Acton Town Council Meeting Minutes February 6, 2023

1. Call to Order, Flag Salute, & Roll Call –  The meeting was called to order at 6;30pm by President Jeremiah Owen.  Present at the meeting – Jeremiah Owen, Tom Costan, Jacki Ayer, June Perkins and Kelly Teno. Absent – Pam Wolter
2. Community Comments – A representative from LA County public works announced work being done to roads in Acton during the Spring and summer of this year.  They include a paving project on Escondido Canyon Road near the High School and a project on Aliso Canyon Road.  Jacki made a request to let Vasquez High School know about the work on Escondido since it is very congested with cars during school arrival and dismissal.
3. Announcements and Correspondence –  Jacki made announcements that included – all email announcements from our State, and Federal Representatives, announcements from Katherine Bargers Office, upcoming meetings: State funding on Water Projects, Wednesday February 15 at 7:00 to 9:00pm, meeting about the battery projects and our questions: Tuesday February 7 at 11:00am. Regional Planning tour of the community Friday May 5th.  Jacki also made comments on Wildlife Plans, Residential Design Standards has comments due by February 22nd, Black Rock Mining is back on talking about the Red Rover Mine project.  Former KOA is asking for expansion, our comments should include water conservation and high fire hazard severity. Tom announced that the AADUSD is starting a Strategic Planning Group.  Anyone in the community can give input or be a stakeholder in the process.
4. Representative Update – Chuck Bostwick – Jacki made all the announcements from the Supervisors Office.  Carlo Basail from State Representative Tom Lackey’s Office announced that he will be doing the mobile office hour.  He spoke about the Natural gas issue and trying to go after help for people that use Natural Gas.  The time to ask for new legislation for this term closes on February 22nd.  Tom announced that Special Education Funding is not equal across county lines.  Acton needs help from State Officials on Fire Hazard Severity Maps.
5. Sheriff’s Report – Reps from the Narcotics Team spoke about the number of Marijuana grows being down.  They still need help from our community and reporting grows to the tip line.  Without information from the community they can’t catch the people growing.  We will bring it back up on our website.
6. Humidor/Hecate/Lithium Battery Project –  Many concerns have been raised about this project.  They include that a fire in a Lithium Battery Yard can’t be put out by water and our local fire departments need to be equipped and trained for such an event.  Acton is in a high wind and high fire area.  Two of the parcels were approved through site plan review eventhough they are zoned Ag  and not Industrial.  They are supposed to get a CUP not just a site plan review.  Sam Dea from the County answered that the Director can make an interpretation of the code and not require a CUP.  Jacki stated that yes the Director can make a interpretation but it needs to be based in facts.  Deputy Martinez expressed his concerns that our fire departments are not robust and not for sure if they have the materials to fight a fire and not enough water if it spreads.  After discussion the following motions were made – Jacki made a motion to write a letter to Director Pestrello  asking to table the issue and point out CEQA violations and readings of CPUC code issues.  Tom 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.   Jacki made a motion to write a letter to Regional Planning disputing their determination of the Humidor Project being equivalent to a distribution project.  June 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.  Jacki made a motion to write a letter to the Board of Supervisors.  Tom 2nd the motion.  During discussion Jacki accepted a friendly amendment to the motion to include to address the Franchise Agreements.  Tom 2nd the amendment .  The motion carried.  Anish from Regional planning asked that we send him the CEQA concerns and he will try to get answers before the hearing date.
7. Garbage Disposal District – There is a Scoping Meeting on Thursday February 16th at 6:00pm you must register to attend.  Comments are due on March 3rd.  Jacki made a motion to write a letter providing scoping comments on the Garbage Disposal District.  Tom 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.  
8. DRP Presentation “Community Wildfire Protection Ordinance” – The ordinance was developed in response to the February 2020 motion made by the Board of Supervisors.  It concerns parcel in the unincorporated LA County in the VHFHSZ and in Hillside Management.  The presentation went through the amendments to Title 21 Subdivision code and the Title 22 Zoning Code.  One change included needed a CUP for new primary use development for a 50% slope or steeper.  This is a large expense for a property owner.  Jacki asked questions and brought up concerns with the number of parcels and dwelling units along with Section 5 about fire fighting and adequate capacity.  Jacki made a motion to submit comments on the Community Wildfire Protection Ordinance.  June 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.  The ordinance can be found at https://planning.lacounty.gov/site/climate/cwpo-documents
9. CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps – We have asked CAL FIRE for records about the maps and have received no response.  After discussion about how to proceed  Jacki made a motion to write a letter to CAL FIRE and forward to Tom Lackey and Scott Wilk and ask for a meeting to discuss.  Tom 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.
10. Residential Design Standards –  Comments on the Residential Design Standards are due on February 27th.  Jacki brought up a concern about the section on chain link fencing and our comments need to include asking that these standards not apply to rural agricultural land.  The standards should only apply in urban areas.  Jacki made a motion to write a letter with our comments on the Residential Design Standards.  June 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.
11. KOA Campground Expansion – Concerns with the expansion include, KOA wanting to relocate sites in the flood plain and Acton is very protective of the floodplain.  The site plan is not consistent with the new Flood Plan.  Their site plan is adding more camping sites and dry camping sites and we question how are they complying with the current CUP.  Sam Dea from the County said they are looking at the revisions to make sure they have not exceeded their CUP.  Jacki stated that the site plan has a lot more that does not exist right now in their current CUP.  Mr Dea said they are looking into whether the Rec Center was contemplated in their current CUP.  Jacki also stated that there can not be open septic connections in the floodplain, this should be a violation. Another violation to their CUP is that people are living there year round.  Mr Dea stated that the County is only looking at the space issue and not other violations.  Jacki made a motion to write a letter to Mr Dea enumerating concerns with the site plan.  Tom 2nd the motion.  After discussion an amendment to the motion was made to include Oscar Gomez.  Tom 2nd the amendment.  The motion carried.
12. Councilmembers Comments – Jeremiah commented that he appreciates everyone and all of our work.  June asked about the different upcoming meeting dates and times.
13. Committee Reports –  The following committees made reports  a. Education Committee – Tom announced that we need to find a new committee chair for this group.  c. ARTC – Jacki reported that no one has stepped up to be the President.  They are contemplating the idea of asking each council to act as president for 6 months.  i. Utilities – Jacki announced an email she received from the judge in the SCE complaint case.  He had not heard from us.  Jacki reached out to assure him we wanted to proceed and we had not received any emails.  l.  Beautification/Illegal Dumping – We should ask Tammie Necessary to take this over since her group is already doing the cleanup.  m.  Film Coalition – Film permits are picking up.
14. Unfinished/New Business – Jacki asked how to respond to an email from a residents request to meet with him on what he can do with his property.  Since we don’t meet with people one on one we could offer to meet with him with 2 members so it won’t be a quorum.  Photos were sent of the homeless encampment in the Shannon Valley.  Jeremiah will follow up .
15. Items for Next Agenda – Wildfire Plans.
16. Adjournment – 10:34 pm