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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07231985 - 2.5 TO-. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Anthony A. Dehaesus Contra Director of Community Development CWIQ DATE: July 9, 1985 SUBJECT: OPERATION OF ACME FILL CORPORATION'S "BUFFER PLAN" SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS I. Find that the Acme Landfill Expansion Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement, which was certified by the County Planning Commission on July 12, 1983, and accepted by the Board of Supervisors on July 19, 1983, adequately evaluates the attached "Buffer Plan" (a plan for the excavation of cover material for the Acme landfill facility under controlled conditions) submitted by the Acme Fill Corporation. 2. Find that the proposed Buffer Plan properly implements Condition 11 of Land Use Permit 2052- 81 (for the 1122-acre expansion") requiring Acme Fill Corporation to submit a plan to the Board of Supervisors for approval. 3. Approve the proposed Buffer Plan. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT None. III. REASONS FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The applicant has complied with requirements established by the County. 2. Landfill cover is needed for public health and safety reasons, as well as to comply with government requirements. IV. BACKGROUND When the Board of Supervisors was considering Land Use Permit 2052-81 to provide an interim fill area on the Acme landfill site (while Acme's 200-acre expansion application was being reviewed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), an issue developed regarding the retention of a "low hill" located between the Vine Hill neighborhood and the landfill area. Local residents wanted the hill to be retained as a visual and noise buffer but the Acme Fill Corporation wanted to excavate the hill for landfill cover material. Since Acme could confine its grading to the portion of the hill lying to the east of the ridgeline while the 22-acre area was being filled, the Board added Condition 11 to the Land Use Permit which read: CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATU / RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR R OMM D IONO BOARD OMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S 1: C/LLf-� hw ACTION OF BOARD ON July 23, 1985 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT III AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: Community Development Director ATTESTED County Administrator PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR M382/7-83 BY ,DEPUTY Page 2 (cont.) Within three months of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision regarding the proposed 200-acre expansion the applicant shall submit to the Board of Supervisors for its review and approval a plan to buffer the residential area to the west from the effects of landfill operations. The plan shall delineate the amount of fill required for dump operations on the 200 acres, the amount of dredge material available for use as cover and the amount of material to be removed from the low hill separating the East Vine Hill neighborhood and Acme landfill. The plan must provide for continued buffering between the two land uses. The concept of retaininA the low hill ridgeline while the 22-acre landfill area was in operation was included in the Acme Landfill Expansion Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement as were the terms of Condition 11 as mitigation measures. The Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement added mitigation measures concerned with the sequence of areas to be considered for grading, hours of operation, dust control, and performance of an archaeo- logical study. These mitgation measures, and their implementation, are identified on pages 4 and 5 of the proposed Buffer Plan. One feature of the Acme Landfill Expansion Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement which became inapplicable through the limited expansion of the landfill as it was eventually approved by the Corps of Engineers in 1984 (the Corps allowed a restricted 97-acre expansion rather than the applied-for 200-acre expansion) was the mitigation proposal to use approximately 1,000,000 cubic yards of dried dredging materials from the Walnut Creek Channel as cover. Time and federal permit requirements effectively precluded the use of the Acme site for depositing and drying the dredging materials. The Buffer Plan now estimates that approximately 1,200,000 cubic yards of cover material must be obtained from the landfill site, predominantly from the "low hill", for daily, interim, and final cover. It is noted that new State requirements result in the need for a greater amount of cover material than was previously thought to be necessary. The 22-acre expansion area has been filled and Acme wishes to initiate grading pursuant to Condition 11 and the Acme Landfill Expansion Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement. Their plan essentially provides for a planting screen and a grading process which would locate grading operations behind a ridge feature, with few exceptions, even while the hill was being reduced. At the conclusion of the grading, the major portion of the hill would remain (water district tanks occupy part of the crest). These features would screen remaining landfill operations from the homes in the area. V. