HomeMy WebLinkAbout055-2015RESOLUTION NO. 55-2015
AUTHORIZING SUPPORT FOR THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed is the largest watershed in Contra Costa
County totaling 150 square miles in size, or 96,000 acres, in size; and
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed encompasses the boundaries of several
unincorporated County communities, the cities of Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Orinda,
Pleasant Hill, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek and the towns of Danville and Moraga; and
WHEREAS, in Danville, the largest tributary within the Walnut Creek Watershed is San
Ramon Creek, which meanders through Danville's Greenbrook neighborhood, along the
boundary of Osage Station Park, through historic Downtown Danville, along Hap Magee
Ranch Park and north into Alamo; and
WHEREAS, a Watershed Council can be a valuable organization to foster coordination
and cooperation among the watershed stakeholders; and
WHEREAS, more than 25,000 acres in the watershed are owned and managed by various
entities for open space purposes that protect and preserve habitat value, riparian
vegetation, wildlife corridors, aesthetic vistas, stormwater quality and storage, and
recreational opportunities, and that also define the communities in the watershed; and
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed Council is a voluntary, non -regulatory
stakeholder group that supports a healthy and sustainable Walnut Creek Watershed. The
Council would work to protect and enhance the watershed and is envisioned to facilitate
actions that increase awareness of the watershed, implement watershed projects and to
be a forum for sharing information and activities that affect the watershed; and
WHEREAS, the Contra Costa County Flood Control & Water Conservation District has
its largest flood protection system in the Walnut Creek Watershed totaling 22 miles of
channels and several detention basins and there currently is no coordinating body for
watershed assessment or comment on proposed projects to existing or planned flood
protection facilities; and
WHEREAS, the NPDES Stormwater Permit requirements (Municipal Regional Permit)
for each of the municipalities and the County in the watershed requires coordination on
a watershed basis and the Watershed Council could help coordinate and facilitate actions,
such as creek clean ups, water quality sampling and trash assessments; and
WHEREAS, the Town's support and participation in the Walnut Creek Watershed
Council is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (Cal. Pub. Res. Code §
21000 et seq.) under CEQA Guidelines section 115308 ("Actions by Regulatory Agencies
for Protection of the Environment), which exempts actions taken by regulatory agencies
for protection of the environment; and
WHEREAS, interested parties can participate in this Watershed Council by adopting this
resolution and their voluntary participation is effective upon its passage; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, that the Danville Town Council, adopts this Resolution supporting the
Walnut Creek Watershed Council and its activities, authorizing the Town Manager or
his/her designee to sign a Letter of Understanding, and authorizing the Town Manager
or his/her designee to attend and participate in the Walnut Creek Watershed Council
meetings.
APPROVED by the Danville Town Council at a regular meeting on July 7, 2015 by the
following vote:
AYES: Doyle, Stepper, Arnerich, Morgan, Storer
NOES: None
ABSTAINED: None
ABSENT: None
MAYOR
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK