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HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 653-193816 RESOLUTION STATING THE ATTITUDE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY 01~ SO~H SAN FRANCISCO WITH EEFERENC E TO THE ~ORMATION OF AN EQUITABLE AND SATISFACTORY ASSESSEMENT DISTRICT' ~I~R THE CONTROL 0F SOIL EROSION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CHANNEL~ IN THE COLMA CREEK WATERSHED. WHEREAS, the conservation of the top soil now existing in the Colma Creek Watershed is of vital necessity to the welfare' of San Mateo County as a whole and to the properties within, ahd in close proximity to, the water- shed in p~rttcular; and ' WHEREAS, the loss of top soil is increasing i n a geometrical progression from year to year and will continue to do so until methods of control of the soil erosion and land use are put into effect by some public agency; and WHEREAS, the eroded soil carried by the stream has been deposited in the flat areas of bhe watershed between Linden Avenue in South San Francisco and A Street in Colma; s_nd WHEREAS, it i~ a known fact that from 1912, i f not before, until 1955 th. County of San Mateo, through its Board of Supervisors, ha s spent many thousands of dollars excavating channels and lining same with wooden plan~s, raising and rebuild- lng bridges and roadways and pavements; amd the State of ~lifornla in about 1952 was put to' considerable expense to raise a portion of E1 Oamino Real, opposite the Duck Farm, above the wroded soil deposited by the stream; and the M~rket Street Rail- way and Southern Pacific Co. during this period spent thousands of dollars raising a~i moving their tracks and levees above the m~oded soil deposited by the stream; and WHEREAS, the City of South' San Francisco, fro m the date of its in~- cox~poration until the winter of 1916,was put to the comparatively nominal expense of raising, periodically two wooden bridges on 01d Mission Road; and WHEREAS, the City, to provide a roadway for vehicular and street car traffic that would not be subject to floods, did in 1916~ at considerable expense, acquire the right of way ~a~.d construct pavements on Grand Avenue Extension from Oak AVenue to 01d Mission Road, and the Market Street Railway did in 191V reconstruct the present track in Grand Avenue Extension; and WHEREAS, the City haveing provided a way for vehicular and street car traffic on Grand Avenue Extension, the use of Mission Road was only local, and in th. period from 1916 to early 1956 the city did not spend over $500.00 chargeable agains~ Colma Creek and its ramifications, other than engineering; and WHEREAS, from the natural functioning of the stream from about 1916 on until 1954 the deposit of eroded soil by the stream had been above' South San Fr~ cisco or i n areas within the City that caused no trouble within the City Limits; au WHEREAS, in the later part of 1955 San Mat~o County through its County Engineer submitted a project proposal to the Civil Works Administration to excavate the channel to the proposed grade line and pave the bottom with rock laid in cement morta~. Work started and continued ~_util the winter rains created a condition that stopped the work. In the early part of 1954 a change of relief administration came about in which the S.E.R.A. was set up to take over work projects stated under C.W.~ and under S.E.~.~. regulations the sponsor was 'compelled to ~furnish all costs other labor, except those costs, other than labor, which were comitted to the project by C .W~ A.; and WHEREAS, the City applied for a project under the County Bond Relief Committee to remove willows and excavate channels in the planned location of Colma Creek, easterly, or downstream, from the west line of Orange Aven~e Park. This wo~ was carried on by C.W.A. until March 23, 1934, when wox~k was stopped on inst~uction~ from C. W. A. headquarters; and ~ WHEREAS, at this time, and shortly previous t hereto, there was functio~ ing an organization, formed at the request of the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, under the name "First Township Advisory Council" consisting of represents' of all Cities and Civic 0rg~nizations in the First Township. Among other matters the question of completion of lining the channels of Colm a Creek in South San Franl cisco and the unincorporated area upstream was seriously considered. Under S. E. regulations it was necessary for the Sponsor of a project to pay for all costs othe: than labor, so the County Engineer representing the County, and the City Engineer, representing the ~City, both reported to a meeting of the Advisox~y Council in June 1 .......... ~ ~ ,.