Home Minutes Acton Town Council Meeting Minutes, May 2, 2022 Approved

Acton Town Council Meeting Minutes, May 2, 2022 Approved

  1. Call to Order, Flag salute, & Roll Call –  The meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm by President Jeremiah Owen.  Followed by the Flag Salute.  Members present – Tom Costan, Jacki Ayer, Jeremiah Owen, Pam Wolter, and Kelly Teno.  Absent – Troy Pieper
  2. Community Comments, Non Agenda Items –  A resident spoke about Kathryn Bargers office had contacted them regarding Cactus Creek.  Chuck Bostwick stated that the State has said they are working on a suspended license and that they are a mobile home park.  The ATC has not been able to find any license from the State at all.
  3. Announcements & Correspondence – Tom Lackey is having a coffee at the Library 9:30 am to 10:30 am May 21st.  You must sign up.  On May 17th there will be Covid Health Services thru AAUSD.  48th annual youth fishing day at Apollo Park.  Parks and Rec will be having workshops at Devils Punch Bowl.  Congressman Garcia has introduced a bill for Mental Health  The ATC has received several emails on the film ranch at Via Clarita.  June 5, 2022 will be Harmonic Bronze End of Year Concert.  There will be 5 seniors recognized by Kathryn Bargers office for being part of the group all 7 years.  Jeremiah will go to represent the ATC.
  4. Sheriff’s Report- April 2022 3 property crimes.  Deputy Martinez spoke about the illegal dirt bike issues.  The department has gotten a grant for the Off Road Team.  Please continue letting him know about illegal dumping.  Plans are in the works for the 4th of July Parade.  Sheriffs are still busting grow houses.
  5. Cal Poly –  They joined our meeting via zoom.  They had a slide show which included the Project Summary – How the project got started and how they were working on trails and projects rural in nature.  The students documented existing conditions and had a Community Open House and presented their ideas.  The community really enjoyed the mapping project where they could mark where they wanted trails either for Horses, walking or biking.  The students came up with 5 possible trail systems from this information.  Aliso Canyon Loop, Jones Canyon Trails, Northern Route, Central Acton, and Eastern Acton.   They came up with Rural Character Policies from the information the community gave them.  Night Sky Ordinance, Minimize conflicts on Acton’s trails, Acton’s role in Development review, street section in Acton,  reduction cut – through traffic, eliminating trail barriers, and architectural review guidelines.  WE thanked them for their work and we enjoyed meeting and working with the students.  It was a good project.
  6. Water Plan – The County has issued their preliminary strategies and actions for the County Water Plan.  Comments are due by May 13th.  The document ignores all the concerns raised by the ATC and other rural areas regarding the County’s proposal to increase groundwater extraction rates in rural areas and sending water outside our basin to help serve urban areas.  They believe none of the activity will involve CEQA and that CEQA will be done as individual projects are started.  Jacki pointed out that because the Board of Supervisors is adopting the Water Plan into the General Plan, the water plan will become binding and enforceable and the County will have a statutory obligation to comply with all its strategies and targets. She pointed out that all strategies and targets will drive all environmental impacts created by the Water Plan and that is why CEQA attaches.  She pointed out that CEQA is a planning tool and is intended to inform decisions before they are made.  It appears that the County intends to skip the CEQA process for now.  A key issue that arose at the workshop is that the plan will be binding and enforceable on all unincorporated areas.  Jacki pointed out that Acton has no representation in this process and the person in charge of the project had concern that our local water agency was not working with Acton.. Jacki pointed out our local water agency only represents a small portion of Acton and that most of Acton is not in a water district.  Jacki asked how Acton and Agua Dulce are being represented in this process to which he had no answer.  This is a huge issue, and it is also tied into the new water line going up Sierra Highway to which the County has still not provided documentation proving that the line will only be served by AVEK water.
  7. Climate Action Plan –  The draft 2045 Climate Action Plan has been released with public comment period from April 25th to July 8, 2022.  It calls for full decarbonization by 2045.  This means that all structures will be converted to 100% electric and all fossil fuels will be eliminated, this includes propane and natural gas.  There is a virtual community workshop set for May 11, 2022.  Past workshops have lasted about an hour with most of the time taken up by a presentation and leaving almost no comment period.
  8. SCE Complaint – Direct Testimony is on Wednesday May 4, 2022.  Jacki reported the testimony is 43 pages right now .  It is 4 scoping topics including alot of evidence in our favor in each topic.  #1 Did SCE’s helicopter operations comply with FAA requirements?, #2 Did SCE act reasonably in locating its helicopter operations in Beartrap Canyon?, #3 Did SCE act unreasonably when it did not consult the County of Los Angeles before conducting helicopter operations from the Beartrap Canyon residential neighborhood?, #4 Were SCE’s communications with the County of Los Angeles before and after October 11, 2021 reasonable?
  9. Cactus Creek –  Jacki reported on what is happening at Cactus Creek.  The 60-day timeframe for action to be taken regarding the unpermitted encampment that the ATC put in our letter dated March 30, 2022 expires on May 30th.  After that date the ATC indicated that we intend to contact the Federal EPA Region 9 office, the local water board, the State Water Board, the CA Department of Public Health, the CA Department of Housing and Community Development and any other agencies applicable to the issue.  The Health Department did an inspection and other than reporting the address has no trash service found nothing wrong and no issues of concern.  Jacki spoke with the inspection office and they were unaware of all the information that the ATC has provided to the County regarding the location.  There is no septic permit issued, no license to operate, and no CUP.
  10. Wireless Tower – Soledad & Crown Valley Road –  Hearing is on May 17, 2022.  The ATC considered it in 2019 and it seems to be all in line with what we asked for to give support.
  11. SCAG Grant- We reviewed it and it doesn’t seem to work for our community and our safety issues.
  12. Councilmembers Comments –  Tom spoke about getting notified that the Starlink will be available for their internet.  It can be used if nothing else is available.  Pam got a phone call from a resident on Y-8 who is concerned about a property being developed across from them and the revisions to their CCNR’s.
  13. .  Committee Reports – The following Committees had reports – Education Committee – Harmonic bronze had their first concert in two years.  ARTC – At the last meeting they spoke about the Water Plan and CAP.  Social Media – Updating site – zoom was hard to get everyone connected, will work on it.  Finance, Ways and Means – We will need a fundraiser since we are incurring costs in zoom.  We need to look into a stipend from the County.  We will put together a budget and reach out to Kathryn Barger.  Bylaws – gave a report on our meeting and reviewed changes we will propose.  Beautification/Illegal Dumping – There was an article in the Acton Agua Dulce News and coverage for Tammy Necessary’s group for their cleanup efforts.  Film Coalition – We need to work on the issues at the Via Clarita property.  Traffic Safety – We received an email from Yolanda at the School District asking if there has ever been a traffic study done a Wisconsin and Soledad Canyon Road for the traffic at Meadowlark Elementary.  Deputy Martinez has been asked what he thinks should be done and he believes a large mirror to see traffic coming would work.
  14. Unfinished/New Business – None
  15. Items for next Agenda – Battery Storage, Cactus Creek, Bylaws, Traffic Request
  16. Adjournment – 9:13 pm
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