Portola Municipal Code that will accommodate new growth while protecting the natural environment.
Authority
The Economic Development Element is an optional element of the General Plan under Section 65303 of the Government Code.
“The general plan may include any other elements or address any other subjects which, in the judgment of the legislative body, relate to the physical development of the county or city.”
Relationship to Other Elements of the General Plan
Although this is an optional element, it is given considerable weight in this General Plan.
The success of economic development is interwoven with virtually all aspects of the community. Thus, the Economic Development Element incorporates policies and concepts that are linked with the Land Use Element, Housing Element, Public Facilities Element, Open Space and Conservation Element, and the Circulation Element.
Regional Cooperation
Portola is the service center of the east Plumas region, and the economic future of the City significantly depends on maintaining and expanding that role. Consequently, the economic success of Portola is closely linked with the success of the enterprises in the region. Provided that economic growth in the surrounding area is of good quality and does not diminish the environmental qualities that attract visitors and new residents, Portola will benefit from the success of its economic neighbors and will cooperate in efforts to ensure their success.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
Economic Development Goals
Goal ED-1. Expand stable year-round employment.
Goal ED-2. Attract new industries that are compatible with the natural amenities and character of the City.
Goal ED-3. Expand and diversify tourism both within the City and in the eastern Plumas County region.
Goal ED-4. Expand education and training opportunities for City residents.
Policies: Business Innovation and Development
ED-P-1. Promote new businesses that are forward-looking and apply innovative technology and practices, and that are compatible with character of the community.
ED-P-2. Facilitate development of commercial uses and business parks within the City.
ED-P-3. Maintain an adequate supply of appropriately located and zoned land to provide opportunities for industrial/ business-professional and commercial development.
Implementation: Business Innovation and Development
ED-I-1. Develop an incentive program for industries that meet the profile.
Incentives may include cooperation in expediting land use entitlements, providing phased payment of fees, City of Portola contribution to land acquisition costs, and other financial and procedural inducements within the means of the City of Portola.
ED-I-2. Continue to work with property owners in the undeveloped and unserved areas to share the cost of extending sewer, streets, water distribution, and utilities among benefiting landowners.
ED-I-3. Monitor the consumption of undeveloped land designated for residential, commercial and industrial/ business-professional uses and supplement the land use by periodically amending the General Plan to ensure there is an adequate supply of suitable land for at least five years.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
Policies: Emphasis on Protecting Natural Amenities
ED-P-4. Emphasize the quality of the natural environment as an essential feature of the City’s economic development efforts.
Implementation: Emphasis on Protecting Natural Amenities ED-I-4. Maintain and enhance the quality of the natural environment through the various policies included in the Land Use Element, Community Design Element, and the Conservation Element.
ED-I-5. Identify the quality of the local environment as an essential concern of the City in the review of all applications for development.
Policies: Local Self-Reliance
ED-P-5. Emphasize local self-reliance by using local resources, including the local work force, capital resources, transportation resources, as well as natural resources in economic development efforts.
ED-P-6. Encourage expansion of local businesses.
ED-P-7. Strengthen the City’s tax base by attracting small, environmentally sensitive businesses with tax generation potential.
ED-P-8. Exercise initiative in forming public/private partnerships to create jobs and new economic opportunities.
ED-P-9. Enhance opportunities for economic development between the City of Portola and the Union Pacific Railroad.
Implementation: Local Self-Reliance
ED-I-6. Prepare an inventory of the local resources to assist in marketing the area to prospective new employers.
ED-I-7. Encourage new businesses to employ local residents.
ED-I-8. Function as the master developer and organize landowners in under-developed and unserved areas of the City to prepare and implement plans for extending sewer, water, drainage, utilities and streets in order to facilitate development of individual properties.
ED-I-9. Seek opportunities for public/private partnerships in economic development.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
ED-I-10. Identify and pursue state, federal, and other grants targeting infrastructure and land improvements, job training, new technology and other programs directed toward economic development.
ED-I-11. Seek opportunities to provide enterprise services, such as the management of public recreation facilities and concessions at Lake Davis that will generate additional employment opportunities for City residents.
ED-I-12. Invite the local managers of the Union Pacific Railroad to meet with the City Manager and City Council on a biannual basis to discuss opportunities for economic development that relate to use of the railroad services.
Policies: Affordable Housing, Education, and Training
ED-P-10. Enhance the aspects of the community that will help economic development efforts to draw employers and visitors to the area. This includes quality housing and neighborhoods, quality education, recreation and cultural resources.
ED-P-11. Promote education and training efforts to employ residents in new industrial opportunities and to enhance the labor force as a draw for new businesses.
Implementation: Affordable Housing, Education, and Training ED-I-13. Establish a set of standards and “quality of life” criteria for attracting new businesses.
ED-I-14. Establish a partnership with the Plumas Unified School District, and particularly the administration of schools in Portola. The purpose is to identify methods of sharing resources to enhance the education value of the local schools.
ED-I-15. Work with the schools to establish practical job training and vocational education programs geared to industries and
occupational needs anticipated in the area.
ED-I-16. Monitor the availability of housing in the City relative to the growth in planned employment within a ten mile radius of Portola and, at a minimum of three year intervals, evaluate the need for additional land area for housing to accommodate new housing.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
Policies: Infrastructure for Economic Development
ED-P-12. Ensure that the highest available levels of communications, transportation, and public infrastructure are available in Portola.
ED-P-13. Ensure that development pays a fair share of community costs associated with the development but assist new businesses to find funding for new investment in the community.
Implementation: Infrastructure for Economic Development ED-I-17. Maintain a Capital Improvements Program that identifies the one-, five-, and ten-year plan for upgrading existing and constructing new infrastructure to serve industrial/business-professional, commercial and residential areas.
ED-I-18. Encourage implementation of agreements among electric service providers in the region that ensure adequate and reliable electric power sources and distribution systems in Portola.
ED-I-19. Seek to establish fiber optic, or alternate high-speed communications service, within Portola and periodically meet with the service provider to review the service. As technology evolves to a new type of service, the City of Portola will seek to ensure that the “state-of-the art” in communications is available.
ED-I-20. Establish funding for new road improvements and on-going road maintenance related to the development and ultimate use of the land.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
ED-I-21. Encourage Plumas County to maintain and improve Nervino Airport in support of business and tourism.
ED-I-22. Encourage local businesses to support the use of Nervino Airport by including it in advertising, and to provide services, such as airport pickup, for general aviation travelers.
ED-I-23. Review the City of Portola development fee schedule on an annual basis to ensure that the fees charged reasonable, but sufficient to ensure that all new service and public facilities costs resulting from new development are paid by the development.
Policies: Community Image and Quality of Life
ED-P-14. Maintain and enhance an attractive community environment that will draw visitors, residents, and new employers.
Implementation: Community Image and Quality of Life
ED-I-24. Vigorously enforce nuisance abatement procedures to ensure that dilapidated properties will not become visual blight.
ED-I-25. Establish guidelines for providing assistance in clearing dilapidated properties to low-income households and others reasonably unable to comply with City of Portola nuisance abatement procedures.
ED-I-26. Implement the policies established in the Community Design Element on all public lands, facilities, and rights-of-way.
Policies: Regional Cooperation
ED-P-15. Encourage and participate in regional cooperative efforts for economic development by building long-term partnerships between the City of Portola, Plumas County, businesses, business organizations, and the educational, arts and environmental groups.
ED-P-16. The City of Portola will cooperate with other agencies, interest groups, businesses, and private citizens in promoting tourism and leisure industry activities in the East Plumas County region.
Implementation: Regional Cooperation
ED-I-27. Participate in regional joint marketing programs.
ED-I-28. Maintain a web page to provide information about the City of Portola and local businesses on the Internet.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
Policies: Timely Development Review Procedures
ED-P-17. Establish a standard procedure for responding to inquiries about locating businesses in Portola. Such a procedure should provide a level of certainty and immediacy for applicants to assure them of the City’s interest in economic development.
Implementation: Timely Development Review Procedures
ED-I-29. Appoint a City staff member to work with local organizations, commercial brokers, and project applicants.
ED-I-30. Establish clear zoning and development standards that will expedite the City’s project review process.
ED-I-31. Publish a simple, clear set of guidelines and procedures for development project applicants. The publication should outline the steps involved in project entitlement and provide the name and telephone number of City and other agency staff people involved in the project review process.
Policies: Expand Tourism and Visitor Opportunities
ED-P-18. Encourage development of new tourism activity beyond the traditional summer season.
ED-P-19. Encourage the development of conference and meeting facilities.
ED-P-20. Establish multiple locations for special events throughout the core of the City. The intent is to accommodate multiple events
concurrently, or to accommodate a single large event spread over several sites.
ED-P-21. Encourage development of lodging facilities.
ED-P-22. Encourage development of the railroad museum as a major visitor attraction for Portola.
Implementation: Expand Tourism and Visitor Opportunities ED-I-32. Identify and designate sites that may be used in a coordinated program for activities.
ED-I-33. Acquire additional facilities for events, such as the vacant block adjacent to the Railroad Museum and the old hospital site.
ED-I-34. Designate sites appropriate for lodging facilities.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Economic Development Element
ED-I-35. Work with local businesses and landowners to identify suitable locations for conference and meeting facilities to host seminars, business meetings, small conferences, and social events.
ED-I-36. Establish a cooperative working agreement with the Railroad Museum to promote visits to the museum and related visitor tourist activities.
6. Public Services and Facilities Element DRAFT
Public facilities and services are the framework that supports and sustains the community.
They are essential to maintaining the current quality of life and accommodating economic growth and development in the community. The availability and capacity of public infrastructure determines the ability to use land.
The Public Services and Facilities Element is focused on ensuring that the community infrastructure is in place to accommodate the growth and development identified in other elements of this General Plan. This element addresses both hard infrastructure (such as sewer and water) and the public services (such as police and fire). The City of Portola provides the basic infrastructure and some of the public services required by the community. A variety of public agencies and private franchises provide other services.
All facilities and services are included to ensure that the resources required to support the community is available when needed.
The infrastructure facilities and services addressed in this element are:
❖Water
❖Sewer
❖Major Drainage
❖Communications
❖Electricity
❖Solid Waste
❖Schools
❖Libraries
❖Recreation and Parks
❖Police
❖Fire Protection
❖Community Services and General Government
Authority
The Public Facilities and Service Element is an optional element of the General Plan under Section 65303 of the Government Code.
The general plan may include any other elements or address any other subjects which, in the judgment of the legislative body, relate to the physical development of the county or city.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The location and capacity of basic infrastructure is closely related to the Land Use Element, Housing Element, Circulation Element, and Economic Development Element.
The goals and policies of these other elements cannot be fully achieved where the basic public infrastructure is lacking.
Relationship to the Region
Most of the facilities and services described in this element are primarily for the benefit of the citizens of Portola. However, certain services clearly are of regional significance and benefit. The City shares these services outside the city boundary. Fire protection, for example, is extended beyond the city through mutual aid agreements.
Public Services and Facilities Goals
The Public Facilities and Services Element addresses a broad range of activities by the City and the other service agencies in the community. Each of these services and activities may have specific goals that relate only to the character of that service.
Underlying all of these specific goals are guiding principles that relate to all of the services. These principles establish the fundamental direction for expanding and refining the public services in the community.
Goal PF-1. The City will be innovative in new techniques and technologies to provide the best available “state-of-the-art” level of public services in a costeffective manner.
Goal PF-2. Public infrastructure and services will be affordable to the residents and business interests in the City.
Goal PF-3. Facilities improvements and services required to serve development will not place an economic burden on existing residents of the City.
Development will pay a fair share of all costs of required public infrastructure and services.
Goal PF-4. Public improvements and facilities will be designed to enhance, rather than degrade, the natural environment in the City and surrounding area.
Goal PF-5. The City’s public services and facilities will support economic development and residential growth in the city.
Goal PF-6. Public facilities and services agencies will cooperate on a regional basis.
Goal PF-7. Conduits to provide connection between public facilities on both sides of the river shall be included on any new bridge structure.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Projected Growth Relative to Public Services and Facilities Population growth and economic development affects all public services and facilities.
The land use projections and the associated population growth described in the Land Use Element is summarized here to define the range of effects of development.
Infill Areas
Older areas of the city (outlined in Figure 6-1) were never fully developed and lack basic sewer, water, drainage, and streets. Full development of the city will require extending the basic infrastructure to these “infill” areas. The infill areas provide efficient growth areas within the city boundary. New development would require relatively short extensions of the existing infrastructure system and would provide improved circulation, for pedestrians and vehicles, within the existing core area.
Policies: Core Area Infill Development
PF-P-1. Facilitate development of the infill areas by extending infrastructure.
PF-P-2. Encourage comprehensive development rather than incremental, single project development.
PF-P-3. Encourage compact, mixed-use design in the infill areas that respond to the topographic and other natural constraints.
PF-P-4. Make use of the public right-of-way as a tool for facilitating good quality design and development.
Implementation: Core Area Infill Development
PF-I-1. The City will encourage landowners in the infill areas and facilitate organization to master plan the extension of public infrastructure.
PF-I-2. The City will work with the landowners to prepare comprehensive development plans equitable to all landowners and the City.
PF-I-3. The City will investigate means of serving these areas with minimal capital expenditure and will identify and implement the most feasible funding mechanism.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Figure 6-1
Infrastructure Development Infill Areas
Domestic Water
Supply
Portola provides water for domestic consumption and fire flow. The current sources of city water supply include Willow Creek Springs, municipal wells, and the Lake Davis Water Treatment Plant. Additional water capacity can be developed from new wells in the city and the unused springs located on Beckwourth Peak.
The City has a current requirement for a source of supply of approximately 937 gallons per minute (gpm) averaged over the maximum use day with is approximately 1,350,000 gallons per day (gpd). The City currently has a sustained yield source capacity of approximately 950 gpm or about 1,370,000 gpd. The estimated 2027 source requirement assumes a 5% average growth (Water Master Plan) and is 2480 gpm or about 3,580,000 gpd.
The current sources include:
Lake Davis Water Treatment Plant ... est. 1,500,000 gpd City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Willow Creek Springs........................... 200-300 gpm (depending on season) Maintenance Yard Well..................... 300 gpm
Commercial Street Well ..................... 600 gpm
The City owns a subterranean water collection system on 160 acres at Willow Creek Springs, located approximately 4 miles northwest of the City. Willow Creek was originally developed by the City in 1957. The source was further improved with the construction of underground galleries in 1974. With these improvements the Willow Creek facility consistently produces approximately 312 gallons per minute (503 acre feet per year).
Potential for connecting additional spring “pods” to the system is believed to be limited to less than 100 gallons per minute (gpm) (Pyramid Engineers, page 11). The water is delivered to the City’s terminal facility through an 8 inch pipe. A 1958 report by the state Department of Public Health reported the pipe capacity at 667 gpm, more than double the output of the springs. Though this has decreased markedly with age, the delivery system probably has some unused available capacity.
The City operates two wells located on the south side of town. The Maintenance Yard Well, located in the Portola Corporation Yard at First and Main Streets was drilled in 1993 and fully improved as a municipal water supply in 1995. The well has consistently yielded 300 to 320 gpm.
The Commercial Street Park Well, located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Gulling Street, was put in service in 1998. This well has an estimated sustained yield of 600 gpm.
The City has rights to four separate spring sources on Beckwourth Peak, south of the CityTurner, Malloy, Golden and Darby. Total estimated capacity of these springs is 170 gpm (270 acre-feet per year). The City stopped using the springs as a water source in 1971, after the Lake Davis water became available. At that time the Lake Davis water was considered more reliable and subject to fewer potential health hazards. Approximately 30,000 feet of antiquated and substandard water lines connect the spring sources with the City’s distribution system.
Development of these springs for future use would require improvements to collect the water below ground (below root level) and a new delivery pipeline system. The cost of such improvements is unknown, but likely to be substantial relative to the amount of water that can be delivered.
Lake Davis Water Treatment Plant
The Lake Davis Water Treatment Plant was constructed as part of the State Water Project and commenced deliveries to the City in 1970. In 1997 the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) poisoned the lake in an attempt to remove the invasive Northern Pike fish. Domestic use of the lake water was terminated as a result of that action. In May 1999, DFG reported that the species Northern Pike had been rediscovered in Lake Davis.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
This announcement led to concerns about the future use of Lake Davis as a potable water supply and a 2007 chemical treatment. No pike have been found in Lake Davis since 2007.
In the following years, after numerous public hearings and the settlement of a lawsuit that resulted in an agreement to bring Lake Davis Water Treatment Plan up to new Safe Drinking Water Act standards, the City and County entered into an agreement to work together to bring the Plant back online. The LDWTP is currently in service.
Future Water Supply and Demand
The existing water supply is adequate for the population and land use development anticipated in this General Plan. An expansion and upgrading of the water storage and distribution system may be necessary. The City completed a Water System Master Plan in 2006 that addresses the water supply and distribution needs for the growth of the community.