^,,~ .4,~o,~ ~ ~nonso~'s costs and con- WP~REAS, the loss of top soil is increasing i n a geometrical progression from year to year and will continue to do so until methods of control of the soil erosion and land use are put into effect by some public agency; and WHEREAS, the eroded soil carried by the stream has been deposited in the flat areas of bhe watershed between Linzien Avenue in South San Francisco and A Street in Colma; and WHEREAS, it i~ a known fact that from 1912, i f not before, until 1933 the County of~ San Mateo, through its Board of Supe~visors, ha s spent many thousands of dollars excavating channels and lining same with wooden plan~s, raising and rebuild- ing bridges and roadways and pavements; and the State of ~lifornla in about 1932 was put to' considerable expense to raise a portion of E1 Camino Real, opposite the Duck Far~, above the wroded soil deposited by the stream; and the Market Street Rail- way and Southern Pacific Co. during this period spent thousands of dollars raising and moving their.tracks and levees above the ~oded soil deposited by the stream; and WHEREAS, the City of South'San Francisco, fro m the date of its inn corporation until the winter of 1916,was put to the comparatively nominal expense of raising, periodically two wooden bridges on 01d Mission Road; and WHEREAS, the City, to provide a roadway for vehicular and street car traffic that would not be subject to floods, did in 1916, at considerable expense, acquire the ri$~t of way and constrUct pavements on Grand Avenue Extension from Oak Avenue to 01d Mission Road; and the Market Street Railway did in 191V reconstruct the present track in Grand Avenue Extension; and WHEREAS, the City haveing provided a way for vehicular and street car traffic on Grand Avenue Extension, the use of Mission Road was only local, and in the period from 1916 to early 1936 the city did not spend over $500.00 chargeable against Colma Creek and its ramifications, other than engineering; and WHEREAS, from the natural functioning cT the stream from about 1916 on until 1934 the deposit of eroded soil by the stream had been abo~e' South San Fran cisco or i n areas within the City that caused no trouble within the City Limits; and WHEREAS, in the later part of 1933 San Mateb County through its County Engineer submitted a project proposal to the Civil Works Administration to excavate the channel to the proposed grade line and pave the bottom with rock laid in cement mort.~. Work started and continued until the winter rains created a condition that stopped the work. In the early part of 1934 a change of relief administration c~me about in which the S.E.R.A. was set up to take over work projects stated under C.W.A. and under S.E.R.~. regulations the sponsor was ~compelled to ~furnish all costs other t labor, except those costs, other than labor, which were comitted to the project by C 'W. A.; and WHEREAS, the City applied for a project under the County Bond Relief Committee to remove willows and excavate ch~mels in the planned location of Colma Creek, easterly, or downstream, from the west line of Orange Aven!xe Park. This work was carried on by C.W.A. until March 23, 1934, when work was stopped on instructions from C. W. A. headquarters; and WHEREAS, at this time, and shortly previous t hereto, there was function- ing an organization, formed at the request of the South San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, under the name "First Township Advisory Council" consisting of representati of all Cities and Civic 0rg~nizations in the First Township. Among other matters, the qmestion of completion of lining the channels of Colin a Creek in South San Fran- cisco and the unincorporated area ulmstream was seriously considered. Under S. E. R~ regulations it was necessary for the Sponsor of a project to pay for all costs other than labor, so the County Engineer representing the County, and the City Engineer, representing the City, both reported to a meeting of the Advisory Council in June 19~ ~hat neither the County nor the City could finance the sponsor's costs and con- sequently the projects could not proceed; and · WHEREAS, the administrative engineers of S.E.R.A. insisted that neither project proposal would be approved and workers assigned to either project separately, that both projects would have to be carried on simultaneously, in effect proceed as one project. However, subsequent to about June 1934 one of the administrative engineers in the State Office of S.E.R.A. who had insisted