Minutes 2010-12-22 SP MINUTES
EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2010
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 215 EAST BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
1. CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Tony Ferrara called the emergency meeting to order at 5:32 p.m.
2. ROLL CALL
Council Member Joe Costello, Council Member Tim Brown, Mayor Pro Tem Caren Ray, and
Mayor Tony Ferrara were present. Council Member Jim Guthrie was notified of the meeting but
could not attend as he was out of town.
Staff present included Acting City Manager Steven Annibali, City Clerk Kelly Wetmore, City
Attorney Tim Carmel, Director of Recreation and Maintenance Services Doug Perrin, Director of
Administrative Services Angela Kraetsch, Fire Chief Mike Hubert, Battalion Chief Riki Heath and
Fire Administrative Officer David Mathe.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
4. RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE PROCLAMATION OF THE EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL
EMERGENCY
Acting City Manager Annibali presented a staff report explaining that the City of Arroyo Grande
has experienced an overwhelming amount of rain over the past week. He stated the large
amount of unusually heavy rains has resulted in heavy runoff which has impacted or is likely to
significantly impact property within the City, and as a result, a proclamation was issued declar-
ing the existence of a local emergency.
Director of Recreation and Maintenance Services Perrin displayed photographs which reflect
current conditions, as follows:
• The City's drainage basins located at Ash and Elm Streets have reached near maximum
capacity. During extreme rain Retention Pond No. 1, when exceeding capacity, will overflow
into Retention Pond #2. When Retention Pond No. 2 exceeds capacity, the water will flow
onto Parrott Avenue via the storm drain. To keep the water from flowing onto Farroll Ave-
nue, the storm waters are diverted to Ikeda and Volunteer Sports fields. Turf renovations at
Ikeda and Volunteer Fields, including four thousand dollars ($4,000.00) in top soil and six
thousand dollars ($6,000.00) for hydroseeding had just been completed last Wednesday
(December 16, 2010).
• The water diversion to the sports fields severely damaged, if not destroyed the turf at the
Soto Complex sports fields. Rainwater undermined the support and nearly exposed a sports
light standard.
• Persistent heavy rainfalls have caused localized area street flooding, slope failures, and
land subsidence within the City. Rainwater washed out the bank in Retention Pond No. 2
and exposed the sidewalk adjacent to the tennis courts.
•
Minutes of City Council Special Meeting
December 22, 2010
Page 2
• With additional rains forecasted, heavy ground saturation and partially completed public and
private drainage improvement projects in the South Eastern portion of the City, there is the
potential for significant wide spread additional flooding.
• Additional flooding has the potential to cause a break in the levy located on the Arroyo
Grande Creek, immediately west of the City boundaries creating a potential threat to the
health, safety and welfare of the residents of the City of Arroyo Grande and the County of
San Luis Obispo.
• The City is the site of a regional temporary 24 hour emergency housing shelter operated by
the American Red Cross which is located at Arroyo Grande High School for those residents
that have been displaced from their homes in neighboring jurisdictions.
• Maintenance staff has spent a substantial amount of man hours from Sunday, (December
19, 2010) through Tuesday night (December 21, 2010) managing storm water, cleaning
drains, patching streets and cleaning downed trees and limbs.
Acting City Manager Annibali recommended the Council adopt a Resolution confirming the
proclamation of the existence of a local emergency by the Acting Director of Emergency
Services /City Manager.
Brief discussion ensued with Mayor Ferrara requesting that staff ensure that the financial
impacts are documented, that it should be documented that there has been a disruption of
essential services provided by the Recreation and Maintenance Services Department; and to
ensure that the photographs are date /time stamped. Mayor Ferrara also clarified that the
American Red Cross is the agency operating the shelter at Arroyo Grande High School, which is
located within the City limits.
Council questions of staff ensued regarding the pumping of water into the creek as it relates to
potential cost liabilities; further rain forecasts; and the condition of Tally Ho Creek.
Mayor Ferrara noted that the emergency declaration will remain in effect until the Council takes
action to terminate it.
Action: Council Member Costello moved to adopt a Resolution as follows: "A RESOLUTION
OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA, CONFIRMING
THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY SERVICES/CITY MANAGERS'
PROCLAMATION OF EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY': Council Member Brown
seconded, and the motion passed on the following roll call vote:
AYES: Costello, Brown, Ray, Ferrara
NOES: None
ABSENT: Guthrie
5. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ferrara adjourned the meeting at 6:06 p.m.
Kelly W-tm e, City Clerk