State H2O Board to Hear Septic Ban

BY BILL KOENEKER       

The State Water Resources Control Board has issued its notice for public comment on the Civic Center septic ban issued by its regional board last November.

The letter, which was issued last week, indicates the public has until June 29 to make comments about the prohibition on all on-site wastewater systems, including advanced systems.

A SWRCB spokesperson said a public hearing was tentatively set for the first meeting of the board in September or no later than the last meeting of that month.

The notice indicates the state agency will send a separate notice for a scheduled time and place for the state board’s meeting.

The state board staff has recommended approval of the current amendment before the board and also recommends the matter be submitted to the state office of administrative law for approval of its regulatory provisions.

Some city officials were somewhat taken aback by the time frame for the comment period. City Manager Jim Thorsen said municipal officials were told they  would have at least 30 days to comment on the document but ended up with only 19 days.

The notice stipulates that each comment must specifically address the version of the amendment currently being considered by the board.

In other regional board news, several restaurant owners came to council chambers this week to ask for help in dealing with the L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board. They said they had been told, permits would rise from the current $8000 to $37,000 and that systems would have to be custom designed to meet the specific needs of the commercial operation and the site.

Norm Haynie, an engineer and developer, said it was the state agency’s way to get owners to push the city council in building a centralized plant.

A spokesperson for Moonshadows restaurant said the owner was shocked to find out about the new permit fees.

“It is extremely difficult to stay in compliance, especially if we are forced to obtain one kind of system and that system is not developed for commercial restaurants,” the spokesperson noted

“There should not just be standards for Malibu. There should be equal standards and equal fees,” another owner added.

The council was not unsympathetic to the business owners’ plight, but offered no assistance or advice.