that the work proceed as one project resigned, and shortly thereafter, or about August 1934, operations were started by the County and S. E. R. A. on the channel lining and other work from the bridge across E1 Camino Real at Cypress Lawn to the westerly City Limits of South San Francisco. The work continued and was completed about January 15th, 1935, since which time there has been no maintenance or other work done By the County on this pox tion of Colma Creek; and WHEREAS, two heavy rainstorms, one in March ami the other in the first we of April, 1935, completely filled the lower portion of the channel with sand and sil~ and then overflowed the banks into a new course and deposited sand and silt over abo~ 10 acres of truck garden land adjacent and immediately do wnstream. The net waterwa~ 162 opening under the steel beams supporting the Market Street Railway tracks ac ross the channel at the end of the rainy season, in the spring of 1935, was 1V square feet. The waterway opening as constructed Was lO§ square feet; ~nd WHEREAS, the County haveing created such a condition as did exist in the Spring of 1935, and as a new work relief set up .was being instituted, W.P.A., the City Council submitted the proposal to the Board of Supervisors, that the City of South~ San F~anctsco and the County of San Mateo participate Jointly in complet- ing the channels in the Cit~ downstream to the east of Orange Avenue. After a number of conferences the Board of Supervisors agreed in the form of a Resolution to contribute $2V,000.00 towards the sponsor's contribution and *~e City agreed by Resolution to contribute $3,000.00 towards the sponsor's contribution which was estimated to be $30,000.00. The project proposal was submitted to W. P. A. on July 24, 193§, work started ~tn the spring of 1936 and the essential work completed by.the middle of December, 1936, Just 24 hours ahead of the first freshet. The pr~$ect was completed in the Spring of 193~; and WHEREAS, during the winter of 1936-193~ there was deposited in the ch annel and in the flat area above Linden Avenue approximately 40,000 cubic years of eamd and silt from the wrosion areas in the upper reaches of the watershed. A pi an calling for the excavation of channels to provide storage for the smad and silt expected to come down thise past winter was made by the city. This plan Indic ated the moving of approximately 32,000 cubic yards of material. Fortunately a con- tractor submitted a proposition to the city whereby he agreed to remove 20,000 §ubic yards at no expense to the city. This left approximately 12,000 ~bic yards still to be removed; this matter was discussed, with the Board of Supervisors who did agree to participate in the cost .on a 50-50 basis, not to exceed $500.00 as the County shar~. This work was done last fall; and WHEREAS, the last winter rains did carry into tbs' channels and the flat area above Linden ~venue approximately VO,O00 cubic yar~s of sand and silt fl~m the erosion areas. The City expended approximately $4500.00 between March 1, 193~, and March 1, 1938, for a slui~egate, dragline rental, lumber and gunny sacks and other materials and labor direCtly chargeable against the maintenance of the channels during that period; and WHEREAS, the city has prepared a tentative plan to provide storage ar ea for approximately 50,000 cubic '~ards of sand and silt expected to come down this coming winter in channels below Orange Avenue. This plan indicates the moving of approx- imately 120,000 cubic yar~s of material; and WHEREAS, it has been found that there is not at this time a satisfactox~y and equitable law under which an assessment or other type of district could be form- ed to provide for the maintenance of the channels in this area: NOW, THEREFORE, in view of all of the above~ hereinrecited, the City Council of the City of South San Francisco hereby resolved that they, representing t he City of South San Francisco, do go definitely on record as being in favor of, and will do all in their power towards the formation of au equitable and satisfactory district or agency ~hat will take ever the maintenance of the channels and the soil cons ervation in the Colma Creek Watershed. This is to certify that the foregoing resolution of the City Council of the City of South San Francisco at a meeting held on the 2~th day of June, 1938, by the follow- ing vote, to-wit: ' ' C ounci linen V. Boido, A. J. Eschelbach, M. Min~fcdiahf, D. W. Ratto, Rod Tibbetts ' Noe s, Counci linen Absent, Councilmen None None Attest: Daniel McSweeney City Clerk of't~ ~ity of South San Francisco ·