§ 16.24.080. Methane assessment and mitigation standards.

A. Assessment requirements. The area of development on all properties in the city, whether or not they contain abandoned wells, shall be tested for methane gas prior to issuance of construction or development permits unless otherwise approved by the Oil Services Coordinator. In no case shall methane testing of the property be conducted less than 30 days after site disturbance.

B. Permit. A methane site test permit is required on all development sites where construction permits are required, whether or not there are wells located within the area of development. No methane tests shall be conducted without a permit issued by the Oil Services Coordinator.

C. Site assessment. A Site Methane Assessment is required for any property proposed for development. The assessment shall be conducted to the satisfaction of the Oil Services Coordinator and in accordance with the city’s “methane assessment minimum requirements standard” on file in the Community Development Department and publicly available. The assessment report shall be signed and stamped by a State of California registered geologist and submitted for review to the Oil Services Coordinator prior to any mitigation activity, if required, on the property. Methane assessment shall be conducted no less than 30 days following any soils disturbance on the site.

D. Mitigation plan. If the methane site assessment requires mitigation, or if the well access exhibit is labeled “no access & methane mitigation required”, a methane mitigation plan shall be prepared in accordance with the city’s “methane mitigation minimum requirements standard” on file in the Community Development Department and publicly available and submitted for review and approval by the Oil Services Coordinator prior to commencement of any mitigation work on site.

E. Letter of intent. For properties subject to site plan and design review, pursuant to Chapter 20.52, if the applicant does not wish to complete the methane assessment and mitigation, if required prior to site plan and design review, the Oil Services Coordinator shall require that a letter of intent be submitted by the applicant stating their intent to conduct the property methane assessment and submit a mitigation plan, if required, as a condition of the site plan and design review.

(Ord. 2015-05-1475 § 8)