* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. GOOD [00:00:01] MORNING, EVERYBODY. WE, WE FINALLY GOT OUR QUORUM. SO, UH, [I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER] WE'LL, UH, BEGIN OUR MEETING AT, UH, 10 0 5. EVERYONE, PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. READY? I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. OKAY, UH, MR. NICHOLSON, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. OKAY. COMMISSIONER RAYMOND HERE. COMMISSIONER RA, PRESENT AND CHAIR EO HERE. ALL RIGHT. WE DO HAVE A QUORUM FOR TODAY'S BUSINESS AND EVERYONE ELSE WE ALREADY KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TODAY. OKAY. ITEM [IV. CONSENT CALENDAR] FOUR IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE JULY 18TH MEETING. CHAIR SRA. MOTION TO APPROVE. SECOND. OKAY. I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE MOTION FROM, UH, COMMISSIONER SRA. UH, SECOND FROM COMMISSIONER RAYMOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING OF JULY 18TH. ANY DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIED. OKAY. NEXT, THE CITIZEN [V. CITIZEN COMMUNICATION] COMMUNICATIONS. UM, MAIN PURPOSE OF THE MEETING TODAY IS TO, UH, TO, UH, REVIEW AND ACT ON THE, THE VIRGINIA TRUST, UH, VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST. AND, BUT IF ANYONE HAS ANYTHING ELSE THEY'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON, UH, THAT IS NOT AGENDA ITEM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO COME FORWARD NOW. SEEING NONE, WE [VI.A. Virginia Smith Trust Annexation to the City of Merced (LAFCO File No. 0702)-The proposal involves the annexation of the approximately 650-acre Virginia Smith Trust property into the City of Merced, along with the full right-of-way of Lake Road west of the property. The annexation territory is located on the east side of Lake Road, to the north of the extension of Cardella Road, and immediately south of the UC Merced Campus which was recently annexed into the Merced City Limits.] ARE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PROCEED TO THE PUBLIC HEARINGS THEN, AND THE PUBLIC HEARING IS THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST ANNEXATION TO THE CITY OF MERCED LAFCO, FILE NUMBER 7 0 2. AND, UH, NICHOLSON, PLEASE DO THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU. SO, UM, THIS IS A RATHER LENGTHY PRESENTATION. IT'S A COMPLICATED PROJECT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS, SO, UM, BEAR WITH ME. UH, THE PROPOSAL IS TO ANNEX, UH, APPROXIMATELY 650 ACRES INTO THE CITY, AND IT'S, UH, COMPRISING THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST SPECIFIC PLAN AREA, UM, WHICH IS ALSO A PART OF THE LARGER UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN. UH, THE PROPERTY LOCATION IS IMMEDIATELY SOUTH OF THE UC, MERCED CAMPUS, WHICH THE COMMISSIONERS HERE WERE ALL PRESENT TO APPROVE THAT ANNEXATION ON JULY 18TH. SO IT'S ADJACENT TO THE CITY LIMITS NOW, AND IT'S LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF LAKE ROAD, A HALF MILE SOUTH OF BELLEVUE ROAD. AND THIS, UH, MAP SHOWS THE AREA OF THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY IN RED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MERCED JUST IMMEDIATELY NORTH. UH, AND THIS SLIDE IS, IS MOSTLY HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW, AND THE, UH, ANNEXATION FOR THE UNIVERSITY INCLUDED BELLEVUE ROAD, UH, THE TWO MILE STRETCH EXTENDING EAST FROM G STREET. SO THE CONNECTION TO THE CITY LIMITS IS ALONG THAT, THAT LONG, UH, STRETCH OF ROADWAY. UH, THIS IS JUST AN AERIAL PHOTO TO SHOW THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE AREA, UH, WITH YOSEMITE LAKE TO THE NORTH AND THE, UH, DEVELOPING UC, MERCED CAMPUS AT THE END OF BELLEVUE ROAD. AND THEN, UM, ABOUT A, UH, TO THE SOUTH IS THE RED, UH, OUTLINE OF THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY, WHICH PRIMARILY CONSISTS OF ALMOND ORCHARDS NOW. SO, UH, WE HAVE OUR EVALUATION FACTORS THAT, UH, THE COMMISSION HAS ADOPTED THAT INCLUDE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CORTEZ KNOX HERZBERG ACT, UM, AND INCLUDE LOCAL INTERPRETATION AND POLICY FITTING, UM, MERCED COUNTY'S, UH, ENVIRONMENT. SO THE FIRST, UH, CONSIDERATION HAS TO DO WITH THE APPROPRIATENESS OF THE BOUNDARIES AND POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES. AND, UH, AS WE