Mayor Chen and Councilmember Pulido Appointed to Cuesta Villas Housing Project Board

At the Sept. 8 Cerritos City Council meeting, the council discussed Cerritos water issues and items regarding the Cuesta Villas Housing Corporation.

Storm Water Permit Review

Cerritos’ Environmental Service Manager, Mike O’ Grady, delivered the annual water report as well as a review of the Los Angeles County Municipal storm water permit.

According to O’ Grady, in December of 2001, the Cerritos Regional Water Quality Control Board issued the current municipal storm water permit to the County of Los Angeles and each city within the county, excluding Long Beach. The permit allows permittees to discharge storm water from municipal storm drain systems into the waters in the L.A. region like the San Gabriel River – non-storm water discharge is prohibited except for natural flows, discharges from emergency firefighting activities and flows incidental from urban activities such as carwashing. O’ Grady also said programs are being implemented to prevent storm water pollution.

“While the county is primarily responsible for a public information program, the city supplements them annually with newspaper ads, TV3 slides and face-to-face contact with residents at community events,” O’ Grady said.

Councilman Bruce Barrows was concerned with how much the city is spending on these storm water programs. O’ Grady said the 2010-2011 fiscal year annual report documented about $875,000 in compliance costs.

“In the nine fiscal years since the permit’s adoption, compliance costs have been documented at over $15,000,000,” O’ Grady said.

O’ Grady also explained that the city is also monitoring for certain metals in Cerritos water, and thus making the estimated total costs for regulations up in the air until implementation plans are configured.

“If we do go after all the different metals in there, they don’t necessarily come from us, and it may not even come from any company or city.” Barrows said. “It may just come from up in the mountains. If the costs rise, it’s going to be an unfunded mandate for us to reach this.”

Cuesta Villas Housing Corporation

The council also participated in discussions of two items regarding the Cuesta Villas Housing Corporation – the first being appointing new board members to the projects.

According to City Manager Art Gallucci, Cerritos has been involved with a construction project involving apartments for seniors – a development project created in 2007. Its initial boardmembers consisted of Cerritos City Council members at that time. Councilman Joseph Cho motioned to appoint Mayor Carol Chen and Councilman Mark Pulido to be boardmembers, while Barrows motioned for Chen to be appointed Chair and current Vice Chair, Councilman Jim Edwards to continue his position. All motions were approved.

During the second Cuesta Villas Housing Corporation item, Pulido, who has worked for the California Legislature for more than a decade, as well as the California State Assembly, excused himself due to conflict of interest, as this involves approving litigation against the state of California.

As mentioned in August meetings, Cerritos is involved in litigation against California regarding the legality of Assembly Bills 26 and 27 – the dissolution of redevelopment agencies and the opportunity for cities to opt into a voluntary redevelopment program, albeit paying a substantial annual subsidy in order to participate. Funds intended for construction of the project were to be derived from the redevelopment program.

“It’s apparent that the provisions of AB 26 and 27 present a significant threat to the project’s future,” said Cerritos Management Analyst Ryan Carey.

The motion to approve litigation was carried 4-0.

Additional News

The Council approved a candidate forum for the ABC School Board Candidates, hosted by the American Association of University Women. The ABC School Board election is scheduled for Nov. 8.

The next city council meeting will be held on Sept. 19.