HomeMy WebLinkAbout00 - League of Women Voters ReportL LEAGUE of WOMEN VOTERS'
OF ORANGE COA51
Newport Beach City Council of
October 14, 2025
General Meeting Information
Did the meeting start on time? Yes
Were all members present? Yes
Did the members appear to have done their homework? Yes
Were members courteous to each other and the public? Yes
Brown Act
Was the agenda sent/posted 72 hours before this meeting? Yes
Did items clearly describe what was discussed? Yes
Was there adequate opportunity for public input? Yes
Was there the appearance that some action items were discussed in closed rather than
open session? No
Was background information available to the public? Yes
LWV Action Item
Were any issues on the agenda relevant to any LWVC positions or programs? Yes
Resolution No. 2025-66: Coyote Canyon Landfill Gas to Energy Facility Appeal
(PA2022-063)
Excerpts from Staff report:
The project site is located within the greater boundary of the closed Coyote
Canyon Landfill (CCL), which received municipal solid waste from 1963 to 1990
and officially closed on May 7, 2003. The Coyote Canyon Landfill is at the
northeastern edge of the City's boundaries within Newport Coast. It is owned by
the County of Orange and is maintained by Orange County Waste & Recycling
(OCWR).
The project site has historically been the primary location for managing landfill
gas (LFG), including a former LFG-to-energy facility. The original LFG-to-energy
facility operated from 1988 to 2015 and converted LFG into electricity. The facility
was removed as part of the Coyote Canyon Gas Recovery Demolition and
Telecom Update (PA2016-091) (SCH No. 2016081012) because the quality of the
LFG became inadequate for conversion into energy with the technology available
at the time. In 2018, OCWR released a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking the
highest qualified proposal for handling LFG at the site.
Biofuels Coyote Canyon Biogas, LLC, on behalf of Archaea Energy, Inc.
(Applicant) proposes the construction and operation of a new renewable natural
gas (RNG) processing plant and a pipeline interconnection facility, collectively
referred to as the "RNG Facility". The RNG Facility would treat LFG that is
currently being flared off by OCWR through a proprietary process and would
inject the RNG into SoCal Gas infrastructure through an existing, onsite, tie-in
point. The RNG would not be stored onsite, nor would the RNG Facility
replace OCWR's existing LFG collection system or flares. The existing flares
would be used to combust any LFG that cannot be sent to the RNG Facility, like in
the event of a scheduled shut down for maintenance, an unscheduled shutdown
arising from an irregularity, or excess quantities of LFG.
An appeal was filed on July 30, 2025, by the ABJ&C law firm on behalf of Orange
County Residents for Responsible Development (Appellant) and is provided as
Attachment G. The appeal alleged the following deficiencies regarding the Initial
Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) (as summarized):
a) Air quality impacts from fugitive emissions and leaks are significant and
unmitigated;
b) Public health and hazards impacts are significant and unmitigated;
c) Greenhouse gas emissions may be significant and unmitigated;
d) Health risk impacts from construction emissions are underreported, relying on
a 9-month construction schedule; and
e) Construction noise impacts are significant and unmitigated.
Attorney Joselyn Perez, for the Appeal, reviewed the resident's concerns and
resident William Koons made a statement in support of the Appeal, and asked for
another environmental report.
City Staff, Simone Jurris, and Joselyn Perez, and CEQA consultant Dina Al
Shama and Archaea Energy representative Tyler Henson, reviewed their reports,
answering the concerns of the appeal.
Council passed the resolution to deny the appeal and uphold the Decision of the
Planning Commission to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Approve a
Conditional Use Permit to Construct and Operate a Landfill Gas -to -Energy
Facility.
Passed 6-0 with Weigand recusing himself.
Do you recommend local League action on any of these items? No
Do you have other concerns or comments? Yes
The City Council had an interesting and informative discussion on the value of Ad
hoc Committees, with and without citizen participation and/or the use of public
hearings. https://voutu.be/MgTOYNz354o?t=7438
There had been a very productive public hearing regarding traffic calming
measures and safety concerns in the Bayview Heights Neighborhood in the study
session earlier in the meeting. The council listened to all the public comments
and addressed a lot of the concerns and incorporated many of the suggestions
given.
Trending public issues addressed.
Ordinance No. 2025-27: Adding Chapter 6.40 Prohibition of Sale, Distribution and
Use of Nitrous Oxide
Ordinance No. 2025-29: Adding Section 11.04.085
(Prohibiting the Use of Electric Bicycles and Similar Devices on the Newport
Elementary School Playground) and Amending Section 11.04.130 (Exemption) of
Chapter 11.04 (Parks, Park Facilities, and Beaches)
of the Newport Beach Municipal Code
To maximize public use, safety and enjoyment of the Property, the Police
Department
recommends an amendment to NBMC Chapters 11.04 (Parks, Park Facilities, and
Beaches) to prohibit the operation of e-bikes, electrically motorized boards, any
motorized
bicycles and motorized scooters from operating on the Property when the
Property is not
in use by the District. This generally includes weekends, school holidays, school
recesses, vacations, and breaks, and weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Was there discussion on homelessness or affordable housing? No