[INAUDIBLE]. THERE'S NO OTHER WAY.
[00:00:02]
I CAN'T BE LIKE YOU GUYS. YEAH, [INAUDIBLE] NOT DRESSED WELL AND STILL LOOK GOOD.[I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER]
ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.IT IS 10 AFTER 10:00 ON DECEMBER THE 10TH, 2020 IN THE YEAR OF THE COVID, WE ARE CALLING TO ORDER OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING FOR THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM THE CDC AND THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN ORDER TO MINIMIZE THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 VIRUS THE BOARD CHAMBERS WILL HAVE LIMITED PUBLIC SEATING DURING THE LAST [INAUDIBLE] OF MERCY COUNTIES MEETINGS.
THE COMMISSION WILL CONDUCT BUSINESS IN COMPLIANCE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS WITH SEATING FOR THE PUBLIC LIMITED TO TWENTY FIVE.
WE WILL GO RIGHT ON TO [INAUDIBLE] WILL CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.
AND IF I COULD ASK COMMISSIONER ESPINOZA TO LEAD US IN THE FLAG SALUTE.
THANK YOU. AND WE WILL HAVE MR. NICHOLSON CALL THE ROLL.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER ESPINOZA, PRESENT COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL.
HERE AND CHAIR SILVEIRA PRESENT.
OK, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM TODAY AND OTHER COMMISSIONERS DID NOTIFY US THEY WEREN'T GOING TO ATTEND. AND COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL IS THE COUNTY ALTERNATE HERE, NON-VOTING TODAY.
BUT WE DO HAVE A QUORUM. THANK YOU.
YES. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. NICHOLSON. WE'LL MOVE ON TO ITEM FOUR THIS IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
[IV. CONSENT CALENDAR]
THE ONLY ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR TODAY IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM THE SEPTEMBER 17, TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY LAFCO MEETING.I'M SURE YOU'VE ALL HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT.
CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION [INAUDIBLE] A MOTION TO APPROVE.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER ESPINOZA AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SERRATTO.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NOT SEEING ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC CALL FOR THE VOTE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW MOVING RIGHT ALONG TO ITEM FIVE.
CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES OR LESS PER PERSON.
THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION ON ITEMS OF INTEREST OVER WHICH THE LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION HAS JURISDICTION.
SO WE HAVE NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE.
IS THERE ANYBODY ON? WE HAVE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU CAN GET ONLINE CORRECT? EMAIL. OR EMAIL COMMENTS TO KIM.ZINKE@COUTYOFMERCED.COM.
DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS EMAILED IN? DON'T HAVE ANY YET. MAYBE WE SHOULD WAIT A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND SEE.
I'M PROBABLY I'M GOING TO MAKE THE CALL ON THIS ONE AND SAY THAT IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY SENT THEM IN, THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO.
SO WE ARE GOING TO NOW CLOSE THE CITIZEN'S COMMUNICATION PORTION OF OUR MEETING AND MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX.
[VI.A. Paul Lopes Reorganization involving the Central California Irrigation District – LAFCO File No. 0689]
THIS IS PUBLIC HEARINGS.TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES OR LESS PER PERSON.
6A, PAUL LOPES REORGANIZATION INVOLVING THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA IRRIGATION DISTRICT, LAFCO FILE NUMBER ZERO SIX EIGHT NINE.
AND WE WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. NICHOLSON. OK, THANK YOU.
YEAH, THIS IS A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD APPLICATION.
AND ALL THE-- COMMISSIONERS SERRATTO NEWER, BUT FOR THE REST OF YOUR COMMISSIONERS, WE'VE HAD MANY REORGANIZATIONS WITH CCID OVER THE YEARS.
SO I DID NOT PREPARE A POWERPOINT BECAUSE IT'S SO STRAIGHTFORWARD TO SAVE TIME.
THE TERM REORGANIZATION IN LAFCO IS PRETTY MUCH ANY BOUNDARY CHANGE, BUT SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT BOUNDARY CHANGES GOING ON AT ONCE, YOU CALL IT A REORGANIZATION VERSUS AN ANNEXATION OR DETACHMENT.
UNDER THE SAME OWNERSHIP OF PAUL LOPES' PROPERTY.
THAT'S ABOUT A THOUSAND FEET APART, TWELVE POINT FIVE ACRES.
THAT'S PART OF A LARGER PARCEL OF ONE HUNDRED TWENTY THREE ACRES, ISN'T PRODUCING CROPS VERY WELL. SO THEY WANT TO TRANSFER THE CCID WATER RIGHTS, WHICH ARE VERY GOOD WATER RIGHTS, OVER TO AN ADJACENT PARCEL.
THAT'S ALSO TWELVE POINT FIVE ACRES.
AND THAT IS NOT CURRENTLY WITHIN CCID DISTRICT.
