HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/12/1996MINUTES
ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO
TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 1996 - 7:00 P.M.
CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBER - 990 PALM STREET 1
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA
ROLL CALL:
Council Members
Present: Council Members Kathy Smith, Dave Romero, Bill Roalman, Vice
Mayor Dodie Williams, and Mayor Allen Settle
Absent: None
City Staff
Present: John Dunn, City Administrative 'Officer;' Jeff Jorgensen, City
Attorney; Ken Hampian, Assistant City Administrative Officer; Kim
Condon, Assistant City Clerk; John Moss, Utilities Director, Gary
Henderson, Water Division Manager, Dan Gilmore, Utilities Engineer
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
There were no public comments.
COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS
L.R.1. Vice Mayor Williams said that she had attended yesterday's meeting of the Homeless
- ... Services Center Committee and that the project is moving along as fast as it can. Topics included
public transportation for participants, obtaining liability insurance for volunteer laborers and the
People's Kitchen search for an interim site.
L.R.2. Vice Mayor Williams reported on today's BIA Board meeting and said that Neil Havlik and
Jeff Hook had both made presentations to the board.
LR.3. Vice Mayor Romero said that the County Water Resources Advisory Committee would soon
be presenting a draft report on groundwater yield to the Board of Supervisors. He also told Council
that the American Public Works Association would be honoring the Salinas Dam as a civil
engineering landmark on Thursday, April 11, 1996.
COMMUNICATIONS
There were no communications.
STUDY SESSION
1. WATER POLICIES (File No. 517)
Council considered certain water policies contained within the Water Management Element of the
General Plan (W.M.E.). (Continued from 1123196.)
John Moss, Utilities Director, explained that discussion on this item would encompass three
policies, and other related policies, that are contained in our Urban Water Management Plan
adopted in November of 1994, and subsequently incorporated into the Water Element of the General
Plan. In October of 1995, Council directed staff to return with three of these policies for
consideration: retrofit requirement, Intensification and infill reserve, and accounting for reclaimed
water. He said staff was asking for clarification on policies relative to the use of private wells. He
reminded Council .that Implementation of any of these policies would require a public hearing
process through the Planning Commission and Council because they are contained in the General
Plan.
City Council Meeting Page 2
Tuesday, March 12, 1996 - 7:00 p.m.
Gary Henderson, Water Division Manager, reviewed the 2 -1 retrofit requirement policy which
' requires developers to make changes In facilities served by the City which will reduce long -term
water usage equal to twice the allocation required by the project.
Mayor Settle allowed comment from the public.
Pat Veesart, San Luis Obispo, said that he supported keeping the retrofit ratio at 2 -1.
Richard D@Blauw. Atascadero, felt that the 2 -1 retrofit requirement was more costly to developers.
Bill Thoma. San Luis Obispo, said the Chamber of Commerce had never supported the 2 -1 retrofit
policy, and that it made it more difficult for new development.
. Mayor Settle returned the discussion to the Council.
After discussion, moved by Roalman/Settle to maintain the 2 -1 retrofit requirement and direct staff
to monitor retrofit costs, and, If necessary, bring back changes to refiect true costS; motion was
_.. _ .... _ . lost.
Moved by RomeroWilliams to send this matter to the Planning Commission to consider a 1 -1
_..... ____ retrofit; motion carried (3-2; Mayor Settle and Council Member Roalman voting no).
Council Member Roalman stated, for the record, that the only reason he could see for reducing the
retrofit requirement was to send the perception to the development community that we want to
make.it easier for them, but that, in effect, it reduces our most cost effective new water source.
Gary Henderson proceeded to review the current policy regarding intensification and infill reserve
which requires that a sufficient amount of water supply, including the potential savings from
replacing water fixtures, be held in reserve.
John. Moss commented that changing this policy would require changes in both the Water
Management Element and the Land Use Element.
Mayor Settle asked for remarks from the audience.
Richard D@Blauw, a Margarita expansion area property owner, said that he would like to annex his
property but doesn't have enough water himself to do so, and encouraged the Council to free up
water for annexations.
Pat Veesart said he believed that the City had an obligation to supply water to the residents of the
City and adamantly opposed changing this policy.
Victor Montgomery. 3026 South Higuera, asked Council to modify this policy to accommodate
development.
Bill Thoma said he thought water policy should not limit the City's development and favored
modification of this policy.
Mayor Settl e directed discussion back to Council.
After discussion, moved by Smith/Romero to make available up to 50% of water that was reserved
' for infill to new annexation areas on a first come, first serve basis; motion carried; (3 -2; Mayor
Settle and Council Member Roalman voting no).
