Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Franchise Haines Pipeline topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Seal Beach directs staff on LADWP Haines pipeline franchise; council adds VGO inquiry
Summary
After residents raised seismic, environmental and emergency-access concerns, the council adopted staff-recommended franchise negotiation terms for the Haines recycled-water and sewer project with an amendment requiring staff to determine the status of a nearby VGO oil pipeline; motion passed 4–1.
The Seal Beach City Council on July 27 gave staff direction to pursue negotiated franchise terms with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and Long Beach for the Haines recycled-water and sewer force-main project, adding a requirement that staff investigate whether a nearby vacuum gas oil (VGO) pipeline is active.
City Attorney Gorelli introduced the item as an opportunity to "hear from the community and the council to ensure that we are on the right path," noting that the project’s environmental documents envisioned LADWP obtaining a franchise from Seal Beach and that both a recycled-water line and a 12‑inch sewer force main would cross the city’s right‑of‑way. Gorelli told the council staff "is not yet formally engaged with LADWP or Long Beach on the specific terms of a franchise," and outlined recommended deal points including bridge retrofit requirements, franchise fees, encroachment permits, traffic and emergency safety plans, and mitigation funding for College Park West.
Residents from College Park West pressed the council on bridge safety and environmental risks. James Lingle testified that the sewer force main would carry "2,800,000 gallons" daily and that the bridge substructure was rated "poor" in the Kleinfelder peer review; Mary Cobb asked that "all bridge repairs to the CPW Bridge [be] completed before any new pipeline construction begins," and John Janicek warned of the hazard posed by the adjacent VGO pipeline.
In response, staff said Long Beach is the CEQA lead and Seal Beach is a responsible agency that must make findings for impacts within the city’s right‑of‑way, and said Long Beach/LADWP have indicated they would fund required seismic updates. Director Iris Lee and staff said Long Beach and LADWP have told Seal Beach they are "looking into" rerouting the sewer force main so it would not cross the College Park Drive bridge. City staff also confirmed the franchise package would require Long Beach and LADWP to post performance and payment bonds and to update seismic analyses based on the city’s peer review comments.
Mayor Pro Tem Wong moved to adopt staff's recommended deal terms with the amendment that staff determine the status of the VGO pipeline; Councilmember Kalmick seconded. The motion carried 4–1. The vote provides staff guidance for upcoming negotiations and for staff discussions with LADWP and Long Beach, but does not itself approve a final franchise agreement, which would require a future open‑session council vote.