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION Negative action would prevent adequate cover from being stockpiled during the dry season and a rejection would cause the landfill to close or result in excavations elsewhere, increased transpor- tation impacts, and higher disposal costs. BO.cz.buffer 2-005 BUFFER PLAN SOUTH PARCEL OF ACME LANDFILL MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA This report presents a plan for buffering the residential area adjacent to the south parcel of Acme Landfill from the effects of landfill operations. This plan has been prepared to meet the requirements of Condition 11 of the "Conditions: of Approval" for the land use permit (No. 2052-81) issued on July 7, 1981, and the applicable environmental mitigation measures identi- . fied in Contra Costa Planning Commission Resolution No. 19-1983, dated July 12, 1983. The adjoining Vine Hill residential area is currently buffered from the landfill operations by the northwest-trending ridge located directly east of the area. Water tanks of the Contra Costa Water District are situated on the western crest of this ridge. . The location of the residential area with respect to :the landfill operations and the ridge area is shown on the attached aerial photograph (Enclosure 1). The current landfilling operations are located approximately 1/2 mile from the residential area. This distance combined with the ridge line cur- rently provides an effective buffer between the two land uses. As part of the landfill operations, soil for daily, intermediate and final cover is excavated from the existing borrow areas shown on the aerial photograph. In order to continue to meet the cover requirements for the northeast parcel expansion and the existing landfills, the borrow area will be expanded as shown. A grading plan for the borrow area expansion was pre- pared by Harding Lawson Associates; a copy is attached (Enclosure 2). 1 Cover Requirements The grading plan has been designed to provide the cover requirements of the landfill operations through closure. The approximate cover material requirements are presented below: Daily cover 450,000 cubic yards Interim and final cover - - 806,000 cubic yards Total 1,256,000 cubic yards These estimates are based on a refuse-to-cover ratio of 7:1 and the cur- rent California Regional Water Quality Control Board (CRWQCB) requirements (for a final cover 4 feet thick). This 4-foot cover includes a 1-foot layer of clay (400,000 cubic yards) which will be obtained from another source. The grading plan as designed will provide approximately 1,200,000 cubic yards of cover material. These estimates do not include provisions for use of dredged materials as cover because adequate disposal operations were not permitted in the final actions on the northeast parcel expansion. Visual and Acoustical Buffer Site topography and distance provide good visual and acoustic separation between existing landfill operations and adjacent residential uses. The ridge line shields the neighborhood from noise and visual impacts. The grading plan for the expanded borrow area uses these natural attributes to provide continued visual screening and noise buffering. Although grading activities,' will cut into the crest of the hill, an effective ridge line will be maintained over most of the life of the project, and hedgerow will remain 2 at its 'compl etion. op�erations will occur on the east (opposite) side of this natural barrier. In addition, screening and operating measures will be implemented ,to further reduce aesthetic impacts on the residential area north of Vine Hill. 'pecific features which will buffer this area from grading activities include: 1. A staggered row of fast-growing trees will be planted on 15-foot centers alonglthe northwest side of the hill (see attached aerial photograph for location). Large trees will be planted prior to commencinggra �ding operations so that a semi-mature hedgerow will be established before final contours are in place. An irrigation system will guarantee successful establishment and encourage rapid tree growth. Thechoice of tree variety, timing, planting location,' and mainte- nance throughirrigation will result in the rapid establishment of a permanent noise barrier and visual screen that is both effective and compatible with the existing character of the neighborhood. i 2. Grading will be phased to preserve the existing topographic separa- tion between landfill operations and residential uses until late in the project life. Excavation will begin on the east slope of the ridge and proceed westward only after final contours in the eastern- most portion have been achieved. Cut slopes will always face east; through most of the project life, grassy slopes on the west side of the hill will remain the dominant visual features in the normal line of 'sight fromadjacentresidences. Grass will be planted on the cut slopes to prevent erosion and lessen visual impacts. During the final phases 'of excavation, the hedgerow, expected to reach a height of approximately 30 feet in 3 years, will provide primary visual and acoustic screening. 