Following weeks of protests by Culver City residents, the City Council considered a request by the community for an extension of the public review period for the submission of written comments on the Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) Specific Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) at a special meeting on Monday.
After lengthy discussions and further comments from the public, the City Council approved a 120-Day extension to March 14, 2018.
According to a statement from the City, the Draft EIR for the IOF Specific Plan Project (including the Draft Specific Plan and Drilling Regulations) were released for public review and comment on Sept. 15 for a 60-day review period ending Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines require that an EIR be available for a 45-day public review period; however, the City initially extended the Project’s Public Review Period to 60 days.
Based on the City Council’s action at the meeting on November 13, the public review period for the submission of written comments on the IOF Specific Plan and Draft EIR has now been extended for an additional 120 days.
Interested parties have until 5:30 p.m. March 14, 2018 to review the Draft EIR and submit written comments for consideration by the City Council.
While there concerns voiced by Council Members Jim Clarke and Goran Eriksson at the last City Council meeting that any such extension could cause big delays to the project further along the line, the public will consider this a victory after weeks of attending the meetings and speaking out.
Written comments should be received by the City on or before March 14, 2018 at 5:30 PM. Written comments should be labeled with “Subject: Inglewood Oil Field Specific Plan Project” and be directed as follows:
By email: IOFSpecificPlanProject@culvercity.org; fax: 310-253-5664; traditional mail – City of Culver City, City Attorney’s Office, Attention: Heather Baker, Assistant City Attorney, Subject: Inglewood Oil Field Specific Plan Project. 9770 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232.
The PowerPoint presentation from the first of the City’s two informational meetings regarding the CEQA process, the overall findings of the Draft EIR, and the Specific Plan are now available at culvercity.org/home/showdocument?id=10947.
If the public has any questions regarding this matter, please contact Heather Baker, Assistant City Attorney, at heather.baker@culvercity.org or 310-253-5660. Or, the public may contact the City’s Inglewood Oil Field Specific Plan Project Manager, Melanie Doran Traxler, at IOFSpecificPlanProject@culvercity.org or 818-248-7158. You may also visit the City’s IOF webpage for information relating to the Draft EIR at culvercity.org/inglewoodoilfield