Purpose:

To inform Council of sewer improvements proposed by the City of Los Angeles and the possible effect of these improvements on the City of Burbank.

Background:

The City of Los Angeles (LA) is undergoing a long-term water resources planning process that is intended to meet the integrated water, wastewater, and stormwater runoff needs of LA through the year 2020 and beyond.  Called the Integrated Resources Plan (IRP), the process attempts to take a comprehensive basin-wide water resources planning approach.

The IRP is a multi-phase program:

• Phase I (completed in 2001):  Focused on defining the future vision for LA by developing a set of guiding principles to direct future, more-detailed, water resources planning.

• Phase II (Integrated Resources Plan): Focuses on the more detailed planning required in developing a facilities plan, environmental impact report and financial plan.

• Projects (Implementation) (2005 and beyond): Includes future concept reports, studies, and design and construction projects to implement the capital improvement program (CIP) developed as part of Phase II.

In July 2004, LA released a four volume Facilities Plan detailing the results of Phase II of the IRP. The Facilities Plan (available on the Internet at http://www.cityofla.org/san/irp/facilitiesplan.htm) explains the water resource challenges facing LA in the Year 2020 and explains various projects that could address those challenges.  Included in this analysis are capital projects for wastewater treatment facilities, sewer collection systems, and runoff treatment facilities.

In order to evaluate the various project options, a stakeholder Steering Group was organized.  The Steering Group was directed to focus on defining its values with respect to public health, infrastructure, the environment, cost efficiency, quality of life, and education.  It also studied the means of achieving those objectives through building facilities, managing resources and managing demands.  Staff from the City of Burbank�s Public Works Department participated as a member of this Steering Group.

After a lengthy process that was based on stakeholder preferences, 21 initial alternatives were narrowed to four alternatives that will meet the wastewater infrastructure needs of the population of 2020. 

The four alternatives which resulted from this process intend to maximize the beneficial use of recycled water and urban runoff, optimize the use of our existing facilities and water resources, reduce pollution and minimize the region�s dependency on imported water. There are some potential projects that are common to more than one alternative. A project is common to all of the alternatives when it is seen as a necessary component to meet the future needs of LA.   

The four alternatives presented in the Facilities Plan are:

• Alternative 1: Hyperion Water Treatment Plant expansion

• Alternative 2: Tillman and Los Angeles �Glendale Water Replenishment Plant expansions

• Alternative 3: Tillman Water Replenishment Plant expansion without cisterns

• Alternative 4: Tillman Water Replenishment Plant expansion

In addition to being presented in the Facilities Plan, the four alternatives generated from this process are evaluated through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process.  A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is currently being developed and is expected to be released near the end of November.  LA allowed Burbank to view an Administrative Draft of the EIR (ADEIR) and to provide input in this early stage of environmental analysis.  After receiving input from other departments, Public Works staff submitted comments to LA on the ADEIR and expect those comments to be included when the DEIR is released.

As a part of this process of seeking early input from interested parties, LA has held informational meetings on the ADEIR for the Facilities Plan of the IRP in various venues in the region.  One of these meetings was conducted at the Buena Vista Library on Thursday, October 13, 2005.  This meeting, along with others in the area, was intended to raise the public�s awareness of the IRP and the projects associated in and near Burbank.

ANALYSIS:

As stated above, Public Works staff has been involved in the IRP process as a member of the Steering Group.  The IRP process discussed the various needs facing LA in year 2020 and the potential projects that could meet the objectives presented. The presentation of these projects and the creation of these alternatives were very general in nature and did not discuss the details of what these projects would entail.  Input to the process was limited to how the alternatives met the overall needs of the region.

One of the needs identified in this process is the additional capacity of the LA sewer collection system.  To address this need, large diameter sewer tunnels must be built from the Hyperion Treatment Plant in Playa Del Rey to the San Fernando Valley.  One section of this sewer tunnel project is proposed to extend from the Los Angeles Zoo to Toluca Lake.  The construction of this sewer tunnel project, known as the Glendale-Burbank Interceptor Sewer (GBIS), could have the most construction-related impacts of any project identified in the IRP.  GBIS is a part of each alternative presented in the IRP.

During the Steering Group Meetings over the past three years, no details were given regarding the GBIS project.  In September 2005, Public Works was sent a copy of the ADEIR for the IRP.  The ADEIR sent to Burbank includes only the executive summary and Sections 1 and 2 of the DEIR.  Burbank was given three weeks to review this document and submit comments. This was simply a courtesy review and did not replace the official review and comment period of the Draft EIR.  Burbank, along with any interested person, may comment on the Draft EIR when it is released near the end of November 2005.

The ADEIR received by Burbank in September 2005 revealed additional details regarding the GBIS.  The proposed project is a buried tunnel located between the vicinity of Valley Spring Lane and Forman Avenue and the LA Zoo. The GBIS tunnel will divert all flow from an existing LA sewer to the new GBIS. This will allow for the rehabilitation of the existing LA sewer line. The GBIS sewer will consist of 5.75 miles of eight-foot diameter pipe. This sewer is designed to carry approximately 50 million gallons per day of average dry weather flow.

The GBIS would be constructed using man-entry tunneling methods, with depths up to 120 feet below the surface.  This tunnel would be installed between shafts that occur along the tunnel alignment. Each shaft would be up to 60 feet in diameter and up to 120 feet deep.  In addition to the shafts, other surface disruptions include the installation of maintenance holes and the construction of an air treatment facility.  The construction of GBIS is estimated to take four to five years to complete.

There are two alternative alignments for GBIS in the Administrative Draft EIR, the South Alignment and the North Alignment (see attachment). Of these two alternatives, the South Alignment does not enter Burbank except under a corner of the Lakeside Golf Course.  The South Alignment does not have any shaft sites Burbank, but does include a shaft near Travel Town and one near Forest Lawn Drive.

The North Alignment would cut through the southern portion of Burbank and would include a shaft near the intersection of Bob Hope Drive and Riverside Drive.  The North Alignment also includes shafts at the dirt lot near Valleyheart Drive and Reese Place and in the park near Victory Boulevard and the 134 Freeway.  The North Alignment would also consist of an air treatment facility at the Valleyheart and Reese site.

Of these two alternatives, it appears that the South Alignment would not create significant construction impacts on the residents of Burbank.  The North Alignment, on the other hand, may include significant construction related impacts on Burbank residents and businesses.  The North Alignment would include tunneling under Burbank residents and businesses along with several maintenance holes in Burbank streets.

Of particular concern on the North Alignment is the shaft at Valleyheart and Reese where construction related traffic would be directed to residential streets for as many as four years.  Another concern that was raised by residents at the public outreach meeting is the loss of use of this property for exercising horses and the access of horse trails if an air treatment facility is built at this location.  Concerns regarding the North Alignment and the proposed shaft sites will be sent to LA during the Draft EIR comments period.

The Draft EIR is expected to be released near the end of this month.  LA is allowing for a 90 day comment period where any interested person may submit comments.  As a part of the EIR process, three public meetings will be held regarding the IRP.  The Draft EIR will be made available at all City of Burbank libraries for residents to review prior to submitting comments. Any interested person is encouraged to make comments regarding the Draft EIR, including the proposed alignments for GBIS.  Public Works will coordinate comments from other City departments and submit them to LA so that they will be addressed in the Final EIR.

RECOMMENDATION:

Direct staff to continue providing input to the City of Los Angeles regarding any wastewater and storm water improvements that would impact the City of Burbank.

attachment:  GBIS EIR ALIGNMENTS

go to the top