3. Boulders uncovered during the grading operations will be placed to form a secondary buffer parallel to the hedgerow. This stone wall -will create an additional acoustic barrier and further reduce off-site noise impacts. 4. Grading operations will be limited to normal business hours (8 a.m. to' 5 p.m. ) Monday through Friday. 3 i i 5. A11 'grading equipment will be equipped with the best commercially available muffling devices and scheduled maintenance activities will be performed to minimize equipment noise. 6. Dust generation will be suppressed during grading operations by fre- quent application of water to haul roads and excavation areas. Archaeological Resources A surface-level archaeological reconnaissance of the borrow area expan- sion was performed by "the Anthropological Studies Center of the Sonoma State University Academic Foundation. The results of the survey indicate that there are no archaeological resources located in the borrow area expansion. However, should any archaeological materials be uncovered during the grading operations, a qualified archaeologist will be consulted to determine appro- priate actions for their protection and preservation. A copy of the archae- ological survey report is enclosed as Enclosure 3. Mitigation Measures The following is a list of mitigation measures from the Contra Costa Planning Commission Resolution No. 19-1983, dated July 12, 1983. Accompany- ing each measure is a brief summary of its application to this proposal. 1. "Retain the ridge line of the small hill east of the residential area while the 22-acre landfill site is operational." This portion of the landfill has reached its maximum height, and is no ;longer operational. As stated in this proposal, an effective ridge line will be maintained over most of the life of the project. 2. "Provide visual and acoustical buffers between the Vine Hill resi- dential area 'and the landfill facility, particularly its cover exca- vation areas." 4 I As discussed above, a ridge line will be maintained between the res'idential area and the landfill. Also, a row of fast-growing trees have been planted along the northwest side of the hill. These trees, combined with a secondary row of boulders (uncovered during grading), will provide an acoustical buffer. 3. "Implement cover excavation sequence and hours-of-operation measure". Grading will be phased to preserve the existing topographic separa- tion between the landfill operations and residential areas. Working hours for the grading operation will be limited to normal business hours. 4. "Implement operating requirements for daily cover and dust control." I Equipment noise will be minimized through the use of muffling devices and adherence to a schedule for maintenance activities. Dust generation will be suppressed by application of water to haul roads and excavation areas. 5. "Perform an on-site reconnaissance of the southern parcel to deter- mine if cultural resources are present. Provide that a verified archaeologist be called if cultural resources are discovered during. future operations." On .'November 28, 1984, a survey of the borrow area expansion was per- formed by Anthropological Studies Center of Sonoma State University Academic Foundation. There were no archaeological resources observed in the borrow area expansion. 5 i s ENCLOSURES 1 Aerial Photograph 2 Grading Plan 3 Archaeological Survey , DISTRIBUTION fi 1 copy: Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Administration Building Martinez, California Attention: Planning Department Mr. Anthony A. Dehaesus, Director of Planning BMO/FCB/jd ; i i i. Archaeological Survey of a Borrow Area for the Acme Landfill Expansion, Martinez. California a Nelson Brooks Thompson, B.A. Project Coordinator The Cultural Resources Facility Sonoma State University November 30=, 1984 This project was completed under the supervision of Dr. David A. Fredrickson (Fierrber, Society of Professional Archaeologists, certified in teaching and field research) , Department of Anthropology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California. F Introduction On November 28, 1984, an archaeological survey was conducted for the proposed Acme Landfill expansion at the request of Harding Lawson Associates. The purpose of, the survey was to identify and record all prehistoric and historic archaeological resources present within the proposed borrow area for the expansion ;project. The archaeological survey was restricted to an approximately 12.5 acre area of ridgetop and southwest facing slope which would be removed to provide material for the landfill. The survey resulted in the discovery of no 'archaeological sites or significant cultural materials within the project area. This report details the results of the study and provides general reco=endations for' the protection of any buried archaeological resources which might be unearthed during the course of project activities. Protect Area Location and Description The AcmeLandfillexpansion borrow area was situated in Contra Costa County in the eastern part of the town of Martinez and approximately .45 miles east northeast of