MENTIONED WITH THE UC, THAT THE NORMAL ORDERLY AND LOGICAL GROWTH CONTIGUOUS TO EXISTING DEVELOPMENT [00:05:01] DOES NOT APPLY, UM, TO THE UC AND THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST. IT'S TWO MILES FROM EXISTING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CITY. UH, BUT, UH, THE, UH, SPECIAL LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THAT ALLOWED CONSIDERATION OF THIS. AND NOW, UM, UH, BECAUSE THE VST IS NEXT TO THE UC, THERE IS DEVELOPMENT ON THE UC. SO AT LEAST THE, UH, THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY IS CONTIGUOUS TO EXISTING DEVELOPMENT. SO, PARTIALLY WE'RE MEETING THAT. UM, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, A ASSEMBLY BILL, 33 12 BY ASSEMBLYMAN ADAM GRAY WAS PASSED IN 2020. AND THAT ALLOWED US TO PROCESS THIS APPLICATION, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY THE ANNEXATION OF THE UC MERCED CAMPUS. AND THEN THE LEGISLATION ALLOWED SUBSEQUENT CONSIDERATION OF ADJACENT LANDS TO THE CAMPUS TO BE CONSIDERED. UM, THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT LEGISLATION. UM, IT DID PROHIBIT ANNEXING ALONG THE BELLEVUE ROAD CORRIDOR. IF YOU, IF YOU WEREN'T TOUCHING THE CAMPUS, YOU JUST CAN'T ANNEX ANYWHERE ELSE ALONG THE BELLEVUE ROAD CORRIDOR. UM, SO I WON'T GO BACK OVER THAT AGAIN. UM, THERE ARE, UH, POLICIES FOR THE ORDERLY, UH, BOUNDARIES AND LOGICAL, UM, BOUNDARIES THAT ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR LOCAL POLICIES THAT LOOK AT ALTERNATIVES, WHICH WE COULD BE MORE ORDERLY. AND IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THE UC, UH, CHOSE MERCED FOR THEIR 10TH CAMPUS, AND THEY CHOSE THE SITE THAT WAS DONATED BY THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST, UH, THAT WAS WHAT STARTED THE BALL ROLLING FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THIS LOCATION. AND SO, UM, THE EXTENSION OF SEWER AND WATER AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CAMPUS PARKWAY AND MANY OTHER, MANY OTHER, UM, FACILITIES AND SERVICES, POLICE, FIRE, AND SUPPORT WERE ALL COORDINATED WITH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, CALTRANS AND HABITAT AGENCIES AND OTHERS, UM, TO SUPPORT THIS. SO THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF, UM, HISTORY IN DEVELOPING THE UC AREA AND THE PLANS FOR THE ADJACENT CAMPUS. AND I JUST PUT THIS SLIDE IN FOR, FOR LITTLE HISTOR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN AT THIS. THIS WAS WHEN THE DRAFT COMMUNITY PLAN WAS FIRST, UM, RELEASED BACK IN AUGUST OF 2021, SO 23 YEARS AGO. AND, UM, THE, THE, WITH THE SMER CAMPUS ON THE NORTH, THIS WAS THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY OF THE HUNT PROPERTY TO THE SOUTH, UM, EARLY PLANNING EFFORTS, UH, WITH THE COUNTY. AND, AND, UM, THERE WAS PARTNERSHIPS WITH, UH, COMMUNITY PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND OF COURSE, THE UC OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT WAS INVOLVED. THERE WAS, THERE WAS NO UC, MERCED, UH, TO COORDINATE WITH AT THE TIME. SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. UM, ALSO UNDER POLICY E IT REQUIRES THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER ANY SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST WITHIN THE ANNEXATION AREA THAT MAY AFFECT THE TERRITORY. AND THE MAIN, UH, ONE OF THE MAIN DRAWS FOR THE REGENTS TO PICK UC, MERCED, UH, VERSUS THE COMPETING SITES, WAS THE LAND BEING DONATED BY THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST, AND THAT THE REVENUE GENERATED FROM FUTURE DEVELOPMENT WOULD GO TO FUND COLLEGE OR, UH, COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. AND SO THAT WAS A BIG PLUS. SO THAT'S, THAT'S A HUGE, UM, COMMUNITY OF INTEREST AND BENEFIT TO THE SOCIAL, UM, AND EDUCATIONAL, UM, ENVIRONMENT FROM MERCED COUNTY FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY. SO, UM, THOSE ARE SUPPORTING, UH, MEASURES THAT, THAT MEET OUR LKO CRITERIA, EVEN IN SPITE OF THE BOUNDARY BEING UNUSUAL. UH, THE NEXT CRITERIA WAS CONFORMANCE WITH THE CITY OF MERC AID'S GENERAL PLAN. UM, IT'S WITHIN THEIR, THEIR GROWTH AREA AND THEIR ADOPTED SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. THE AREAS DESIGNATED IN THIS GENERAL PLAN IS VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST SPECIFIC PLAN. AND, UH, THEY PREZONED THE PROPERTY CONSISTENT WITH THAT PLAN, UM, AS PLAN