Water demand for future development is estimated on the basis of 375 gallons per day per single family dwelling. This estimate considers that all new and renovated residential development will be required to use water conserving fixtures, and that the used of water for outdoor irrigation in the mountain environment is relatively less than required in large lot residential use in other climates. The growing season is relatively short, and the style of landscaping typically relies on native materials that require little irrigation. Turf landscaping is not restricted in private yards, but the use of lawn areas is typically small compared to conventional suburban areas. Therefore, there is no difference in estimated water demand between large estate lot and small urban lots.
The future demand for water is based on the average water demand for a single-family home. The average water requirement for a single-family home is referred to as a “dwelling unit equivalent” (or DUE), and all water demand for all uses are measured in “dwelling unit equivalents”. This measure includes non-residential units.
Commercial and light industrial water use will vary with the type of activity. Large water use industrial activities cannot be accommodated in the community unless a supplemental water supply is developed. For estimating the average commercial use, the water demand is based on an assumed .5 DUE per acre.
Distribution
The water distribution service area includes the city as well as small, unincorporated areas to the north of Joy Road and portions of the Portola Heights neighborhood. All of the City’s supply and storage facilities are in good operating order and comply with current water supply standards. Water storage for the City is in three covered, aboveground steel tanks. The Northside tank is a 1.0-million-gallon facility installed in 1976. A 250,000-gallon tank and a 500,000 gallon tank located south of the high school serves the City south of the river.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Policies: Water Supply and Distribution
PF-P-5. Secure sufficient sources of water to meet the needs of the existing community and planned growth.
PF-P-6. Domestic water will be allocated first to serve residential and commercial uses that exist prior to adoption of this General Plan.
PF-P-7. The City will allocate water for future development to maintain a balance of jobs and housing. Exceptionally high-water users that do not generate a reasonable number of jobs will not be permitted in the absence of other significant benefits to the community.
PF-P-8. City water service will not be extended to unincorporated areas unless an adequate supply is available for all areas within the city.
PF-P-9. The City will develop a program for the use of recycled water for exterior landscaping within the parameters of State and County Health Codes and standards.
PF-P-10. Develop and implement water conservation measures as necessary elements of the water system.
PF-P-11. Ensure that all development provides for and funds a fair share of the costs for adequate water distribution, including line extensions, easements, and plant expansions.
PF-P-12. Monitor water quality regularly and take necessary measures to prevent contamination.
PF-P-13. Provide an emergency backup system which that meets 150% of average demand.
Implementation: Water Supply and Distribution
PF-I-4. The City will prepare and adopt a Water System Master Plan that identifies the sources of water and the treatment, storage and distribution system required to serve the future growth of Portola.
The Master Plan will establish a baseline water capacity sufficient to serve the community as of 2045. All subsequent water uses will be required to demonstrate the availability of water supply, storage, and distribution before approval of any land use entitlements. The City will maintain a City-wide map of all water distribution and storage system components and monitor the condition of the system on a regular basis.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
PF-I-5. The City will continue to identify and secure water supplies from ground water sources,
PF-I-6. The City shall require, as a condition of project approval, dedication of land and easements, or payment of appropriate fees and exactions, to help offset municipal costs of expansion of water treatment facilities and delivery systems.
PF-I-7. The City will encourage the use of recycled water for landscape irrigation where feasible within the parameters of State and County Health Codes and standards.
PF-I-8. The City will continue to monitor water quality.
Sewer
Sewer collection and treatment systems in Portola have been constructed piecemeal over a period of decades. Serious infiltration problems and inadequate treatment resulted in upgrading the collection system and improvements to the treatment plant during the 1990’s. The current system is adequate for the existing community, but expansion of the collection system will be needed to accommodate the development anticipated in the Land Use Element. In addition, improvements are required to make full use of the treatment plant.
Collection System
The existing collection system is comprised of 15 miles of six, eight, or ten-inch lines of varying materials. The sewage collection system includes a Northside Pumping Station and a Southside Pumping Station. Both of these were constructed in the late 1940’s.
Prior to improvements completed in 1997 and in 1999, leaky sewer mains and laterals contributed an estimated average of .68 million gallons per day (mgd) of inflow and infiltration during the wet weather season to the treatment plant in 1997. The estimated total peak wet weather flow to the treatment plant was 1.56 mgd.
Improvements to the pumping stations and the treatment plant were completed in Summer, 1997 as part of the State Revolving Loan Fund Project No. C-06-4364, Phase I of improvements to the entire city sewer system. Phase I addressed fundamental causes of past sewage surcharges by substantial reconstruction of the Northside and Southside pumping stations including: complete replacement of motors, pumps and piping, installation of new, optimized controls, correction of or addition to wet wells, addition of auxiliary power and building modifications.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Sewage Treatment
Sewage treatment consists of aeration and settling ponds. The ponds provide primary treatment in a total of 17.3 acres. The last step of sewage treatment is the chlorination/ dechlorination of pond discharge prior to flow into the 5.8-acre storage pond.
Treated and disinfected effluent is discharged from the storage pond to 1.8 acres of constructed wetland adjacent to the river. Subject to Waste Discharge Order 92-147, the treated and disinfected effluent may be discharged to the river only during the period from November 1stto August 15th. Expanded pond area and effluent chlorination facilities were constructed in 1992.
Phase I also included improved sewage treatment by providing inter-pond piping between the stabilization ponds as well as the aeration pond and emergency aeration pond. This piping provides complete flexibility and routing through and/or around any of the seven noted ponds. The 1992 improvements to the pond and treatment system have served to assure discharge of effluent in conformance with prevailing water quality standards and regulations. Discharge from the City treatment facility continues to be to the Feather River during the Winter and to constructed wetlands in the Summer, in accord with the Waste Discharge Requirements.
Subsequent to the improvements completed in 1997 the treatment plant has capacity to process an average dry weather flow of 0.50 million gallons per day (mgd). The peak wet weather flow capacity is 0.74 mgd and the design capacity is 0.75 mgd.
Average Household Demand for Sewer Service
The average daily flow generated by a single-family home dwelling unit equivalent is 218 gallons. However, inflow and infiltration increase the average wet weather flow to 317 gallons per day per dwelling unit. Reductions in average dry weather flow due to improved pipeline construction found in new development will further reduce the average daily flow to 275 gallons per dwelling unit equivalent (DUE) per day in new construction areas.
At the average rate of 275 gallons per day per dwelling unit equivalent, the wastewater treatment plant has the capacity to serve a total of 1,818 dwelling unit equivalents, approximately double the current demand for wastewater treatment in the City.
Policies: Wastewater Collection and Treatment
PF-P-14. Ensure wastewater collection and treatment for all development in the City and the safe disposal of wastes.
PF-P-15. The City will require that collection systems be designed on a gravity-flow basis except where a site-specific engineering analysis City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
clearly demonstrates the long-term cost effectiveness of pump facilities.
PF-P-16. The City will maintain capacity to process combined residential, commercial, and industrial flow.
PF-P-17. The City will maintain the ability to handle peak discharge flow while meeting State Regional Water Quality Control Board Standards as established in the current NPDES Permit.
Implementation: Wastewater Collection and Treatment
PF-I-9. The City will require all sewage generators within its service area to connect to the city’s system, except those areas where on-site treatment and disposal facilities are deemed appropriate.
PF-I-10. The City will encourage and permit an industrial pretreatment program for the Portola Business Park and other industrial uses in accordance with state and federal requirements.
PF-I-11. The City will consider the use of sub-area or project specific wastewater treatment facilities that use innovative technologies that produce tertiary effluent with minimal energy costs. The intent is to encourage water recycling and reduce future demands on the existing city plant.
PF-I-12. The City will investigate methods of improving the quality of the effluent from the City plant and will investigate options for reuse of treated wastewater. The recycled wastewater will be used for irrigation of public recreation lands, restoration of wetland areas, and irrigation of landscaped areas.
PF-I-13. The city will promote reduced wastewater system demand through efficient water use by:
a. requiring water conserving design and equipment in new construction;
b. encouraging retrofitting with water conserving devices; c. designing wastewater systems to minimize inflow and infiltration to the extent economically feasible; and
d. maintaining a city-wide map of all sewer collection system components and monitor the condition of the system on a regular basis.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
PF-I-14. The City will monitor the increase in wastewater flow on an annual basis and will periodically expand the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant to ensure that there is capacity to serve a minimum of five years of additional projected growth at any time.
Major Drainage
Storm drainage is periodically a critical issue because a narrow corridor along the river is subject to flooding. Much of the flooding is caused by conditions outside the City rather than local development. Nonetheless, as the City continues to develop, there will be an ongoing need to minimize flood waters in the existing flood plain and along the major drainage channels. Storm water drainage is managed in a system of open channels, such as the Wild Cat Creek channel in City Park, and underground storm drains. The City of Portola Master Drainage Plan (1987) identified a series of specific improvements required to accommodate drainage of the existing urban area of the City. In addition, the plan identified other measures that apply to future development:
• Easements should be obtained where they do not already exist, along all major stormwater systems that lie outside public road rights-of-way. The granting of these easements should be made a standard practice with the approval of development projects.
• Orderly development of the City storm drainage system can be further enhanced by the construction of curb and gutter and the grading of lots to flow to the street or drainage easement as a part of individual lot development.
Policies: Storm Water
PF-P-18. The City will seek to minimize additional storm water runoff from new development areas.
PF-P-19. The City will establish equitable methods of paying for future storm drainage improvements.
PF-P-20. Storm water will be managed in natural channels rather than underground pipes where feasible.
PF-P-21. No net increase in storm water compared to the undeveloped condition will be permitted in new development areas.
PF-P-22. Stormwater system improvements will be extended to the infill areas shown in Figure 6-1 when feasible.
Implementation: Storm Water
PF-I-15. The City will explore alternatives to storm water management methods including on-site retention and detention basins and City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
maintain a City-wide map of all drainage system components and monitor the condition of the system on a regular basis.
PF-I-16. Developers will be encouraged to consider use of porous materials for outdoor spaces, paving, and sidewalks where feasible to promote groundwater infiltration.
PF-I-17. The City will explore the feasibility of a City-wide rate structure to fund storm water improvements and on-going maintenance.
Require all new development to pay this fee as a condition of the project approval.
Communications
Communication is essential to economic development for Portola. New businesses will be attracted to Portola for the quality of life, but many will need state-of-the-art communications to sustain their businesses. Access to the Internet will enable residents and businesses to have the same level of communications technology, and all the information and services that are available in any metropolitan region. The intent is to ensure that the highest level of communications technology is available to businesses and residents. The City will seek to be positioned to take advantage of new technologies.
Policies: Communications
PF-P-22. Expand the level of communications service throughout the City through cable, fiber optic lines, wireless internet facilities, and other technologies as they become available.
Implementation: Communications
PF-I-18. Explore the development of additional telecommunications technology within the City including, but not limited to, wireless internet facilities, fiber optic cable, DSL, cable services, and other new technologies.
PF-I-19. Indicate to potential service providers the interest to expand communication services in the City, and the intent to ensure that residents and businesses have access to the highest level of communications technology feasible in the Portola area.
PF-I-20. Cooperate with service providers to enable construction of improvements for communications.
PF-I-21. Where necessary to ensure that telecommunications will be provided in the most cost-effective manner with minimal disruption City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
to city streets and services, the city will require that all new development install sleeves, conduit, and other underground facilities required for future telecommunication services.
Electricity
Availability of relatively cost-effective power is essential for many types of businesses and for the residents of Portola. In order to expand economic development opportunities, the City must seek and support expansion of the available power supply.
Liberty Energy provides electric power to Portola. The Liberty Energy substation is located at the intersection of Gulling Street and Fourth Avenue. Power is delivered to the substation in the transmission line along Pole Line Road that connects east to Loyalton.
The substation contains two transformers with a capacity of 3 megawatts and 5 megawatts, respectively. Portola currently uses approximately 5 of the total 8 megawatts available from this substation.
Liberty Utilities currently maintains three diesel generators at the substation as backup power in case of power outages in Portola or Loyalton. These generators have a capacity of two (2) megawatts each and are currently near their backup capacity in cases of widespread power outages due to such events as large winter storms.
Power is distributed throughout Portola in a system of overhead power lines typically along the public streets. Power lines are underground in the more recent subdivisions, such as Ridgewood.
Policies: Electric Service
PF-P-23. Ensure that reliable, adequate electric service is available to all uses in the City at reasonable cost.
PF-P-24. Cooperate with and encourage efforts to expand the opportunities for electric power service in the City.
Implementation: Electric Service
PF-I-22. The City will investigate opportunities to develop alternative sources of electric energy as they become available.
PF-I-23. The City will consider participation with utility companies in generating and/or distributing electric service within the City.
PF-I-24. The City will encourage energy conservation measures and innovative uses of solar energy, heat recovery, and cogeneration in all structures and industrial processes.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
PF-I-25. The City will communicate its major development plans with utility companies and coordinate planning expansion of these utilities.
PF-I-26. The City will require undergrounding of utility lines in new development and as areas are redeveloped, except where
infeasible for operational reasons.
Solid Waste
Solid waste generated by homes and businesses in Portola is collected by Intermountain Disposal (pursuant to a Franchise Agreement), collected at the Delleker Transfer Station, and then transported to the Lockwood Regional Landfill in Sparks, Nevada. Waste consists predominantly of mixed municipal solid wastes. Self-haul customers also deliver their waste to the Delleker Transfer Station. Ultimately, the waste is transported to the Lockwood Regional Landfill in Sparks, Nevada.
The City owns the Portola Landfill, which collected the City’s waste through October 2002. State and Federal regulations placed on the City’s landfill prompted its early closure for acceptance of solid waste material. Effective November 1, 2002, the Portola Landfill no longer accepts solid waste material. Additionally, the Environmental Reclamation Center, operated by Intermountain Disposal, was moved from the area east of the Portola landfill, to the Delleker Transfer Station. The Environmental Reclamation Center is open seasonally to the public.
Intermountain Disposal provides curbside pickup and recycling, yard waste pickup, bulky waste pickup, rear-load containers, roll-off containers, storage units.
City of Portola Source Reduction and Recycling Element
The City of Portola has established the following goals for the integrated management of solid waste generated within its borders:
• To provide for the safe, efficient, and cost-effective removal of waste from residences, businesses, and industry.
• To provide adequate disposal capacity at local or regional landfills for waste generated in the City.
• To reduce the amount of waste disposed of in landfills by:
reducing the amount of waste generated (i.e. source reduction); maximizing the recycling of generated waste;
utilizing the nutrient value of generated waste through composting; to dispose of the remaining waste in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
• To assure the development of recycling, composting, waste transfer, and disposal facilities which satisfy the highest established environmental standards and regulations.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
• To provide for the safe and efficient handling of special wastes.
The Source Reduction and Recycling Element adopted by the City of Portola in 1996 identified the total waste generated by category through 2005 and projected the total refuse disposal through 2014.
Policies: Solid Waste Management
PF-P-25. The City will implement and enforce the provisions of its Source Reduction and Recycling Element.
Education
Educational opportunities are important for the quality of life of residents and the overall sense of community that a good school system provides. The education programs and facilities are an integral part of the community. Good local education opportunity is also an important factor in economic development. The local public school system is essential because future employees will prefer to locate where their children have access to quality education.
Advanced education and training is important for residents to expand their interests and increase their job skills. Technological advances in many fields require that workers have access to on-going training. Therefore, adult education and lifelong learning opportunities will become increasingly important.
Existing Primary and Secondary Education Resources
The Plumas Unified School District (PUSD) is a County-wide district. Charter schools not operated by PUSD are also located in Portola. PUSD operates three (3) schools in Portola:
• C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School: +/- 350 students • Portola Jr. / Sr. High School: +/- 280 students
• Long Valley Charter School- Portola Resource Center (grades K-12): +/- 100 students
Student enrollment throughout the District, including the Portola Attendance Area, has been in steady decline. However, the Portola Attendance Area is projected to experience a modest resurgence in enrollment. The population growth projected in the Land Use Element suggests that the demand for school space will increase significantly over the twenty-year horizon of the General Plan. If development occurs at an average growth rate of three percent annually, the Portola Attendance Area will increase by approximately 836 dwellings. The Plumas Unified School District’s Facilities Master Plan (2016) describes school related items that would be impacted by growth, including student generation rates, projected students, and school capacities, among other related items.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
However, current trends do not indicate significant population growth in the schools according to the PUSD Facilities Master Plan (2016). C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School has a student population of 364 and Portola Junior/Senior High School has a student population of 253. The PUSD Facilities Master Plan indicates that C. Roy Carmichael can accommodate 647 students, and Portola Jr.-Sr. High School can accommodate 526 students.
The growth projections used in the General Plan indicate that the population in the Portola area could more than double in the next two decades. Such growth would surely increase the demand for classroom space near or beyond the capacity of the existing campuses.
Additional school sites, if needed, will require substantial time for advance planning, and ultimately design and construction. The district and the City need to cooperatively plan for the location of future schools.
Existing Post Secondary Education Resources
Post secondary education is provided by the Feather River College, located in Quincy.
