City Manager Jim Thorsen and City Councilmember Sharon Barovsky this week condemned the Regional Water Quality Control Board and environmental groups’ criticism of the Legacy Park project. At the Planning Commission hearing on the project’s draft environmental impact report last week, the groups expressed disappointment with the project for not addressing wastewater pollution and only storm water pollution and because, they said, it could create further issues with groundwater problems. The heaviest criticism came from Heal the Bay Executive Director Mark Gold and an official from the RWQCB.
The city plans to address wastewater pollution beginning next year, and it would be at least two years until a design is even ready for it, Thorsen said at the hearing last week. City Councilmember Sharon Barovsky, who attended the hearing as a member of the audience, said this week she was surprised at the environmental groups’ reactions.
“I can’t imagine that anybody in their right mind would want to postpone cleaning up the pollution that we know exists,” said Barovsky, who suggested the groups likely “misunderstood” the plan and were unaware wastewater would be addressed later.
At the hearing, Commissioner Ed Gillespie, who is an appointee of Barovsky, told Gold the project already addresses one important issue, and should be moved forward, rather than waiting for the design of a project that would include waste water treatment as well. Gold disagreed.
“It’s frankly a waste of those invested dollars from the fact that the public has put so much money in, the state has put so much money in … and you should get a lot more out of this …” Gold said at the hearing.
The commission voted to send the draft EIR back to city staff to clarify some parts of the document. Although the vote was 4-0 (Joan House did not attend the meeting), it was evident there was a clear division on the support of the document by the commissioners. Gillespie was ready to support it last week and Commissioner Jeff Jennings wanted some portions clarified, including responses to questions submitted by the public. But John Mazza and Regan Schaar had numerous issues with the document. The Planning Commission does not have final approval of the project, but it is charged with voting on whether to certify the draft EIR. Thorsen said this week if the commission refuses to certify the document, that inaction could be appealed to the City Council. The council is also voting on the final design of the project.
Thorsen said he expects the clarification of the draft EIR to be ready by December for another Planning Commission hearing. The project would then go to the City Council 60 days later either just for project approval or for that and an appeal of the draft EIR certification. If it receives council approval, construction could begin next year.