AgdaPkt 2003-06-09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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7Ai REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council From the City Manager June 9, 2003 Subject Proposed Recycled Water Project Recommendation No decisions will be made by the City Council at this meeting: 1. Conduct a study session on the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) Addendum document released on May 12, 2003 2. Close the 28 -day public comment period (May 13 through June 9, 2003) Background At the request of the City Council, city staff and consultants have prepared a document comprised of technical information that is responsive to a range of issues and concerns raised by the public subsequent to the certification the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Initial Study /MND for the proposed Recycled Water Project. Copies of this document were made available to the City Council and the public on May 12, 2003. The full document was also posted on the City's web site on May 14. A postcard mailing to over 29,000 Redwood City addresses also occurred on May 14. The Planning Commission certified the Initial Study /MND forthe proposed Recycled Water Project on Aug. 6, 2002. Subsequently, the circumstances of the public's understanding have evolved. Therefore, the City decided to utilize the Addendum procedure to provide more clarifying information on: • How public health and safety will be protected should the proposed project be approved • How effects of a change in irrigation water (from Hatch Hetchy drinking water to South Bayside System Authority recycled water) will be monitored and managed. Additionally, the Addendum has allowed interested residents and businesses to access information, submit comments and participate in the public dialogue leading up to the Council's decision on whether or not to approve a recycled water project and, if so, the nature and scale of such a project. CEQA does not require a public comment period or a public hearing as part of the Addendum procedure. However, the City Council formally set a 28 -day comment period and circulated the Addendum document, requesting written comments from any and all interested parties who may have concerns about the proposed project. The added benefit of holding the Study Session is to provide the public and the staff an additional opportunity to make presentations and to add comments to the cumulative public record on which the City Council will rely to make its ultimate policy decisions on the proposed project. 1 of 2