The community college is an important resource that could have an expanded presence in Portola as the community grows as the economic hub of east Plumas County. The city will encourage the expansion of the community college programs and, ultimately, facilities within the community. The growth of telecommunications as a teaching tool can help the community college expand their program offerings locally.
Similarly, many larger institutions offer extended learning programs through telecommunications. In keeping with the goals and policies for expanding telecommunications opportunities in Portola, the City will encourage the expansion of education opportunities.
The University of Nevada, Reno is the nearest four-year institution. The opportunities for extending education through on campus programs are expanding for Portola residents with the growth in commuting to the Reno area for employment.
Policies: Education
PF-P-26. Adequate facilities must be shown to be available in a timely manner before approval will be granted to new residential development.
PF-P-27. Financing of new school facilities will be identified and assured before new development is approved.
PF-P-28. The City and the School District will work together to develop criteria for the designation of school sites and consider the opportunities for reducing the cost of land for school facilities. The City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
City will encourage the school district to comply with City standards in the design and landscaping of school facilities.
PF-P-29. The City and the School District will consider opportunities for jointuse of facilities. If feasible, a joint-use agreement will be pursued to maximize public use of facilities, minimize duplication of services provided, and facilitate shared financial and operational responsibilities.
PF-P-30. Designate public/quasi-public land uses in clusters, such as the civic core area, so that the use of schools, parks, open space, libraries, childcare and community activity and service centers create a community or activity focus.
PF-P-31. Where feasible, schools will be located away from hazards or sensitive resource conservation areas, except where the proximity of resources may be of educational value and the protection of resources is reasonably assured.
Implementation: Education
PF-I-27. The City will inventory all public lands to identify opportunities for joint-use facilities.
PF-I-28. As needed, the City will request a meeting with the Administrator and the Board of Trustees of the school district to review development issues and opportunities for cooperation between the school district and the city.
PF-I-29. The City will encourage the school district to provide curriculum that enhances the economic development potential of the area.
PF-I-30. The City will encourage the Feather River College to expand the education program offerings in Portola.
Libraries
Libraries are an important part of community quality of life. Even with the expanding use of the Internet as a means of communication and disseminating information, the public library will continue to function as a source of printed information, and a landmark institution that helps define the community.
The Portola Branch Library was built in 1994 and planning for the building included anticipation of the city’s future growth. The library is 3,950 square feet in size and was built to serve a population up to 6,000 people. The library can hold up to 14,000 volumes.
Currently, the library has 10,250 volumes. On the basis of 14,000 volumes to serve 6,000 people, the current service capacity of the library is a population of 4,393 people. This is City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
approximately double the current population of the City, but this library serves the population of eastern Plumas County.
Staffing is based primarily on circulation (number of books checked out). An increase in population would cause a proportional increase in the demand for services. The growth projections used in this General Plan indicate that the population in the Portola area could more than double in the next two decades. Such growth would surely increase the demand for library services. However, the increased use of the Internet and other information resources may diminish the normal level of increase.
Policies: Libraries
PF-P-32. The City and County will work together to develop criteria for expansion of library service in the City.
Implementation: Libraries
PF-I-31. As the need for additional capacity emerges, the City and County will consider opportunities for joint use of facilities. If feasible, a joint-use agreement will be pursued to maximize public use of facilities, minimize duplication of services provided, and facilitate shared financial and operational responsibilities.
PF-I-32. Designate public/quasi-public land uses in clusters, such as the civic core area, so that the use of schools, parks, open space, libraries, childcare, and community activity and service centers create a community or activity focus.
Recreation and Parks
Parks are an important part of the overall vision for the City of Portola. The overall intent of the park improvements in the City is to provide recreation amenities for the residents.
A secondary objective is to provide space for public gatherings that may attract visitors to the community. In addition to the typical purpose of providing open space and recreation for City residents, the parks are envisioned as space for music and craft fairs, exhibitions, and other public events. Consequently, the parks need to be designed to serve a variety of roles.
In order to meet the primary objective of resident recreation, the park facilities need to be designed with the local neighborhoods in mind. With the current distribution of parks (one to the north and one to the south of the river) there is a park within reasonable walking distance of all residents. The intent is to provide a series of parks within convenient walking distance of one another and linked by a pedestrian system consisting of sidewalks and trails through open space areas.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
The City currently owns three developed park sites including the 35-acre Riverwalk Park, the 13.8-acre City Park, the 2-acre West End Park, and the 5-acre Baldwin Park. The city maintains a total of 55.8 acres of dedicated parkland, or 26.5 acres per one thousand residents. A total of 18.8 acres of park are fully improved.
Under the California Subdivision Map Act (the “Quimby Act”) a City or County can require the dedication of up to five (5) acres of park per one thousand residents. In lieu of dedication of land, a developer may pay a fee for dedication of land to the city.
The Riverwalk Park along the north bank of the Feather River is a visual and social center for the community. It is a place for active recreation, quiet open space, and river access, as well as a highly visible open space that helps establish the character of the city.
Policies: Recreation and Parks
PF-P-41. The Riverwalk Park and the City Park are to provide the primary areas for public activities that will draw visitors to the community.
These parks will include picnic areas, restrooms, and a turf area that can be used for craft fairs, music presentations, sporting events and similar activities. Parking will be provided near or on the park site.
PF-P-42. Standards for neighborhood parks should be developed by the City, which may include minimum size and amenities.
Implementation: Recreation and Parks
PF-I-31. The City will establish specific development criteria for the use of Riverwalk Park in a Master Plan for this area.
PF-I-32. The City will seek joint-use of tennis courts and other public use facilities with the school district.
PF-I-33. The City will establish a park development and maintenance fee program applied to all new residential development.
PF-I-34. All new residential development will be required to make a land dedication or pay an in-lieu fee for park land dedication based on providing 5 acres per 1,000 residents.
Police Services
Growth in the City of Portola, along with increased tourism and businesses, will incrementally increase the demand for police protection over time. Increases in the level of police services will need to grow in response to population increases.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
Law enforcement in Portola is provided by the Plumas County Sheriff’s Office. The patrol service for the eastern portion of the County is headquartered at the Sheriff’s substation located on Gulling Street in Portola adjacent to the Portola Library and City Hall. The City of Portola contracts with the PCSO to provide patrol service within the city limits. The contract is renegotiated periodically to reflect increased levels of service and costs of service.
In order for the city to pursue implementation of the Community Oriented Policing concept it is necessary to establish specific guidelines and objectives for police services.
This can be accomplished through close coordination with the County Sheriff, but as the community grows, the concept of a City-based police service should be considered.
Policies: Police
PF-P-42. The City will establish a standard for the level of police service and will establish the criteria for determining the circumstances under which police service will be improved.
Implementation: Police
PF-I-35. The City will review the level of service provided by the County Sheriff and determine whether increased levels of service are required to serve additional population.
PF-I-36. The City will establish the means of funding additional police service through benefit assessment districts, sales tax, fees for development, or other methods.
Fire Protection
Fire protection and emergency response is essential for the well-being of the city residents and is fundamental to attract many types of business to the community. The Beckwourth Fire District currently provides for fire protection and emergency response in the City. The cumulative effect of growth in the city will incrementally increase the number of calls for fire protection and emergency response. The current Insurance Services Organization (ISO) level of service, and other indicators of service capability, will be affected over time. The effects will be in terms of personnel requirements for training and emergency responses, and in increased need to upgrade equipment and engines.
The Beckwourth Fire District is a partial paid and partial volunteer organization, and maintains an ISO class of 4/6. This reflects a relatively high standard of training, personnel, equipment, response times, and fire suppression water availability for a small, rural community. Through the Beckwourth Fire District, Portola maintains two stations, one north of the Middle Fork Feather River at the intersection of Gulling Street and Plumas Street, and the other south of the river at the intersection of First Avenue and Pacific Street. Furthermore, the City has been involved in regional, collaborative discussions City of Portola General Plan 2045 Public Services and Facilities Element
about the future of fire and emergency services in the area, including the exploration of ways to strengthen and improve services through the potential reorganization of how the services are provided.
The City Engineer has identified a potential fire flow deficiency within portions of the city resulting from the elevation relative to, and the distance from, the south storage tank.
This will be resolved by constructing a new water storage tank at a higher elevation on the south side of the city, and construction of new water distribution lines to serve Area B.
New development will be required to ensure adequate fire flow.
Policies: Fire Protection
PF-P-43. The City will establish fundamental standards for level of service that include response times and level of response criteria and will establish the criteria for determining the circumstances under which fire service will be improved.
PF-P-44. The City will continue exploring ways to ensure sustainable fire and emergency services are provided to the City.
Implementation: Fire Protection
PF-I-39. New development will participate in the funding of a prorated share of new fire protection equipment, including personnel safety equipment, engines, and stations through benefit assessment districts, sales tax, fees for development or other methods as may be established for this purpose.
PF-I-40. New construction will conform to all standards for fire safety as established by the City through zoning, other municipal codes, and building construction codes.
PF-I-41. The City Engineer will ensure that new development meets City standards for fire safety access and emergency egress.
8. Conservation and Open Space Element DRAFT
Clean air and water, healthy forests, meadows, streams and the Feather River make Portola an attractive place to live and work. These assets must be conserved and protected as the community grows and the population increases.
This General Plan seeks to accommodate population growth while conserving and protecting the area’s natural resources and quality of life. Economic development and quality of life are not inconsistent and contradictory goals. Indeed, economic development for the City of Portola and the east Plumas County region depends on protecting the abundant, high quality natural resources that are essential to the quality of life in Portola.
Authority
The Conservation Element and the Open Space Element are both mandated by the Government Code (Sections 65302(d) and 65302(e)) and are combined in this Element.
The Conservation Element is required to:
“. . .provide direction regarding the conservation, development, and utilization of natural resources.”
The Open Space Element is required to:
“. . .guide the comprehensive and long-range preservation and conservation of ‘open-space land’ (Section 65563). Open-space land is defined in the code as any parcel or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to open-space use (Section 65560(b)).”
Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
The required topics for Conservation and Open Space indicate substantial overlap.
Water supply, energy sources, and outdoor recreation are addressed in the Public Services and Facilities Element. Open space is addressed in the Land Use Element.
Energy efficiency is discussed in the Community Design Element and the Circulation Element.
Completeness Checklist & Required Contents- Conservation Based on a review of OPR’s Completeness Checklist as well as Required Contents and Statutory Requirements of the Conservation Element, the items in the checklist are addressed in the multiple items listed above. The requirements related to harbors and fisheries are not applicable to the City.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
The Conservation portion of this Element details how natural resources are conserved, developed, and utilized. In Portola, natural resources include water and its hydraulic force, forests, soils, rivers and other waters, wildlife, and other resources deemed important to the community.
California
Government
Code
Section
Brief Description of Requirement Addressed in
General Plan
65302(d)(1) Water and its hydraulic force (water conservation, water supply, and demand)
√
65302(d)(1) Floodwater accommodation √
65302(d)(1) Forest (conservation, risk of wildfire) √
65302(d)(1) Soils (management and conservation, agricultural production)
√
65302(d)(1) Rivers and other waters (water quality) √
65302(d)(1) Harbors N/A
65302(d)(1) Fisheries (management) N/A
65302(d)(1) Wildlife (conservation, habitat) √
65302(d)(1) Minerals (inventory, protection) √
65302(d)(1) Other natural resources √
Completeness Checklist & Required Contents - Open Space Based on a review of OPR’s Completeness Checklists this Conservation and Open Space Element complies with the California General Plan Guidelines.
The Government Code requirements for the Open Space Element are fulfilled via a multitude of overlapping policies in several City elements. The City has completed an initial inventory and map of the City’s open space lands that complies with the definition of open space in Government Code §65560(b) as “any parcel or area of land or water that is essentially unimproved and devoted to open space use.” The discussion of these topics are organized under the following headings:
▪ Water and its Hydraulic Force
▪ Floodwater Accommodation
▪ Forest
▪ Reclamation of Land and Waters
▪ Water Conservation
▪ Energy Conservation
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
▪ Soils and Erosion Control
▪ Water Quality
▪ Open Space
▪ Feather River
▪ Outdoor Recreation
▪ Biological Resources
▪ Archaeological, Historic, and Cultural Resources
▪ Public Health and Safety
California
Government
Code
Section
Brief Description of Requirement Addressed in
General Plan
65563 Long range and comprehensive √
65563 Plan for preservation and conservation of open space lands, including the following:
√
65560(h)(1) Open space for the preservation of natural resources, including, but not limited to, areas required for the
preservation of plant and animal life, including habitat for fish and wildlife species; areas required for ecologic and other scientific study purposes; rivers, streams,
bays, and estuaries; and coastal beaches, lakeshores,
banks of rivers and streams, and watershed lands.
√
65560(h)(2) Open space used for the managed production of resources, including, but not limited to, forest lands, rangeland, agricultural lands, and areas of economic
importance for the production of food or fiber; areas
required for recharge of groundwater basins; bays,
estuaries, marshes, rivers, and streams that are
important for the management of commercial
fisheries; and areas containing major mineral deposits, including those in short supply.
√
65560(h)(3) Open space for outdoor recreation, including, but not limited to, areas of outstanding scenic, historic, and
cultural value; areas particularly suited for park and
recreation purposes, including access to lakeshores,
beaches, and rivers and streams; and areas that serve
as links between major recreation and open-space
reservations, including utility easements, banks of rivers and streams, trails, and scenic highway corridors.
√
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
65560(h)(4) Open space for public health and safety, including, but not limited to, areas that require special
management or regulation because of hazardous or
special conditions such as earthquake fault zones,
unstable soil areas, flood plains, watersheds, areas
presenting high fire risks, areas required for the
protection of water quality and water reservoirs, and
areas required for the protection and enhancement of
air quality.
√
65560(h)(5) Open space in support of the mission of military installations that comprises areas adjacent to military installations, military training routes, and underlying restricted airspace that can provide additional buffer
zones to military activities and complement the
resource values of the military lands.
N/A
65560(h)(6) Open space for tribal resources, including public land containing any Native American sanctified cemetery,
place of worship, religious or ceremonial site, or sacred shrine; Native American historic, cultural, or sacred
sites, that are listed or may be eligible for listing in the California Register of Historic Resources pursuant to
Section 5024.1. tribal consultation is required to
determine the level of confidentiality needed
(Government Code section 65562.5)
√
65560(b) Inventory of the above lands to include any parcel that is essentially unimproved (i.e. need not be
completely vacant).
√
65562(a) Policies provide that open space “must be conserved wherever possible”.
√
65562(b) Coordinated with state and regional plans √
65564
65566
65567
65910
Action Plan:
• Acquisition and disposal of open space must be
consistent with the open space plan
• Building permits, subdivision maps, and zoning
must be consistent with the plan
• Open space zoning pursuant to Government
Code Section 65910 (e.g. exclusive agriculture
zones, large-lot zones, overlay zones for hazards
areas, etc.) must be consistent with the plan.
√
Water and its Hydraulic Force
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Portola lies within the watersheds of Humbug Creek and Middle Fork of the Feather River. The Middle Fork of the Feather River runs through the center of town and divides the City into north and south regions. Through the Feather River Coordinated Resource Management Group and the Plumas Watershed Form, the City participates in efforts to support watershed management and restoration activities.
The Feather River Coordinated Resource Management Group was established in 1985 by a broad coalition of local, state, and federal agencies and non-governmental entities to protect, maintain, and enhance ecosystems and community stability in the Feather River watershed through collaborative landowner participation.
In addition, the Plumas Watershed Forum was formed in 2003 as a result of the Monterey Settlement Agreement. The Forum's purpose is to implement watershed management and restoration activities in the Feather River Watershed.
The goals of the Forum are to:
1. Improve water retention for baseflow in streams
2. Improve water quality and streambank protection
3. Improve upland vegetation management
4. Improve groundwater retention and storage in major aquifers City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Figure 8-1
Watershed Hydrologic Units (https://maps.gis.ca.gov/cageneralplan/map.aspx) City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Reclamation of Land and Waters
The areas of reclamation within the City limits and the General Plan Study Area are within the USFS boundaries and are not impacted by this General Plan or its policies.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Figure 8-2
Protected Areas (https://maps.gis.ca.gov/cageneralplan/map.aspx) City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Water Conservation
Potable water is essential for human habitation. Conservation of water resources is essential for meeting the demands of current and future residents, and new economic development. The primary goals are to conserve and protect current water resources, and minimize the demand for new sources of water.
Water supply and conservation is also addressed in Section 6, the Public Services and Facilities Element.
Water Conservation Goals
Goal CO-1. Minimize the consumption of water to reasonable levels consistent with a high level of amenities and quality of life for residents and visitors.
Goal CO-2. Maximize the beneficial uses of water by recycling water for irrigation and other non-potable uses.
Policies: Water Conservation
CO-P-1. Develop and implement water conservation standards for all commercial and industrial development, and for all existing and new residential development.
CO-P-2. Explore potential uses of treated wastewater.
CO-P-3. Protect the quantity of Portola’s groundwater.