SO THEY WANT TO FOLLOW THE STANDARD CCID PROTOCOL WHERE YOU DETACHED PROPERTY AND TAKE THIS WATER RIGHTS AND APPLY THEM TO OTHER LAND.
AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO ANNEX THAT OTHER LAND INTO THE DISTRICT AND SO THAT WASH ON THE OVERALL WATER SUPPLY.
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IT ON LAND THAT'S MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE.
THE OTHER LAND, THEY MAY KEEP FARMING IT EITHER WELL WATER OR IF THEY HAVE EXCESS WATER.
CCID, ALSO HAS A POLICY OF CLASS TWO WATER WHERE IF THEY HAVE EXCESS AVAILABLE WATER, THAT
[00:05:04]
YOU COULD APPLY IT TO LAND WITHIN THEIR PLACE OF USE.AND THAT'S WHAT'S EXPECTED TO CONTINUE HERE.
IT WAS INITIATED BY BOTH BY RESOLUTION OF THE CCID BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ALSO BY PETITION OF THE LANDOWNERS.
SO THERE'S UNANIMOUS CONSENT FROM THE DISTRICT AND THE LANDOWNER, THE CCID IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW. THEY PREPARED AN INITIAL STUDY CHECKLIST WHICH HAD NO POTENTIAL IMPACTS, AND BOTH PARCELS ARE HISTORICALLY FARMED.
SO THERE'S NO CHANGE IN THE ENVIRONMENT WHATSOEVER.
AND THE ANNEXATION ANALYSIS, AGAIN, IS PRESENTED IN YOUR EXECUTIVE OFFICE REPORT.
AND WE'D MAKE THE DETERMINATIONS ABOUT THE NEED FOR SERVICES AND AGAINST THE CHOICE OF THE LANDOWNER HERE OF MOVING SWOPPING THE WATER RIGHTS.
THE PROPERTY IS OFF OF COTTONWOOD ROAD TO THE SOUTH AND IT'S SOUTH OF [INAUDIBLE] AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 33. THAT RUNS NORTH SOUTH BETWEEN [INAUDIBLE], LARGE AREA OF ROW CROPS THE LAND CONTAINS. IT'S A RURAL AREA.
IT'S ALL DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL.
AND THE LAND USE IS CONSISTENT WITH THAT.
THERE'S NO GROWTH INITIATED BY THIS PROJECT AND THE BOUNDARY THE SURVEYOR MAP HAS BEEN ACCEPTED WITH SOME CHANGES.
SO THERE THE BOUNDARIES OF THE PROPERTY ARE WELL DEFINED.
NO ISSUES OR CORRECTIONS HAVE COME UP FROM THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE AND NEW TAX RATE AREAS NEED TO BE ASSIGNED FOR THE PARCEL THAT WILL BE SPLIT.
THAT WILL NOW-- IT'S ONE LEGAL PARCEL BUT OF WILL BE IN CCID AND PART WILL NOT BE SO THEY'LL GET A NEW TAX RATE AREA, WHICH IS JUST AN ASSESSMENT EXERCISE, AND IT BASICALLY SUPPORTS THE CONTINUED VIABILITY OF AGRICULTURE.
SO THAT SUPPORTS A LAFCO POLICY PRIORITY.
AND THERE'S NO OTHER SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST AFFECTED BY THIS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T AFFECT ANY POPULATION OR HOUSING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
SO WITH THAT, STAFF WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU MAKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION THAT WE AGREE THAT THERE'S NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT AND ADOPT A NEGATIVE DECLARATION.
AND WE HAVE SEVEN DETERMINATIONS REPRESENTED ON PAGES FOUR AND FIVE OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE REPORT. AND THIS IS THE ONE ISSUE OF HISTORY WE HAVE WITH CCID WHERE THEY HAVE CERTAIN CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL THAT THEY LIKE TO APPLY.
AND WE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION RECENTLY OVER THE URBAN AREAS WHEN YOU [INAUDIBLE] CITY [INAUDIBLE] DETACH FROM CCID.
BUT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN POLICY ABOUT WHEN YOU SWAP WATER AND PUT IT TO NEW LAND, THAT YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT ON THAT LAND FOR FIVE YEARS.
YOU CAN'T SWAP IT OUT TO OTHER LAND.
AND THEY SAY YOU HAVE TO KEEP FARMING.
AND WITH OUR PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS WITH COUNCIL INPUT, LAFCO CANNOT REGULATE LAND USE.
SO WE CAN'T SAY YOU HAVE TO KEEP FARMING IT.
THE LAND IS DESIGNATED FOR FARMING AND THAT'S WHAT THE USE OF THE WATER IS.
BUT WE DON'T SAY, WELL, WE WENT OUT AND CHECKED IN TWO YEARS AND IT WAS FALLOW.
SO WE'VE MODIFIED THE CONDITIONS THAT CCID IMPOSED NEW LANDOWNERS, BOUND TO FROM THEM.
