~woir and well underneath E1 Camino Park (CMR: 161:07). CMR:297:07 Page 1 of 3 DISCUSSION The advisory ballot measure gives voters the opportunity to approve or disapprove of the City’s intention to locate a new underground reservoir and well as well as and a replacement pump station at E1 Camino Park. This is to ensure that water is available during emergencies and playing a vital role in achieving the Department of Health Services’ minimum recommended standards in the event of a disruption in the City’s Hetch-Hetchy water supply. At the March 5 public hearing, Counci!’s motion required that an advisory vote of the people be used before placement of the underground reservoir and well at E1 Camino Park. If the advisory measure is approved by the voters and the Council confirms the results of the election, the E1 Camino Park park improvement ordinance will remain in effect and staff will manage the desi~a and construction of the new reservoir and well beneath E1 Camino Park and the replacement of the existing Lb,’tton pump station. If the advisory measure is rejected by the voters and the Council decides to rescind the E1 Camino Park park improvement ordinance, staff would then propose to Council one of the other sites evaluated in the EIR for construction of the reservoir: Stanford Shopping Center North (in front of Macy’s Men’s Store), Stanford Shopping Center South (southeast side of Quany Road adjacent to the existing Quarry Road Electric Substation), and Town and Country Shopping Center (rea~ parking lot). RESOURCE IMPACT Staff time will be used to prepare and place the advisory ballot measure on the ballot. If, as a result of the vote, Council should rescind the E1 Camino Park Ordinance, substm~tial additional staff time will be needed to propose an alternative site, and the cost for constructing the rese~woir, pump station and well will probably increase, prima~-ily due to the need to construct longer and more complex underNound pipe com~ecting the new facilities to existing Lytton Pump Station. $40,000 has been budgeted in the FY 07-08 Adopted Budget for the costs associated with the November advisory vote ballot measure. POLICY IMPLICATIONS This project will ensure that water is available during emergencies and plays a vital role in developing emergency response plans. Emergency Pla~ming has been identified as one of Council’s top four priorities. This project also supports Comprehensive Plan Goal N-10, Protection of Life and Property from Natural Hazards, Including Earthquake, Landslide, Flooding, and Fire. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW An Enviromnental Impact Repo~-t (EIR) was prepared in accordance with CEQA for the Project. City Council certified the EIR on March 5, 2007 and it is considered complete and adequate and in compliance with CEQA. ATTACHMENT Attaclm~ent A: Resolution of the City Council of Palo Alto calling a special election for November 6, 2007, for submittal to the qualified electors of the City an Advisory Measure related to the use of E1 Camino Park for the placement of an underground emergency water storage reservoir and well and the replacement of the existing above-~ound pump station. CMR:297:07 Page 2 of 3 PREPARED BY:JLM FLANIGAN, Project Engineer, WGWE ROMEL ANTONIO, Sr. Project Engineer, WGWE GREG SCOBY, Engineering Manager, WGWE ROGER CWIAK, Acting Assistant Director of Utilities Engineering DEPARTMENT APPROVAL: CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: V~ERIE ~. FqN~ Director of Utili~ie’~ EMILY’HARRISON Assistant City" Manager CMR:297:07 Page 3 of 3 ** NOT YET APPROVED * * RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF PALO ALTO CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION FOR NOVEMBER 6, 2007, FOR SUBMITTAL TO THE QUALIFIED ELECTORS OF THE CITY AN ADVISORY MEASURE RELATED TO THE USE OF EL CAMINO PARK FOR THE PLACEMENT OF AN UNDERGROUND EMERGENCY WATER STORAGE RESERVOIR AND WELL AND THE REPLACEMENT OF THE EXISTING ABOVE-GROUND PUMP STATION AND ORDERING CONSOLK)ATION WHEREAS, the City depends on the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) aqueduct system as the primary source of the City’s drinking water; and WHEREAS, the City’s water system must meet a variety of demands, including supplying water for normal daily use, fire suppression and emergencies; and WHEREAS, according to California Department of Health Services (DHS) standards, the City lacks water supply and storage capacity sufficient to meet emergency demands; and WHEREAS, the City’s deficiency in emergency water supply and storage capacity presents a threat to public safety if an emergency, earthquake, or other natural disaster disrupts the SFPUC aqueduct system; and WHEREAS, in an effort to minimize this danger and meet the minimum recommended level of service standards set by DHS, the City commissioned three studies and held six meetings with community members to identify various options available for correcting deficiencies in its existing emergency water storage system; and WHEREAS, these studies evaluated eight potential reservoir sites, and concluded that the proposed emergency water storage reservoir, pump station and well, when combined with other welt and pump station enhancements, will meet the City’s emergency demands in the event of a water supply disruption; and WHEREAS, the City Council, after holding an emergency preparedness study