Home Minutes Acton Town Council Meeting Minutes, February 3,2025 Approved

Acton Town Council Meeting Minutes, February 3,2025 Approved

  1. Call to Order, Flag Salute & Roll Call –  The meeting was called to order by President Jeremiah Owen at 6:31pm.  Present at the meeting: Jeremiah Owen, Don Laird, June Perkins, Pam Wolter, Jacki Ayer, and Kelly Teno.
  2. Community Comments –  A resident spoke about the Flag Box at the Community Center for residents to place flags to retire.  They also spoke about all the burnt out trailers and trash across the street from the Community Center.  A resident spoke about a chain link fence that is down on a vacant property across from the Old Acton Market.  They felt it could be harmful for horses.  The ATC spoke to Josephine Guiterez from Public Works on our meeting link and she will follow up with Building and Safety.  A resident inquired about the fencing that was supposed to go in in front of the Middle School.  They were told that it came from Public Works for Safe Routes to Schools.  The Safe Routes to Schools grant was never granted.  A resident reported a pile of broken concrete at Escondido and Hubbard Road.
  3. Announcements & Correspondence –  Announcements included that Regional Planning seems to have a new approach to sharing information about proposed projects.  The once public One Stop meetings are no longer public and assigned planners for projects are declining to provide information or put it on EPICLA.  Instead they are directing the Council to submit a Public Records Act request.  CalRecycle has prepared emergency regulations to address improper disposal of waste at unlicensed and unpermitted sites in the Antelope Valley and elsewhere.  Today there was a public meeting of the Malibu City Council, including the EPA and FEMA, addressing the disposal of waste from the Palisades fire. Jacki Ayer spoke as a private concerned resident and asked that the system they develop to dispose of the waste requires that receipts be obtained from the disposal site and that they are checked against to shipping manifests to insure of proper disposal.  All upcoming and ongoing LA County events were announced.  Items that were discussed at the January 6, 2025 meeting but have not been pursued due to the fires.  1. Contacting the District Attorney’s office to address Cactus Creek  2. Contacting Supervisor Barger to ask for a meeting to address the two key issues we identified in January.  1. ordinance development  2. film ordinance
  4. Library Report –  Upcoming programs were announced.  All programs are on the Library website.  Because of all the fires the library is giving out free N95 masks.
  5. Representative Update –  Chuck Bostwick from Supervisor Barger’s office announced a proposed motion before the Supervisors, to pause BESS facilities until they have learned from all the BESS fires.  He will find out more details.  There is an ARTC meeting at 6:30pm tomorrow, they are talking about dumping sites being covered with mulch and illegal separating sites,
  6. Deputy Martinez Report – None
  7. PSPS – A few residents have sent in timelines for power shut offs in their areas. Residents spoke out about the inefficiencies of SCE people at the Community Center.  Jacki reported about her completed analysis of SCE’s PSPS activities over the January 8, 2025 event and the January 20, 2025 event.  It is presented in 10 spreadsheets that capture the wind data from 30 weather stations over 20 days.  We need to ask the County to support our efforts to keep the PSPS Rulemaking proceeding open to address de-energization of transmission lines which SCE does not typically do.  The transmission lines in Acton do not have covered conductor and are not much higher than our distribution lines.  We need to ask SCE what was the point of all the upgrades if you cut our power all the time.  SCE notified the ATC that the CPUC granted an extension for the deadline to file their post PSPS report for January 8th event until March 3rd.  The January 20th event has been extended until April 4th.  Jacki Ayer made a motion that the ATC collaborate with the City of Santa Clarita, AADUSD, the Agua Dulce Town Council, Supervisor Barger, Assemblyman Lackey, and Senator Valladares to communicate to the CPUC regarding SCE’s highly inappropriate PSPS activities.  June Perkins 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.
  8. BESS –  Ruth Brock of Acton Takes Action gave an update on the BESS Project.  The pre trial hearing has been continued until February 20, 2025.  Ruth reported on the Moss Landing BESS fire.  Air testing and soil testing has been done next to the Moss Landing site.  It is very contaminated and became a big wake up call.  AB303, Battery Energy Safety &Accountability Act, was introduced January 23, 2025 and is going to committee February 23, 2025.  Jacki Ayer made a motion that the ATC write a letter of support for AB 303 and ask our elected representatives to support AB 303 as well.  Don Laird 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.  Jacki reported on the CPUC Rulemaking Proceeding.  The ATC has been participating in these proceedings.  The CPUC had planned to change their rules to authorize BESS developments virtually everywhere with minimal oversight and review.  We fought hard against this and we were the only ones to present persuasive arguments why this could not go through without extensive CEQA review.  Several other parties agreed with this and the CPUC listened and omitted this provision.
  9. Meeting Schedule –  Kelly Teno brought up the idea of only having one meeting a month with the option to call a Special meeting if needed.  After discussion it was decided to do this on a trial basis until July 2025 and then re-visit to see if it is working out.  Kelly Teno made a motion that the ATC change their meeting schedule to one meeting a month as a trial and re-visit in July 2025.  Jacki Ayer 2nd the motion.  Motion carried with one vote opposing from Pam Wolter.  Our meetings will be the first Monday of the month.
  10. Minutes –  All minutes have been passed out
  11. Councilmember Comments –  The following members made comments: June Perkins, Jacki Ayer, and Pam Wolter
  12. Committee Reports –  The following committees had reports.  Education –  We should contact the AADUSD School Board to work with us on PSPS.  Trails, Open Space, and Recreation –  Jacki will follow up with Josie at DPW on Antelope Woods.  Planning and Coordinating –  What should the ATC do about what seems to be the new policy that one stop meetings are now not open to the public.  Also to obtain information about a project that was always posted on EPICLA, we have to submit a public records request.  After discussion it was decided that the ATC should get confirmation from the planner that one stop meetings are no longer public and has the County changed their policy.  Point out that the information has always been posted on EPICLA.  If we need to go higher up to get the answer.  Utilities –  Jacki Ayer reported that the rule adopted by the CPUC last week lowered the bar for transmission line development.  It was lowered so significantly that she believes there will not ever be another Commission review of the cost or need of any transmission facilities that are proposed in the future.  This is troubling since CAISO is slated to approve more that $70 billion in transmission projects over the next 15 years.  Jacki Ayer made a motion that we file an application for rehearing of the decision and collaborating with other parties in proceeding R.23-05-013.  June Perkins 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.  Emergency Response & Disaster/Resiliency Plan –  June Perkins reported she is working with CERT.  We need to look into getting into the ATC trailer.  Beautification/Illegal Dumping –  Jacki Ayer reported that the ATC should send a representative to speak on behalf of rulemaking at the CalRecycle meeting February 4, 2025.  She recommended 2 key issues 1. how do these regulations ensure that ash, waste, and debris from the Palisades and Eaton fires do not wind up in the Antelope Valley.  2.  The waste disposal facility licensing process needs to consider rainfall rates and recognize dry areas are not appropriate locations for landfills.  Jacki Ayer made a motion that the ATC send a representative to the CalRecycle meeting February 4, 2025 to represent the Community’s interest.  Don Laird 2nd the motion,  The motion carried.  Bylaws – Kelly Teno and Pam Wolter will meet and review the current Bylaws.  Film Coalition – We need to find out the status of when the Film Ordinance is coming out and request a meeting.
  13. Unfinished/New Business – None
  14. Items for Next Agenda – PSPS, BESS
  15. Adjournment – 10:01pm
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Comments are closed.