BUT FOR LAFCO WE HAVE THREE CONDITIONS RECOMMENDED, AND IT'S THAT IF THE PROPERTY IS SOLD WITHIN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE ANNEXATION, THE BUYER WILL BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THE OTHER CONDITIONS. AND THERE'S FIRE FROM CCID.
THE SECOND ONE THAT WE RECOMMEND IS INITIALLY THE PROPERTY SHALL RECEIVE THE RIGHT TO USE CCID WATER ON LAND ONLY WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
HOWEVER, AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE LANDOWNER MAY TRANSFER THE WATER OUT OF THE DISTRICT, ON QUALIFYING PROPERTY CONSISTENT WITH CCID PROPERTY AND THE QUALIFYING PROPERTY AGAIN IS THAT CLASS TWO AREA THAT CCID HAS IDENTIFIED.
AND THEN THIRD, TO SET THE ABOVE CONDITIONS WILL BE RECORDED AGAINST THE PROPERTY SO THAT THEY'RE A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD AND THAT SO AGAIN, IF THEIR LANDOWNER SELLS THE PROPERTY, WHOEVER BUYS IT WILL KNOW THAT THEY'RE BOUND BY THOSE SAME CONDITIONS.
SO WITH THAT, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU APPROVE IT WITH THOSE THREE CONDITIONS AND THE DETERMINATIONS ARE PRESENTED IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE REPORT.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.
ALL RIGHT. I WILL GIVE IT LIKE-- I MEAN-- AND I DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE MARIA [INAUDIBLE] ON THE LINE FROM CCID.
SO IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OF THE COMMISSIONERS.
WE WILL GIVE THE PUBLIC HEARING HERE ANOTHER FEW SECONDS AND THEN BRING IT BACK TO HER.
GO AHEAD. MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU. WELL, IT MAKES COMMON SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO USE THE WATER TO ANOTHER PROPERTY, YOU KNOW, ALL MY LAND IS AN IRRIGATION DISTRICT AND THEY'RE VERY
[00:10:01]
ADAMANT ABOUT WORKING WITH YOU.MAKE SURE THAT THE LAND IS BEING USED PROPERLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, OVER THERE, SOMETIMES IF YOU LEASE GROUND AND YOU WANT TO MOVE, ESPECIALLY DURING THE DROUGHT, YOU CAN MOVE WATER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER TO ANOTHER PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S THAT PERSON IS ABLE TO FINISH OUT THE SEASON THEN WHATEVER CROP THEY'RE USING, BUT IS PRETTY COMMON IN TID TO TRANSFER ANY CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER THAT YOU WANT AS LONG AS YOU HAVE WITHIN YOUR ALLOTTED WATER RIGHT.
THAT YOU CAN TRANSFER TO ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT YOU MIGHT BE LEASING OR YOUR OWN.
AND BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FOR THAT-- THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, SOME PROPERTIES HAVE GROUNDWATER OR SOME HAVE A SURFACE WATER.
SO, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LAND IS BEING USED PROPERLY AND GROWING ON IT.
MAKING MAKE SURE THAT THE AGRICULTURAL GROUND IS MOVING FORWARD AND PERFORMING.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER ESPINOZA.
SO DID WE HAVE ANY EMAILS COME IN? I'M NOT SEEING ANYBODY HERE.
WE WILL NOW CLOSE A PUBLIC HEARING.
AND WE WILL BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION.
SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS? ALL RIGHT. SO THE PROPOSED ACTION, IF YOU LOOK AT PAGE-- STARTS ON PAGE FIVE OF THE STAFF REPORT, AND IT IS NUMBER ONE TO MAKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS AND THAT IT IS EXEMPT FROM CEQA, AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT, BILL? NEGATIVE DECLARATION-- [INAUDIBLE] A DECLARATION PREPARED BY CCID.
SO THE FIRST THING WOULD BE THAT WE'RE GOING TO RELY ON A NEGATIVE DECLARATION FROM CCID AND THEN ON PAGE SIX OF THE STAFF REPORT, MAKE THE, UH, THREE MORE PROJECT DETERMINATIONS EXCEPT IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE REPORT AND MAKE THE SEVEN PROJECT DETERMINATIONS LISTED ON PAGES FOUR AND FIVE OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICERS REPORT.
NUMBER THREE, ASSIGN THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION TO THE SHORT FORM DESIGNATION PAUL LOPES REORGANIZATION INVOLVING CCID, AND FOUR IS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CORTESE-KNOX-HERTZBERG LOCAL GOVERNMENT REORGANIZATION ACT OF 2000.
THE COMMISSION APPROVES THE PROPOSED REORGANIZATION AND AUTHORIZES LAFCO STAFF TO COMPLETE THE PROCEEDINGS FOR THE REORGANIZATION WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE HEARING OR ELECTIONS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL.
A.) THAT THE PROPERTY IS SOLD WITHIN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE ANNEXATION, THE BUYER WILL BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THE OTHER CONDITIONS.
