PG&E WINTERS GAS OPERATIONS AND TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER

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1 PG&E WINTERS GAS OPERATIONS AND TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER CEQA scoping Meeting March 19 th, 2014 Winters City Council Chambers - 6:30 pm AGENDA FOR THE MEETING 6:30 Welcome (John Donlevy) 6:40 Overview of Process and Purpose of Meeting (Heidi Tschudin) 6:45 Summary of Project Application (Heidi Tschudin) 6:55 Summary of Project Infrastructure (Nick Ponticello) 7:05 Applicant Presentation (PG&E) 7:15 Comments and Questions WHY IS THE CITY HOLDING THIS MEETING? The City has required that a comprehensive project-level Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be prepared for an application submitted by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to construct and operate a vocational training facility on approximately 50 acres at the southwest quadrant of the intersection of I-505 and SR-128. EIRs must be prepared in accordance with regulations and procedures set by state law. These regulations are referred to as the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines. State law (CEQA Guidelines Section and 15083) encourages, and in some cases requires, the City to hold a scoping meeting at this stage of the process for two main reasons: To receive comments from the agencies and the public regarding the appropriate scope of the environmental analysis, and To solicit agency and public input regarding the scope of the analysis of alternatives to the project WHAT WILL THE EIR COVER? Aesthetics Agriculture Air Quality Biological Resources 1

2 Cultural Resources Geology, Soils, Hazards, Mineral Resources Greenhouse Gas Emissions Land Use, Planning, Population, Housing Noise Public Services, Recreation Transportation, Traffic Utilities, Hydrology, Water quality Alternatives to the Project o No Project Existing Conditions (continued agricultural use of the site) o No Project Planned Development, (development of planned highway commercial and business park land uses on the site) o Alternative Site (development of the project on an offsite alternative) HOW DO I SUBMIT COMMENTS? Comments on this stage of the process MUST be received by April 1, 2014 at 5:00 pm. Comments may be submitted in several ways: Verbally tonight (these will be documented in the City s summary meeting minutes) Hand written on comment card tonight Electronically to jenna.moser@cityofwinters.org Through US Postal service addressed to Jenna Moser, City of Winters, 318 First Street, Winters, CA If you have no comments on the project at this time, there will be other opportunities to submit comments on the project and participate in the application review process. HOW DO I STAY INFORMED ABOUT THE PROJECT? There are, and will continue to be, many sources of information about this project. A short report called a Notice of Preparation (NOP) was distributed in late February and is most relevant for tonight s meeting. Copies are of the NOP are available tonight or you can access the NOP online at the City s new project information link on the front page of the City s official website at This site contains copies of important project information including the project application, special technical studies, and reports prepared by the City throughout the process. You can also sign up to receive notice of public hearings either through the US Postal service or electronic mail. This can be done at the City s project website link or tonight on the sign-up sheet. 2

3 WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REVIEWING THIS PROJECT? When a City receives an application to build a new project, there are many procedures that must be followed some set by state law and some set by local law. Here is a summary of the process for this project and an estimate of key dates. Application submitted (done) Technical studies prepared (underway) City begins environmental impact analysis (March) Draft EIR released for public review (May) Design Review Committee (May/June) Public workshop on project design and appearance (May/June) Public workshop on project engineering and infrastructure (May/June) Public workshop on project approvals and environmental impacts (May/June) City responds to comments on project and EIR (July) Planning Commission public hearing (August) City Council public hearing and final action on project (September) Submittal of construction plans (September) Project construction (October) SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT Applicant: PG&E Site Location: 50.4 acres at SW corner of I-505 and SR 128 (East Grant Avenue) 3

4 Project Type: Regional vocational training campus with 153,500 sf of enclosed space in 20 proposed buildings and 157,000 sf of covered unenclosed space in two areas on the site Summary of Activities: Classroom training, laboratory training, excavation training; crane operation training; instruction in welding; simulated field work Proposed Hours of Operation: Seven days a week, between the hours of 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, with evening use (inside buildings only) between the hours of 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm People on Site: Approximately 287 people daily Proposed Buildings: Learning Center 90,000 sf two-story main building Transmission/Distribution 3,500 sf one-story building (plus 7,000 sf covered, unenclosed space) Utility Village 600 sf training homes (9,000 sf total; 15 homes on 1.6 acres) Weld Lab 25,000 sf one-story building Methods and Procedures 20,000 sf one-story building Classroom expansion 6,000 sf one-story Other Proposed Activity Areas: Crane Certification 3 to 5 70-foot boom cranes on 0.5 acre gravel pad Gas Transmission Cathodic Protection Simulated gas storage, vaults, and pipelines on 0.8 acre paved area Pipeline protection training in 0.4 acre open field Equipment/excavation training Commercial driver training 150,000 covered unpaved area within 8.5 acre training area 4.3 acre paved area Expansion Equipment parking Equipment fueling 4.2 acres for unspecified future expansion 0.8 and 0.4 acre paved lots 1,000 gal above-ground tank on 0.1 acre paved area Putah Creek Parkway: PG&E proposes to construct a 10-foot paved path/maintenance road through the open space area between the Water Quality Detention Ponds #3 and #4 (described below) and the north bank of Putah Creek, consistent with the trail improvements completed to the west. 4

5 Diversion Channel: PG&E proposes to construct the planned linear drainage channel within a 100-foot wide area along the west side of the project site. The channel would be 60-feet wide and up to 6.5-feet deep (including the meandering low-flow channel). There would be a 10-foot wide paved path/maintenance road on the west side of the channel, and a 12-foot wide gravel road on the east side of the channel. The applicant is proposing to hydroseed the channel with native grasses for erosion control purposes and install additional landscaping. The 10-foot paved path/road would be open for public access, which will connect the Class I pathway along East Grant Avenue with the proposed Putah Creek Parkway trail. Drainage Detention Ponds: In the100-foot open space buffer area that the City requires along the top of the Putah Creek channel bank, PG&E proposes to construct two connected Water Quality Detention Ponds #3 and #4 required to serve the project and immediate area. These ponds are proposed to be landscaped to tie into the open space area and trail adjoining Putah Creek. Drainage Pipe: Within the 100-foot open space buffer on the south side of the Drainage Detention Ponds, PG&E proposes to construct a 72 inch storm drainage pipe from the Diversion Channel on the west side of the project site to the existing Caltrans drainage ditch spillway on the east side of the project boundary. The Drainage Pipe will transmit storm water from the Diversion Channel and Drainage Detention Ponds into the existing Caltrans drainage ditch spillway. Frontage Landscaping: As a component of the project landscaping PG&E proposes 2.4 acres of landscaped private open space along the East Grant Avenue frontage. Public Roadway Improvements: PG&E proposes improvements to the following roadways: Timber Crest Road, A Street, the intersection of East Grant Avenue and Timber Crest Road, the property frontage along East Grant Avenue, and Baker Street. Required City Approvals: Approval of the EIR Amendments to the General Plan Amendments to the Storm Drainage Master Plan Approval of a Development Agreement Amendment of Zoning, Zoning Ordinance, and Noise Ordinance Amendment to City Performance Standards Design and Site Plan Review Parcel Map Various other (demolition, well abandonment, Caltrans encroachment, etc) ATTACHMENT Project Site Plan (one page) 5

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