DEVELOPMENT, UM, NUMBER 80, UH, THROUGH ORDINANCE NUMBER 25 60. AND THE DEVELOPMENT TERMS ARE ACTUALLY IN THE SPECIFIC PLAN. SO THE SPECIFIC PLAN ACTS KIND OF LIKE A LOCAL ZONING CODE FOR, FOR THE AREA. UM, THE RESOLUTION NUMBER 24 OR 20 24 15 ALSO INITIATED THE VST ANNEXATION, WHICH, UH, RECOGNIZED THAT THE ANNEXATION WAS WITHIN THE CITY'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. AND THIS IS JUST A SLIDE OF THE, UM, LAND USES AND CIRCULATION PLAN AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN OR THE SPECIFIC PLAN HIGHLIGHTING THE, THE VIRGINIA SMITH'S TRUST PROPERTY AND KIND OF SHADED OUT AS, AS PART OF THE PLAN FOR THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN SHOWING THE HUNT PROPERTY. UM, BUT THE VSTS PROPERTY WITH THIS SPECIFIC PLAN IS, IS MUCH MORE, UM, REFINED AND SPECIFIC, UM, WITH, WITH THE ZONING INCLUDED. SO IT'S HAS THE, THE ORANGE ON THE, THE NORTHERN PART IS THE MULTIFAMILY, WHICH IS CLOSEST TO THE UC, [00:10:01] AND THE RED IS COMMERCIAL. AND THEN THERE'S SOME KIND OF YELLOWISH, UM, ORANGE THAT'S LOWER DENSITY. I MEAN IT'S MULTIFAMILY, BUT IN A LOWER DENSITY. AND THEN THE YELLOW IS MORE SINGLE FAMILY. AND THEN THE WHITE IS, UM, 12,500 SQUARE FOOT LOTS TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE, THE COUNTIES RURAL RESIDENTIAL CENTER TO THE WEST, WHICH IS ONE ACRE LOTS ACROSS LAKE ROAD. AND THEN THE, THE HABITAT AND, UM, OPEN SPACE LAND TO THE EAST, WHICH IS, UM, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT GONNA BE DEVELOPED. SO IT'S KIND OF A TRANSITIONAL USE. UM, THIS IS A, THE, THE DETAILED MAP FOR THE ANNEXATION, UM, WHICH HAS MULTIPLE SUB MAPS THAT, THAT HIGHLIGHT THE AREA. AND I JUST POINT OUT IN THIS DIAGRAM, THE SOUTHEAST CORNER WAS AN AREA THAT WAS OUTSIDE THE CITY'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. SO, UM, WHILE THE VST PROPERTY IS, IT'S LIKE TWO RECTANGULAR PARCELS, THERE'S A LITTLE KNOB AT THE TIP, UH, THAT'S ABOUT NINE ACRES THAT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ANNEXATION 'CAUSE IT'S OUTSIDE THE SPHERE. AND IT WAS ALSO IDENTIFIED IN THIS PLAN, UM, AS IT'S THAT VERY LIGHT GREEN, AND THAT'S IDENTIFIED AS, AS OPEN SPACE. SO IT WASN'T PLANNED FOR ANY DEVELOPMENT, UM, TO BEGIN WITH. AND THEN THIS IS A BISCUIT TO BLOW UP OF NORTHERN ED'S SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE VST PROPERTY, THE LIGHT BLUE, THE, THE PARCEL OWNERSHIP EXTENDS BEYOND THAT SPHERE LINE. UM, SO IT'LL STILL BE PART OF THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST, BUT THERE'LL BE A, UM, UM, THE ANNEXATION WILL STOP AT THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE LINE . UM, SO THE NEXT CRITERIA IS, UH, THE AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC SERVICES. AND THERE'S YEAH, DETAILED, UM, EXPLANATION OF IT IN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT AND IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN, UM, OR SPECIFIC PLAN DOCUMENT, WHICH WAS GIVEN TO THE COMMISSION. AND IT WAS ACTUALLY, I ALSO, I EVALUATED THE EIR, SO THERE'S A LOT OF REDUNDANCY HERE. UM, THE CITY ENTERED INTO A VERY COMPREHENSIVE PRE ANNEXATION AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST THROUGH ORDINANCE 25 61. AND IT, IT IS, YEAH, VERY DETAILED ON WHAT THE VST OR FUTURE DEVELOPERS THAT, THAT THEY SELL TO ARE BOUND TO, UM, IMPLEMENT, UM, IN RETURN FOR GETTING THE, THE, UM, PROPERTY APPROVED AND, AND GET THE ZONING. UM, IT, IT IDENTIFIES ALL THE PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITY NEEDS. AND IT HAS, UM, A, A, A DETAILED INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC FACILITIES FRAMEWORK CHAPTER IN THE, IN THE SPECIFIC PLAN THAT IDENTIFIES WHAT IMPROVEMENTS WERE NEEDED THAT TO MESS THAT LAND USE PLAN THAT YOU SAW JUST A MOMENT AGO. AND IN, IN THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UM, IT HAS MANY SUB-COMPONENTS THAT THE, THE CITY AND THE VST HAVE AGREED TO, WHICH IS A CITY PUBLIC FACILITIES FINANCING PLAN, WHICH WITH DETAILED IMPACT FEES, THE MAUS COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT OR CFD, THAT THAT COVERS THE PROPERTY. THERE ARE SPECIFIC PLAN IMPACT FEES, WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED, UM, AND, AND ENTERED INTO THE AGREEMENT. AND THEY, THEY COULD BE SUBJECT TO, UM, ADJUSTMENT OVER, OVER YEARS. 