SR-505-008 (4)
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EPWM:CP:BJ:F:\EPWM\ADMIN\STAFFRPT\CleanBeachlnit.doc OCT - 2 2111
Council Meeting: October 9, 2001 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Acceptance of Grant Funds and Resolution Authorizing the City Manager
to Negotiate and Execute a Contract with the State Water Resources
Control Board for the Installation of Pollution Prevention Devices at the
Santa Monica Pier
Introduction
This report recommends that the City Council accept $350,000 in grant funds from the
State Water Resources Control Board (Board) to install pollution prevention devices, a
Best Management Practice (BMP), on the Santa Monica Pier to reduce polluted urban
runoff into Santa Monica Bay and adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City
Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with the Board.
Background
State beach monitoring programs indicate that water pollution is widespread and often
exceeds acceptable levels, resulting in health warnings and beach closures. In
response, the state established the Clean Beaches Initiative (CBI) grant program to
assist local governments in improving these conditions. The major goal of the CBI is to
reduce health risks at beaches and increase the public's access to clean beaches.
After requesting grant proposals during the spring of 2001, the Board prioritized projects
located in areas where beach postings and closures have been prevalent. Santa
Monica's proposal was approved and funded.
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Discussion
Despite the operation of the Santa Monica Urban Runoff Recycling Facility
(SMURRF), which diverts urban runoff from the Pier Storm Drain, additional
water quality improvement is needed near the pier. The proposal focuses on
known sources of high concentrations of organic bacterial contaminations
originating from the Pier. The City's proposal is comprised of three 8iviP projects
to eliminate runoff pollutants into the Bay:
~ Installation of bird netting and other bird-blocking devices under the
western Pier to keep birds from entering and roosting;
~ Inspection and physical upgrade of the Pier sanitary sewer lines,
including the placement of garbage disposals at the existing fish
cleaning stations and connection of these stations to the sewer
system; and
~ Replacement of the existing solid waste management system with
new trash receptacles, an electric vehicle for towing receptacles
and a trash compactor.
The primary condition these projects will impact is the volume of feces-borne
pathogens generated from the extraordinary concentrations of birds attracted by
the shelter and food services provided by the Pier. Upgrading the sanitary sewer
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businesses on the Pier. Instead of throwing fish wastes into the ocean, which is
fed upon by birds that contribute to high bacterial counts, fishers will be urged to
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deposit fish wastes into the fish-cleaning sinks, where grinders will shred the
wastes into small pieces to prevent sewer blocks and keep wastes out of the
Bay. Installation of netting will encourage birds to nest elsewhere. The new solid
waste management system will prevent leaks of bacteria-laden liquid wastes
from trash receptacles. The present system also attracts animals that contribute
to high bacterial counts in the Bay. The trash compactor will store solid wastes
off the Pier and not over the water, eliminating leaks from City garbage trucks
that presently go on the Pier to remove trash.
Staff expects these three BMP projects to dramatically reduce polluted urban runoff into
the Bay, improving Bay water quality for beach-goers and marine fauna and flora, and
reducing the incidents of beach postings and closures around the Pier.
BudgetJFiscallmpact
The $350,000 grant is sufficient for these projects. These funds are reimbursement
funds, and the City will be required to provide invoices to the Board to receive the grant
funds. The City is also required to provide a minimum of 15% in matching funds, of
which $52,500 will come from in-kind services. Revenue account 20662.406600 and
expenditure account C20093502.589000 have been established for this contract. Once
the grant contract is executed between the Board and City, staff will return to Council
requesting approval of contracts with one or more contractors to complete the projects.
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Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Accept the $350,000 in grant funds from the State Water Resources Control
Board to install pollution prevention devices on the Santa Monica Pier to reduce
polluted urban runoff from entering the Santa Monica Bay; and
2. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a contract with the Board.
Prepared by: Craig Perkins, Director, Environmental and Public Works Management
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Brian Johnson, Manager, Environmental Programs Division
Neai Shapiro, Senior Environmental Analyst, 'vVater Resources Section
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