Implementation: Water Conservation
CO-I-1. Develop a landscape ordinance that provides standards for water conserving landscape practices, including the use of drought tolerant plants, for both public and private projects.
CO-I-2. Develop a public education program to increase public participation in water conservation.
CO-I-3. Require large commercial and industrial water users to submit a use and conservation plan as part of the project entitlement review and approval process and develop a program to monitor compliance with and effectiveness of that plan.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
CO-I-4. Cooperate with other agencies and jurisdictions to expand water conservation programs, and to develop methods of water reuse.
CO-I-5. Actively pursue the use of treated wastewater in irrigation and industrial applications, including development of appropriate infrastructure.
Energy Conservation
The potential for growth in Portola will depend on conserving and planning for the future allocation of energy resources. The primary goals are not only to conserve and protect current energy resources, but also to seek new sources of energy for current and future land use.
Energy Conservation Goals
Goal CO-3. Develop a pattern of land uses and circulation that will help conserve scarce or nonrenewable energy resources.
Goal CO-4. Utilize non-traditional energy sources such as co-generation, wind and solar to reduce dependence on traditional energy sources.
Goal CO-5. Promote energy efficiency in new development and in building design.
Policies: Energy Conservation
CO-P-4. Develop construction standards that promote energy conservation.
CO-P-5. Conserve public utilities.
CO-P-6. Conserve petroleum products.
CO-P-7. Encourage use of alternative energy sources in new commercial, industrial, and residential development.
Implementation: Energy Conservation
CO-I-6. Implement development standards which encourage energy conservation and the use of solar energy techniques for heating and cooling, including building orientation, street and lot layout, landscape placement, and protection of solar access.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
CO-I-7. Implement construction standards which encourage energy conservation including window placement, building eaves, and roof overhangs.
CO-I-8. Enforce Title 24 energy requirements (Building Code, California Code of Regulations (CCR)) which define construction standards that encourage energy conservation.
CO-I-9. Develop a public education program to increase public participation in energy conservation.
CO-I-10. Encourage large energy users to use an energy conservation plan as part of the project review and approval process and develop a program to monitor compliance with and effectiveness of that plan.
CO-I-11. Cooperate with other agencies and jurisdictions to expand energy conservation programs.
CO-I-12. Investigate alternative energy sources including cogeneration, solar energy, and wind generation.
CO-I-13. Implement Transportation System Management (TSM) measures, as outlined in the Circulation Element, which reduce the need for automobile use and petroleum products through an efficient roadway and intersection system. The circulation pattern is designed to minimize trips required for shopping and daily errands.
CO-I-14. Develop alternative transportation systems, such as public transportation and bikeways, which reduce the need for
automobile use and petroleum products.
Soil
The primary concerns regarding soil erosion are soil loss and water quality loss due to erosion and sedimentation. The effect on water quality is discussed in Section 8.4 below.
Soil loss is due primarily to development and land management practices that leave disturbed soil exposed to weather.
The majority of the soils in the study area were formed in alluvium and are found on alluvial fans and terraces or stream terraces. Runoff is slow on these deep alluvium soils, and the hazard of erosion is “slight.” The soils in the General Plan study area are described in Appendix B.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Figure 8-3
Soil Survey (https://maps.gis.ca.gov/cageneralplan/map.aspx) City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Soil Erosion Control and Safety Goals
Goal CO-6. Preserve and maintain Portola’s soils to avoid pollution of the Feather River and its tributaries and loss of soil.
Policies: Soil Erosion Control and Safety
CO-P-8. Minimize soil erosion and loss of topsoil from land development activities, wind, and water flow.
CO-P-9. Minimize risk from expansive soils.
Implementation: Soil Erosion Control and Safety
CO-I-15. Require site-specific research and ground surveys for proposed development projects. This research should include a detailed inventory of soil conditions, and appropriate mitigation measures for avoiding or reducing erosion and risk from expansive soils. This requirement may be waived if determined by the City that the proposed project area is already sufficiently surveyed.
CO-I-16. Comply with Uniform Building Code (UBC) requirements for specific site development and construction standards for specific soil types.
CO-I-17. Comply with the California Uniform Building Code (CUBC) Chapter 29, regulating excavation, foundations, and retaining walls; and Chapter 70 regulating grading activities, including drainage and erosion control.
CO-I-18. Require projects in areas that have highly expansive soils to undertake necessary studies and structural precautions as part of the project approval process. (Where prior soil studies on similarly situated property have been conducted, the City may waive the requirement for field work in order to avoid imposing unnecessary application costs.)
CO-I-19. If expansive soil is present, it may be necessary to remove a portion of the clay, deepen footings, and/or moisture condition slab-on-grade and flatwork subgrade.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Water Quality
Water quality refers to protection of both surface and groundwater resources from contamination. Protecting surface water quality involves minimizing sedimentation from soil erosion and minimizing pollution of waterways and other water bodies from urban runoff. Protecting groundwater quality requires maintaining high water quality within the creek systems. Much of the policies in this element address the management of land development and use of potential contaminants.
Urbanization has both short-term and long-term impacts on water quality. Development results in increased impervious surfaces (streets, storm drains, rooftops, etc.) which decrease infiltration opportunities and may increase the volume and rate of runoff.
Increased runoff velocity can result in increased channel erosion, which in turn can result in increased sediments into surface waters. Construction activity can also result in degradation of surface water quality.
Long-term impact to water quality may occur as a result of runoff from urbanization that enters the water courses. Urban runoff from streets, parking lots, driveways, and landscaped areas may include oil, grease, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and sediments.
Urbanization can also impact groundwater recharge and quality. Groundwater is recharged by rainwater that reaches the subsurface saturated zone of the soil through percolation. Impervious surfaces reduce the percolation of water and the associated filtration processes beneficial to water quality. Pollutants found in urban runoff can leach into aquifers, impacting groundwater quality.
The major surface water within the study area is the Middle Fork Feather River. The river is fed by numerous creeks and drainages, most of which are unnamed. The most significant of these are Humbug Creek and Grizzly Creek. Humbug Creek empties into the river just west of Delleker. Charles Valley Creek feeds Humbug Creek as its course leaves Charles Valley. Grizzly Creek courses from Lake Davis and empties into the river east of Portola. Willow Creek, located outside the study area to the west, is a third major creek in the area feeding the river.
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are methods to control and abate discharges of material into water courses. BMPs are very important tools in protecting and maintaining water quality in the creeks, as well as the Middle Fork Feather River into which the creeks empty. Maintaining high water quality within the creek system will also help to keep contaminants out of the groundwater aquifer.
The California State Water Resources Control Board has jurisdiction over nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards, whose charge it is to identify and implement water quality objectives. Portola falls under the authority of the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Water Quality Goals
Goal CO-7. Maintain water quality in Portola surface and ground waters.
Policies: Water Quality
CO-P-10. Minimize sedimentation and loss of topsoil from soil erosion.
CO-P-11. Minimize pollution of waterways and other surface water bodies from urban runoff.
CO-P-12 Maintain a high level of water quality in the Feather River and tributary areas.
CO-P-13. Protect the quality of Portola’s groundwater.
Implementation: Water Quality
CO-I-20. Continue to enforce the Grading Ordinance standards for project construction and erosion control.
CO-I-21. Maintain a buffer area between waterways and urban development to protect water quality and riparian areas.
CO-I-22 Utilize cost-effective urban runoff controls, including Best Management Practices (BMP’s), to limit urban pollutants from entering the water courses. Standard BMP’s as required by the State Water Resources Control Board will be used.
CO-I-23. Comply with the Regional Water Quality Control Board’s regulations and standards to maintain and improve groundwater quality in Portola.
CO-I-24. Where feasible, maintain the natural condition of waterways and floodplains, and protect watersheds to ensure adequate
groundwater recharge and water quality.
CO-I-25. Coordinate water quality and groundwater resource efforts with other appropriate agencies.
Open Space
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Portola is currently a compact, rural community surrounded by open space and divided by the Feather River, a major open space feature. One of the most notable visual characteristics of the community is the sense of open space within and around the City.
Protection of these features is fundamental to maintain the quality of life enjoyed by current residents. New development will inherently change some aspects of the open space resource, but through planning for the location and character of new development, the existing open space can be protected.
Access to open space is also very important. Recreation along the river and in the surrounding forest is a major attraction for residents and visitors. The General Plan serves to enhance the potential for access to the open space resources in and around the City.
In Portola, open space includes lands that serve the following purposes:
• Open space for the preservation of natural resources. Such areas are required for the preservation of plant and animal life, including habitat for fish and wildlife species (particularly rare, endangered or threatened plant and animal species), areas required for ecological and other scientific study purposes, rivers, streams, bank of rivers and streams, wetlands, and watershed lands. In Portola, the primary open space resource area is the Feather River and its major tributaries. • Outdoor recreation. This includes areas of outstanding scenic, historic, and cultural value, areas particularly suited for park and recreation purposes including access to the river and streams, and areas that serve as links between major recreation and open space reserves, including utility easements, stream- and riverbanks, trails, and scenic highway corridors.
• Public health and safety. This refers to areas requiring special management or regulation due to hazardous or special conditions, such as earthquake fault zones, unstable soil areas, floodplains, watersheds, areas presenting high fire risks, and areas required for the protection and enhancement of air quality. In Portola, such areas include the flood plains and steep slope areas.
• Preservation of scenic areas and vistas. Settled in a narrow valley, Portola is surrounded by mountain peaks that visually define the community. Much of the surrounding mountain area is in public lands and is not likely to be developed in a manner that will affect the views from Portola. However, there are scenic areas within the General Plan study area and vicinity that have the potential to be developed in the future.
Open Space Goals
Goal CO-8. Maintain open space as a key feature of Portola.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Policies: Open Space
CO-P-14. Establish a comprehensive system of public and private open space, including interconnected open space corridors.
CO-P-15. Maximize the potential for open space, recreation, and visual experiences.
CO-P-16. Provide access to public open space areas.
Implementation: Open Space
CO-I-26. Where feasible, integrate creekside greenways with the City’s open space system and encourage public access to creek
corridors.
CO-I-27. Utilize the open space system to connect neighborhoods and define the edges of neighborhoods.
CO-I-28. Provide an interconnecting system of open space corridors that incorporate bicycle and pedestrian paths.
CO-I-29. Use the system of open space corridors to provide pedestrian and bike connections between schools, parks and other recreation, commercial uses, employment centers, the river and the federal lands surrounding the City.
CO-I-30. Require all new development to provide linkages to existing and planned open space that would logically be connected through the project.
CO-I-31. Provide opportunities for public education through the City’s open space system, natural resource areas, and parks and recreation facilities.
CO-I-32. Cooperate with private open space preservation groups, private landowners and developers, and other public agencies, such as Plumas County and the U.S. Forest Service, to permanently set aside and protect open space areas that are significant to the environmental quality and identity of the City. Such open space areas include the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River and its major tributaries in the City, the Charles Creek Meadow, the meadow along Highway 70 at Grizzly Creek Road, and the
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
meadow areas along Highway 70 downstream of the Portola pump station.
CO-I-33. Monitor groundwater resources. Areas where recharge potential is determined to be high should be considered for designation as open space.
Middle Fork Feather River
The Feather River is a special open space resource that significantly helps define the character of Portola. Not only is it a strong visual presence, but the river also provides unique opportunities for recreation in the center of the City. Few communities have the advantage of a beautiful river running through the center of town with very few structures abutting and screening out the river. The south side of the river abuts the Union Pacific Railroad, and the land is held by the railroad. Therefore, the land is not accessible, but is relatively undisturbed by development.
The relative lack of development along portions of the north side of the river provide unparalleled opportunities to maintain the visual dominance of the river while also providing exceptional opportunities for public use and access. The Community Design Element provides guidelines for development of lands abutting the river in a manner that will take advantage of the views and provide access but will not eliminate the view from the adjacent streets.
Protection and enhancement of this resource is a primary goal not only of this Element, but it underlies the fundamental concepts of this General Plan. That is, an attractive, compact community integrated with the natural environment.
The river was dredged and straightened through Portola about the middle of the 1900s.
The effect is a somewhat deeper and straighter channel than would otherwise exist.
Restoration of the river to a more natural configuration with naturally occurring bars, shallows, rock outcrops, and pools would enhance the visual quality and the fisheries quality of the river. The adjacent floodplain along the north side of the river is flanked by stands of pines and a riparian strand that extends along the foot of the steep bluff that provides a view from Sierra Street to the river.
The river and its immediate environment were designated a Wild and Scenic River by Congress in 1968. Thus, the river is under the jurisdiction of the Plumas National Forest.
Public Law 90-542 (October 2, 1968) declares that “...certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreation, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural, or other similar values shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations.” The Act continues, “...the appropriate Secretary shall issue guidelines, specifying standards for local zoning ordinances, which are consistent with the purposes of this Act.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
The standards specified in such guidelines shall have the object of (A) prohibiting new commercial or industrial uses other than commercial or industrial uses which are consistent with the purposes of the Act, and (B) the protection of the bank lands by means of acreage, frontage, and setback requirements on development." In its current state the river is not easily accessible for recreation, either on the river or along its banks. Although it is one of the dominant visual features in the area, it is only occasionally actively used by residents or visitors. The vision in this General Plan is to make the river not only a significant visual resource, but a resource for community events, active recreation and wildlife conservation, as well.
Feather River Goals
Goal CO-9. Enhance and make use of the river for public access and recreation compatible with the qualities of the Wild and Scenic River designation.
Policies: Feather River
CO-P-17. The Feather River corridor through the City of Portola will be accessible to the public where feasible and practical.
CO-P-18. The Feather River corridor through the City of Portola will provide recreation amenities for residents consistent with the natural resource.
CO-P-19. The Feather River corridor through the City of Portola will provide space for public events such as craft fairs and music presentations consistent with the natural resource.
CO-P-20. The Feather River corridor through the City of Portola will include a bike trail along the river where feasible.
Implementation: Feather River
CO-I-34. The City will develop a master plan for the river corridor. The master plan will include a bike trail, handicap access to the river, low impact recreation facilities which may include a turf play field, and habitat conservation areas.
CO-I-35. Development along the river will be encouraged to provide public access and orientation to the river as described in the Community Design Element, Section 3.7.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
CO-I-36. The bike trail along the river will be linked to an interconnecting system of open space corridors that incorporate bicycle and pedestrian paths where feasible.
CO-I-37. The City will actively seek funding for bike trails, public access and other improvements to the river corridor that are consistent with the Wild and Scenic River designation.
CO-I-38. Require all new development along the river to provide linkages to existing and planned open space that would logically be connected through the project.
CO-I-39. Coordinate with the school district to provide opportunities for public environmental education along the river corridor and provide environmental interpretive signs for the general public.
CO-I-40. Cooperate with private open space preservation groups, Plumas Corporation, and other public agencies, such as Plumas County and the U.S. Forest Service, to develop and implement a program for restoring and enhancing the quality of the river as a habitat for fish.
Outdoor Recreation
The area provides residents and visitors with a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.
The River Walk, located north of and along the Feather River, east of the Gulling Street bridge, provides a multi-use path for pedestrian and bicycle activity along the scenic Feather River. Additionally, an 18-hole Disc Golf Course was installed in 2021 just north of the multi-use path.
West of the Gulling Street bridge, also along the Feather River is the West End Park, which provides visitors with a scenic path, picnic area, and access to the Feather River.
A variety of parks with playground amenities, with both passive and active open space exist within the City. The City Park provides users with playground amenities, a gazebo facility for gatherings, a seasonal pool, a skateboard park, and tennis courts. Across from the City Park are also basketball and volleyball facilities. Just south of the City Park are the baseball fields, as well as a bicycle “pump track” which extends to the City Park.
On the north side of Portola, Baldwin Park, located on Joy Way, provides playground amenities, a large field for recreational sports, a bicycle “pump track,” and basketball amenities.
Due to the presence of Plumas National Forest land surrounding the City and the many scenic areas, a variety of bicycle trails exist near the City. The Sierra Buttes Trail City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Stewardship is actively working on developing a Connected Communities project, aimed at linking many mountain communities together, including Portola, through a multiuse trail system.
Biological Resources
Biological resources within the study area are significant and important to the prosperity of Portola. These resources include:
•Wetlands
•General Vegetation Types and Habitats
•Special Status Wildlife
•Plumas National Forest Lands
Wetlands
There are a number of areas within the Portola General Plan study area which may contain jurisdictional wetlands. Waters of the United States include, but are not limited to, perennial and intermittent streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands such as marshes, wet meadows, and seeps.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has jurisdiction within the GP Update study area under the authority of Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States. Most work involving a discharge of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States requires prior Department of the Army authorization under the Clean Water Act.
A Preconstruction Notice and Nationwide Permit 26 (NWP 26) application to the Corps is required if proposing to fill any type of U.S. waters greater in size than 1/3 acre but less than 3.0 acres. Proposed fill of waters greater than 3.0 acres in size is not eligible for a NWP 26; this level of fill requires that an Individual Permit be obtained from the Corps.
