AGENDA REPORT
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 3/6/2019
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Administrative Services Department
SUBJECT:
Title
City Council consideration of Resolution No. 2019-005, regarding County Service Area 152 and setting the Benefit Assessment Unit Rate for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for the City of Corona to fund the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program.
End
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2019-005, regarding County Service Area 152 and setting the Benefit Assessment Unit Rate for Fiscal Year 2019-20 for the City of Corona to fund the City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit Program.
Body
ANALYSIS:
Amendments to the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA), enacted by Congress in 1987, established environmental programs, including the NPDES program, to protect the Nation's waters. The CWA also directs the Environmental Protection Agency to develop, implement, and enforce regulations consistent with this law. For the State of California, these federal responsibilities were given to the State's nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards to regulate at the local levels.
The CWA prohibits any entity from discharging pollutants into the Nation's waters unless they are issued a NPDES permit. Local agencies and municipalities who own and operate municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s) for conveying stormwater runoff are considered dischargers to the Nation's waters and are therefore required to obtain a NPDES MS4 Permit.
The County of Riverside was issued its first NPDES MS4 Permit in 1990. In 1992, the County established County Service Area (CSA) 152 as a funding mechanism to pay for the anticipated costs of compliance with the requirements of its NPDES MS4 Permit. On December 1, 1992, the County annexed the City of Corona to CSA 152, and through an Implementation Agreement with the County, the City is able to utilize CSA 152 assessments from properties within its boundaries to pay for its NPDES program.
The annual assessment of $10.00 per benefit assessment unit remains the same as the prior fiscal year. These funds are utilized for maintenance of storm drains, catch basins, and street sweeping in the City. All parcels within the City of Corona, including residential, commercial, and industrial pay towards the CSA 152. Adoption of the recommended resolution will authorize the County of Riverside to levy the CSA 152 assessment of $10.00 per benefit assessment unit for the subject parcels within the City of Corona for Fiscal Year 2019-20.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
Not applicable.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
Not applicable.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The assessment of $10.00 per benefit unit is projected to generate approximately $778,800 in revenue in Fiscal Year 2019-20 for the NPDES program. The funds are accounted for in Fund 245 and will be utilized for operating costs, including personnel, materials and supplies to operate the program.
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 general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have the 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 merely authorizes and requests Riverside County levy and collect the annual assessment in the amount of $10.00 per Benefit Assessment Unit. Since there is no possibility that adopting this action will have a significant effect on the environment, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: LIEN-CHI CANTUBA, FINANCIAL ANALYST III
REVIEWED BY: JENNIFER SCHAEFER, FINANCE MANAGER III
REVIEWED BY: KERRY D. EDEN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER/ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR
SUBMITTED BY: MICHELE NISSEN, ACTING CITY MANAGER
Attachments:
1. Resolution 2019-005