A/GVWC Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, November 4, 2006

AGV Watershed Council

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

Minutes of November 4, 2006

A meeting of the board of directors of the Atascadero Creek Green Valley Creek Watershed Council was held at 375 Montgomery in Sebastopol on November 4, 2006. Directors Jean Redus, John Roberts, Stephen Fuller-Rowell and Bob Burke were present. Supervisor Mike Reilly and Chris Payne were also present. Jean called the meeting to order at 10:05.
Minutes. The draft minutes of the October meeting, as revised by Jean by email, were discussed and approved.

Supervisor Reilly. Mike Reilly discussed the following matters with the board:

1. Pitkin Marsh: Mike and the directors reviewed the history of this part of the watershed, including the status of the currently pending development proposal.

2. Riparian Setbacks: In light of the apparent demise of the proposed changes to the GP Update Open Space element relating to riparian setbacks, Mike and the directors discussed the theoretical and the practical applicability of the existing setback requirement.

3. USGS Study: The directors asked Mike, who is a member of the governing board of the Sonoma County Water Agency, to set the western boundary of the upcoming USGS study of the Santa Rosa Plain so as to allow the evaluation of the possible hydrologic connectivity between the Laguna and the lower Green Valley Creek. Some are saying that they suspect that heavy pumping from the SCWA 'emergency' wells is contributing to the dewatering of the lower Green Valley Creek.

4. Well Monitoring: The CAC drafted Water Resource Element language that would begin monitoring of all wells that would allow the cumulative impact of over 40,000 wells, including agricultural wells, to be assessed. It was noted that the Planning Commission, apparently in response to campaigning by the Farm Bureau, will replace this specific draft language with a watered-down request for an ordinance (or a further expanded well ordinance) to create a monitoring program. Mike opined that legislation at the state level will be required to address this situation.

5. Ministerial Well Permits: Several years ago, Mike had suggested we should work to get RC3-h in the current 1989 General Plan widened to include ministerial wells permits, such as those for high-volume agricultural wells. Language drafted by the CAC would have done this. The Planning Commission now appears to be removing all language that would affect any wells other than those that require discretionary use permits.

Pitkin Marsh. The directors considered the status of the request by the new owner of the large parcel in the area known as the Pitkin Marsh to develop a 29-bed residential care facility. A public hearing for the use permit application will be held at the PRMD office on Thursday, November 9, at 2:30PM. Stephen had read the entire staff report and summarized it for the board. The four directors present unanimously expressed objection to the proposed development, but discussed how best to try to arrive at a desirable resolution. It was resolved to request that a full EIR be produced before the project is approved or denied by the PRMD or the Board of Supervisors. Jean and Stephen said they would attend the hearing, and Jean agreed to speak for the board.

The meeting adjourned at 12:20

Respectfully submitted,

Bob Burke

Secretary

AGV Watershed Council	Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Minutes of November 4, 2006


A meeting of the board of directors of the Atascadero Creek Green Valley Creek Watershed Council was held at 375 Montgomery in Sebastopol on November 4, 2006. Directors Jean Redus, John Roberts, Stephen Fuller-Rowell and Bob Burke were present. Supervisor Mike Reilly and Chris Payne were also present. Jean called the meeting to order at 10:05. Minutes. The draft minutes of the October meeting, as revised by Jean by email, were discussed and approved. Supervisor Reilly. Mike Reilly discussed the following matters with the board: 1. Pitkin Marsh: Mike and the directors reviewed the history of this part of the watershed, including the status of the currently pending development proposal. 2. Riparian Setbacks: In light of the apparent demise of the proposed changes to the GP Update Open Space element relating to riparian setbacks, Mike and the directors discussed the theoretical and the practical applicability of the existing setback requirement. 3. USGS Study: The directors asked Mike, who is a member of the governing board of the Sonoma County Water Agency, to set the western boundary of the upcoming USGS study of the Santa Rosa Plain so as to allow the evaluation of the possible hydrologic connectivity between the Laguna and the lower Green Valley Creek. Some are saying that they suspect that heavy pumping from the SCWA 'emergency' wells is contributing to the dewatering of the lower Green Valley Creek. 4. Well Monitoring: The CAC drafted Water Resource Element language that would begin monitoring of all wells that would allow the cumulative impact of over 40,000 wells, including agricultural wells, to be assessed. It was noted that the Planning Commission, apparently in response to campaigning by the Farm Bureau, will replace this specific draft language with a watered-down request for an ordinance (or a further expanded well ordinance) to create a monitoring program. Mike opined that legislation at the state level will be required to address this situation. 5. Ministerial Well Permits: Several years ago, Mike had suggested we should work to get RC3-h in the current 1989 General Plan widened to include ministerial wells permits, such as those for high-volume agricultural wells. Language drafted by the CAC would have done this. The Planning Commission now appears to be removing all language that would affect any wells other than those that require discretionary use permits. Pitkin Marsh. The directors considered the status of the request by the new owner of the large parcel in the area known as the Pitkin Marsh to develop a 29-bed residential care facility. A public hearing for the use permit application will be held at the PRMD office on Thursday, November 9, at 2:30PM. Stephen had read the entire staff report and summarized it for the board. The four directors present unanimously expressed objection to the proposed development, but discussed how best to try to arrive at a desirable resolution. It was resolved to request that a full EIR be produced before the project is approved or denied by the PRMD or the Board of Supervisors. Jean and Stephen said they would attend the hearing, and Jean agreed to speak for the board. The meeting adjourned at 12:20 Respectfully submitted, Bob Burke Secretary