HomeMy WebLinkAbout04 RESOLUTION DETERMINING THE NEED TO CONTINUE THE PROCLAIMED LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO THE NAVY NORTH HANGAR FIREDocusign Envelope ID: E3598871-OCDO-4005-BA09-6603E5FCB82A
MEETING DATE
TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
SUMMARY
AGENDA REPORT
DECEMBER 3, 2024
ALDO E. SCHINDLER, CITY MANAGER
DAVID KENDIG, CITY ATTORNEY
Agenda Item 4
Reviewed: Initial
City Manager a`LS
Finance Director N/A
RESOLUTION DETERMINING THE NEED TO CONTINUE THE PROCLAIMED
LOCAL EMERGENCY RELATED TO THE NAVY NORTH HANGAR
At its meeting on November 10, 2023, the City Council ratified the Acting City
Manager's Proclamation of Local Emergency related to the fire at the Navy's North
Hangar and release of chemicals of public health concern, including asbestos. At a
special meeting of the City Council on January 9, 2024, and at its regular meetings on
March 5, 2024, April 16. 2024, June 4, 2024, June 18, 2024, July 16, 2024, August 20,
2024, and October 15, 2024, the Council reviewed and determined the need to continue
the local emergency. This item recommends that the City Council once again review
and determine that the need exists to continue the local emergency, as required by
State law.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution 24-86 determining the need
exists to continue the local emergency related to the fire and release of chemicals of
public health concern from the Navy's North Hangar, in the form attached hereto as
Attachment 2.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct impact from a determination that a local emergency continues to
exist. However, the proclamation of emergency may aid the City in qualifying for
emergency assistance from Federal, State and local agencies in unknown amounts.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On November 7, 2023, a fire broke out at the Navy's North Hangar at the former Marine
Corp Air Station, Tustin. The fire caused asbestos -containing debris and other matter
from the Navy Hangar to be released and to spread into surrounding private and public
properties. The debris impact zone encompasses approximately 6.5 square miles of
the community near the Navy North Hangar.
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City Council Agenda Report
December 3, 2024
Determining the Need to Continue Local Emergency — Hangar Fire
Page 2
As a result, on November 9, 2023, the Acting City Manager proclaimed a state of local
emergency (Attachment 1). At an emergency meeting on November 10t", the City
Council ratified the Proclamation. A similar Proclamation of Emergency was also
approved by the Orange County Board of Supervisors on November 101"
Since that time, City staff, the Orange County Fire Authority, and multiple emergency
service providers retained to assist the City in handling and managing this
unprecedented emergency have worked closely with Federal, State and local health
and environmental agencies to take all necessary and appropriate emergency
measures to protect public health and safety.
State law requires the Local Proclamation of Emergency to be reviewed at least once
every 60 days by the City Council until terminated (Cal. Gov't Code § 8630(c).) In light
of that requirement, the City Council met in a special meeting on January 9, 2024, to
review the need to continue the local emergency and determined that the need
continued to exist. The City Council later met during its regular meetings on March 5,
April 16, June 4, June 18, July 16, 2024, August 20, 2024 and on October 15, 2024 to
review the need to continue the local emergency and, by adoption of Resolution 24-20,
Resolution 24-25, Resolution 24-39, Resolution 24-46, Resolution 24-50, Resolution 24-
58, and Resolution 24-74 respectively, determined that the need to continue the local
emergency continued to exist at each of those times as well.
DETERMINING THE NEED TO CONTINUE THE LOCAL EMERGENCY
Government Code section 8630(c) requires the City Council to "review the need for
continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the [City Council]
terminates the local emergency." As noted above, the Council determined the need for
the emergency continued to exist most recently on October 15, 2024. The 60t" day after
the Council's last determination will be on Saturday, December 14, 2024.
As a result, the City Council is requested to consider and renew at the December 3rd
meeting the determination that the need continues to exist for a local emergency in
order to ensure that the 60-day renewal requirement does not lapse.