NWP 26 applies only in isolated waters or above headwaters.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Figure 8-4
Wetlands (https://maps.gis.ca.gov/cageneralplan/map.aspx) General Vegetation Types and Habitats
The California Vegetation System (CALVEG) identifies three basic vegetation types in the General Plan study area.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
• Mixed Conifer-Fir (MF)
• Urban-Agriculture (UA)
• Barren (BA)
The general, broad-brush vegetation types are shown in Appendix B, General Vegetation Map. Ground surveys by qualified biologists must be conducted for sitespecific land use decisions.
Special Status Species
Special status biological resources include California State or federal listed, candidate, or proposed rare, threatened, and endangered, and sensitive animals, plants, and natural communities that have been afforded special status by public agencies or major conservation organizations. Table 8-1 lists the special status species identified within the Portola General Plan Study Area.
Table 8-1
Special Status Species
Special Status Wildlife
There are two (2) animal species afforded special status which are known to occur, or to potentially occur, within or adjacent to the study area, as shown in Table 8-1 above.
These species are also shown in Appendix B.
The Data Base search (CNDDB) reports one state endangered wildlife species, the Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii). This special status bird nests in dense willow thickets, which are present near the Middle Fork Feather River and on the edges of wet meadows, ponds, and backwaters.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Forests
Much of the area surrounding Portola is part of the Plumas National Forest, as depicted by Figure 8-5. National forests are under federal management of the United States Forest Service. The Forest Service operates under many policies and principles related to management of forest lands, including recreation and fuels and fire management. Both aspects are highly important to public safety, quality of life provided to residents, attraction of visitors and the health of Portola’s economy. Wildfire risk and mitigation is an integral part of living in a forest community like Portola, due to the surrounding vegetation and high wildfire risk.
Figure 8-5
Forests- Plumas National Forest (https://maps.gis.ca.gov/cageneralplan/map.aspx) City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Biological Resources Goals
Goal CO-10. Protect and maintain all biological resources in the Portola area.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
Policies: Biological Resources
CO-P-21. Emphasize existing natural areas bordering the Wild and Scenic Middle Fork Feather River.
CO-P-22. Encourage exchange of urban land uses for U.S. Forest Service lands within the City’s Sphere of Influence.
CO-P-23. Protect special-status species and other species that are sensitive to human activities.
CO-P-24. Maintain healthy and well-managed habitat areas in conjunction with one another.
CO-P-25. Enhance the fish habitat potential of the Feather River in the City.
Implementation: Biological Resources
CO-I-41. Require site-specific research and ground surveys for proposed development projects. This research must include a detailed inventory of all biological resources onsite, and appropriate mitigation measures for avoiding or reducing impact to these biological resources. This requirement may be waived if determined by the City that the proposed project area is already sufficiently surveyed.
CO-I-42. Integrate, where feasible, passive recreational and educational opportunities with the protection of wildlife and vegetation habitat areas.
CO-I-43. Incorporate existing trees into development projects where preservation is feasible.
CO-I-44. Preserve and rehabilitate, if required, continuous riparian corridors and adjacent habitat along the creeks and Middle Fork Feather River.
CO-I-45. Require dedication of the 100-year floodplain or comparable mechanism to protect habitat and wildlife values in perpetuity.
CO-I-46. Require preservation of contiguous areas in excess of the 100-year floodplain as merited by special resources or circumstances.
Special circumstances may include sensitive wildlife or vegetation, wetland habitat, slope or topographical considerations, recreational opportunities, and maintenance access
requirements.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
CO-I-47. Require cumulative mitigation plans for wetlands, where feasible.
CO-I-48. Limit the access of pedestrians and cyclists to wetland areas so that access is compatible with long-term protection of these natural resources.
CO-I-49. Manage public lands with special status species to encourage propagation of the species, and discourage nonindigenous, invasive species.
CO-I-50. Work with adjacent jurisdictions, regulatory agencies, and community organizations to explore opportunities for regional mitigation measures, including mitigation banking.
CO-I-51. Work with the California Department of Fish and Game and other agencies to improve the fish habitat potential in the river by providing boulders, gravel banks, and other natural features that enhance the aeration of water and provide habitat for trout.
Archaeological, Historic, and Cultural Resources
The Humbug Valley and surrounding area was home to the Miwok Indians and early settlers. Consequently, the area is rich in potential cultural sites. The specific locations of such sites are not addressed in the General Plan and do not directly affect the location or character of land use.
Archaeological, Historic, and Cultural Resources Goals
Goal CO-11. Protect archaeological, historic, and paleontological resources for their aesthetic, educational, and cultural values.
Policies: Archaeological, Historic, and Cultural Resources CO-P-26. Create and preserve a record of the community.
Implementation: Archaeological, Historic, and Cultural Resources CO-I-52. Require a records search for any proposed development project, to determine whether the site contains known archaeological, historic, or cultural resources and/or to determine the potential for discovery of additional cultural resources. This requirement may be waived if determined by the City that the proposed project area is already sufficiently surveyed.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
CO-I-53. Require that sponsors of proposed development projects on sites where probable cause for discovery of archaeological resources (as indicated by records search and where resources have been discovered in the vicinity of the project) retain a consulting archaeologist to survey the project site. If unique resources, as defined by California State law, are found, a qualified archaeologist or historian shall be called to evaluate the find and to recommend proper action. Require a monitoring plan for the project to ensure that mitigation measures are implemented.
CO-I-54. When feasible, incorporate significant archaeological sites into open space areas.
CO-I-55. The City should compile an inventory of all historic sites throughout the City. The inventory will contain a narrative of the significant facts regarding the historic events or persons associated with the site, and pictures of the site.
CO-I-56. The City should maintain an archive of historic information, including photographs, publications, oral histories, and other materials.
CO-I-57. The historic archives will be compiled according to location in the City and will be maintained in a safe environment to protect it over time.
CO-I-58. The City should develop policies and the means to make the information available to the public for viewing and research, as long as the City does not make public information that will allow the public to raid the site.
CO-I-59. Encourage the placement of monuments or plaques that recognize and celebrate historic sites, structures, and events.
CO-I-60. Amend the Zoning Ordinance to include a landmark Overlay District to be applied to designated landmarks and historic sites, and require preparation of conservation plans for designated landmarks and historic sites.
CO-I-61. All City permits for reconstruction, modification of existing buildings will require submittal of a photograph of the existing structure or site. The intent is to create a record of the buildings in the City over time. A photograph will also be required for vacant sites that will be modified with new construction of new buildings or other above ground improvements.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Conservation and Open Space Element
CO-I-62. Support the use of the Williams House, a site of historic interest, as a location for a local historic museum, visitor center, and community gathering place.
Public Health and Safety
The General Plan Safety Element (Chapter 7), along with the adopted Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), the Land Use Element (Chapter 2), and other sections of this element address many factors relating to open space and public health and safety related matters. These factors include discussion of:
• Earthquake and seismic hazards, including unstable soils; • Flood plains and flood hazards;
• Wildfire risks;
• Protection of watersheds, water quality, and reservoirs; and • Protection and enhancement of air quality.
9. Noise Element DRAFT
Noise is generally defined as unwanted sound. A sound that may be disturbing to one person, may go unnoticed by another. Residents of a small, rural mountain community such as Portola, can reasonably expect that the overall level of sound will be low compared to more urban settings. Traffic levels will be less, sirens and other sounds of urban life will be rare. The sounds of people, groups of children at play and of large gatherings will be relatively more localized and less frequent. The sounds of tourist activities and public events are welcome.
The relative lack of sound associated with human activity is valued in the community. The relative quiet of the neighborhoods in the forest and the opportunity to sit on the bank and listen to the river are among the attractions for many residents. Because many rural residential areas experience very low noise levels, residents may express concern about the loss of “peace and quiet” due to the introduction of even low noises. In very quiet environments, the introduction of virtually any change in local activities will cause increases in noise levels.
The purpose of the Noise Element is to define goals and policies for managing the effect of sound in the community. It is the overall goal of the Noise Element to protect the health and welfare of the community by promoting community development and activities that are compatible with noise level criteria.
Authority
The Noise Element is mandated by the California Government Code (65302 (f)). The statute requires:
“a Noise Element which identifies and appraises noise problems in the community. The Noise Element shall recognize the guidelines established by the Office of Noise Control in the State Department of Health Services ...”
The statute also requires that the Noise Element analyze and quantify projected noise levels for highways, primary streets, railroads, and stationary noise sources.
In accordance with Government Code Section 65302(f), the Noise Element has been designed to analyze and quantify, to the extent practicable, current and project noise levels for the following sources: By using guidelines established by the Office of Noise Control, in the State Department of Health Services, the noise element must also analyze and quantify, to the extent practicable as determined by the legislative body, current and projected noise levels for all of the following sources:
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
• Highways and freeways;
• Primary arterials and major local streets;
• Passenger and freight on-line railroad operations and ground rapid transit systems; • Commercial, general aviation, heliport, helistop, and military airport operations, aircraft overflights, jet engine test stands, and all other ground facilities and maintenance functions related to airport operation;
• Local industrial plants, including, but not limited to, railroad classification yards; and, • Other ground stationary noise sources identified by local agencies as contributing to the community noise environment;
Noise contours must be shown for all of the above sources and stated in terms of community noise equivalent level (CNEL). The noise contours have been used as a guide for establishing a pattern of land uses in the land use element that minimizes the exposure of community residents to excessive noise. In addition, the noise element includes implementation measures and possible solutions that address existing and foreseeable noise problems, if any, and serves as a guideline for compliance with the State’s noise insulation standards.
The process used in developing this Noise Element was to:
• Determine the type, location and extent of noise incompatibility in the community • Explore methods of noise attenuation to minimize exposure to excessive noise • Research methods to protect residences and other sensitive receptors from excessive noise
• Draft implementation measures that offer solutions to existing and foreseeable noise problems
Relationship to Other Elements
• Land Use Element. Noise generated by the railroad and traffic along major roads is considered in establishing the pattern of planned land uses depicted on the General Plan Land Use Diagram. The intent is to minimize the exposure of community residents to excessive noise.
• Circulation Element. Traffic volumes are used to estimate the future noise levels along major streets.
• Community Design Element. The design of building elements that can generate or control noise, such as trash enclosures or sound walls are guided through standards in the Community Design Element.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
• Conservation and Open Space Element. Noise exposure is considered to avoid excessive noise that would adversely affect enjoyment of recreational pursuits in designated open space. Open space also can be used to buffer sensitive land uses from noise sources.
Completeness Checklist & Required Contents
California
Government
Code Section
Brief Description of Requirement Addressed in
General Plan
Identify and appraise noise problems in the
community and quantify current and projected
noise levels for all of the following sources:
65302(f)(1)(A) Highways and freeways √
65302(f)(1)(B) Primary arterials and major local streets √ 65302(f)(1)(C) Passenger and freight online railroad operations and ground rapid transit systems
√
65302(f)(1)(D) Commercial, general aviation, and heliport ground facilities and maintenance functions
related to airport operations
√
65302(f)(1)(E) Local industrial plants (railroad stations) √ 65302(f)(1)(F) Other ground stationary noise sources, including, but not limited to, military installations, identified
by local agencies as contributing to the
community noise environment.
N/A
65302(f)(2) Noise contour maps √
65302(f)(3) Noise contours as a guide for establishing a pattern of land uses that minimizes the exposure
of community residents to excessive noise.
√
65302(f)(4) Implementation measures and possible solutions √ Sensitive Land Uses
Noise sensitive land uses include residences of all types, nursing homes, day care centers, the Eastern Plumas Hospital, schools, parks, and open space near the City. In general, most portions of the Planning Area which contain noise-sensitive uses are relatively quiet.
The Uniform Building Code states that: “Interior community noise levels (CNEL) with windows closed, attributable to exterior sources, shall not exceed an annual CNEL or Ldn of 45 dB in any habitable room.” This standard is to apply to all new hotels, motels, apartment houses, and dwellings other than single-family detached dwellings. State law also requires noise insulation of new multi-family dwellings constructed within the 60 dB CNEL noise exposure contours.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
Discussion
Based on a review of OPR’s Completeness Checklist as well as Required Contents and Statutory Requirements of the Noise Element, the City’s analysis of noise environment, stationary sources of noise, predicted levels of noise, and the impacts of noise on local residents is adequate. OPR’s Guidance states that the Noise Element must show contours for noise sources, to the extent practicable, in either Community Noise Equivalent Levels (CNEL) or Day-Night Average Level (Ldn). The National Transportation Noise Map depicts road and aviation noise in Portola. Based on a weighted 24-hour equivalent sound level average of sound energy over a 24-hour period. Information will be updated on an annual basis, and future versions of the National Transportation Noise Map are envisioned to include additional transportation noise sources, such as rail.
Figure 9-1
Noise Map
National Transportation Noise Map (dot.gov)
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
Table 9-1
Common Comparable Sounds
AWeighted
24-hour
LAEQ
(dBA)
Common comparable sounds Aviation Road (Interstate)
Less than
50 Refrigerator Humming (~40dBA) 97.12 98.00
50 to 59 Quiet Office (~50dBA) 2.65 1.30
60 to 69 Conversational Speech (~60dBA) 0.21 0.44
70 to 79 Vacuum Cleaner (~70dBA) 0.01 0.25
80 or
more
Garbage Disposal (~80dBA) <0.01 0.06
Table 9-2
Maximum Allowable Noise Exposure; Transportation Noise Sources Land Use Outdoor
Activity Areas
Interior Spaces
Ldn/CNEL, dB
Interior Spaces
Leq, dB2
Residential 60 45
Transient Lodging 60 45
Hospitals, Nursing Homes 60 45
Theaters, Auditoriums, Music Halls 35
Churches, Meeting Halls 60 40
Office Buildings 65 45
Schools, Libraries, Museums 45
Playgrounds, Neighborhood Parks 70
• Outdoor activity areas for residential development are considered to be backyard patios or decks of single family dwellings, and the patios or common areas where people generally congregate for multi-family developments.
• Outdoor activity areas for non-residential developments are considered to be those common areas where people generally congregate, including pedestrian plazas, seating areas, and outside lunch facilities. • Where the location of outdoor activity areas is unknown, the exterior noise level standard shall be applied to the property line of the receiving land use.
• Determined for a typical worst-case hour during periods of use. • Where a proposed use is not specifically listed on this table, the use shall comply with the noise exposure standards for the nearest similar use as determined by the City.
Table 9-3
Performance Standards for Non-Transportation Noise Sources or Projects Affected by NonTransportation Noise Sources Noise Level Descriptor Daytime (7am – 10p, Nighttime (10pm – 7am) Hourly Leq, dB 60 45
Maximum Level, dB 60 45
• Each of the noise levels specified above should be lowered by five dB for simple noise tones, noises consisting primarily of speech or music, or recurring impulsive noises. Such noises are generally considered by residents to be particularly annoying and area primary source of noise complaints.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
• No standards have been included for interior noise levels. Standard construction practices should, with the exterior noise levels identified, result in acceptable interior noise levels.
Noise Goals
The existing City is a relatively quiet mountain community with the notable exception of the railroad operations and the Highway 70 traffic noise. These sources are endemic to the community and cannot be easily avoided. The fundamental objective is to avoid creating new noise generating conditions that would degrade the existing community environment, or to place a sensitive land use where it would be adversely affected by an existing noise source.
Goal N-1. Protect City residents from the harmful and annoying effects of exposure to excessive noise.
Goal N-2. Protect the quality of life in the community and the tourism economy from noise generated by incompatible land uses.
Goal N-3. Accommodate additional tourism and visitors without creating new noise sources.
Goal N-4. Ensure that places of quiet remain near the urban areas of the City.
Goal N-5. Protect public health and welfare by eliminating existing noise problems where feasible, by establishing standards for acceptable indoor and outdoor noise, and by preventing significant increases in noise levels.
Goal N-6. Incorporate noise considerations into land use planning decisions, and guide the location and design of transportation facilities to minimize the effects of noise on adjacent land uses.
Mobile Noise Sources
The primary noise sources in the Plan Area are traffic along Highway 70 and railroad operations. The noise contours are linear bands that depict noise levels at 60 dB Ldn. The 60 dB Ldn contour represents the level for which any new residential development that is not shielded generally will require mitigation to comply with noise standards. These contours are generalized depictions of the conditions found in the community and should be used only as an indication of the need for additional study as described in the policies in the Noise Element.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
Contours along roadways represent the predicted noise level and do not reflect the mitigating effects of noise barriers, structures, topography, or vegetation. Because intervening structures and topography may significantly affect noise exposure at a particular location, the noise contours should not be considered site specific, but rather are guides to determine when detailed acoustic analysis should be undertaken.
Noise from the railroad operations is generally buffered by distance from much of the community. The rail lines are separated from homes on the north side of the river by a distance of approximately 550 feet and from homes to the south by approximately 250 feet.
Other mobile noise sources include the train whistles and the occasional emergency helicopter flights to the Eastern Plumas Health Care facility. Each of these noise sources cannot be easily mitigated and cannot be eliminated.