B.) INITIALLY, THE PROPERTY SHALL RECEIVE THE RIGHT TO USE CCID WATER ON LAND ONLY WITHIN THE DISTRICT. HOWEVER, AFTER FIVE YEARS, THE LANDOWNER MAY TRANSFER THE WATER OUT OF THE DISTRICT ON QUALIFYING PROPERTY CONSISTENT WITH CCID POLICIES AND FORESEE THE ABOVE CONDITIONS SHALL BE RECORDED AGAINST THE PROPERTY SO THAT THEY WILL BE A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD. SO I WANT TO SAVE EVERYBODY SOME TIME THERE AND READ THOSE SPECIFIC THINGS.
AND THE CHAIR WILL NOW ENTERTAIN A MOTION.
MR. CHAIR IF I MAY MOVE TO [INAUDIBLE] TO [INAUDIBLE] YOU.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND MOTION IS BY COMMISSIONER ESPINOAA, A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER SERRATTO TO APPROVE THIS ITEM, AS PREVIOUSLY STATED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS NOT SEEING ANY.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
WHY? NO, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY THAT'S ONLINE.
DOES IT-- BECAUSE IT'S A PUBLIC HEARING? DO YOU NEED A ROLL CALL VOTE, MALA? WELL, YOU DO HAVE THANK YOU, CHAIR.
YOU DO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC, RIGHT? SO YOU'RE NOT REQUIRED TO.
BUT I THINK WE CAN INDICATE FOR THE AUDIENCE WHO MAY BE WATCHING THAT IT IS A UNANIMOUS VOTE. SO WE COULD DO A ROLL CALL VOTE.
HOW ABOUT WE DO THAT, BILL? MALA INDICATED THAT COUNSEL INDICATED THAT SINCE.
IT'S UNANIMOUS. EVERYBODY-- OK? SO THEN WE DON'T NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, OK? ALL THOSE OPPOSED. NONE THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO ITEM SEVEN GENERAL BUSINESS.
[VII.A. Meeting calendar for 2021]
THIS IS THE MEETING CALENDAR FOR THE TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY ONE YEAR OF HOPEFULLY AFTER THE COVID.BILL? THANK YOU. YEAH, THIS IS MORE INFORMATION.
AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF MOVING THE MEETINGS AROUND THE DAYS OF THE WEEK AND THE TIME AND THE WEEK OF THE MONTH, THE COMMISSION SETTLED ON THE MEETING AT 10:00 A.M.
ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH.
[00:15:03]
SO WE HAVE THE CALENDAR LAID OUT FOR YOU FOR THE THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH STARTING FROM JANUARY THROUGH OCTOBER.AND THEN THERE TRADITION FOR MANY YEARS, ALMOST FOREVER.
WHEN WE GET TO NOVEMBER, DECEMBER DUE TO THE HOLIDAYS, WE COMBINE THOSE TWO MONTHS INTO ONE MEETING AND WE HOLD IT ON THE THIRD EXCUSE ME, THE SECOND THURSDAY OF THE MONTH, WHICH WE'RE DOING TODAY.
SO INSTEAD OF TWELVE MEETINGS, WE HAVE ELEVEN SCHEDULED MEETINGS AND THEN OF COURSE, WE [INAUDIBLE] COUNSEL [INAUDIBLE] IF WE DON'T HAVE ITEMS. SO THIS IS REALLY MORE INFORMATION AND HELP YOU SET YOUR CALENDARS THAN FOR ANYTHING ELSE. BUT IF THE COMMISSION HAS DISCUSSION, THAT'S OK TOO.
OK, SO THIS IS AN INFORMATION ITEM.
AND THEN IF I COULD JUST ADD ONE THING, BILL, AS IS AND-- I KNOW KIM'S REALLY GOOD ABOUT IT, BUT IF SHE COULD JUST SEND OUTLOOK INVITES FOR ALL THOSE DATES TO THE COMMISSIONERS SO THEN THAT WAY WE CAN JUST GET THEM ON OUR CALENDARS AND THEY'LL SHOW UP THERE.
SO THAT ALWAYS WORKS OUT REALLY GOOD.
DOES ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THE INFORMATIONAL ITEM FOR THE PROPOSED CALENDAR? NO, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT, BILL.
THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO [INAUDIBLE] WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM EIGHT EXECUTIVE
[VIII. EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMMISSIONERS’ COMMENTS]
OFFICER AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.THIS IS AN UPDATE ON COMMISSIONER MEMBERSHIP FOLLOWING THE RECENT ELECTION.
OUT OF ALL THE COMMISSIONERS THAT SERVE ON LAFCO, THE MAJORITY ARE ELECTED EITHER AS SUPERVISORS OR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THEN WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC MEMBERS THE SITTING COMMISSIONERS APPOINT.
SO FOR ALL OUR NINE-- EIGHT COMMISSIONERS, WE HAD ONE WHO DID NOT GET REELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL DOWN IN DOS PALOS.