the Highway 680 / Arthur' Road intersection within the Las Juntas landgrant as shownon the USGS 1982 Vine Hill (formerly Port Chicago) topographic quadrangle (Map 1). The approximately 12.5 acre surveyed area 1 included a portion of a ridgeline and an adjacent southwesterly facing slope. The borrow area was bounded on the east by an existing, cut-away borrow area, on the north by the northern end of the ridgeline, the site of two large metal tanks, and on the south and west by a dump access road which skirted the northern bank of a marsh area associated with Pacheco Creek. The terrain of the borrow area consisted of the level ridgetop and the southwest facing (approximately 25%) slope. Outcrops of angular and rounded sandstone, disturbed by recent cultural modification, were noted on the ridgetop.; The soil of the site was predominately yellowish-brown silty clay of the Altamont clay series. Vegetation was primarily non-native grasses and thistle with small clusters of coyote brush on the ridgetop. Faunal species noted included white-tailed kite, ring-necked pheasant, and ground squirrel. Recent historic modifications to the project area included dirt roads, apparent disturbance of the sandstone outcrops which may have been the result of either road building or cultivation, and a light background scatter of 20th century cans and debris over the entire area. It was anticipated that, based on the close proximity of the project area to the marsh environment, prehistoric sites might be encountered on level terraces ,or possibly the ridgetop. The presence of the sandstone outcrops suggested the possibility that petroglyphs or bedrock mortars might be present. , Record Search Results Prior tothe field ,survey, a record search was conducted at the Northwest Information Center +of the California Archaeological Inventory, housed at Sonoma State University. Archaeological site records, survey reports , and base maps were reviewed to determine whether any previously recorded archaeological sites were situated within or near the project boundaries. The National Register ;of Historic Places, California Inventory of Historic Resources, and the Historic Resources Inventory of Contra Costa County were also reviewed. Ethnographic sources indicated that the project area was situated within the territory of the Karkin, the most northerly tribelet of the Ohlone Indians. A Barkin permanent village, the tribelet center, which bore the same name as the group was situated near Martinez. Various seasonal camps were established to gather the resources of local grassland, oak woodland, and salt marsh environments from Crockett to Port Chicago (Cook 1957). and for an approximately equal distance to the south. During the historic period, the study area was within the Rancho Las Juntas or 'Welch' Rancho, owned by one of the first non-Spanish settlers in the area and was utilized for farming and stock raising into the 20th century. The record search resulted in the discovery that one prehistoric archaeological site, a habitation site with the state trinomial CA-CCO-249, was situated approximately 3/4 mile north of the present survey area. However, no historic or prehistoric archaeological sites were recorded within or near 2 i the proposed borrow area. It should be noted that lands adjacent to the present borrow area including terraces near the edge of the marsh have not as yet been archaeologically surveyed. The apparent scarcity of prehistoric sites in an area w ith an abundance of natural resources may be attributable to the extensive 20th century land modifications which have occurred in the general vicinity, possibly destroying or burying sites. Survey Methods and Results On November 28, 1984, an on-foot, mixed-strategy archaeological field survey was conducted •of the proposed Acme Landfill borrow area by the author and one associate The field methods utilized were in accordance with the Recommended Procedures for Archaeological, Impact Evaluation (King et al. 1976) published by the Society for California Archaeology. All areas of the project were inspected with emphasis on the level ridgetop area, the few level areas on the slope, and the sandstone outcrops. A hand trowel was used to clear grass cover in some areas but soil visibility was generally good on the level areas and ground squirrel 'backdirt' , which could be probed for evidence of buried cultural materials , was present throughout the area. No prehistoric or historic archaeological sites or materials were discovered within the proposed borrow area. The sandstone rock outcrops on the ridgetop showed no signs of prehistoric modification (e.g. petroglyphs or bedrock mortars). Approximately 15 meters outside the borrow area to the north, a 10 meter in diameter irregularly shaped depression strewn with sandstone boulders was observed. This feature suggested minor historic period quarrying activity, however, no historic period materials were observed to substantiate this premise. Recommendations Although no evidence of prehistoric or historic period occupation was noted within the proposed borrow area, there remains a chance that materials may be buried within the project boundaries, especially on the level areas. Therefore, in the event that prehistoric materials (e.g. obsidian or chert flakes or artifacts , ground stone milling equipment, bone fragments , or locally darkened areas of soil with shell or fire-fractured rock) or historic archaeological materials (e.g. square nails, sun-tinted glass, or trash deposits containing these materials) are unearthed during the course of the project, then a qualified archaeologist should be contacted to evaluate the finds and provide recommendations foz there protection if warranted. 