Policies: Mobile Noise Sources
N-P-1 Allow the development of new noise-sensitive land uses only in areas where the existing or projected transportation generated noise level does not exceed the levels specified in Table 9-1. Noise sensitive uses include, but are not limited to residential, schools and hospitals. Noise mitigation measures may be required to reduce noise in outdoor activity areas and interior spaces to the levels specified in Table 9-1.
N-P-2. Require new roadway improvement projects to be mitigated so as to not exceed the noise levels specified in Table 9-1 at outdoor activity areas or interior spaces of existing noise-sensitive land uses.
N-P-3. An acoustical analysis may be required as part of the environmental review process so that noise mitigation may be considered in the project design.
N-P-4. An acoustical analysis prepared pursuant to the Noise Element shall:
a. Be the responsibility of the applicant.
b. Be prepared by a qualified person experienced in the fields of environmental noise assessment and architectural acoustics. c. Include representative noise level measurements with sufficient sampling periods and locations to adequately describe local conditions and the predominant noise sources.
d. Estimate existing and projected (20 years) noise levels in terms of Ldn or CNEL and/or the standards of Table 9-1 and/or 9-2 and compare those levels to the adopted policies of the Noise Element.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
e. Recommend appropriate mitigation to achieve compliance with the adopted policies and standards of the Noise Element. f. Estimate noise exposure after the prescribed mitigation measures have been implemented.
g. Describe a post-project assessment program which could be used to monitor the effectiveness of the proposed mitigation measures.
Implementation: Mobile Noise Sources
N-I-1. Use the “normally acceptable” noise levels for new land uses as established in Table 9-1 (Noise and Land Use Compatibility) as review criteria.
N-I-2. New development in residential areas with an actual or projected exterior noise level of greater than 60 dB CNEL will be conditioned to use mitigation measures to reduce exterior noise levels to less than or equal to 60 dB CNEL. Site-specific measures could include the incorporation of building materials, building location, building orientation, setbacks, and/or walls or barriers.
N-I-3. Assist in enforcing compliance with noise emissions standards for all types of vehicles, established by the California Vehicle Code and by federal regulations, through coordination with the Plumas County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Highway Patrol.
N-I-4. Conduct site-specific railroad noise studies for noise sensitive projects anticipated to be affected by railroad noise.
N-I-5. Control noise at the source through use of insulation, berms, building design and orientation, buffer space, staggered operating hours and other techniques. Use noise barriers to attenuate noise to acceptable levels.
N-I-6. Evaluate new transportation projects, such a rail or public transit routes, using the standards contained in Table 9-1. However, noise from these projects may be allowed to exceed the standards contained in Table 9-1, if the City Council finds that there are special overriding circumstances.
N-I-7. Require an acoustical analysis where:
• Noise sensitive land uses are proposed in areas exposed to existing or projected noise levels exceeding the levels specified in Table 9-1.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
• Proposed transportation projects are likely to produce noise levels exceeding the levels specified in Table 9-1 at existing or planned noise-sensitive uses.
N-I-8. Work in cooperation with Caltrans and the Union Pacific Railroad to maintain noise level standards for both new and existing projects in compliance with Table 9-1.
N-I-9. Work with the Railroad Museum Association to establish guidelines for use of whistles and horns in the daily activities of the museum.
Stationary Noise Sources
The rural, mountain character of the City does not include many industrial, commercial or other activities that generate substantial noise. The primary current sources of noise include the Recycling facility on Taylor Street and the electric generators at the Liberty Utilities substation on Fourth Avenue. None of these is a major, consistent noise source.
Implementation of the General Plan will create new noise sources that may be significant.
Among these are the new business park planned on the extension of Gulling Street, additional commercial and business-professional land use along First Avenue and Taylor Street, and the addition of public event spaces and increase tourist events and activities.
In addition, the planned use of the River Park area, the existing community park, and Commercial Street for public events, such as craft fairs and music fairs has the potential to increase traffic and crowd noise during short periods.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
Policies: Stationary Noise Sources
N-P-5. Allow the development of new noise-sensitive uses only where the noise level due to fixed (non-transportation) noise sources satisfies the noise level standards of Table 9-2. Noise mitigation may be required to meet Table 9-2 performance standards.
N-P-6. Require proposed fixed noise sources adjacent to noise sensitive uses to be mitigated so as to not exceed the noise level performance standards in Table 9-2.
N-P-7. Where noise mitigation measures are required to achieve the standards of Tables 9-1 and 9-2, the emphasis of such measures should be placed upon site planning and project design. These measures may include, but are not limited to, building orientation, setbacks, landscaping and building construction practices. The use of noise barriers, such as sound walls, should be considered as a means of achieving the noise standards only after all other practical design-related noise mitigation measures have been integrated into the project.
N-P-8. Regulate construction related noise to reduce impacts on adjacent uses.
N-P-9. Public events, such as carnivals, music festivals and other gatherings will be designed and managed to avoid creating a noise nuisance.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Noise Element
Implementation: Stationary Noise Sources
N-I-10. An acoustical analysis shall be required as part of the environmental review process so that noise mitigation may be considered during project design.
N-I-11. The City shall use the noise Level Performance Standards contained in Table 9-2 for reviewing new development of noise-sensitive uses exposed to fixed noise sources.
N-I-12. The Municipal Code will be amended to add noise management standards for all public events.
10. Air Quality Element DRAFT
Good, clean air is a critical environmental resource and is essential to the quality of life in Portola. Not only does the quality of air affect the residents on a daily basis, the naturally high level of air quality, along with other amenities, attracts visitors and new business that sustain the economic viability of the community. As a small, mountain community, Portola inherently avoids many air quality problems that plague more populous, warmer environs. Yet, the rural mountain setting brings other air quality problems. There is a propensity for atmospheric inversion layer formation in mountain valleys leading to trapped air pollution, as well as the propensity for smoke to settle into low areas. These strong inversions and stagnant conditions are especially prevalent during the winter.
Many residents use wood burning heating devices and smoke gets trapped in the breathing zone during an inversion. The fundamental goal of the Air Quality Element is to protect the health and welfare of the community by promoting air quality standards in all aspects of development, transportation, and activity affected by this General Plan.
Authority
The Air Quality Element is an optional element (outside the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District) of the General Plan under Section 65303 of the Government Code.
The general plan may include any other elements or address any other subjects which, in the judgment of the legislative body, relate to the physical development of the county or city.
Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
This Element incorporates policies and concepts that are linked with the Land Use Element, Community Design Element, Circulation Element, Public Services and Facilities Element, and Safety Element.
Primary Sources and Ambient Air Quality Standards
The California and Federal Clean Air Acts establish air quality standards for several pollutants, primarily ozone and particulate matter. These state and federal acts require jurisdictions in areas that violate these standards to prepare and implement plans to achieve the standards. Relevant California and federal Ambient Air Quality Standards are shown in Table 10-1.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
Ozone
Ozone is a public health concern because it is a respiratory irritant that increases human susceptibility to respiratory infections. Ozone also causes substantial damage to natural vegetation, including the forest, and damages many materials by acting as a chemical oxidizing agent.
Ground-level ozone is the principal component of smog. Ozone is not directly emitted into the atmosphere but is formed by the photochemical reaction of ozone precursors, reactive organic gases (ROG) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), in the presence of sunlight.
Ozone levels are highest during late spring and early summer when precursor emissions are high and meteorological conditions are favorable for the complex photochemical reactions to occur. Generally, the majority of reactive organic gas and nitrogen oxide emissions come from motor vehicles.
Plumas County is currently considered to be unclassified for ozone. The current standards are not exceeded.
Table 10-1
Ambient Air Quality Standards
Pollutant Average Time California Standards Federal Standards Ozone
1- Hour 0.09 ppm -
8-Hour 0.070 ppm 0.070 ppm
California standards for ozone are not to be exceeded. The ozone standard is attained if, during the most recent three-year period, the average number of days per year with maximum hourly concentrations above the standard is equal to or less than one.
Particulate Matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5)
There are two size ranges of particulate matter (PM) for which state and federal healthbased standards have been developed: PM 10 and PM 2.5. The numbers 10 and 2.5 refer to particle diameter in microns. PM 10 includes PM 2.5 but also includes particles larger than 2.5 microns, up to 10 microns.
Portola's PM 2.5 is mostly smoke particles from open burning, wildfires, wood stoves and fireplaces. Exhaust from motor vehicles, off-road equipment, trains, and generators, as well as aerosol particles of natural and man-made origin, are also components. PM 10 includes dust, which in Portola’s case is mostly windblown natural dust and dust from City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
sanding roads in the winter. Some pollen and mold spores are also smaller than 10 microns.
Table 10-2
Federal and State Particulate Matter Standards
Fine particulate matter (PM 2.5) is the main pollutant of concern in Portola. PM 2.5 has been shown to contribute to asthma development, lung capacity reduction among children, breathing difficulty, eye irritation, exacerbation of cardiovascular problems, and even premature death. It is especially damaging for sensitive individuals such as children, elderly citizens, individuals with pre-existing health conditions, and people who are exercising outdoors. PM 2.5 is considered to be more dangerous than PM 10 because smaller particles travel deeper into the lungs and include some compounds with toxic properties.
Table 10-2 lists both the state and federal ambient air quality standards for PM10 and PM
2.5. Greenhouse Gases (GHGs)
Global climate change has been clearly documented and is predicted to have substantial effects on the world we live in, not only in parts of the world that are far away, but here in California. Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) must be curtailed if we hope to minimize the extent and impact of climate change. The majority of GHG emissions come from combustion of fossil fuels for energy and transportation. While renewable energy sources, cleaner fuels, and green technology will help to reduce GHG emissions, we also need significant changes in how we design and construct our “built environment” to meet our climate protection goals.
Pollutant Average Time California Standards Federal Standards Fine
Particulate
Matter (PM 2.5
24-Hour NA 35 µg/m3
Annual
Average
12 µg/m3
12.0 µg/m3
Respirable
Particulate
Matter (PM10)
24-Hour 50 µg/m3
150 µg/m3
Annual
Average
20 µg/m3
-
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
The State of California is leading the country in efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and the impacts on the global climate. The California legislature has passed, and the Governor has signed the landmark greenhouse gas and climate change legislation, Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32), commonly known as the “California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006,” that will have substantial impacts on the City of Portola. In addition, the California Attorney General has initiated legal action against local governments for not addressing greenhouse gas and climate change issues in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents prepared for General Plan updates and development projects. The Air Quality Element provides a focal point for the City of Portola’s General Plan efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and climate change impacts.
Under the current AB 32 “business as usual” scenario developed by the California Air Resources Board (ARB), statewide greenhouse gas emissions are increasing at a rate of approximately 1 percent per year as noted below. The following estimates represent the average statewide reductions needed from all emission sources (including all existing sources) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions back to 1990 levels. • 1990: 427 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (MMTCO2e) • 2008: 495 MMTCO2e (an average 14 percent statewide reduction needed to achieve 1990 base)
• 2020: 596 MMTCO2e “Business As Usual” (an overall 29 percent reduction needed to achieve 1990 base)
Senate Bill 375 was signed in September 2008 and establishes a process to develop regional targets for reducing projected year 2020 greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks back to 1990 levels.
Greenhouse Gases and Their Sources
Carbon dioxide is the most dominant greenhouse gas; however, a number of other gases also contribute significantly to climate change, including methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HFCs) and perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Each gas has a different heat trapping capacity compared to CO2. For instance, methane is 21 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere compared to the same mass of CO2, while some of the fluorocarbons have thousands of times more heat trapping capacity as CO2. To account for these differences when comparing emissions for the different compounds, the emissions are generally expressed in terms of CO2 equivalents (CO2e). Thus, generic references to GHG emissions generally mean CO2 equivalent emissions.
From a land use standpoint, carbon dioxide, and methane are the most important GHGs the City of Portola has the potential to significantly influence and will be the primary focus of general plan goals, policies, and reduction implementation strategies (CAPCOA) Model Policies for GHGs.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
Existing Conditions in Portola
The Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (NSAQMD) includes Plumas County.
As of 2019, there are five air pollution monitors in Portola: One for near real-time PM 2.5 hourly data, two with filters for PM 2.5 24-hour data (used by EPA for attainment designations) and two for information on the types of particulate matter present in the ambient air.
In January 2015, the U.S. EPA designated the City of Portola and surrounding parts of Plumas County as a federal nonattainment area for the annual PM2.5 health-based standard.
The consequences of violating the federal PM 2.5 standard are serious. A federal nonattainment designation for Plumas County necessitates the preparation of, and adherence to, a PM 2.5 control plan to reduce emissions. Specifically, all Reasonably Available Control Technologies and other strategies that could reduce emissions must be implemented. This means the imposition of new rules to govern industry, motor vehicles, residential heating appliances, new development projects, open burning, and other sources of PM 2.5. After an area is designated as non-attainment, if all of the required rules and demonstrations are inadequate or not implemented quickly enough, federal sanctions kick in. For instance, federal highway money is withheld, emission offsets for new or modified pollution sources are raised, and ultimately EPA can step in and take over parts of the air pollution control program.
Finally, if an area is designated non-attainment and progress toward attainment does not proceed rapidly enough, the area has to “bump up” to a worse non-attainment classification, with even more stringent requirements, and when a non-attainment area finally reaches attainment, the rules cannot be relaxed.
Therefore, it is crucial that PM 2.5 emissions in the Portola area be reduced, not only for the benefit of public health but also in order to achieve federal attainment designation.
Consistency with Other Elements
The General Plan is the gateway to transforming our communities into more efficient, low-carbon, sustainable, vital places for us, our families, and our neighbors to live, work, and play. The City of Portola General Plan contains 10 distinct standalone elements (Land Use, Housing, Community Design, Safety, Noise, Economic Development, Conservation, Circulation, Public Facilities, and Air Quality). However, it is important to remember that each of these elements weave together to create the comprehensive long-range plan for the City. Many policies already exist within these other elements which support the City’s future goals of improving air quality within the City, region, and State, including Land Use, Community Design, Conservation, Circulation, and Public Facilities.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
Air Quality Goals
New visitors, businesses and residents in the community will contribute to conditions that could ultimately result in nonattainment of federal or state air quality goals. Once air quality monitors record violations of the state or federal standard, an area is designated by either California or U.S. EPA as nonattainment for that pollutant.
Because of the federal nonattainment designation, NSAQMD was awarded a $2.48 million Targeted AirShed grant from the US EPA to improve air quality by replacing old, uncertified wood stoves with EPA certified heating devices. Federal nonattainment designation requires air pollution control strategies to be implemented, targeting the air pollution sources that cause the greatest degradation of air quality to clean the air and stop exceedances of the standard. Being in nonattainment of an ambient air quality standard means higher rates of respiratory ailments and related health care costs, higher rates of premature deaths, and may require the implementation of control strategies to reduce the emissions of the pollutant. Being designated as a federal nonattainment area is generally more economically burdensome to an area than being designated nonattainment due to violations of a California Ambient Air Quality Standard (CAAQS).
Because air pollution is typically a regional problem, the city must undertake feasible policy and implementation plans to minimize the existing air pollution events and avoid increased air pollution that would accompany economic, and population increases.
These policies and implementation cover a wide range of common daily activities, such as burning slash outdoors and wood stoves, as well as transportation and land use planning that have a strong, but indirect, effect on air pollution.
Goal AQ-1. Improve Portola’s air quality by:
a. Achieving and maintaining ambient air quality standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board;
b. Minimizing public exposure to toxic or hazardous air pollutants; and
c. Minimizing public exposure to pollutants that create a public nuisance, such as unpleasant odors.
Goal AQ-2. Integrate air quality planning with land use and transportation planning processes.
Goal AQ-3. Although the automobile is the primary form of transportation, the City of Portola should make a commitment to other modes of transportation.
Goal AQ-4. Reduce air emissions through energy conservation.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
Policies: Air Quality-General
AQ-P-1. Cooperate with other agencies to develop a consistent and coordinated approach to reduction of air pollution.
AQ-P-2. Encourage energy efficient building designs.
AQ-P-3. New construction will be managed to minimize fugitive dust and construction vehicle emissions.
AQ-P-4. Woodburning devices shall meet current standards for controlling particulate air pollution.
AQ-P-5. Burning of any combustible material within the City Limits will be strictly controlled to minimize particulate air pollution. Alternatives to open burning of waste vegetation shall be encouraged.
Implementation: Air Quality-General
AQ-I-1. Work with the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (NSAQMD) to implement programs and strategies to reduce levels of PM2.5 to achieve federal attainment and provide assistance with public outreach and education to reduce the harmful health effects associated with fine particulate matter.
AQ-I-2. In accordance with CEQA, submit development proposals to the Northern Sierra Air Quality Management District (NSAQMD) for review and comment prior to decision.
AQ-I-3. Locate air pollution point sources, such as manufacturing and extracting facilities, in areas designated for industrial development and separated from residential areas and sensitive receptors (e.g., homes, schools, and hospitals).
AQ-I-4. Use best available control technology for stationary industrial sources of air pollution.