AND I APOLOGIZE, IT'S MICHAEL MCGLENNON BY MISTAKE.
I PUT DOWN THAT HE WAS FROM [INAUDIBLE] AND I KNEW YOU WASN'T.
SO THE APPOINTMENTS OF CITY MEMBERS ARE MADE BY THE CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE, WHICH IS MADE UP OF THE MAYORS OF THE SIX CITIES IN THE COUNTY.
THEY HAVE AGREED TO A ROTATION FORMULA SO THAT ALL THE CITIES GET TO SERVE.
SO WHAT WOULD NORMALLY HAPPEN AS A CITY WOULD WOULD RECOMMEND WHO THEY THINK IS THE BEST CANDIDATE. AND THEN THE CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE HAS TO MEET AND AGREE TO APPOINT THAT PERSON. SO ON THE CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE, I GUESS FOR THE COUNTY, WE HAVE SIX NEW MAYORS OR EXCUSE ME, THREE NEW MEMBERS OUT OF THE SIX, INCLUDING OUR COMMISSIONER, MATT SERRATTO. AND CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE CITY MERCED.
SO [INAUDIBLE] BE THERE FIRST TIME, HALF THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THEIR FIRST TIME MEETING AS A SELECTION COMMITTEE. IT'S CALLED BY THE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATORS.
SO THAT'LL BE SOMETIME IN JANUARY OR EARLY NEXT YEAR.
SO WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE A VACANCY FOR A LITTLE WHILE IN THAT POSITION, WHICH IS THE REGULAR [INAUDIBLE] ALTERNATE POSITION RIGHT NOW.
AND PAT NAGY FROM GUSTINE HAS ANOTHER YEAR, BUT, YOU KNOW, IN A FEW MONTHS REMAINING ON HIS TERM AND THEN THOSE [INAUDIBLE] WILL HOP ON TO THE NEXT-- PRIMARY.
SO IT'S NOT A CRITICAL POSITION RIGHT NOW.
THE VOTING MEMBER IS AN ALTERNATE POSITION.
SO THIS, AGAIN, WAS MORE FOR YOUR INFORMATION.
AND OTHERWISE EVERYONE'S THE SAME AND THE PUBLIC MEMBERS ARE THE SAME.
SO ON THE MEMO I PROVIDED THE YEAR THAT THE COMMISSIONERS WERE FIRST APPOINTED TO THE COMMISSION AND THEN THEIR EXPIRATION DATES.
SO WE WILL HAVE OUR CHAIR SILVEIRA WILL BE UP IN MAY OF TWENTY ONE AND THE BOB BERTAO WILL BE UP AS A PUBLIC MEMBER AND JUST FOR INFORMATION FOR THE PUBLIC, THE BOARD.
MEMBERS THAT SERVE ON LAFCO ARE SELECTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
SO WITH THAT, THAT'S MY OVERVIEW.
PERFECT. THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE ON THAT.
THAT'S VERY USEFUL. AND THEN I WILL TRY TO PASS ALONG TO THE CITY SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT THEY NEED TO GET BUSY SELECTING.
ITEM 8B THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER ORAL STATUS REPORT ON PENDING PROPOSALS.
OK, THANK YOU. I DID PROVIDE A COPY OF A COMMENT LETTER I PROVIDED ON AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT PREPARED BY THE CITY OF LOS BANOS FOR A INDUSTRIAL ANNEXATION CALLED THE AMG ANNEXATION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY MANY YEARS OLD.
AND IT WITH THE RECESSION AND OTHER THINGS IT DROPPED AWAY.
AND NOW THEY BROUGHT IT BACK I'M SORRY, ITS AMG ANNEXATION.
SO YOU ALL GOT A COPY OF THAT? THAT'S THE FIRST THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST ANNEXATION SINCE THE RECESSION FROM LOS BANOS IT WAS REALLY HOT FOR A WHILE. AND THEN AFTER 2005, IT JUST DRIED UP.
[00:20:01]
SO TECHNICALLY, THEY HAD THE ONE I GUESS THEY WERE IN THE RECESSION WHEN THEY DID WHERE THE AMPM ARCO IS ON BADGER FLAT.THAT WAS AN ANNEXATION THAT HAPPENED.
YEAH, PROBABLY. RIGHT. YEAH. I'M JUST IN THE EARLY PART OF MAYBE 2007 OR 2008.
I WAS ON THE COUNCIL AND WE DID IT AND I WAS ON LAFCO WHEN WE DID IT.
SO THAT WAS LIKE IN MAYBE 2012.
YEAH. SO VERY SMALL BEFORE THAT THEY WERE DOING HUNDREDS OF ACRES AT A TIME.
SO A LOT OF THAT LAND IS IN THE CITY BEING DEVELOPED NOW, BUT SITTING IDLE.