3 l; References Banks, Peter' 1979 An Archaeological Investigation of the Plant Modernization Project, Shell Oil Refinery, Martinez, Contra Costa County, California. on file at The Northwest Information Center of the California Archaeological Inventory, Sonoma State University, S-1582. Contra Costa' Planning Department 1976 Historic Resources Inventory of Contra Costa County. Cook, S.F. 1957 The Aboriginal Population of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California, University of California Publications Anthropological Records, Vole. 16 , No. 4, pp. 131-156. Department of Parks and Recreation 1976 California Inventory of Historic Resources. Sacramento: State of California. Fredrickson, David A. 1976 An Archaeological Evaluation of Primary and Secondary Impact Areas of Central Contra Costa Sanitary District's Stage 5B Enlargements. on file at the Northwest Information Center of the California Archaeological Inventory, Sonoma State University, S-305. i I King, Thomas F. , Michael J. Moratto, and N. Nelson Leonard, III. 1973 Recommended Procedures for Archaeological Impact Evaluation. Society for California Archaeology. Kroeber, Alfred L. 1925 Handbook of the Indians of California. Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 78. Washington D.C. Smithsonian Institution. Levy, Richard 1978 Costanoan. in the Handbook of North American Indians , Vol. 8 , Smithsonian jnstitution, Washington, D.C. , pp.485-495. Nelson, N.C. 1909 Shellmoun ds of the San Francisco Bay Region. University of California Publications in American Archaeology and Ethnology, Vol. 7. , Berkeley. Slocum and Bowen 1882 History of Contra Costa County, California. W.A. Slocum and Co. Publishers, San Francisco. Smith and Elliot 1879 Illustrations of Contra Costa County, California with Historical Sketch. Smith and Elliot Publishers, Oakland. 4 _ National Register of Historic Places 1980 Annual Listing of Historic Properties. In Federal Register 45(54) :11. Washington, D.C. : General Services Administration. 1981 - National Register of Historic Places; Annual Listing of Historic Properties. In Federal Register 46(22) :II. Washington, D.C. General Services Administration. Welch, Lawrence E. 1973 Soil Survey .of Contra Costa County, California. USDA Soil Conservation Service, in Cooperation with the University of California Agricultural Experiment Station. i j { 5 �"�.;£�• _ — - 4LAnd%End — oPit* IIS card t;li•r 0 t, Avon `°t 23 .4 •'�i:'• '(Agsociated r cl R :r�/ 1'.. •y� y 1 ? ��• \`\(� �` —8n�� f !17{ _ i • i 1� "' i,•• ct z1•� { • \\.•. . +253- ARCHAEOLOGICALLY • Al) SURVEYED AREA `a • ','� �a c` sols'_`== 'tt,-- '7::zo� n•.t • Ma fth} ISP . I y GN814 40 + " yt4,• ' 3 :.�- ' _c,,gam /D tYt ! 0•35 1014,451t View h;W1 ; Vine Hill,z` \` uni f t — • •� = C Pg$•7 ♦ ./ S / KM _ _t :L.. PORT CHICAGO, CALIF. •� O _ `� - ?66 -"+� SE'♦ CAROUINEZ STRAIT ISOUAORANCLE • :�. N3800—w12200/7.5 Ml a - 01 ~ ti 1959 �. . 100F MAP 1 I r, + rt Har+inp(.awls m Asawla#oa _ It! 1 September 12, 1984 58299003.01 Acme Fill Corporation P. 0. Box 1108 Martinez, California 94553 Attention: Mr. Boyd M. Olney, Jr. Gentle,`men: SouthParcel Grading Plan Acme Landfill Martinez, California This letter transmits a grading plan for the hills west of the Martinez sewer connector located in the south parcel. of Acme Landfill. This plan has been designed to provide the cover ' (daily, intermediate, and final) required for the operation of the north parcel , south parcel , and expansion area landfills. The grading plan is shown on Plate 1. Typical cross sec- tions indicating the grading details are shown on Plate 2. Cut slopes should have a maximum inclination of, 2:1 (hori- zontal to vertical) . Benches, 10 feet wide, should be installed as necessary to limit the slope height to a maxi- mum of 30 feet . The benches should be installed at vertical intervals that result in relatively evenly spaced benches. The benches should be sloped inward to a drainage ditch. 4 t i { j i Engineers 7655 Redwood Blvd. Telephone Alaska Hawaii Texas Geologists 8 P0.Box 578 4151892.0821 California Nevada Geophysicists Novato.CA 94948 Telex 340523 September 12, 1984 Harding Lawson AssoclaUs 58299003. 01 Acme Fill Corporation Mr. Boyd M: Olney, Jr. Page 2 We' hope this provides the information you require at this time. If .you have questions regarding this matter, please call. r Yours very truly, HARDING LAWSON ASSOCIATES Daniel A. Balbiani, Civil Engineer - 36114 DAB/LEL/bt Attachments : Plates 1 and 2 3 copies submitted t i i I 1 .,j� III •` I I 1 1 1 • r t � `'1 .. 1 1 I• � 1 1 ic OA I Z Z � Qin;, \;, ,. ,• \•.. �� 'I 1 _ \ t ,111 W� N N cli0 uicy) N . u . 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