'CAUSE THIS'LL TAKE MANY YEARS TO BUILD OUT. THERE'S ME MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY FOR COORDINATION OF IMPROVEMENTS. AS THIS IS A REMOTE AREA, THERE'S IMPROVEMENTS THAT MIGHT BE ON COUNTY TERRITORY THAT BENEFIT THE PROJECT THE COUNTY WILL CARRY OUT, AND THERE'S THINGS THE CITY COULD CARRY OUT THAT, UM, MAYBE IT'S, UM, AFFECTING THE COUNTY. BUT THERE, THERE'S, UH, AGREEMENT AND, AND COOPERATION IN HISTORICALLY IN THE PLANNING OF THIS WHOLE AREA. IT INCLUDES TIMING AND PAYMENT OF IMPACT FEES AND ANY FUTURE ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE FEES. UM, CONSTRUCTION OF BACKGROUND IN BACKBONE INFRASTRUCTURE, OFFSITE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, DEDICATION OF THE FIRE STATION THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AT THE UC ANNEXATION, UM, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A POLICE SUBSTATION, UH, THE CAMPUS PARKWAY CONNECTION, BRINGING IT FROM YOSEMITE AVENUE UP TO THE, THE PROJECT SITE AND TO THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY WITH THE UC. UM, THERE'S A MASTER, A WATER SYSTEM MASTER PLAN, BUT PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE BEING INSTALLED BY PHASES WHICH ARE DETAILED FOR EACH PHASE OF, OF THE, UM, ANNEXATION AREA AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS FOR BICYCLE MULTIMODAL TRANSIT. AND THEN ACTUALLY A SEWER LINE, UM, BYPASS THEIR SHARE OF, OF FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, ON THE, ON V STREET, ON THE OP, COMPLETELY OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE CITY ARE ALL PART OF THE, UM, AGREEMENT. AND THIS IS JUST WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL, JUST SHOWING YOU THE DETAIL THAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT. HAS, THIS WAS A, A COPY OF A COPY, UNFORTUNATELY, IT SAYS IT'S KIND OF BLURRY, BUT IT, IT TALKS ABOUT THE COST PER UNIT FOR FIRE, UH, SERVICES, UH, POLICE, UH, [00:15:01] OR, OR, I'M SORRY, NOT SERVICES, BUT IMPROVEMENTS, UM, PUBLIC WORKS IMPROVEMENTS AND EVEN IT, UM, IMPROVEMENTS FOR THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM. AND THEN THEY HAVE ADDITIONAL, UH, COSTS FOR TRAFFIC IMPROVEMENTS AND PARKS. UM, AND ACTUALLY INTERESTING, ALL OF ALL THE FEES, THE PARK FEE IS THE HIGHEST OF ALL THESE. AND, UM, EIGHT, $8,500 ALMOST PER UNIT. SO, UM, THE NEXT CATEGORY OF REVIEW IS THE PROMOTING A BALANCE OF HOUSING FOR ALL INCOME LEVELS. AND THE, UM, SPECIFIC PLAN HAS 410 ACRES OF THE 650 ACRE ANNEXATION AREA IS DESIGNATED FOR HOUSING. IT'S A RANGE OF, UM, LARGE LOT 12,500 SQUARE FOOT ON THE FRINGE, UM, ALL THE WAY UP TO, UM, APARTMENTS, UM, IN MULTIFAMILY AT 15 TO 20 UNITS PER ACRE. UM, THE TOTAL OF 3,857 DWELLING UNITS, UM, WOULD BE ACCOMMODATED AS PART OF THAT, UM, PRE ANNEXATION DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT. THERE'S ALSO AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN THAT THE VST HAS AGREED TO WITH THE CITY, AND IT'LL, IT LISTS A WHOLE BUNCH OF PROGRAMS THAT WILL HELP SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THERE'S A WORKFORCE HOUSING THAT TARGETS, UM, PREFERENCE FOR UC WORKERS. THEY SELF HELP HOUSING, UM, OWNER OCCUPANCY RESTRICTIONS, UH, DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. AND, UM, AND ACTUALLY HAVING IMPROVEMENTS PUT IN TO ACCOMMODATE THE FIRST 450 MULTI-FAMILY UNITS IN PHASES ONE AND TWO, THE FIRST TWO PHASES TO BE BUILT TO BE SURE THAT THERE'S, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT'S MULTI-FAMILY RENTAL STUDENTS AND, AND EVEN UC EMPLOYEES. UM, SO IT'S VERY, YEAH. SO THEY DEFINITELY, THE AFFORDABLE COMPONENT WAS, WAS WELL, UH, ADDRESSED BY THE CITY AND THE, AND THE VST IN TERMS OF OPEN SPACE AGRICULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS. OF COURSE, YOU SAW FROM THE AERIAL THAT THE, THE SITE ALMOST ENTIRELY FILLED WITH ALMOND ORCHARDS RIGHT NOW, THE DRAFT AND FINAL SUBSEQUENT EIR THAT WAS PREPARED FOR THE COMMUNITY PLAN, UM, UPDATE. AND THE VST SPECIFIC PLAN NOTED THAT, UM, THE VER VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST IN COOPERATION WITH THE UNIVERSITY ALREADY PUT, UH, LOTS OF, UM, ACRES AND ACRES OF EASEMENTS ON FARMLAND, UH, AT A ONE TO ONE MITIGATION RATIO AS REQUIRED IN THE ORIGINAL COMMUNITY PLAN. UH, SO THAT MITIGATION HAS TAKEN PLACE, BUT THE IMPACT TO AGRI RESOURCES WAS DETERMINED TO BE SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE YOU LOSE, YOU'LL