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The council this week approved an amendment to the contract with Psomas to develop an environmental impact report for the proposed Old Ranch Country Club Specific Plan.
This was a Consent Calendar item. Consent items are approved collectively, without discussion, unless pulled for individual consideration. Nothing was pulled from this week’s Consent Calendar.
Background
“The proposed Specific Plan aims to develop new and expanded facilities on the 154-acre site, including overnight accommodations, multi-family and senior housing, a parking structure, and additional amenities,” according to the staff report prepared by Management Analyst Megan Coats.
“Due to the complexity of the proposed project, additional time is needed to complete the EIR. Amendment 1 extends the term of the contract to June 30, 2025,” Coats wrote.
“All other provisions of the contract remain the same, including the scope of work and cost,” Coats wrote.
The council originally approved the contract in July 2022. At the time, the Sun reported that the cost was $238,393 with authority for the city manager to approve additional spending up to 15%.
As the Sun reported, the proposed project would include adding 150 rooms for overnight guests in a three-story addition to the clubhouse; a 103-unit independent/assisted living facility, a 51-unit senior housing complex (which would include a 25,340 square foot medical office), a three-level parking structure (with space for 591 cars), four tennis courts on top of the parking structure, and a clubhouse swimming pool. (See “Seal Beach hires Psomas to work on EIR for proposed Old Ranch Country Club project,” at sunnews.org.)
Questions and answers
Prior to the meeting, District Four Council Member/Mayor Schelly Sustarsic emailed several questions to staff about various agenda items. Four of those questions concerned the Psomas contract. Staff replies were made available to the public in hard copy format at the meeting. The author of the staff replies was not identified.
Sustarsic: “Is there confirmation that the EIR in progress is a Project EIR, as opposed to Program EIR as stated in the original Contract with Psomas?”
Staff: “Yes.”
Sustarsic: “This contract extension with Psomas is for one year. Is there an estimated release date for the Draft EIR for the Old Ranch Country Club Project?”
Staff: “No. We expect another amendment to modify the scope will be forthcoming in the near future, and we are waiting on the applicant for approval.”
Sustarsic: “Will the city hold a public meeting during the 45-day release period of the Draft EIR document? Would Psomas be available at this public meeting?”
Staff: “Yes, an EQCB [Environmental Quality Control Board] meeting will be held to discuss, and Psomas will be in attendance.”
Sustarsic: “In the recent Draft EIR for the Los Alamitos project at 4665 Lampson, Arsenic levels were reported to be found to be 42 times normal (due to probably proximity to the nearby airfields of the JFTB). PFAS chemicals have also been found on the Joint Forces Training Bas. Will a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) be performed in the Draft EIR for the Old Ranch Country Club Project?”
(“PFAS are widely used, long lasting chemicals, components of which break down very slowly over time,” according to www.epa.gov.)
Staff: “We have reached out to Psomas and will provide an update as soon as we have one. As noted above, we expect another amendment to modify the scope will be forthcoming in the near future, and we are waiting on the applicant for approval. We can also discuss your question regarding the inclusion of a HRA in a revised scope of work with the applicant as well.”
