REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
DATE: 11/01/2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Planning & Development Department
SUBJECT:
Title
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH FOR CONTINUED ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING REVIEW, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND PLAN CHECK REVIEW FOR CITY ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY LOCAL AGENCY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the Corona Utility Authority and City Council to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health for the continued environmental planning review, technical assistance, and plan check review for onsite wastewater treatment systems (i.e. septic systems) in the City. Execution of the Memorandum of Understanding will allow the County to conduct these services for the City for another five years.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the County of Riverside Department of Environmental Health for continued environmental planning review, technical assistance, and plan check review for City Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems in accordance with the Riverside County Local Agency Management Program.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute any amendments to the Memorandum of Understanding that are non-substantive and in compliance with the Riverside County Local Agency Management Program.
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct that the City Council take the above actions.
Body
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
All onsite wastewater systems are regulated by the State Water Resources Control Board. The adoption of Resolution No. 2012-0032 approved the Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) Policy.
OWTS also known as septic systems, means individual disposal systems, community collection and disposal systems, and alternative collection and disposal systems that use subsurface disposal. The OWTS Policy established a statewide, risk-based, tiered approach to the regulation and management of OWTS including low-risk statewide standards for the siting, design, operation, and maintenance of onsite wastewater treatment systems.
On November 7, 2018, the City entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) that allows the DEH to provide technical services to the City for the regulation, installation, and management of OWTS under the DEH's approved Local Agency Management Program (LAMP). The MOU eliminated the need for the City to develop its own LAMP due to the limited number of undeveloped lots within the City that would qualify for septic systems. As such, it was practical for the County to take on this responsibility.
The current term of the MOU is for five years and will expire on November 15, 2023.
ANALYSIS:
The current MOU between the City and Riverside County Department of Environmental Health will expire on November 15, 2023. To maintain the services provided by the County for OWTS within the City, the City needs to enter into a new MOU with the County. The new MOU will allow the Department of Environmental Health to collect fees and provide environmental planning review, technical assistance, and plan check review for OWTS in the City in accordance with the Riverside County LAMP. The term of the MOU will be for a period of five years, expiring on November 15, 2028. However, the City or County may terminate this MOU at any time by giving a 30-day written notice to the jurisdiction.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the City’s General Fund as plan review fees will be paid directly to Riverside County by the applicant.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action approves a Memorandum of Understanding with Riverside County for environmental planning review, technical assistance, and plan check review, and there is no possibility that approval of the recommended actions will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: CHRISTOPHER HORN, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: JOANNE COLETTA, PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Memorandum of Understanding