STILL LOSE THE LAND ON THE, THE AGRICULTURAL ON THE PROPERTY. AND SO, UH, THE COMMISSION WILL HAVE TO MAKE FINDINGS, UH, FOR THE CQA COMPONENT OF THAT, UM, WHICH I'LL GET TO UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL VIEW SECTION. UM, THE PROPERTY IS NOT WITHIN THE WILLING GUIDE PRESERVE, SO WE HAVE NO ISSUE WITH, UH, HAVING SPECIAL APPROVAL TO, UH, ANNEX THE PROPERTY. THEN IN TERMS OF CORRESPONDENCE, UM, THERE WERE SEVERAL REVISIONS TO THE MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS THAT WERE, UM, REVIEWED BY THE COUNTY SURVEYOR. AND ALL THE CORRECTIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE ASSESSOR INDICATED BECAUSE OF THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE LINE THAT THE ANNEXATION AREA WILL NOT BE THE ENTIRE PROPERTY. SO THERE'S ABOUT NINE ACRES THAT WILL BE NOT INCLUDED THAT, BUT THEY'RE STILL OWNED BY THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST. SO THERE'LL BE A SEPARATE ASSESSOR'S PARCEL NUMBER AND EVEN, UM, THE, UH, TAXATION CODE FOR CITY LIMIT VERSUS COUNTY WILL WILL BE DIFFERENT ON THAT, THAT NORTH, THAT SOUTHEASTERN TIP. BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE, UM, THE PROPOSAL. UM, IT WAS ALSO NOTED FOR IN THE REPORT AND FOR THE COMMISSION'S BENEFIT THAT THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST IS AN EDUCATIONAL TRUST. SO THEY DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAXES. UM, CURRENTLY ON THE PROPERTY, THE ALMOND ORCHARDS ARE, ARE LEASED OUT, UM, AND THAT, THAT BECOMES TAXABLE AS A, IF THE, THE TREES ARE TAXABLE, BUT NOT THE LAND ITSELF. AND SO ONCE THE LAND IS TRANSFERRED FOR DEVELOPMENT, THEN THE DEVELOPER WILL, THE LAND WILL BE SUBJECT TO DEVELOPMENT, ASSUMING THAT IT'S, IT'S NOT A, A, A PUBLIC ENTITY THAT IS BUILDING SOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING, LIKE THE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY OR SOMETHING. UM, SO, SO THE PROPERTY WILL COME SUBJECT TO PROPERTY TAXES LATER, BUT IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO PROPERTY TAXES NOW. AND THEN THE LAST CORRESPONDENCE WAS A LETTER THAT'S IN YOUR PACKET FROM STEVEN PECK, WHO'S A CONSULTANT, UM, AN ADVISOR TO THE VST, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT FOR, UH, THIS EFFORT. SO ONTO THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, AGAIN, WE HAD A, UM, THE, THE COUNTY ACTUALLY PREPARED A FOCUS SUPPLEMENTAL EIR FOR THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY PLAN AND THE VST SPECIFIC PLAN. AND IT'S BECAUSE THE PROPERTY WAS IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY, AND THE, THE ORIGINAL PLANNING WAS ALL DONE WITH IN THE COUNTY AS, AS BEING UNINCORPORATED, BUT IN FULL CORPORATION WITH THE CITY AND THE UC. UM, SO THE CITY'S ROLE [00:20:01] TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION AND MAKE ALL THEIR APPROVALS WAS AS A RESPONSIBLE AGENCY UNDER CQA. AND THAT'S THE SAME ROLE THAT THAT LAFCO WILL TAKE AS A RESPONSIBLE AGENCY TO RELY ON THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE ALREADY PREPARED BY THE OTHER AGENCIES. UM, THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE, THE CITY ON THE CQL WERE REFLECTED IN RESOLUTION, UH, 2024 DASH 13, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET. UM, THEY ALSO ADOPTED A STATEMENT OF FINDINGS AND OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. AND, UM, THEY APPROVED THE MITIGATION MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM. AND THAT'S, UM, ATTACHED TO THIS DOCUMENT E, UH, TO YOUR, AS PART OF YOUR PACKET. AND THEN SEPARATELY BOUND WHERE, WHERE THE FINAL, THE DRAFT AND FINAL, UH, UH, SUBSEQUENT EIRS. SO THE COMMISSION HAS THAT. UM, SO ALSO THE, UM, FOR LAF CO'S BENEFIT, THE FINAL FOCUS, EIR IDENTIFIED 38 MITIGATION MEASURES TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS IN SIX DIFFERENT AREAS OF IMPACT FROM AIR QUALITY AND GREENHOUSE GAS IMPACTS TO BIOLOGICAL, HYDROLOGY, WATER QUALITY AND TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS. UM, AS IN KO'S ROLE, WHICH IS MORE LIMITED THAN THE CITY WHICH PROVIDES ALL SERVICES, UM, OUR, OUR FOCUS IS MORE THE TIMING OF THE ANNEXATION AND PROTECTING NATURAL AND OCEAN SPACE RESOURCES, AND ALSO ENSURING THERE'S ADEQUATE SERVICES IN THIS CASE FOR MITIGATION FOR WATER SUPPLY. SO STAFF HAS IDENTIFIED, UM, SPECIFIC MITIGATION MEASURES, UM, IN ON PAGE