The emergency efforts continue with the on -request cleanup and removal efforts in
accordance with direction of the EPA, the California Department of Toxic Substances
Control, the South Coast Air Quality Management District, and the Orange County
Health Care Agency. On -going and future efforts include but are not limited to:
• Enormous amounts of fire debris and collected asbestos -containing debris are
currently contained on or near the former hangar location pending the Navy's
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City Council Agenda Report
December 3, 2024
Determining the Need to Continue Local Emergency — Hangar Fire
Page 3
completion of removal and transportation of the materials to off -site, licensed
hazardous waste disposal facilities; and
• It is anticipated that active air quality monitoring will continue until all fire and
asbestos debris is removed from the hangar site by the Navy; and
• Although a substantial amount of the debris removal in the community has been
addressed under the direction of Certified Asbestos Consultants, it is anticipated
that debris removal will continue in the community, including removal of fire -
related debris on some rooftops and in rain gutters in impacted areas as
recommended by the environmental agencies overseeing the response action.
Based on the foregoing, staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached
Resolution 24-86 determining that the need exists to continue the local emergency
related to the release of chemicals of public health concern from the fire at the Navy's
North Hangar. (Attachment 2.)
Attachments:
1. November 9, 2023, Proclamation of Emergency
2. Proposed Resolution 24-86
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ATTACHMENT 1
PROCLAMATION OF LOCAL EMERGENCY
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WHEREAS, the demolition, debris removal, site remediation and other offsite
remediation requirements are unknown at this time; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager, acting as the Director of Emergency Services, has
the power to declare a local emergency as authorized by California Government Code
Section 8630 and Tustin Municipal Code Sections 5204 and 5205(a)(1).
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED BY THE
CITY MANAGER OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. As contemplated in the Emergency Services Act contained in
California Government Code Section 8550 et seq., including Section 8558(c), and
Chapter 2 of Article 5 of the Tustin Municipal Code, a local emergency exists based on
the existence of conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and
property caused by an epidemic, as detailed in the recitals set forth above.
Section 2. The area of the City of Tustin which is endangered/imperiled is the
entire City.
Section 3- During the existence of this local emergency, the powers, functions,
and duties of the emergency organization of this City shall be those prescribed by state
law and by ordinances, resolutions, and orders of this City, including but not limited to the
City's Emergency Plan.
Section 4. The City Council shall review and ratify this proclamation of the City
Manager within seven days as required by state law, and if ratified, shall continue to exist
until the City Council proclaims the termination of this local emergency. The City Council
shall review the need for continuing the local emergency as required by state law until it
terminates the local emergency, and shall terminate the local emergency at the earliest
possible date that conditions warrant.
Section 5. That a copy of this proclamation be forwarded to the Director of
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services requesting that the Director find it
acceptable in accordance with state law; that the Governor of California, pursuant to the
Emergency Services Act, issue a proclamation declaring an emergency in' the City of
Tustin; that the Governor waive regulations that may hinder response and recovery
efforts; that recovery assistance be made available under the California Disaster
1799681.1
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Assistance Act; and that the State expedite access to State and Federal resources and
any other appropriate federal disaster relief programs.
PROCLAIMED this 91h day of November 2023.
NICOLE BERNARND, ACTING CIT
MANAGER, AND ACTING DIRECTOR
OF EMERGENCY SERVICES
....• •FORM:
i .�ORNEY
A ST:
6z 1.
