City to mend OWTS issue
Specifically systems within city’s jurisdiction
The Porterville City Council will consider Tuesday a resolution affirming the city’s intention to make arrangements with Tulare County to regulate on-site wastewater treatment systems within the city’s jurisdiction.
City Public Works Director Mike Reed said the City of Porterville is in receipt of a State Water Resources Control Board (Water Boards) letter dated Feb. 15, 2018, in which a request was made for a Letter of Intent to comply with State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Control’s Siting, Design, Operation, and Maintenance of On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS) Policy.
Reed said a letter of response was sent to the Water Board explaining that, as the public works director has limited authority when creating City of Porterville policy and code amendments, the city council must provide direction as to how the city shall comply with the OWTS Policy.
Reed said compliance with the OWTS policy is attainable via three separate options.
He said the first option is to make arrangements with Tulare County to regulate all OWTS within the city’s incorporated boundaries. Reed said option two is for the city to implement OWTS Policy Tier 1 as defined by the State of California and submit the required Annual Reports. He said option three is for the city to create its own Local Agency Management Program (LAMP) that must be approved by the Water Board and must be at least as stringent as the State’s OWTS Policy.
Reed said Tulare County created its own LAMP, which he said has been recently approved by the Water Boards.
Reed said the approved LAMP is an amendment of Tulare County Ordinance Code as required to become consistent with the Water Boards’ adopted OWTS Policy. He said the amendments pertained to minimum lot size, set back, and testing requirements for on-site wastewater treatment systems under Tulare County management program and locating effluent systems near surface water intake points.
Reed said the Tulare County LAMP is designed to protect groundwater sources and surface water bodies from contamination through proper design, placement, installation, maintenance and assessment of individual Septic Treatment Systems. He said the LAMP develops minimum standards for the treatment and ultimate disposal of sewage through the use of Septic Treatment Systems in non-sewered unincorporated areas of Tulare County.
Reed said the LAMP will also expand the ability of the Resources Management Agency and Environmental Health Division to permit and regulate alternative Septic Design Systems while protecting water quality and public health, all of which, he said, is a part of County’s approved LAMP.
Reed said Tulare County has also elected to implement policies in developing an on-site wastewater management guidance manual for the design and construction of Alternate Systems as defined by Section H 101.1 of Appendix H of the 2016 Plumbing Code. Reed said the guidance manual will provide additional requirements regarding the OWTS permitting process, site evaluation requirements, and design submittal requirements, in such a manner that compliance within the relevant code chapters will be achieved.
Reed said council is fully aware of the recent annexations that lack a municipal sanitary sewage collection system and the progress toward implementing such a system within these areas.
Unfortunately, Reed said there are still large areas within the City of Porterville’s jurisdiction that need to be addressed, primarily due to the series of droughtrelated annexations.
“In an ideal situation, the City of Porterville would not have to comply with the Water Board’s requirements, but must do so in light of these recent annexations,
current city policies and by adoption of the 2016 Plumbing Code,” Reed said.
On occasions, Reed said staff will issue plumbing permits for repair of existing Septic Treatment Systems and construction of new Septic Treatment Systems for individual properties that are not within 200 feet of city sanitary sewer collection system. Reed said many of the applicable Tulare County Ordinance Code amendments are consistent with city policies, providing a potential fluid interaction between the county and city. “Option one, as described herein, allows for the City of Porterville to make arrangements with Tulare County to regulate on-site wastewater treatment systems within the city’s jurisdiction, and is the option preferred by staff,” Reed said.
In addition to authorizing the public works director or designee to begin negotiations with Tulare County for the county to regulate all OWT Systems within city limits, including the annual reporting requirements, the council will also consider authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute the resolution. Other Matters Before Porterville City Council
Will name Cale Hosfeldt as Employee of the Month.
Will recognize Spring Expressions Chalk Art Contest Winners.
Will receive a presentation from Internnect — Mangini Associates Inc. Architectural Internship Program.
Will consider giving approval to initiate a Purchase Order to C&W Construction Specialties in an amount not to exceed $15,555 for the replacement of a guardrail located on North Highland Drive, south of 1425 N. Highland Dr.
Will consider giving approval to purchase two Ultrasonic Electronic Flow Meters from Grainger for an amount not to exceed $12,070.
Will consider giving approval of payment to the Tulare County Treasurer in the amount of $57,000 for the property at issue in the eminent domain case entitled City of Porterville v. Greg L. Woodard and Cinda D. Woodard, Trustees of the Woodard Family Revocable Trust of Aug. 10, 2006, Tulare County Superior Court case no. 273165.
Will consider giving approval to augment the contract budget $2,100 for the Murry Park Playground Shade Structure Project.
Will consider giving authorization to advertise for bids on the airfield pavement rehabilitation project and for the gates, fence and access control improvement project at the airport.
Will consider awarding project to H D Matthews Demolition & Excavation
in the amount of $24,995 for the project consisting of the demolition of a 1,224 square foot, single family residence, and 432 square foot detached garage and the clearing of any and all other structures and debris from the property.
Will consider approving a resolution authorizing staff to submit an application for funding to the Federal Transit Administration’s FY 2018 Low or No Emission Grant Program.
Will consider adopting a resolution approving Porterville’s participation in the Tulare County Multijurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Will consider setting a public hearing for June 19, 2018, pursuant to Government Code Section 66026, to consider implementation of the City of Porterville’s Impact Fee Engineering News-record (“ENR”) Cost Index auto escalator concerning park impact fees and connection fees.
Will consider a resolution authorizing staff to submit an application to participate in Southern California Edison’s Charge Ready Program.
Will consider a request to proclaim the period between June 14 and July 4, as “Freedom Days in Porterville.”
Will consider giving authorization to sign a request for State certification for the City of Porterville, Jan. 1, 2018, at a population of 60,798.
Will consider giving approval of the Assignment of the Airport Lease for Lot 32C between the City of Porterville and William Parham to Pamela D. Hughes, Trustee of the William E. Parham Irrevocable Trust.
Will consider a residential subdivision on West Henderson, between Westwood Street and the Friant Kern Canal (PRC 2017-029), to include the development of 80 detached single-family residential units on 16.77 acres of land (Assessor Parcel Numbers 240-050-033 and 034) with lots ranging from 4,375 to 9,932 square feet.
Will consider giving a second reading of Ordinance No. 1845, an ordinance relating to the election of city council members by districts, which was given first reading on May 1, and has been printed.
Will consider giving a second reading of Ordinance No. 1846, an ordinance approving Zone Change (PRC 2018-014), being a change of zone from RM-3 (High Density Residential) to PS (Public and Semi- Public) for the parcel located 310 feet west of Westwood Street, north of Henderson Avenue (APN 240050-026), which was given first reading on May 1, and has been printed.
Will consider the continuance of the Declaration of Local Emergency.
The council meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the council chambers at Porterville’s City Hall.