TWO OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT AS PART OF THAT, THE RECOMMENDED ACTION THAT THE COMMISSION ADOPT THOSE SPECIFIC MITIGATION MEASURES. AND THEN, UM, THERE'S ALSO A STATEMENT OF OVER IN CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE, UM, CUMULATIVE IMPACTS, UM, IN THE EIR THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY RELIED ON. SO LAFCO WILL RELY ON THOSE SAME CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS. UM, BUT IN ADDITION, BECAUSE THE LAFCO, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD AN ACTION ON THIS PROPERTY AS LAFCO. UM, SO THE COUNTY AND CITY HAD TAKEN PREVIOUS ACTIONS ON THE ORIGINAL, UH, APPROVAL OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN, AND THERE WERE AG THE, THE AG IMPACT WASN'T FULLY MITIGATED. THE ONE 20 MITIGATION IS, IS A PARTIAL MITIGATION, BUT IT DOES NOT REPLACE THE LOSS OF LAND. SO IT'S STILL SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE. AND SO WE, WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL IMPACT TO OVERRIDE USING THE SAME JUSTIFICATION FOR APPROVING THE PROJECT AS WAS USED IN THE CITY'S DOCUMENT AS PART OF THE RESOLUTION. SO WE JUST ADD THAT ADDITIONAL IMPACT. SO, UM, WE'RE ONTO RECOMMENDATIONS NOW, DONE WITH ALL THE, THE TALKING. SO IT'S TO, UM, MAKE THE FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS THAT ARE PRESENTED IN SECTION FOUR A OF OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT ON PAGE 10, WHICH INCLUDES THE ADOPTION OF THE IDENTIFIED MITIGATION MEASURES, THE STATEMENT OF OVER RIGHT CONSIDERATIONS, AS I JUST MENTIONED, FOR THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS THAT COULDN'T BE, UM, FULLY MITIGATED. AND THEN TO APPROVE THE ANNEXATION BY MAKING EIGHT DETERMINATIONS PRESENTED IN SECTION FOUR B OF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT, WHICH IS ON PAGE 10 AND 11 IN, IN MORE DETAIL. AND THEN ASSIGNING THE ANNEXATION, THE SHORT FORM DESIGNATION OF VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST ANNEXATION TO THE CITY OF MERCED, AND THEN APPROVING THE ANNEXATION WITH NO CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, UM, AS IDENTIFIED IN ON PAGE 11 OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MR. NICHOLSON. UM, I'M GONNA OPEN THE, UM, THE COMMENT PORTION, THE PUBLIC HEARING NOW AT, UH, 10 30 TO ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT'D LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THIS REPORT. IF YOU HAVE ANY, PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND, AND WHO YOU REPRESENT. AND DO YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES? THANK YOU. YOU PROBABLY GOT, I'LL GIVE YOU, I'LL GIVE YOU NOT A LONG TIME, BUT YOU'LL HAVE ADEQUATE TIME TO MAKE YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ASHLEY MARIE SUAREZ, AND I WORK WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL. I'M A POLICY ADVOCATE AND I WORK ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS OF SOUTH MERCED, UM, AND ADVOCATING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EQUITABLE INVESTMENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. SO UNFORTUNATELY, SOUTH MERCED RESIDENTS COULD NOT BE HERE TODAY. UM, BUT THEY HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS OVER THE WAY THAT THE CITY OF MERCED IS EXPANDING NORTHWARD WITHOUT FIRST ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF EXISTING COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE CITY AND ITS SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. AND TO SHARE A COMMENT FROM A RESIDENT MARIA CALON, WE ARE MARGINALIZED, WE ARE IGNORED, NOT JUST BECAUSE WE ARE NOT HERE TODAY, BUT EVEN WHEN WE SHOW UP IN NUMBERS BEFORE DIFFERENT BODIES OF GOVERNMENT. OUR COMMENTS, OUR NEEDS FALL ON DEAF EARS. THIS IS WHAT I SEE AND THIS IS WHERE I LIVE. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT THEY FEEL THAT IN MANY CASES, BUSINESSES ARE PRI BEING PRIORITIZED BEFORE THE EXISTING COMMUNITIES. THERE'S A STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH MERCED. AND [00:25:01] TO THEM THE MESSAGE THAT THESE DECIDING BODIES OF GOVERNMENT MAKE IS THAT THEY COULD CARE LESS ABOUT SOUTH MERCED. UM, WHY IS IT THAT WHEN RESIDENTS ASK THE CITY AND THE COUNTY TO WORK TOGETHER, THERE ARE IF AND OR BUTS, HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO ANNEXATIONS, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY SEEM TO COOPERATE, UM, WITHOUT ANY HICCUPS. AND SO THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST ANNEXATION IS A NEW COMMUNITY, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THAT PROPOSES MANY AMENITIES THAT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO NORTHEAST MERCED QUICKLY BECOMING A HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA. UM, AND AS YOU MAY KNOW, IT INCLUDES A K THROUGH EIGHT, A POLICE AND FIRE STATION, THE EQUIVALENT OF THREE APPLEGATE PARKS, NEW HOUSING, NEW ROADS, AND EXPANDED INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, FOR BASIC SERVICES LIKE WATER AND SEWER. MEANWHILE, SOUTH MERCED RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO LACK ADEQUATE BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESOURCES, INCLUDING WATER AND SEWER FOR THE FOLKS LIVING IN ISLANDER FRINGE COMMUNITIES, AND EVEN COMPLETE STREETS WITH CURB AND GUTTER PUBLIC LIGHTING AND SIDEWALKS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS. UM, NOT TO MENTION THAT INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT IS HIGHLY CONCENTRATED IN SOUTH MERCED, AND IT LACKS RESOURCES SUCH AS GROCERY STORES, GREEN SPACES, AND PEDESTRIAN MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PROMOTE HEALTHY AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES. LIKE THE ONES IN NORTH MERCED. IN RESPECT TO WATER AND SEWER INFRASTRUCTURE, VST WILL CONNECT THOUSANDS OF NEW HOMES TO CITY SERVICES WHILE RESIDENTS FROM SOUTH MERCED HAVE BEEN ASKING THE CITY TO EXTEND THOSE SAME SERVICES FOR DECADES SO THAT THEY CAN DRINK CLEAN WATER AND NOT HAVE TO SPEND HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, UM, EVERY FEW MONTHS TO CLEAN OUT THEIR, THEIR AGING AND FAILED SEPTIC TANKS AND TO BUY BOTTLED WATER BECAUSE THEY HAVE CONTAMINATED WELLS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT BST IS PAYING TO EXTEND THESE SERVICES NOW AND PAYING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE. UH, BUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN 10 YEARS AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT, WHEN THE ROADS NEED REPAIRS, OR WHEN THE PROJECTS, UM, WHEN THE PROJECT, UM, NEEDS A NEW MUNICIPAL? WELL, IN 15 YEARS OR AT A CERTAIN POINT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY WILL BE ON THE HOOK FINANCIALLY FOR MAINTAINING WHAT THE DEVELOPERS ARE FUNDING OF CONSTRUCTION WHEN IT GETS APPROVED. AND EVENTUALLY THE CONCERN IS THAT THE CITY'S RESOURCES AND LIMITED WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM CAPACITY WILL BE DIVERTED TO THAT NEW SPRAWL DEVELOPMENT INSTEAD OF THE EXISTING COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THEMSELVES FOR DECADES. THE DIVERSION OF THE MERCED MERCED LIMITED WATER AND SEWER SYSTEM CAPACITY IS A CRITICAL CONCERN BECAUSE THE MERCED GROUNDWATER SUB BASIN IS CRITICALLY OVERDRAFTED AS EXPRESSED IN THE SB 2 44 ANALYSIS THAT THE CITY, UM, YOU KNOW, HAD, UH, PUBLISHED AND THE CITY, UM, ANALYSIS. IT ALSO NOTES THAT SEVERAL SYSTEM UPGRADES ARE NEEDED BEFORE THE CITY CAN SERVICE FUTURE AREAS, WHICH THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO, UM, CONSIDER. ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY ALREADY HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO GROW, UM, AND IT'LL SPEND ITS LIMITED STAFF TIME, UM, TO PURSUING THIS NEW GROWTH WHILE RESIDENTS OF EXISTING COMMUNITIES ARE TOLD TO WAIT FOR THOSE CRITICAL SERVICES TO BE ADDRESSED. UM, THE MORE THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO EXPAND LUXURY DEVELOPMENT, NORTHWARD AND EXTENDED SERVICES STAFF TIME, THE FUTURE RESOURCES, THEY WILL ALL BE GOING TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT WHILE FAILING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH MERCED. AND THE MORE THAT THE CITY AND THE COUNTY WITH LAF COAST'S HELP, IT WILL FAIL TO AFFIRMATIVELY FURTHER FAIR HOUSING AS REQUIRED BY CALIFORNIA STATE LAW. UM, MERC SAID'S EXISTING COMMUNITIES NEED ACTION BEFORE LAFCO SIGNS OFF ON THE CREATION OF NEW COMMUNITIES. SO WE URGE YOU TO NOT APPROVE THIS PROJECT UNTIL ONE, IT INCLUDES MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE LOWEST INCOME RESIDENTS WITHOUT HAVING TO BE AFFILIATED WITH UC, MERCED. AND TWO, THE NEED, THE NEEDS OF EXISTING COMMUNITIES IN SOUTH MERCED ARE ADDRESSED AS THIS PLAN