SO IN TERMS OF OTHER CORRESPONDENCE WITH A LETTER RECENTLY, THE FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT, WHICH RUNS THE SEWER SYSTEM JUST WEST OF MERCED, IN THE FRANKLIN BEACHWOOD COMMUNITY, THEY-- LAFCO APPROVED AN EMERGENCY SEWER CONNECTION TO THE JOE STEFANI SCHOOL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
AND ONE OF THEIR CONDITIONS, AND IT'S STANDARD LAFCO CONDITION ON THE OUT OF BOUNDARY SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE TO AGREE TO NOT OPPOSE ANNEXATION IN THE FUTURE.
SO THEY'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE DISTRICT IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO ANNEX THAT PROPERTY.
AND IT'S OUTSIDE THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.
AND IT'S AN AREA THAT'S AN ISLAND ALMOST OF NON-DISTRICT LAND SURROUNDED BY THE DISTRICT OVER THE YEARS.
AND THE MAIN REASON WAS MOST OF THE LAND OUT THERE IS ON ONE ACRE LOTS ON SEPTIC SYSTEMS AND WATER SYSTEM IS SUPPLIED BY A MUTUAL WATER OR A PRIVATE WATER COMPANY, WHICH IS NOW [INAUDIBLE] WATER. SO IT'S NOT REGULATED BY LAFOC, REGULATED BY THE PUC, BUT FOR THE SEWER, IT'S THE FRANKLIN COUNTY WATER DISTRICT SUBJECT TO LAFCO REVIEW.
SO THAT AREA IS NOT IN THE SPHERE.
AND SO THEY HAVE TO AMEND THE SPHERE TO INCLUDE IT, WHICH IS FINE THAT STRAIGHTFORWARD.
BUT THE OTHER AREA AROUND IT IS THESE ONE ACRE LOTS ON SEPTIC AND AT DIFFERENT TIMES SOMETIMES YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH FAILING SEPTIC.
AND SO IN MY COMMENT LETTER, I RECOMMENDED THAT THAT WELL, WHETHER THEY WANT TO DO IT OR NOT, THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND A [INAUDIBLE] TO LAFCO COMMISSION TO ENLARGE THE SPHERE AND PUT THOSE ONE ACRE LOTS INTO THE BOUNDARY SO THAT IN THE FUTURE, IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY CONNECTION OR IF THEY WANT TO ANNEX, THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SPHERE AMENDMENT. IT'S COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY THE DISTRICT, LIKE I SAY.
SO IT ONLY MAKES SENSE SO THAT IT'S A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD ANNEXATION.
WHEN WE GET IT. BUT THAT'S THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE ASPECT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT UNIQUE IN THAT REGARD. ONE OTHER ITEM.
WELL, I HAVE TWO MORE, BUT ONE OTHER ITEM IS YOU MAY RECALL THAT SEVERAL YEARS AGO THE STATE LAW CHANGED IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF INACTIVE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND THEY GAVE IT TO THE STATE COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE TO SEARCH FOR ANY-- DO THEY HAVE FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS, DO THEY HAVE ASSETS? DO THEY HAVE ANY EMPLOYEES? YOU KNOW, DO THEY HAVE ANYTHING BUDGET WISE? IT SHOWS THAT YOU'RE ACTIVE. IF THEY DON'T, THEN THERE'S TWO CONTROLLERS TO NOTIFY EACH LAFCO OF THOSE DISTRICTS AND THEN LAFCO CAN DO A STREAMLINED PROCESS TO DISSOLVE THEM.
SO BACK IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN, WE GOT A LIST OF THREE AGENTS.
THERE ARE THREE DISTRICTS AND AND WITH STAFF IN THE COMMISSION, WE CONCLUDED THAT TWO OF THE THREE WERE INACTIVE.
IN THE THIRD ONE WAS INACTIVE BY MISTAKE.
IT WAS THE LAGUNA WATER DISTRICT OUT BY DOS PALOS AND THEY WERE RUNNING THE DISTRICT AS THE COMPANY REDFERN RANCH'S, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY NEEDED TO RUN IT TO THE DISTRICT AND THEY GET SENT VALLEY WATER AND TO GET THAT WATER, THEY HAVE TO BE A DISTRICT. THEY CAN'T BE JUST A LANDOWNER.
SO THEY THEY SAID, WHAT HAVE WE GOT TO DO TO NOT BE DISSOLVED? SO THEY STARTED DOING TRANSACTIONS.
WELL, THE STATE TWICE NOW SENT LETTERS TO US EACH YEAR SAYING THEY PUT TWO OF THE THREE DISTRICTS BACK ON THE LIST.
ONE WAS THE FAMILY FARMS WATER DISTRICT, WHICH WAS DISSOLVED.
THEY WERE OVER THERE RIGHT JUST TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE I5 AND 152 INTERCHANGE ON LAND THAT THEY WERE ORIGINALLY TRYING TO DO AGGREGATION WATER ON AS AN INVESTMENT.
BUT THEY NEVER PROVIDED ANY WATER AND THEY NEVER REALLY GOT ANYTHING GOING.
