Cityscape roundup

-- Compiled by Bryce Alderton

The smell of bacon frying, French fries turning a crispy golden brown,

all-beef hamburgers flame-broiled on the grill for that smoky flavor.

It may make for good meals, but that cooking leaves a huge mess of

grease for restaurants to clean up every night.

Huntington Beach right now requires only new or remodeled commercial

kitchens to install grease traps, also called interceptors, but the city

doesn’t check to see if restaurants have the traps or are cleaning them

regularly.

That policy is set to become tougher after the City Council agreed

last week to follow a number of recommendations in an Orange County Grand

Jury report on sewage spills and beach closures that called for stronger

laws requiring grease traps.

The report found that grease and oil produced by restaurants and from

high-density residential areas clogs pipes and is one of the leading

causes of sewage spills.

In particular, the grand jury called on cities to set up clear

guidelines for inspecting restaurants.

The city considers sewage spills and the need for the traps a

countywide issue that should be handled regionally by organizations such

as the Orange County Sanitation District in cooperation with the Orange

County Health Care Agency, said the city’s director of communications,

Rich Barnard.

“Huntington Beach would be a willing participant to help with

development of a regional program,” Barnard said.

Lisa Lawson, communications manager for the Orange County Sanitation

District, said the sanitation district also would be willing to help

cities put regulations in place and assist residents in disposing of

grease.

“We’re working in a support capacity in helping with community

outreach and training about the proper disposal of grease, but we have no

jurisdiction of local restaurants or what they do. It’s up to each city

to help with outreach,” Lawson said. “The city ordinances will make laws

that have teeth.”

Lawson said once the ordinance is in place, enforcement will be up to

the city.

The Orange County Health Care Agency inspects restaurants two to three

times a year but does not routinely look at the traps unless there has

been a violation or a threat to the public’s health, said agency

spokeswoman Pat Markley.

The inspectors enforce food and sanitation codes such as sewage

backups and or anything that poses a threat to public health.

“If there’s no violation, the [agency] has no authority to cite,”

Markley said.

Markley added that a restaurant might be inspected more than two or

three times a year if the restaurant had a violation.

Priorities presented for budget planning

City Administrator Ray Silver this week presented recommendations and

priorities for the City Council to focus on for the next month and a half

as it decides on the city’s budget for the next two years.

Silver presented “A Proposed Strategic Plan,” which is designed to

create a plan for future spending by determining what issues, goals and

priorities are most important for the city.

Silver’s plan focuses on eight work areas for consideration by the

council: public safety; fiscal integrity, infrastructure and

transportation; economic development, organizational development and

technology; community livability and sustainability; enrichment,

communication and involvement; and environment and natural resources.

The proposed budget for fiscal year 2001-2002 is $277.3 million, but

Silver said that amount could change.

“The capital projects that don’t get done this year would be

reapportioned for next year, so the budget might fluctuate,” Silver said.

Silver said the budget increased from the $276.6-million figure of a

year ago because of labor contracts with police, fire and marine safety.

The city also has received $30 million in state grants for capital

projects such as beach improvement projects and water-quality development

projects.

Two public workshops will take place on Aug. 13 and Aug. 27, where

council members can ask questions and receive feedback. The public can

also attend these workshops and voice opinions on the proposals.

The first public hearing on the budget will occur Sept. 4.

Formal adoption by the City Council likely will occur Sept. 17, Silver

said.

Medical care services to be discussed

Robin Noah, a Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program

counselor, will speak about long-term medical care at a free seminar from

7 to 8 p.m. Aug. 8 at the Rodgers Seniors’ Center, 1706 Orange Ave.

The advocacy program is a consumer-advocate support system funded by

the state of California and provides information on Medicare-related

issues.

The program’s services include aid with medical insurance concerns

such as HMOs, managed care, long-term care insurance, Medicare and

Medicare Supplemental Insurance.

For more information, call (714) 560-0424.