Gary Henderson then reviewed the current method of accounting for reclaimed water as contained
in the Water Management Element and the staff recommendation that reclaimed water be viewed
as a new water supply.
City Council Meeting
Tuesday, March 12, 1996 - 7:00 p.m.
Mayor Settle asked if any member of the audience wished to comment.
There were no comments.
Page 3
After discussion, moved by Williams/Romero to revise policy to view reclaimed water as a new
water supply; motion carried (41; Council Member Roalman voting no).
Gary Henderson said that staff was seeking clarification on policies regarding use of private wells
due to disagreements between developers and staff.
Jerry Michael. 3026 South Higuera, requested that Council clarify the- policy to state that
landscaping water can be used with one well for multiple lots.
Moved by Smith/Williams to endorse the staff recommendation with regard to the use of wells for
non- potable needs with policy as adjusted to allow the use of well water for multiple lots reserved
for irrigation purposes and confined to commercial and industrial properties, or properties served
through a property owners associations (excluding residential); motion carried (41, Mayor Settl e
voting no).
Council Member Roalman asked for clarification on the 2 -1 retrofit.
After discussion, moved by Roalman/Williams that revised retrofit requirement will apply to projects
that initiate the planning process after adoption of the revisions; motion carried (5-0).
Gary Henderson pointed out that the last item included in Council's packet concerned a request
from P.G. & E. to connect to the City water system only for fire suppression purposes for their
existing facility on South Higuera and Vachell Lane, outside the City limits and inside the Urban
Reserve.
Bob Burke, P.G. & E., said their system needed to be upgraded to satisfy a CDF requirement at a
cost of $80,000 to $100,000, and as part of the Airport Annexation area, they were looking for the
opportunity to hook -up for fire water protection.
Bill Thoma, owner of a property adjacent to the P.G. & E. property, spoke about the many issues
which added to the high costs of annexing this area.
Pat Veesart expressed his opposition to changing City policy to accommodate this request.
After discussion, Council did not support deviating from.existing policy to provide the requested
service. (General consensus)
P.G.B E. and other property owners invited to work with City staff on annexation issues and
clarification of costs. (General consensus)
2. NACIMIENTO WATER SUPPLY PROJECT (File No. 517)
Council considered the Nacimiento Water Supply Project alternatives Involving water exchanges
and wheeling.
John Moss. Utilities Director, said the City is participating with approximately 15 other agencies
In the development of the early stages of the Nacimiento pipeline project which will deliver water
from Lake Nacimiento to San Luis Obispo and other agencies along the course of the way. He
further explained that John Carollo Engineers is currently taking a look at the design of the project
from an engineering and economics standpoint to determine the preferred project description to
be provided to the environmental consultants for a full analysis through the Environmental Impact
Report.
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City Council Meeting Page 4
Tuesday, March 12, 1996 - 7:00 p.m.
Dan Gilmore. Utilities Engineer and Chairman of the Nacimiento Participants Advisory Committee,
presented the technical aspects of the' preferred project.' He explained that the water exchange
Issue was a request by Cayucos water purveyors to exchange their entitlement for Nacimiento
water 'exchanged for water from the Whale Rock Reservoir. He went on to address the issue of
water wheeling, Its potential impacts on existing customers, adequacy of existing facilities and
conflicts with existing policy regarding provision of services to customers outside the City limits.
John Moss told Council that the reason behind staffs recommendation to support water wheeling
to the Afuero de Chorro Mutual Water Company and Fiero Lane Water Company was that they are
both very small and that the City has infrastructure existing in both of those areas, although there
is no economic incentive to the City.
Mayor Settle asked if anyone in the audience wished to speak.
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Tenn Orton, Westland Engineering and Manager of the Fiero Lane Water Company, said the district
was using well water at this time, but would like to use the wheeled water.
Pat Veesart, San Luis Obispo, was concerned about taking actions counter to City policy by
extending its services outside of the City limits.
Jerry Michael .3026 South Higuera, said the Airport Area property owners had been trying to be
annexed to the City for years and that the area would need to be serviced when Nacimiento water
comes to the City of San Luis Obispo.
After discussion, moved by Roalman /Romero not to wheel water to areas south of the City; motion
_ tamed (5 -0).
Moved by Romero/Williams to direct staff to consider exchange of water with Cayucos water
agencies as long as it is favorable to the City; motion carried (4-1; Council Member Roalman voting
„. no).
9:47 p.m. There being no further business to come before the City Council, Mayor Settle adjourned
the meeting to Wednesday, March 13, 1996, at 2:30 p.m. in the Council Hearing Room for Closed
Session. .
APPROVED BY COUNCIL: April 2, 1996
KC:bv
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Assistant City Clerk