AQ-I-5. Cooperate with the Plumas County Environmental Health Department in identifying hazardous material users and in developing a hazardous materials management plan.
AQ-I-6. Establish buffer zones (e.g., setbacks, landscaping) within residential and other sensitive receptor site plans to separate those uses from highways, arterials, hazardous material locations and other sources of air pollution or odor.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
AQ-I-7. Promote the use of new and replacement fuel storage tanks at refueling stations that are clean fuel compatible, if technically and economically feasible.
AQ-I-8. All residences built in a new subdivision or housing development shall be equipped with conventional heating devices with sufficient capacity to heat all areas of the building without reliance on woodburning heating devices.
AQ-I-9. All woodburning heating devices installed shall be EPA II certified or meet EPA standards applicable at the time of project approval.
AQ-I-10. Require the removal of existing older woodburning stoves that are not EPA certified at the time a residence is sold or a major alteration or addition is initiated, in accordance with City of Portola Ordinance 360, 2021.
AQ-I-11. Ban the burning of any combustible material, including vegetative slash, within City limits is banned, in accordance with City of Portola Ordinance 360, 2021.
Policies: Air Quality-Land Use
AQ-P-6. Develop a land use plan which will minimize daily travel and air pollution.
Implementation: Air Quality-Land Use
AQ-I-12. Encourage mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented development and circulation systems that promote use alternatives to the automobile for transportation, including bicycles and bus transit, along with carpooling.
AQ-I-13. Design land uses which locate daily employment, school, and shopping destinations near residential areas, where feasible.
AQ-I-14. Consider increased intensity of development along existing and proposed transit corridors.
Policies: Air Quality-Transportation
AQ-P-7. Develop transportation systems that minimize air pollution from automobile emissions.
AQ-P-8. Coordinate and integrate all forms of public transportation.
City of Portola General Plan 2045 Air Quality Element
Implementation: Air Quality-Transportation
AQ-I-15. Develop a Transportation Systems Management (TSM) Ordinance which will reduce motor vehicle emissions through decreases in vehicle delay, average daily trips and vehicle miles traveled.
AQ-I-16. Maintain acceptable levels of service as specified in the Circulation Element.
AQ-I-17. In new subdivisions, require internal street design to include the installation of dedicated pedestrian/bicycle pathways connecting to adjacent residential and commercial areas as well as schools, parks and recreational areas.
AQ-I-18. Provide adequate pedestrian and bikeway facilities for present and future transportation needs throughout the city.
AQ-I-19. Locate public facilities in areas easily served by current and planned public transportation.
DESIGNATION OF APPLICANT'S AGENT RESOLUTION FOR NON-STATE AGENCIES
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE OF THE
(Governing Body) (Name of Applicant)
THAT , OR
(Title of Authorized Agent)
, OR
(Title of Authorized Agent)
(Title of Authorized Agent)
is hereby authorized to execute for and on behalf of the , (Name of Applicant)
a public entity established under the laws of the State of California, this application and to file it with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the purpose of obtaining federal financial assistance for any existing or future grant program, including, but not limited to any of the following:
- Federally declared Disaster (DR), Fire Mitigation Assistance Grant (FMAG), California State Only Disaster (CDAA), Immediate Services Program (ISP), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC), Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program (LPDM), under - Public Law 93-288 as amended by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988, and/or state financial assistance under the California Disaster Assistance Act.
- Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA), under Section 1366 of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.
- National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) 42 U.S. Code 7704 (b) ((2) (A) (ix) and 42 U.S. Code 7704 (b) (2) (B) National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, and also The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Div. F, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-141 - California Early Earthquake Warning (CEEW) under CA Gov Code – Gov, Title 2, Div. 1, Chapter 7, Article 5, Sections 8587.8, 8587.11, 8587.12 That the , a public entity established under the
(Name of Applicant)
laws of the State of California, hereby authorizes its agent(s) to provide to the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for all matters pertaining to such state disaster assistance the assurances and agreements required.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
DESIGNATION OF APPLICANT'S AGENT RESOLUTION
NON-STATE AGENCIES
OES-FPD-130 (Rev. 10-2022) RESOLUTION 2568
RECOVERY DIRECTORATE
FINANCIAL PROCESSING DIVISION
Cal OES ID No: _____________
Rev. 10-2022 Page 1 of 4 OES-FPD-130
Please check the appropriate box below
This is a universal resolution and is effective for all open and future disasters/grants declared up to three (3) years following the date of approval.
This is a disaster/grant specific resolution and is effective for only disaster/grant number(s):
Passed and approved this __day of , 20
(Name and Title of Governing Body Representative)
(Name and Title of Governing Body Representative)
(Name and Title of Governing Body Representative)
CERTIFICATION
I, , duly appointed and of
(Name) (Title)
, do hereby certify that the above is a true and
(Name of Applicant)
correct copy of a resolution passed and approved by the (Governing Body)
of the on the day of , 20 .
(Name of Applicant)
(Signature) (Title)
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
DESIGNATION OF APPLICANT'S AGENT RESOLUTION
NON-STATE AGENCIES
OES-FPD-130 (Rev. 10-2022)
RECOVERY DIRECTORATE
FINANCIAL PROCESSING DIVISION
Rev. 10-2022 Page 2 of 4 OES-FPD-130
Cal OES Form 130 Instructions
A Designation of Applicant’s Agent Resolution for Non-State Agencies is required of all Applicants to be eligible to receive funding. A new resolution must be submitted if a previously submitted resolution is older than three (3) years from the last date of approval, is invalid, or has not been submitted.
When completing the Cal OES Form 130, Applicants should fill in the blanks on pages 1 and 2. The blanks are to be filled in as follows:
Resolution Section:
Governing Body: This is the group responsible for appointing and approving the Authorized Agents.
Examples include: Board of Directors, City Council, Board of Supervisors, Board of Education, etc.
Name of Applicant: The public entity established under the laws of the State of California.
Examples include: School District, Office of Education, City, County or Non-profit agency that has applied for the grant, such as: City of San Diego, Sacramento County, Burbank Unified School District, Napa County Office of Education, University Southern California.
Authorized Agent: These are the individuals that are authorized by the Governing Body to engage with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services regarding grants for which they have applied.
There are two ways of completing this section:
1. Titles Only: The titles of the Authorized Agents should be entered here, not their names. This allows the document to remain valid if an Authorized Agent leaves the position and is replaced by another individual. If “Titles Only” is the chosen method, this document must be accompanied by either a cover letter naming the Authorized Agents by name and title, or the Cal OES AA Names document. The supporting document can be completed by any authorized person within the Agency (e.g., administrative assistant, the Authorized Agent, secretary to the Director). It does not require the Governing Body’s signature.
2. Names and Titles: If the Governing Body so chooses, the names and titles of the Authorized Agents would be listed. A new Cal OES Form 130 will be required if any of the Authorized Agents are replaced, leave the position listed on the document, or their title changes.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
DESIGNATION OF APPLICANT'S AGENT RESOLUTION
NON-STATE AGENCIES
OES-FPD-130 (Rev. 10-2022)
RECOVERY DIRECTORATE
FINANCIAL PROCESSING DIVISION
Rev. 10-2022 OES-FPD-130 Page 3 of 4
Checking Universal or Disaster-Specific Box: A Universal resolution is effective for all past disasters and for those declared up to three (3) years following the date of approval. Upon expiration it is no longer effective for new disasters, but it remains in effect for disasters declared prior to expiration. It remains effective until the disaster goes through closeout unless it is superseded by a newer resolution.
Governing Body Representative: These are the names and titles of the approving Board Members.
Examples include: Chairman of the Board, Director, Superintendent, etc. The names and titles cannot be one of the designated Authorized Agents. A minimum of three (3) approving board members must be listed. If less than three are present, meeting minutes must be attached in order to verify a quorum was met.
Certification Section:
Name and Title: This is the individual in attendance who recorded the creation and approval of this resolution.
Examples include: City Clerk, Secretary to the Board of Directors, County Clerk, etc. This person cannot be one of the designated Authorized Agents or Approving Board Member. If a person holds two positions (such as City Manager and Secretary to the Board) and the City Manager is to be listed as an Authorized Agent, then that person could sign the document as Secretary to the Board (not City Manager) to eliminate “Self-Certification.”
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
DESIGNATION OF APPLICANT'S AGENT RESOLUTION
NON-STATE AGENCIES
OES-FPD-130 (Rev. 10-2022)
RECOVERY DIRECTORATE
FINANCIAL PROCESSING DIVISION
Rev. 10-2022 Page 4 of 4 OES-FPD-130
{01139235.DOC 1 }
TRUCKEE | 40200 Truckee Airport Road, Suite 1, Truckee, California 96161 | phone (530) 587-2002 | fax (530) 579-5999 RENO
Ethan J. Birnberg*◊
Kelley R. Carroll*†
Sara D. Davidson
Pamela M. Everett
Steven C. Gross*
Brian C. Hanley*
Traci S. Mason
James E. Simon
Ravn R. Whitington*
David W. Wolfe*
James L. Porter, Jr., Of Counsel
Louis A. Basile, Of Counsel
* Also licensed in Nevada
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† Certified Specialist in Estate
Planning, Trust & Probate Law
(California Board of Legal
Specialization)
January 16, 2024
Via Email:
[email protected]
City Council
Jon Kennedy, Interim City Manager
City of Portola
35 Third Avenue
Portola, CA 96122
Re: Request for Porter Simon Rate Increase
Council Members:
I am writing to request an increase in my hourly billing rate for City Attorney services from the current rate of $4,950/mon for services provided under the fixed fee arrangement, from $250/hr to $280/hr for services not included within the fixed fee arrangement and increase in rates for litigation services from $325/hr to $365/hr. I am requesting that the new rates become effective as of March 1, 2024.
I am very cognizant of the challenging financial environment in which we all operate.
While my new rates will represent a 12% increase to my current rates, I have not increased rates since May 2021. Therefore, the average annual increase in my rate over the past three years is 4% per year. During this time, we have experienced some very high inflation and my costs continue to rise. This is only the sixth time since 1997 that I have requested an adjustment in my billing rates.
I believe that my proposed rates are competitive with rates charged for similar services by other law firms in Truckee and northern California and by attorneys with experience similar to that of our attorneys. This will be my 36th year of practicing law. For about the past 33 years, I have focused my practice on representing public agencies. I understand that lawyers with my experience charge rates for general counsel type work similar to or more than my proposed hourly rate of $280/hr.
Law firms that specialize in providing services to public agencies typically provide “general counsel” services at one hourly rate and charge higher hourly rates for “special services.” We are proposing to charge for litigation services at a higher rate, but not for any other services. Some public agency firms define “special counsel services” very broadly to include litigation, labor and employment related matters, including disciplinary hearings, energy,
January 16, 2024
{01139235.DOC 1 }
complex CEQA and environmental matters, real estate, land acquisition and disposal, fees and charges (including Prop 218 work), public construction disputes, financing and others matters.
Rates for special services often well exceed $365.00/hr., especially when they are provided by firms that specialize in one area of practice, such as environmental, eminent domain or public financing.
Our proposed rates are discounted and significantly less than the rates we charge to nonpublic entity clients. My hourly rate for private clients is $450/hr. The hourly rates for other Porter Simon attorneys providing services to private clients range from $350 – $450/hr.
During these many years, I have kept a close eye on the amount and cost of my services and will continue to do so in the future. I truly enjoy working with the City and appreciate your confidence in me and my firm. Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
PORTER SIMON
Professional Corporation
STEVEN C. GROSS
[email protected]
1 MEETING DATE: February 14, 2024
FROM: Susan Scarlett
RE: Mid-year financial update 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 Budget EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Attached you will find reports to review for the 22-23 year to date:
Attachment #1 -Cash and Receivables report comparison for the fiscal year end 2021, 2022 and 2023 and Year to Date 1-31-2024.
Attachment #2-Spread sheets with the summary of the City finances through January 31, 2024. Page one of the spread sheets is the Budget to Actual for the General Fund; the Special Revenue funds and Fund 215 and page 2 has the Enterprise Funds.
Attachment #3-Behind those two spread sheets is the 3-page backup for the “other expenses” and “capital outlay” line items for the summary sheets.
Attachment #4-Major revenue source comparisons
Attachment #5-Budget schedule for review and discussion.
Please feel free to call me in advance of the meeting with any questions you have that might take additional research.