SO THEY TOTALLY WERE INACTIVE.
AND THE COMMISSION DID DISSOLVE THEM.
AND THE LAGUNA WATER DISTRICT, WE DID NOT DISSOLVE.
SO WE LET THE STATE KNOW, BUT THEY KEEP PUTTING THEM ON THE LIST.
SO IT TURNS OUT THAT I THINK THEY USE-- THEY'RE LIKE TWO YEARS BEHIND ON THE FINANCIAL RECORDS THAT THEY'RE USING.
SO THE DISTRICT WE DISSOLVE-- WE DISSOLVED TWO.
THE OTHER ONE WAS A SANTA RITA WATER DISTRICT, AND THAT DROPPED OFF THEIR LIST FOR SOME REASON, BUT THEY DIDN'T DROP OFF THE FAMILY FARM.
SO ANYWAY, THIS YEAR I FINALLY GOT THEIR ATTENTION [INAUDIBLE] THEY SHOWED UP AGAIN AND THEY SAID, OK, WE'RE CLEANING UP OUR BOOKS AND WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE.
WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE DISTRICT FROM OUR LIST SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HASSLE YOU.
AND AGAIN, ONE WAS NOT DISSOLVED, LAGUNA.
[00:25:02]
AND THEY ARE DOING TRANSACTIONS FOR THEIR OWN CHECKING ACCOUNT.AND WE HAVE EVIDENCE WE PROVIDED TO THE STATE AND THEY ACCEPTED THAT.
BUT, YEAH, THEY JUST KEEP [INAUDIBLE] THE LIST.
YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A IT'S AN UNUSUAL THING FOR THEM AND THERE'S A LOT OF LAFCO. SO BUT YEAH, IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR US TO BE SHOWING UP ON THE LIST.
HEY, WHERE ARE YOU GUYS DOING YOU'RE NOT FOLLOWING UP IN THE LAW.
SO AND THEN THE LAST THING I WANTED TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE NORTH MERCED EFFORT FOR ANNEXATIONS AND PLANNING.
AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE COMMISSIONER SERRATTO FROM MERCED HERE.
BUT THE CITY HAS COMPLETED A EIR ON THE NORTH MERCED SEWER COLLECTION SYSTEM.
SO IT'S NOT JUST NORTH MERCED, BUT IT'S BEEN A BIG HOLD UP FOR THE GROWTH IN THE NORTH.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'VE BEEN REFINING WHAT THEIR EXACT INTERIM CAPACITY IS THAT THEY HAVE TODAY.
AND SO ONE OF THE BIG EFFORTS NOW IS TO IDENTIFY WHICH PROJECTS THEY CAN PURSUE IN THE NEAR TERM FOR ANNEXATION.
AND WITH THE RECENT PASSAGE OF THE ASSEMBLY BILL 3312 BY ADAM GRAY, THEY CAN ACTUALLY LOOK AT ANNEXING THE UC CAMPUS AND ADJACENT LANDS ON THE EAST SIDE BY LAKE ROAD, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. SO THERE'S THOUSANDS OF ACRES IN THAT AREA AND A LOT OF INTEREST, A WHOLE BUNCH OF LANDOWNERS WHO WANT TO GET IN THE CITY AND ANNEX, BUT THEY HAVE A LIMITED SEWER CAPACITY, PROBABLY FOR THE NEXT SIX TO EIGHT YEARS, AT LEAST UNTIL THEY DO THE EXPANSION, THEN PAY FOR IT. THAT'S ANOTHER BIG ISSUE.
SO IN THE MEANTIME, THE INTERIM CAPACITY IS A HOT COMMODITY.
SO STAFF IS WORKING ON THEIR-- CITY STAFF IS WORKING ON THEIR CRITERIA AND PRIORITIES FOR WHICH PROPERTIES AND WHAT KIND OF PROJECTS THEY WANT TO PROMOTE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT LIST TO THE CITY COUNCIL, I UNDERSTAND, IN FEBRUARY TO GET THE COMMISSION TO BUY-- THE COUNCIL TO BUY OFF AND WHAT THOSE CRITERIA ARE AND WHAT THE [INAUDIBLE] COULD BE. AND THEN THEY WILL BRING EACH INDIVIDUAL.
ANNEXATION IS A PRELIMINARY CONCEPT TO THE COUNCIL AND HAVE THE COUNCIL AGREE WHICH ONES TO PROCESS. AND IF YOU DON'T PASS THAT TEST, THEY WON'T BE PROCESSING ITS STAFF.
HISTORICALLY, IF YOU'RE AN APPLICANT AND YOU WANT TO APPLY, YOU JUST PAY YOUR FEES AND YOU GO ABOUT IT AND SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN LATER.
