Vallejo Municipal Code Ch. 16.320 Hazardous Materials Handling and Storage

These provisions ensure that all projects and facilities involved in the handling or storage of hazardous materials, defined by Vallejo Municipal Code Section 7.40.150, Hazardous Materials, provide adequate protection for public health and the environment. Facilities and uses that handle materials identified as hazardous to human health or the environment, are pursuant to all applicable federal and state regulations.

All hazardous waste facility projects require a major use permit pursuant to Chapter 16.606, Minor and Major Use Permits.

A. Standards and location criteria. Projects shall comply with any applicable requirements set forth in the Solano County Operational Area Plan and the following criteria.

1. Proximity to Populations. Residuals repositories shall be a minimum distance of two thousand from any residence.

2. Capability of Emergency Services. All facilities shall be located in areas where fire departments is able to respond immediately to hazardous material accidents, where mutual aid and immediate aid agreements are well established and where demonstrated emergency response times are the same or better than those recommended by the National Fire Prevention Association. In addition, hazardous materials accident response services at the facility may be required based on the type of wastes handled or the location of the facility.

3. Flood Hazard Areas. Hazardous waste repositories are prohibited in areas subject to inundation by floods with a one hundred-year return frequency and shall not be located in areas subject to flash floods and debris flows. All other facilities shall not locate in floodplains or areas subject to flash floods and debris flows unless they are designed, constructed, operated, and maintained to prevent migration of hazardous wastes in the event of inundation.

4. Proximity to Active or Potentially Active Faults. All facilities are required to have a minimum two hundred-foot setback from a known active earthquake fault.

5. Slope Stability. Any hazardous waste repositories are prohibited in areas of potential rapid geologic change. All other facilities shall not locate in areas of potential rapid geologic change unless containment structures are designed, constructed, and maintained to preclude failure as result of such changes.

6. Subsidence/Liquefaction. Residuals repositories are prohibited from locating in areas of potential rapid geologic change. All other facilities shall avoid locating in areas of potential rapid geologic change unless containment structures are designed, constructed, and maintained to preclude failure as a result of such changes.

7. Discharge of Treated Effluent. Facilities generating wastewater shall be located in areas with adequate sewer capacity to accommodate the expected wastewater discharge. If sewers are not available, the site should be evaluated for ease of connecting to a sewer or for the feasibility of discharge directly into a stream or the ocean. All facilities should comply with all state and federal permitting requirements.

8. Depth to Groundwater. Residuals repositories and facilities with subsurface storage and/or treatment are prohibited in areas where the highest anticipated elevation of underlying groundwater is five feet or less from the lowest subsurface point of the facility. At all facilities, the foundation of all containment structures at the facility shall be capable of withstanding hydraulic pressure gradients to prevent failure due to settlement, compression, or uplift as certified by a California-registered and licensed engineer.

9. Groundwater Monitoring. Residuals repositories and facilities with subsurface storage and/or treatment shall develop a program that successfully satisfies the regional water quality control board permit requirements for groundwater monitoring.

10. Major Aquifer Recharge Area. Residuals repositories are prohibited within any area known to be, or suspected of, supplying principal recharge to a regional aquifer. Facilities with subsurface storage or treatment shall be located at least one-half mile away from potential drinking water sources. All other facilities located in areas known to be or suspected of providing recharge to an existing water supply well, shall provide for increased spill containment and inspection measures.

11. Soil Permeability. Soil permeability requirements for disposal and subsurface treatment and storage facilities shall conform to those required by the State Water Resources Control Board. All other above-ground facilities shall have engineered structural design features common to other types of industrial facilities. These features shall include spill containment and monitoring devices. All other facilities may be located in areas where surficial materials are principally highly permeable if adequate spill containment and inspection measures are employed.

12. Existing Groundwater Quality. Residuals repositories are allowed only where the uppermost water-bearing zone or aquifer is presently mineralized (by natural or human induced conditions) to the extent that it could not reasonably be considered for beneficial use. All other facilities located in areas where existing groundwater quality is Class 1 or Class 2 shall provide increased spill containment and inspection measures.

13. Proximity to Areas of Waste Generation. Subject to other standards and criteria described herein, all facilities shall be located in areas best suited for providing services to any hazardous waste generators in the city. Facilities that will primarily serve generators from outside the city shall demonstrate why the facility cannot be located closer to the points of hazardous waste generation to be serviced.