ATTACHMENTS:
A. CASH AND RECEIVABLES
B. 2023-2024 BUDGET SPREAD SHEET MID YEAR REVIEW
C. OTHER 2023-2024 OTHER EXPENSE
D. 2023-2024 GF TAX REVENUE COMPARISONS
E. BUDGET SCHEDULE 2024-2025
CITY OF PORTOLA CASH AND RECEIVABLES BALANCES
1/31/2024 6/30/2023 6/30/2022 6/30/2021
FUND 100-GENERAL FUND - Unrestricted $ 2,048,848.17 $ 2,293,518.04 $ 2,580,389.28 $ 2,472,063.35 Reserved Grants
Woodstove Changeout $ 851.12 $ 851.12 $ 851.12 $ 851.12 Traffic Impact Fee $ 81,642.00 $ 81,642.00 $ 81,642.00 $ 77,931.00 Vehicle Abatement $ - $ 12,567.54 $ 15,152.30
Disc Golf Set aside $ 7,500.00 $ 7,500.00 $ 7,500.00
Total Cash $ 2,138,841.29 $ 2,383,511.16 $ 2,682,949.94 $ 2,565,997.77 Receivables/State/Plumas County/Other $ 12,786.48 $ 382,207.88 $ 247,431.24 $ 176,564.71 Landfill Closure Loan Due from Solid Waste $ -
Note Receivable EPHC $ 87,130.28 $ 104,643.12 $ 134,498.78 $ 161,412.97 Total Receivables $ 99,916.76 $ 486,851.00 $ 381,930.02 $ 337,977.68 Total Cash and Receivables $ 2,238,758.05 $ 2,870,362.16 $ 3,064,879.96 $ 2,903,975.45 FUND 207-GAS TAX - STREETS (89,797.91) $ -
FUND 208-GAS TAX - SNOW REMOVAL (105,932.01) $ 13,177.25 FUND 211 RMRA 155,337.73 $ 124,366.48 $ 85,856.20 $ 44,862.09 FUND 215-CDBG $ 15,882.26 $ 25,284.58 $ 42,521.20 $ 89,405.45 Notes Receivable - RLF
CDBG Loans $ 43,525.40 $ 43,525.40 $ 43,525.40 $ 43,525.40 FUND 216-STIP PROJECTS $ (35,990.06) $ (96,456.90) $ (33,066.50) $ (154,483.19) Prepaid $ 3,248.98 $ 9,331.00 $ 69,629.75
Receivable $ 315,331.58 $ 24,024.50 $ 79,897.17
FUND 710-WATER $ 1,819,389.73 $ 1,714,477.30 $ 1,540,970.67 $ 1,412,973.30 Debt Service Reserve $ 68,362.00 $ 68,362.00 $ 68,362.00 $ 68,362.00 Facility Fee Reserve $ 310,736.00 $ 310,736.00 $ 306,721.00 $ 302,706.00 Infrastructure Maintenance account $ 225,994.65 $ 225,994.65 $ 225,994.65 $ 202,861.71 WTP Maintenance account $ 550,020.00 $ 550,020.00 $ 504,185.00 $ 458,350.00 Total Cash $ 2,974,502.38 $ 2,869,589.95 $ 2,646,233.32 $ 2,445,253.01 FUND 720-SEWER $ 1,602,823.23 $ 1,490,752.99 $ 1,397,604.71 $ 1,285,253.55 Wastewater Capital Reserve $ 218,666.66 $ 218,666.66 $ 211,715.70 $ 209,903.72 Infrastructure Maintenance account $ 292,077.93 $ 292,077.93 $ 292,077.93 $ 252,913.93 Facility Fee Reserve $ 279,080.50 $ 279,080.50 $ 273,756.50 $ 268,432.50 Total Cash $ 2,392,648.32 $ 2,280,578.08 $ 2,175,154.84 $ 2,016,503.70 FUND 730-SOLID WASTE $ 518,049.65 $ 412,838.74 $ 326,810.54 $ 236,568.86 Landfill Closure Maintenance Account $ 326,290.27 $ 326,290.27 $ 230,663.29 $ 118,739.92 Total Cash $ 844,339.92 $ 739,129.01 $ 557,473.83 $ 355,308.78 ATTACHMENT # 1
CITY OF PORTOLA
2023-2024 BUDGET VERSUS YTD AS OF 1-31-2024 (Preliminary, coding changes may apply) YEAR % YTD YEAR % YTD YEAR % YTD YEAR % YTD ECONOMIC YEAR % YTD
TO DATE GAS TAX TO DATE GAS TAX TO DATE RMRA TO DATE DEVELOPMENT TO DATE GENERAL FUND Streets Snow CDBG
ACCOUNT/FUND 100 207 208 211 215
REVENUE 1,266,906.05 379,374.16 30% 58,667.00 31,444.22 54% 204,125.00 - 0% 53,913.00 23,646.78 44% 600.00 306.00 51% INTERFUND TRANSFERS 106,076.01 89,747.88 85% 142,337.47 105,932.01 74% PERSONNEL 233,674.05 161,892.23 69% 64,253.01 81,785.11 127% 164,688.75 51,678.53 31% 7,343.72 5,574.95 76% POSTAGE 5,500.00 2,020.00 37%
BOOKS & SUBS
GAS & ELECTRIC 41,800.00 24,088.77 58% 8,000.00 3,077.74 38% TELEPHONE 8,900.00 4,712.49 53%
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES 25,450.00 13,898.03 55% 7,000.00 5,799.98 83% 15,000.00 7,972.95 53% EQUIP REPAIR/MAINT 7,500.00 2,116.09 28% 8,000.00 2,380.56 30% 40,000.00 10,673.41 27% VEHICLE REPAIR/MAINT 3,000.00 0% 1,500.00 0% 18,000.00 8,986.06 50% VEHICLE FUEL 3,300.00 1,899.07 58% 8,000.00 4,328.41 54% 15,000.00 1,664.90 11% LEGAL FEES 75,300.00 25,336.84 34% 5,000.00 0%
INSURANCE 57,879.86 58,198.65 101% 17,763.60 17,731.53 100% PROFESSIONAL SVSC 166,600.00 94,874.17 57% 1,500.00 0% 1,000.00 1,588.75 159% 6,600.00 320.00 5% ADVERTISING/NOTICES 1,150.00 0%
CODE REFERENCE UPDATE 4,200.00 3,101.60 74% -
CIVIC PROMO & MARKETING 500.00 448.75 90%
CONFERENCE/TRAVEL 5,000.00 216.80 4%
DUES/MEMBERSHIPS 3,300.00 402.00 12%
BUILDING EXPENSE 17,000.00 2,545.95 15% 250.00 0% 250.00 64.34 26% STREET REPAIR 30,000.00 4,260.00 14% 30,000.00 872.55 3% 120,000.00 0% ACCOUNTING FEES 15,040.00 8,400.00 56% 4,000.21 3,300.00 82% 5,875.33 2,450.00 42% 3,125.04 1,750.00 56% AUDITING FEES 10,260.00 10,260.00 100% 1,390.00 1,140.00 82% 1,110.00 760.00 68% 1,900.00 1,900.00 100%
TRAINING/EDUCATION
WATER AND SEWER 66,800.00 38,464.09 58%
COMMUNICATION EXPENSE - 193.56
OTHER EXPENSE/SEE ATTACHED 467,324.07 361,005.02 77% 39,000.00 18,198.04 47% 31,000.00 0% EQUIPMENT LEASE/RENTAL 3,000.00 1,528.90 51%
CAPITAL OUTLAY/OTHER 2,000.00 465.49 23% - - - -
INTEREST
TRANSFERS OUT 258,413.48 195,679.89 76%
TOTAL EXPENSES 1,482,891.46 1,011,748.39 68% 164,893.22 121,192.10 73% 346,687.68 105,932.01 31% 121,000.00 1,588.75 1% 23,968.76 9,544.95 40% REVENUE 1,266,906.05 379,374.16 30% 164,743.01 121,192.10 74% 346,462.47 105,932.01 31% 53,913.00 23,646.78 44% 600.00 306.00 51% EXPENDITURES 1,482,891.46 1,011,748.39 68% 164,893.22 121,192.10 73% 346,687.68 105,932.01 31% 121,000.00 1,588.75 1% 23,968.76 9,544.95 40%
PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS
FACILITY FEE/SINKING FUND/LANDFILL CLOSURE FUND
(USE OF) OR INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE (215,985.41) (632,374.23) (150.21) - (225.21) 0.00 (67,087.00) 22,058.03 (23,368.76) (9,238.95) 1 ATTACHMENT #2
CITY OF PORTOLA
2023-2024 BUDGET VERSUS YTD AS OF 1-31-2024 (Preliminary, coding changes may apply) YEAR % YTD YEAR % YTD YEAR % YTD YEAR
TO DATE TO DATE SOLID TO DATE TO DATE
WATER SEWER WASTE
ACCOUNT/FUND 710 720 730 TOTAL TOTAL
REVENUE 1,002,000.00 588,072.38 59% 775,995.00 418,025.48 54% 303,165.00 162,134.96 53% 3,665,371.05 1,603,003.98 INTERFUND TRANSFERS 248,413.48 195,679.89
- -
PERSONNEL 378,157.89 256,334.41 68% 318,714.18 163,583.11 51% 50,217.42 22,110.13 44% 1,217,049.02 742,958.47 POSTAGE 4,200.00 2,022.50 48% 4,200.00 2,022.51 48% 1,700.00 672.60 40% 15,600.00 6,737.61
BOOKS & SUBS - -
GAS & ELECTRIC 6,000.00 1,634.78 27% 20,000.00 19,783.49 99% 75,800.00 48,584.78 TELEPHONE 5,000.00 3,218.82 64% 4,000.00 2,809.12 70% 17,900.00 10,740.43 MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES 21,000.00 24,901.24 119% 26,000.00 12,611.32 49% 4,000.00 387.37 10% 98,450.00 65,570.89 EQUIP REPAIR/MAINT 10,000.00 9,913.74 99% 25,000.00 11,266.15 45% 1,000.00 0% 91,500.00 36,349.95 VEHICLE REPAIR/MAINT 5,000.00 7,989.29 160% 5,000.00 7,238.51 145% - 32,500.00 24,213.86 VEHICLE FUEL 10,000.00 8,405.02 84% 8,000.00 4,270.04 53% 44,300.00 20,567.44 LEGAL FEES 13,104.00 4,242.18 32% 13,104.00 4,242.18 32% 5,000.00 1,218.80 111,508.00 35,040.00 INSURANCE 25,897.22 26,262.13 101% 40,684.10 41,018.11 101% 5,026.32 5,017.07 100% 147,251.10 148,227.49 PROFESSIONAL SVSC 50,000.00 13,139.74 26% 80,000.00 14,578.25 18% 10,000.00 0% 315,700.00 124,500.91 ADVERTISING/NOTICES 2,967.00 1,150.00 2,967.00
CODE REFERENCE UPDATE 1,700.00 300.00 18% 1,500.00 300.00 20% 7,400.00 3,701.60 CIVIC PROMO & MARKETING 500.00 448.75
CONFERENCE/TRAVEL 5,000.00 216.80
DUES/MEMBERSHIPS 3,500.00 1,220.16 35% 1,200.00 111.20 9% 8,000.00 1,733.36 BUILDING EXPENSE 3,000.00 933.31 31% 1,500.00 933.36 62% 250.00 22,250.00 4,476.96 STREET REPAIR 180,000.00 5,132.55
ACCOUNTING FEES 16,243.41 9,100.00 56% 13,750.00 7,700.00 56% 5,000.00 2,800.00 56% 63,033.99 35,500.00 AUDITING FEES 10,260.00 10,260.00 100% 10,260.00 10,260.00 100% 3,420.00 3,420.00 100% 38,600.00 38,000.00 TRAINING/EDUCATION 1,200.00 0% 800.00 0% 2,000.00 -
WATER AND SEWER 750.00 0% 800.00 407.71 51% 68,350.00 38,464.09 COMMUNICATION EXPENSE 400.00 193.56 48% 400.00 387.12
OTHER EXPENSE/SEE ATTACHED 344,584.00 130,344.99 38% 227,584.00 55,717.15 24% 136,170.00 49,070.01 36% 1,245,662.07 614,335.21 EQUIPMENT LEASE/RENTAL 2,500.00 509.68 20% 2,000.00 509.70 25% 7,500.00 2,548.28 CAPITAL OUTLAY/OTHER 128,000.00 46,078.63 36% 130,000.00 46,544.12 INTEREST 33,891.00 16,945.71 50% 33,891.00 16,945.71
TRANSFERS OUT 258,413.48 195,679.89
-
TOTAL EXPENSES 1,074,387.52 573,949.89 53% 804,096.28 359,361.91 45% 221,783.74 87,662.98 40% 4,239,708.66 2,270,980.98 REVENUE 1,002,000.00 588,072.38 59% 775,995.00 418,025.48 54% 303,165.00 162,134.96 53% 3,913,784.53 1,798,683.87 EXPENDITURES 1,074,387.52 573,949.89 53% 804,096.28 359,361.91 45% 221,783.74 87,662.98 40% 4,239,708.66 2,270,573.27 PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS 35,000.00 35,000.00 -
- -
FACILITY FEE/SINKING FUND/LANDFILL CLOSURE FUND 45,835.00 95,000.00 140,835.00 - (USE OF) OR INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE (153,222.52) 14,122.49 (28,101.28) 58,663.57 (13,618.74) 74,471.98 (501,759.13) (472,297.11) 2 ATTACHMENT #2
CITY OF PORTOLA
2023-2024
OTHER EXPENSES
OTHER EXPENSE AMENDED AS OF 1-31 %
GENERAL FUND (100)
ARPA PROJECTS 150,000.00 102,259.43 68%
BANK CHARGES 2,300.00 1,197.00 52%
CITY PARK IMPROVEMENTS - CLOCK PARK CLOCKS
CITY WEB PAGE 3,400.00 1,070.77 31%
WILLIAMS HOUSE WEB PAGE 407.00 237.51 58%
CODE ENFORCEMENT - AVA 30,000.00 16,723.92 56%
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 2,220.00
GRANT EXPENDITURES 14,275.76
LAFCO 67,347.07 67,347.07 100%
LESSG 20,000.00 9,600.69 48%
MEDICAL AND PHYSICALS 200.00 -
MUSI C IN THE PARK 9,000.00 6,864.39 76%
PG&E SETTLEMENT- FIRE 15,000.00 - 0%
POOL CONCESSION SUPPLIES 2,000.00 - 0%
PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS 2,500.00 -
REFUSE COLLECTION 4,470.00 2,353.67 53%
SHERIFF CONTRACT 130,000.00 130,000.00 100%
SIERRA BUTTES GRAVEL GRINDER CITY PARTICIPATION 16,000.00 - TAX ADMINISTRATION FEES 7,000.00 700.00 10%
TECHNICAL SUPPORT - Incode SaaS Fees 4,700.00 5,700.00 121% WILLIAMS HOUSE REPAIR 3,000.00 196.45 7%
WOODSTOVE CHANGEOUT 258.36
TOTAL 467,324.07 361,005.02 77%
GAS TAX SECTION 2107/2107.5 (FUND 207)
STREET LIGHTING 39,000.00 18,198.04 47%
TOTAL 39,000.00 18,198.04 47%
SNOW REMOVAL (FUND 208)
PRIVATE CONTRACTORS 30,000.00 0%
PROPERTY DAMAGE 1,000.00 0%
TOTAL 31,000.00 - 0%
2/8/2024 Attachment #3 1
CITY OF PORTOLA
2023-2024
OTHER EXPENSES
OTHER EXPENSE AMENDED AS OF 1-31 %
STIP (216)
UNDERGROUND TANK 10,000.00
NORTH LOOP
WATER FUND (710)
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 13,438.45
EQUIPMENT RENTAL 452.90
LAKE DAVIS WTP 86,700.00 39,996.90 46%
PERMIT FEES 6,000.00 2,236.36 37%
REFUSE COLLECTION 3,300.00 1,196.29 36%
TECH SUPPORT & SaaS Fees 10,584.00 6,117.83 58%
TESTING WATER 18,000.00 6,108.85 34%
WATER CHEMICALS 5,563.05
WATER LINE REPAIRS 60,000.00 51,326.16 86%
WATER METERS 30,000.00 3,908.20 13%
WATER PURCHASE 130,000.00 0%
- -
TOTAL 344,584.00 130,344.99 38%
SEWER FUND (720)
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 14,086.72
MEDICAL PHYSICALS 1,000.00 0%
PERMIT FEES 15,000.00 10,756.00 72%
REFUSE COLLECTION 3,000.00 946.93 32%
SEWER CHEMICALS 40,000.00 0%
SEWER LINE REPAIRS 10,000.00 3,923.48 39%
SYSTEM MAINT/SEWER POND 120,000.00 8,040.58 7%
TECH SUPPORT & SaaS Fees 13,584.00 6,117.84 45%
TESTING SEWER 25,000.00 11,845.60 47%
TOTAL 227,584.00 55,717.15 24%
SOLID WASTE (730)
PERMIT FEES 35,000.00 28,203.00 81%
POST-CLOSURE CARE COSTS 20,000.00 135.00 1%
TECH SUPPORT 1,120.00 2,523.00 225%
TESTING AND REPORTING LANDFILL 45,050.00 17,187.87 38%
SB 1383 GRANT EXPENDITURES 15,000.00 135.00 1%
LANDFILL DAMAGE - SEDIMENT 20,000.00 886.14 4%
TOTAL 136,170.00 49,070.01 36%
2/8/2024 Attachment #3 2
CITY OF PORTOLA
2023-2024
OTHER EXPENSES
CAPITAL OUTLAY/ OTHER AMENDED AS OF 1-31 %
GENERAL FUND (100)
PAINT CABOOSE 2,000.00 465.49 23%
TOTAL 2,000.00 465.49 23%
SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
TOTAL - -
WATER FUND
3 PHASE POWER - WTP 50,000.00 0%
WILLOW SPRINGS - EXCAVATING 30,000.00 46,078.63 154%
SOFT EXCAVATION TRAILER 40,000.00 0%
LINE LOCATOR 3,000.00 0%
TRENCHER 5,000.00 0%
TOTAL 128,000.00 46,078.63 36%
SEWER FUND
-
TOTAL -
SOLID WASTE FUND
MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT
RESERVES
GENERAL FUND
TRAFFIC IMPACT FEES
WATER FUND
FACILITY FEES RESERVE
LD WTP MAINTENANCE RESERVE 45,835.00 0
SEWER FUND
WASTEWATER CAPITAL RESERVE FUND
FACILITY FEES RESERVE
2/8/2024 Attachment #3 3
CITY OF PORTOLA
GENERAL FUND MAJOR REVENUE SOURCES
4 YEARS AND YEAR TO DATE
DESCRIPTION 2019-2020 2020-2021 2021-2022 2022-2023 2023-2024 2023-2024 ACTUAL ACTUAL ACTUAL ACTUAL BUDGET AS OF 1-31-24
Property Taxes - Secured 246,268.84 239,206.47 247,512.97 287,766.53 250,000.00 14,171.48 Property Taxes - Unsecured 6,544.47 6,725.40 7,229.80 7,174.23 7,500.00 567.94 Home Owners Tax Relief 1,688.33 731.44 2,265.78 1,974.38 1,700.00 257.07 Transfer Tax 5,947.93 4,855.88 9,488.78 8,482.59 6,500.00 Fire Assessment 17,708.06 16,983.09 18,075.92 19,118.31 17,000.00 1,646.61 Supplemental Taxes 7,677.15 2,936.73 5,130.02 4,148.85 4,000.00 3,405.25 Property Tax Interest 1,478.64 1,199.36 356.59 50.52 150.00 3,304.63 VLF in lieu 163,071.17 167,969.71 175,085.88 186,049.71 180,000.00 COPS Funding 155,947.62 154,787.91 163,223.55 100,000.19 160,000.00 65,271.26 Vehicle Abatement 2,959.95
Fines & Forfeitures 408.58 282.64 199.52 - - -
Prop 172 5,717.11 5,158.23 8,615.13 10,849.13 8,000.00 1,587.60 Total through Plumas County 612,457.90 600,836.86 637,183.94 625,614.44 634,850.00 93,171.79 Sales Tax 301,529.73 367,472.52 322,531.87 330,510.77 300,000.00 157,977.95 Transient Occupancy Tax 33,348.38 37,005.61 43,578.93 36,621.14 40,000.00 31,037.10 The Property Tax 2023-2024 numbers are the 2022-2023 "true up" The COPS 2023-2024 represents the growth funds from 2021-2022 that would have been in 2022-2023 2/8/2024 Attachment #4
2024-2025 Budget Schedule
Council-Staff Goal Setting ** February 21 3:00
Budget Worksheets to staff February 21
Current Level of service Budgets due from staff March 20 Finance Department -
Evaluation of Current Level of Service Budget March 25- April 24 New Project – Capital Project Requests due from City Staff April 3 Public Comment to City Council re: Budget Preparation ** March 27 Public Comment to City Council re: Budget Preparation ** April 10 Finance Department Delivers Proposed Budget to City Manager April 29
Draft of Year 2024-2025 Budget Delivered to City Council For Review May 2
City Council Budget Work Sessions/Presentations by Staff ** May 8 3:00 pm City Council Budget Work Session (if needed) ** May 22
Proposed 2024-2025 FY Budget Submitted to City Council
And Filed with City Clerk for Public Review June 6
2024-2025 FY Proposed Budget, Public Hearing ** June 12 City Council Adopts Final 2024-2025 FY Budget ** June 26 Note: (**) denotes City Council involvement in budget review process