HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05162000 - C135 C.135
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNT', CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on May 16, 2000 by the following vete:
AYES: Supervisors Gioia,Uilkema, Gerber, DeSaulnier and Canciamilla
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: Mone
SUBJECT: Correspondence
0.135 LETTER, dated May 2, 2000, from Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, 815 Estudillo
Street,Martinez, CA 34553, requesting the County to facilitate the relocation of
the California Environmental Protection Agency's Contra Costa Permit Assistance
Center.
*****REFERRED TO THE GENERAL SERVICES DIRECTOR
IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the above recommendations as noted(*****)
are APPROVED.
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND
CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND
ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED _ ? ?
STATE CAPITOL COMMITTEES-
PO.BOX 942849 CHAIR,TRANSPORTATION
SACRAMENTO,GA 94249-0011 CHAIR,SELECT COMMITTEE ON
(918)319-2-1 t
FAX(916)319.2111 JOBS HOUSING BALANCE
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MARTITINEZZ,,C GA 94553 !tel BUDGET
(925)372-7994 HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
FAX(925)372.0934 DEVELOPMENT
JOINT GOVERNMENT CENTER LOCAL GOVERNMENT
420 W.3RD STREET TOM TORL1'iKSkJl'•1
AN 925)7 8- 94609 ASSEMBLYMEMBER,ELEVENTH DISTRICT
(925)776-579-
FAX(925)776-5174
EMAIL:Tom.Torlakson4assembly.oa.gov
3
May 2, 2000 FmAY 3 2000
Supervisor Donna Gerber, Chair
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
651 Pine Street, Room 106
Martinez, California 94553
RE: Request for Relocation of CalEPA Permit Assistance Center
Dear Supervisor Gerber and Members of the Board:
I am writing regarding the California Environmental Protection Agency's Contra Costa Permit
Assistance Center(Center)and its need to relocate. I would like to urge the county to facilitate
the Center's relocation.
For the past three years the Center has effectively pursued our common goal of government,
business and communities working together for environmental protection and responsible
economic progress in the Contra Costa area.
Working in partnership with local and regional governments, the Center acts as a facilitator
bringing together people and the relevant government agencies to produce successful projects
for new and expanding businesses. Last year, the Center served as a central source of
assistance for over 1500 business owners seeking guidance with complicated permit application
and approval processes. They helped to identify the potential permits needed, assisted with the
application process, and tracked the movement of the applications through the review and
approval processes.
Here's on example of how the Center provides this service:
A small manufacturing company contacted the Center requesting help with permits to
construct a 20,000 gallon, non-retail gasoline dispensing facility in Antioch. The Center
staff includes a permit specialist from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. The
owner didn't have to travel to San Francisco to obtain air permit information. The staff
person identified the air permits needed, the time frame necessary to process the
application, and the total cost to the businessman. Additionally, the County
Environmental Health Department and the local fire department attended this meeting
and advised the owner of his responsibilities for tank management and notification.
I support this approach of seamless government assisting the business and regulated
community with environmental compliance in Contra Costa.
Aw
Printed on Recycled Paper
Supervisor Donna Gerber
May 2, 2000
Page 2
In addition, the Center provides information about new, cost effective environmental compliance
technologies, financial and business assistance programs and pollution prevention practices.
Of the 19,347 customers assisted statewide in 1999, 62.2% were existing businesses, 35%
were persons interested in starting a new business, and 2.3% were seeking to expand an
existing business. In the Contra Costa Center, most of the customers are small business
owners as 77% identified themselves as self-employed and 18.7% represented companies that
employed between 1 to 50 people. Additionally, there were 77,575 visits to Cal/EPA's
Cal/GOLD website during 1999.
The Permit Assistance Center is currently co-located with the Contra Costa County Building
Inspection Department on the second floor North Wing at 651 Pine Street in Martinez. The
Building Inspection Department needs this space to house their staff as ongoing abatement
activities and remodeling in the building takes place. Additionally, the Permit Assistance
Center's current space and computer networking capabilities in this building have become
inadequate to meet the needs of their customers and our community's growth. The Center
needs to re-locate to a County building, which has the ability to be networked to a Digital
Subscriber Line (DSL)and to be Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible.
I believe it would be most beneficial to Contra Costa County citizens if the Center could co-
locate with the County Environmental Health Department at 4333 Pacheco Boulevard in
Martinez. Co-locating these two environmental regulatory agencies will further ensure
compliance with environmental laws, reach out to a wider group of regulated businesses, and
promote pollution prevention practices in our community. The harmonization of County,
Regional, and State environmental programs will help our business and regulated communities
achieve environmental compliance and promote economic growth. I believe this move could be
achieved with minimal disruption to customers and staff.
My Chief of Staff, Gloria Omania, and Roberta James, the Center's Director, are available to
meet with County Facility Management to pursue this matter. Gloria will contact you in the near
future to follow up.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. Working together, we can improve the
environmental permitting services available to our business community in Contra Costa.
Sinter ,
-7"L
Tom Torkalson
California State Assembly
11 th District
cc: Winston Hickox, Agency Secretary
California Environmental Protection Agency
Supervisor John Giola, Supervisor Gayle Uilkema, Supervisor Joe Canciamilla,
Supervisor Mark DeSaulnier