ERICA YASL! A, CITY CLERK
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ATTACHMENT 2
RESOLUTION 24-86
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF TUSTIN,
CALIFORNIA, DETERMINING THE NEED TO CONTINUE LOCAL EMERGENCY
RELATED TO FIRE AND RELEASE OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS FROM NAVY
NORTH HANGAR
WHEREAS, Tustin Municipal Code sections 5204 and 5205 empower the City
Manager, as the Director of Emergency Services, to declare the existence or threatened
existence of a local emergency; and
WHEREAS, California Government Code section 8550 et seq., including section
8558(c), authorizes the City Manager to proclaim a local emergency when the City is
threatened by conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property
within the City that are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel,
equipment, and facilities of the City; and
WHEREAS, the California Government Code section 8630(c) requires Local
Proclamation of Emergency to be reviewed at least once every 60 days by the governing
body until terminated; and
WHEREAS, on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, a fire erupted on the
decommissioned Tustin Air Base in the North Hangar, a wooden structure, constructed
in the 1940's and designated as a Historical Landmark; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Navy is the responsible owner of the site, including the North
Hangar, but does not maintain firefighting or other equipment due to the decommissioned
status of former Marine Corps Air Station Tustin; and
WHEREAS, conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property have
arisen in the City of Tustin due to the fire and the release of chemicals of public health
concern including asbestos; and
WHEREAS, remediation and removal of debris from the fire continues; and
WHEREAS, the Acting City Manager issued a Proclamation of Local Emergency
on November 9, 2024; and
WHEREAS, the City Council ratified the Proclamation of Emergency at an
emergency meeting convened on November 10, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City Council met on January 9, 2024, to review the local
emergency and determined that the need for the local emergency continued to exist; and
Resolution 24-86
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WHEREAS, the City Council subsequently met during its regular meetings on
March 5, 2024, April 16, 2024, June 4, 2024, June 18, 2024, July 16, 2024, August 20,
2024, and October 15, 2024, to again review the need to continue the local emergency
and, by adoption of Resolutions 24-20, 24-25, 24-39, 24-46, 24-50, 24-58 and 24-74
respectively, determined that the need for the local emergency continued to exist on each
of those dates; and
WHEREAS, enormous amounts of fire debris and collected asbestos -containing
debris are currently contained on or near the former hangar location pending the Navy's
removal and transportation of the materials to off -site, licensed hazardous waste disposal
facilities;
WHEREAS, it is anticipated that active air quality monitoring will continue until all
fire and asbestos debris is removed from the hangar site by the Navy; and
WHEREAS, although a substantial amount of the debris removal in the community
has been addressed under the direction of Certified Asbestos Consultants, reports of
related debris in the community continue; and
WHEREAS, the environmental agencies overseeing the response action have
recommended that debris on some rooftops and in rain gutters in impacted areas also be
removed. A Sixth Amendment to the Navy's Cooperative Agreement has been approved
to fund above -ground work pursuant to a work plan approved by the environmental
agencies, and planning is underway to implement the above -ground work.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Tustin as
follows:
Section 1. The need exists to continue the local emergency related to the
release of chemicals of public health concern from the fire at the Navy's North Hangar.
Section 2. The local emergency will continue to exist until the City Council
proclaims the termination of this local emergency. The City Council shall review the need
for continuing the local emergency as required by state law until it terminates the local
emergency, and shall terminate the local emergency at the earliest possible date that
conditions warrant.
Section 3. A copy of this Resolution shall be forwarded to the Director of
California Governor's Office of Emergency Services to communicate the City's renewed
request that the Governor of the State of California, pursuant to the Emergency Services
Act, issue a proclamation declaring an emergency in the City of Tustin; that the Governor
waive regulations that may hinder response and recovery efforts; that recovery assistance
be made available under the California Disaster Assistance Act; and that the State
Resolution 24-86
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expedite access to State and Federal resources and any other appropriate federal
disaster relief programs.
ADOPTED this 3rd day of December 2024.
AUSTIN LUMBARD,
Mayor
ATTEST:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
FDocuSigned by:
'4,
DA 8EF'WrEN`DIG,
CITY ATTORNEY
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) SS
CITY OF TUSTIN )
I, Erica N. Yasuda, City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of the City of Tustin,
California, do hereby certify that the whole number of the members of the City Council of
the City of Tustin is five; that the above and foregoing Resolution No. 24- 86 was duly passed
and adopted at a regular meeting of the Tustin City Council, held on the 3rd day of
December, 2024, by the following vote:
COUNCILMEMBER AYES:
COUNCILMEMBER NOES:
COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAINED:
COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT:
COUNCILMEMBER RECUSED:
ERICA N. YASUDA,
City Clerk
Resolution 24-86
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