AND THEY'VE HAD A COUPLE PROJECTS IN THE WORKS FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS THAT NEVER WENT ANYWHERE. SO NOW THEY'RE GOING TO STOP DOING THAT AND AND FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT HAVE THE MOST BENEFIT AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE RELATIONSHIP TO THE UC FOR STUDENT HOUSING, FOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY NEAR THE CAMPUS AND THOSE KIND OF PRIORITIES.
AND THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HISTORIC ANNEXATIONS ADJACENT TO THE CITY LIMITS OVER G STREET.
SO WOULDN'T ALL BE AT THE UC, BUT ANYWAY, THEY'RE GOING TO WORK ON THAT.
THAT WILL HELP LAFCO AND WE WON'T GET FIFTEEN ANNEXATIONS ALL AT ONCE [INAUDIBLE].
AND THOSE PROJECTS, SOME OF MIGHT NEED EXTENSIVE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, AND IT COULD TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL PROJECT TO GO FORWARD.
AND SO THE GOAL FOR STAFF IS THAT THEY DON'T WASTE PEOPLE'S TIME AND MONEY AND HAVE PROJECTS THAT CAN'T BE APPROVED BECAUSE NOT ENOUGH CAPACITY.
SO JUST FOCUS ON THE ONES THAT HAVE THE MOST MERIT.
SO IT'S A GOOD STRATEGY AND IT'S.
SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR CORRESPONDENTS.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU MR. NICHOLSON. WE'LL BRING IT BACK FOR ITEM 8C.
THIS IS COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS.
COMMISSIONER ESPINOZA, ANYTHING TO ADD? YES. THANK YOU. WELL, JUST HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE.
CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO MAYOR SERRATTO AND I KNOW HE'S GOT A BIG BURN AND A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY TO MAKE SURE WITH THE REST OF THE CITIES THEY KNOW MERCED COUNTY IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF GROWTH IN THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEARS.
BUT I DON'T KNOW, YOUR NEXT FOUR YEARS WILL BE VERY-- COME WITH HAPPINESS AND A LOT OF HEADACHES AND YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH ALL THESE EXPANSIONS.
AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] BRINGING IT INTO THE CITY LIMITS IN MY DISTRICT.
[INAUDIBLE] OUT THERE. SO THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. COMMISSIONER SERRATTO, WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND? NO COMMENT ON THE ANY PENDING APPLICATIONS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS DO ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL NOW AND I THINK CITY COUNTY PARTNERSHIP IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT ONE.
YOU GUYS [INAUDIBLE] THE RESPECT THEY HAVE FOR YOU GUYS AND HOW YOU DOING THINGS.
AND WORKING PEOPLE YOU LIKE-- IS WORKING ON BIG THINGS LIKE THAT WITH PEOPLE YOU ENJOY AND TRUST AND LIKE IS NOTHING BETTER IN THE WORLD TO ME.
[00:30:02]
AND RODRIGO ALREADY COMMITTED.FEBRUARY SIX, WE'RE DOING A SOUTH MERCED CLEANUP, SO THAT'LL BE A GREAT LITTLE START FOR KIND OF A CITY COUNTY PARTNERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, WE DID ONE IN DARON'S DISTRICT.
HE DIDN'T. [INAUDIBLE], HE DIDN'T SHOW UP.
I DIDN'T SEE HIM THERE. BUT BUT RODRIGO'S WILLING TO STEP-- [INAUDIBLE] NO.
SO IT'LL BE NEAT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE-- WE'VE DONE ALL VOLUNTEER SO FAR.
HOPEFULLY LITTLE CITY BACKING ON THIS ONE, TOO, AND MAYBE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, A GOOD IDEA FOR SOME PARTNERSHIPS AND JUST KIND OF HELPING EACH OTHER OUT, GOING BACK AND FORTH, YOU KNOW. PERFECT.
SO THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL.
IT'S A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR US ALL TO WORK.
AND I'M STILL-- I KIND OF SAID IT TONGUE IN CHEEK, BUT WHAT YOU SAID IS WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM. WE ACTUALLY ARE THE WHOLE COUNTY, ALL US CITIES, EVERYBODY.
AND I LIKE IT THAT YOU'RE BRINGING THAT BATON TO THE RELAY SO WE CAN ALL WORK OFF THAT.
MERRY CHRISTMAS. I HOPE EVERYBODY IN THIS TIME CAN FIND SOME KIND OF SOLITUDE IN IT.
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN BE WITH AS MANY FAMILY MEMBERS AS WE CAN.
IF IT'S ZOOM OR BLUE JEANS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
I JUST HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON.
THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE] THE COMMENTS, EVERYBODY.
I DO THINK YOU BRING A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND FEEL LIKE WE CAN JUST GROW UPON THAT RELATIONSHIP THAT WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED AND GET BACK TO GETTING STUFF DONE RIGHT.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S ABOUT. THAT'S RIGHT.
TEAM [INAUDIBLE], UH, I DO WANT TO WISH EVERYBODY A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
HAPPY NEW YEAR. HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
BE SAFE. AND WITH THAT, WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.