2008/2009 Municipal Annual Report Summary

The City of Orinda

Introduction:

The City of Orinda (the City) is a small, semi-rural suburb of approximately 17,600 residents. There are no industrial facilities in the City. The NPDES Program is comprised of approximately 20 staff members that include the Stormwater Program Manager and staff from the Public Works, Engineering and Planning departments. Contract staff includes one stormwater inspector from the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District and one grading inspector from the County Building Inspection Department.

New Development and Construction Controls Activities:

Most of the construction projects requiring permit review this year were for remodeling of single-family dwellings; some were for new single-family residences, landslide repairs, or creekbank restorations.

One project site disturbed 1 acre or more of soil (the Wilder Project [formerly known as Gateway and Montanera]). Proof of coverage under the NPDES General Construction Permit was required for this construction project.

Nestor Baligod, the County Grading Inspector, under contract with the City, issued 7 Notices to Comply or Notices of Correction and2 Stop Work orders. He completed 16 pre-rainy season inspection forms and conducted over 600 rainy season inspections.

TheStormwater Control Plan (SCP) for the Stein Way Subdivision (Orinda Oaks), a new development/redevelopment project subject to C.3,was approved during 2008-2009. The Stein Way Subdivision entails the subdivision of 23.3-acre parcel into 12 lots. The SCP includes seven flow-through planters and three in-ground (infiltration) planters. While the SCP was approved by the City in September 2008, no further progress has been made on the project. Construction (rough and mass grading) continued for the Wilder project during FY 2008-2009. Planning/project development continued for the Orinda Grove project (formerly known as the Pine Grove project) including submittal of draft SCPs; a revised project design was approved by the City Planning Commission but the developer has yet to submit a revised SCP reflecting the revised design. An administrative draft Environmental Impact Report for the SouthwoodValley project was submitted to the City in September 2008 and comments were provided by the City in October 2008; the applicant has since indicated that they are not proceeding with the project and the City closed the SouthwoodValleyproject file. Draft SCPs were submitted for a residential subdivision at 37 Parkway Court; approval of the SCP, which includes two bioretention basins, is anticipated in 2009-2010.

No municipal capital improvement projects were subject to C.3 this year.

Public Education and Industrial Outreach Activities:

Approximately 2,900 of the following PEIO materials were distributed during FY 2008-2009: 176 Used Oil Recycling items, 826Promotional items, 1,355 General Information items, and 524 Pest Management/Pesticide Use items. The General Information items included the distribution of over 900 copies of the City’s updated brochure “Caring for Our Creeks, A Creekside Property Owner’s Manual”; the brochure was mailed to all creekside property owners in Orinda. In addition, many construction BMP brochures were viewed on the Orinda website by permit applicants, and other construction-related or industry-specific education materials were distributed by our CCCSD stormwater inspector and County grading inspector.

In 2004, Orinda completed the task of applying nearly all storm drain inlets using attractive, durable plastic markers that were applied by volunteers using a strong adhesive. Approximately 1,000 markers were applied to curbed storm drain inlets throughout the City. The City Public Works staff and Friends of Orinda Creeks volunteers are now monitoring the condition of the markers and replacing broken or missing ones as identified. In 2008-2009, 25 markers were installed at locations where they were missing or broken.

Numerous outreach activities were conducted including an Orinda in Action Community Service day (entailed 20 city-wide projects to conduct creek cleanup, trash pick-up, planting, etc.),a creek homeowners meeting coordinated by the Friends of Orinda Creeks and facilitated by the Urban Creek Council’s Streamside Management Program for Landowners,electronic waste disposal events, and articles in the City of Orinda newsletter.

Orinda residents made 1,212car trips todispose of 7,144 gallons Household Hazardous Waste this year. Orinda residents also left 5,571 gallons of Household Hazardous Waste for curbside pickup/recycling

Municipal Maintenance Activities:

Approximately 916 curb miles were swept this year, removing 309 cubic yards of material.

Estimated amount of material removed by the street sweeper: 38.9 pounds copper, 14.1 pounds of lead, 11.7 pounds of nickel, 61.9pounds of zinc, 756.7 pounds of total petroleum hydrocarbons, and 1651 pounds of total oil and grease.

The following quantities of storm drain facilities were inspected and cleaned during 2008-2009: 279 inlets, 0.03 miles of culvert, 0.62 miles of V-ditch, and 0.29 miles of natural watercourses (creeks). No publicly-owned or -maintained pump stations or constructed channels are located in the City. Numerous privately-owned storm drain facilities are located in the City, including inlets, culverts, V-ditches, and creeks.

Estimated volume of material removed from storm drain facilities: 49 cubic yards from inlets, 13 cubic yards from culverts,76.8 cubic yards from v-ditches, and 10 cubic yards from natural watercourses.

Estimated amount of material removed from storm drain facilities (excluding creeks): 8.4 pounds of copper, 19.2 pounds of lead, 64.6 pounds of zinc, 399.4 pounds of petroleum hydrocarbons, 819.4 pounds of total oil and grease.

Inspection Activities

Central Contra Costa Sanitation District (CCCSD) conducted inspections of 18 commercial businesses, 3 more than were scheduled. During these visits, inspectors distributed approximately 54 pieces of educational outreach material.

The CCCSD inspectors took two enforcement actions this year: one Notice of Violation and one Warning Notice. While this is an increase from the zero level of enforcement action in the two previous fiscal years, the City has maintained a low level of enforcement action relative to four and five years ago.

Illicit Discharge Control Activities

A total of seven illicit discharges of non-stormwater were reported this year. Three of the illicit discharges were reported this year through the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES): one involving transformer oil, one involving raw sewage, and one involving potable water. No illicit discharges were reported through the CCCWP hotline or through EPA’s National Tips Database. Four illicit discharges were reported by citizens contacting the City Public Works Department: two involving dumpsters at commercial businesses, one involving draining a swimming pool to the storm drain, and one involving disposal of garbage and yard waste to a creek at a residential property.

Enforcement actions included four written corrective measures.

MN - 1