session which included discussion on the need for improvements to the City’s emergency water supply and storage capacity, authorized the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report for the Emergency Water Supply and Storage Project (the Project) to evaluate four potential reservoir, well and pump station site locations; and WHEREAS, the Project’s Environmental Impact Report also included construction of up to two new wells and upgrades to five existing wells and the Mayfield Pump Station; and WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed the final EIR for the Project and on March 5, 2007 certified the EIR as complete, adequate and in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); and 070705 syn 6050175 ** NOT YET APPROVED * * WHEREAS, placing the underground reservoir and well beneath E1 Camino Park has several advantages compared to the other three potentia! sites: it will not displace or disrupt existing residences and businesses; it will cause minimal environmental impacts on existing residences and businesses; it will eliminate the need to construct a new pump station, thereby limiting environmental disruption, requiring fewer construction sites, and reducing costs; and it is ideally located to efficiently serve the areas in need of additional emergency water supply; and WHEREAS, after reviewing the studies, the EIR, public comments and the recommendation of the Planning and Transportation Commission, the City Council selected E1 Camino Park as the preferred reservoir, well and pump station site; and WHEREAS, on May 21, 2007 the City Council adopted a Park Improvement Ordinance approving the placement of an emergency reservoir, well and pump station at E1 Camino Park, a dedicated park; and WHEREAS, by its Resolution No. 8715, the City Council called a general municipal election for November 6, 2007 ("Election") and; WHEREAS, as part of that election, the City Council desires to submit to the voters of the City as a non-binding advisory measure the question of whether an area under E1 Camino Park should be used for the placement of an emergency water storage reservoir and well and the replacement of the existing pump station. NOW THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does hereby RESOLVE, DECLARE, DETERMINE AND ORDER as follows: SECTION 1. Findings. The City Council finds and determines that each of the findings set forth above are true and correct. SECTION 2. Advisory Measure. Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9603, the City Council hereby orders the following question to be submitted to the voters at the Election: ADVISORY VOTE ONLY Should an area under E1 Camino Park be used for an underground water storage reservoir and well to supply the City of Pa!o Alto with water during an emergency, the existing pump station replaced with state-of-the-art equipment in its same location, and all existing park facilities fully restored upon completion of construction? YES NO SECTION 3. Notice of Election. Notice of the time and place of holding the election is hereby given, and the City Clerk is authorized, instructed and directed to give further or additional notice of the election, in time, form and manner as required by law. SECTION 4. Impartial Analysis. Pursuant to California Elections Code Section 9280, the City Council hereby directs the City Clerk to transmit a copy of the measure to the City 2 070705 syn 6050175 ** NOT YET APPROVED * * Attorney. The City Attorney shall prepare an impartial analysis of the measure, not to exceed 500 words in length, showing the operation of the measure and its effect on existing law, and transmit such impartial analysis to the city Clerk by August 22, 2007. SECTION 5. Consolidation Request. The Council of the City of Palo Alto requests the governing body of any other political subdivision, or any officers otherwise authorized by law, to partially or completely consolidate such elections and the City Council consents to such consolidation. SECTION 6. Request for County Services. Pursuant to Section 10002 of the California Elections Code, the Council of the City of Palo Alto hereby requests the Board of Supervisors of Santa Clara County to permit the Registrar of Voters to render services to the City of Palo Alto relating to the conduct of Palo Alto’s General Municipal and Special Elections which are called to be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2007. The services shall be of the type normally performed by the Registrar of Voters in assisting the clerks of municipalities in the conduct of elections including, but not limited to, checking registrations, mailing ballots, hiring election officers and arranging for polling places, receiving absentee voter ballot applications, mailing and receiving absent voter bal!ots and opening and counting same, providing and distributing election supplies, and furnishing voting machines. SECTION 7. Transmittal of Resolution. The City Clerk is hereby directed to submit forthwith a certified copy of this resolution to the Board of Supervisors, to the Registrar of Voters, and to the County Clerk of the County of Santa Clara. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: AB STENTIONS: ATTEST:APPROVED: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Deputy City Attorney Mayor City Manager Director of Utilities 070705syn6050175 3 Director of Administrative Services