Transcript Carmelita Mine and Reclamation Project

Scoping Meeting
August 25, 2010
Project Description, and
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA),
Overview
The Proposed Project Site is located at 3923 S. Rio Vista in the community of
Sanger and is bounded by Reed Avenue on the east between E. Annadale
Avenue on the north and E. Central Avenue on the south.
The Proposed Project is located on approximately 1,500 acres of farm land (one
farming operation) located in the central portion of the County of Fresno,
approximately 15 miles southeast of the City of Fresno and five miles north of
the community of Reedley. Access to the Project Site is directly from S. Reed
Avenue.
The entire 1,500-acre Project Site is currently primarily agricultural in use
particularly for the production of stone fruits.
Project Applicant: Colony Land Company, L.P.
Application entails a CUP and Mine Reclamation Plan that includes:

1,500 acres of existing farmlands
 898 acres of disturbance within a 1,500-acre site
 Maintain an approximate 602-acre buffer
The Proposed Project will phase aggregate mining over an
operating period of approximately 100 years.
On-site operations will include rock crushing, asphalt, ready-mix
concrete, and recycling plants.

Carmelita Resources will employ approximately 30 mining operation
employees.

Operations are planned to occur up to 6 days/week, or 312 days/year.

Excavation and aggregate processing will typically take place on
weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Truck loading from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Asphalt and ready-mix plants from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 7
a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

The applicant has requested approval to load material into trucks at
night to support nighttime road construction projects (e.g., Caltrans
highway jobs) and emergency work. Maintenance activities may also
extend beyond these hours.

The Proposed Project will generate approximately 562 one-way vehicle
trips1.
1Assumes
a maximum production of the processing plants on any one day,
The final reclamation will create
approximately:
 583 acres of irrigation ponds for future
water storage
 238 acres of backfilled mining cells to
return to agricultural use
 Maintenance of 77 acres of existing roads
and irrigation ditches.
A Conditional Use Permit (CUP) is a specialized land
use approval that allows the County to consider special
uses which may be essential or desirable to a particular
community, but which are not allowed as a matter of
right within a zoning district.
The Fresno County Zoning Ordinance Section 858
requires a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for certain
use of land or types of businesses which are not
allowed as a matter of right in a particular zone
district. (Such as a Surface Mine).
Conditional Use Permits are subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act.
In order to approve a CUP the County’s decision makers
(Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors) must
conclude the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
That the site of the proposed use is adequate in size
and shape to accommodate the use and other
features required by the use;
That the site for the proposed use adequately relates
to streets and highways in width and pavement type
to carry the quantity and kind of traffic generated by
the proposed use;
That the proposed use will have no adverse effect on
abutting property and surrounding neighborhood or
the permitted use thereof;
That the proposed use is consistent with the Fresno
County General Plan.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970 was enacted to
address concerns about environmental quality in the State of California. CEQA
establishes processes and procedures to ensure that California agencies
complete an environmental analysis and consider and disclose to the public the
environmental impacts of a proposed project.
The purpose of CEQA is to:
1)
Inform governmental decision-makers and the public about the potential,
significant environmental effects of proposed activities.
2)
Identify the ways that potential environmental damage can be avoided or
significantly reduced.
3)
Prevent significant, avoidable damage to the environment by requiring
changes in projects through the use of alternatives or mitigation measures
when the governmental agency finds the changes to be feasible.
4)
Disclose to the public the reasons why a governmental agency approved the
project in the manner the agency chose if significant environmental effects
are involved.
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is the
planning document which describes the
environmental impacts associated with a
project. Typical impacts may include: traffic, air
quality, noise, city services, and land use,
among others.
The EIR discusses these impacts and
determines which ones are potentially
significant. It also describes mitigation
measures to reduce potentially significant
impacts to a less than significant level.
The purpose of an EIR is to provide public
agencies and the public in general with
detailed information about the effects a
proposed project is likely to have on the
environment; to list ways in which the
significant effects of the proposed project
might be minimized; and to identify and
analyze alternatives to the proposed project.

Aesthetics
 Agricultural
Resources
 Air Quality
 Biological Resources
 Climate Change
 Cultural Resources
 Geology and Soils
 Hazards and
Hazardous Materials






Hydrology and Water
Quality
Land Use and
Planning
Noise
Transportation and
Traffic
Alternatives to the
Project
Cumulative Impacts
Currently Planned Resource Areas. Others may be added as a result of the
Scoping Meeting or NOP responses.

Compile oral (August 25th) and written comments
from public and agencies received by September
13th

Document these comments in the DEIR

Respond to comments through evaluation of
potential impacts in DEIR

Complete any necessary specialized studies such
as Traffic, Noise, Air Quality Assessments, etc.

Prepare Administrative/Screencheck DEIR for
County review
(Continued)

Upon review of Administrative DEIR by County,
circulate the DEIR for a 45-day public comment
period and posted on the County’s website :
http://www.co.fresno.ca.us/DepartmentPage.aspx?id=44386
(If you provide your name and address, you will be notified
when the Draft EIR is ready for review)

Preparation of the Final EIR that responds to
comments and makes any necessary revisions to
the DEIR.

Planning Commission uses information in the EIR
(Draft and Final) to make an informed decision on
the project.
Tentative Schedule:

Scoping Session (August 25th)
 Responses to Notice of Preparation (September 13th)
 Draft EIR Available (Winter/Spring 2011)
 Written Comments on Draft EIR (Spring 2011)
 Planning Commission Public Hearing (Summer 2011)
 Board of Supervisors Public Hearing (Summer/Fall
2011, if appealed)
Dates are tentative and subject to change
Remember this is your opportunity to voice concerns
about the Project and help identify issues you would like
analyzed in the EIR.
If you do not wish to speak during the comment session,
comment forms are provided to write comments and
hand to us during this meeting or mail afterwards.
Ground Rules:
 Please be courteous to presenters and those providing public comment.
 Speak clearly and succinctly to allow a clear summary of comments.
 Avoid repeating questions or comments to ensure all individuals have an
opportunity to comment.
 Limit comment/questions to three minutes, if possible.

Scoping Session (August 25th)
 Responses to Notice of Preparation
(September 13th)

Draft EIR Available (Winter/Spring 2011)
 Written Comments on Draft EIR (Spring 2011)
 Planning Commission Public Hearing
(Summer 2011)

Board of Supervisors Public Hearing
(Summer/Fall 2011, if appealed)
Dates are tentative and subject to change