DOES NOT REFLECT A LOGICAL OR ORDERLY PROGRESSION OF URBAN EXPANSION WITHOUT FIRST SUGGESTING THE NEEDS OF EXISTING COMMUNITIES. YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME'S UP. UM, THANK YOU. OKAY, THANK, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER, ANY OTHER, UM, COMMENTS? GOOD MORNING, CHAIR EO AND COMMISSIONERS. I'M STEVEN PECK WITH PECK PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, AND I REPRESENT THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST. FIRST, WE WANT TO THANK BILL NICHOLSON AND HIS STAFF BILL'S BEEN THROUGH THIS SINCE THE BEGINNING. FIRST AS A COUNTY PLANNER, NOW AS YOUR EXECUTIVE OFFICER. BILL KNOWS BETTER THAN MOST THE HISTORY OF THE PROJECT, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE. ALSO, OUR THANKS TO COUNTY STAFF, INCLUDING MARK HENDRICKSON AND HIS STAFF TO SCOTT MCBRIDE AND HIS STAFF, MOST OF WHOM I THINK ARE HERE TODAY. UM, AND TO CHANCELLOR MUNOZ AND HIS STAFF AT UC, MERCED ALL HAVE BEEN STRONG PARTNERS IN THIS PROJECT, AND WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED A STRONG, A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL OF THEM. ON BEHALF OF EST, WE WANNA ASK FOR YOUR APPROVAL OF THE ANNEXATION. UH, THIS ACTION CULMINATES DECADES OF WORK BY THE CITY, COUNTY, AND COMMUNITY. CREATE THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT UC, MERCED YOUR ACTIONS SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO ANNEX UC, MERCED, AND NOW VST WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ESSENTIAL HOUSING, COMMERCIAL SERVICES, AND PUBLIC FACILITIES TO SUPPORT UC. MERCED, WE PROVIDED CORRESPONDENCE IN YOUR PACKET THAT I WON'T REPEAT ONLY TO SUMMARIZE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS MORNING'S MEETING, THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS [00:30:01] ANNEXATION MEETS YOUR POLI MEETS AND EXCEEDS YOUR POLICIES. FIRST, THE ANNEXATION IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CITY ANNEXATION POLICY, SPECIFICALLY URBAN EXPANSION POLICY UE 1.4, WHICH PRIORITIZES THE ANNEXATION OF UC, MERCED, AND THE VST PROPERTY. SECONDLY, THE ANNEXATION IS ORDERLY BECAUSE THE CAMPUS AND VST HAVE BEEN PLANNED AS AN INTEGRATED UNIT FOR OVER 25 YEARS. UH, AND IT WILL BE THE VST PROPERTY THAT PROVIDES THE ESSENTIAL FACILITIES LIKE CAMPUS PARKWAY, POLICE SUBSTATION, AND ADDITIONAL WATER. WELL, THE HOUSING THAT THE UNIVERSITY NEEDS AS WELL AS THE COMMERCIAL SERVICES. UH, THIRD, THE PROJECT DOES NOT PROVIDE PRO DEPRIVE OTHER AREAS OF FACILITIES BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THAN ADEQUATE EXCESS CAPACITY IN THE SEWER SYSTEM AND IN THE, THE WATER SUPPLY FOR, UM, FOR UC, MERCED, AND VST FOURTH, THE VST PROPERTY WILL DIRECTLY HELP THE CITY ACHIEVE ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING OBLIGATIONS AND ITS RE OBLIGATIONS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ESTABLISHED. ANNEXATION OF EST WILL BRING THE REALISTIC DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY, THE CITY OF MERCED TO 10,186 UNITS MORE IN LINE WITH THEIR ARENA ALLOCATION OF 10,517 UNITS. WITHOUT THE VST ANNEXATION, THEY WOULD FALL SHORT OF THAT OBLIGATION. AND THE VST PROPERTY IS ONLY THE ONLY REAL READY TO GO PROPERTY NEAR UC, MERCED, BECAUSE IT HAS ALREADY MITIGATED FOR AG PRESERVATION, UH, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, WETLAND MITIGATION, AND SO FORTH. FIFTH, THE ANNEXATION ENABLES THE CITY TO ACHIEVE ITS SUPPORT HOUSING OBLIGATIONS. THE ANNEXATION WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT 2,600 DWELLING UNITS THAT WOULD BE AT DENSITIES THAT ARE CONSIDERED AFFORDABLE TO LOW AND MODERN INCOME HOUSING BY, UH, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE THIS PROJECT, UH, EXCEEDS THE CITY'S REQUIREMENT FOR, UH, CONSTRUCTION OF, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UH, IT WILL RESULT IN 500 DEED RESTRICTED UNITS FOR LOW, VERY LOW AND MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS. FINALLY, THE ANNEXATION RESULT IN COMPLETING THE MERCED PROMISE THAT WAS MADE TO THE UC REGENT SOME 30 YEARS AGO TO PLAN AND DEVELOP A WORLD CLASS SUPPORT COMMUNITY FOR THE NEW WORLD PLA WORLD CLASS UNIVERSITY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING. AGAIN, WE REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE PROJECT AS RECOMMENDED BY STAFF. THANK YOU, SIR. ANYONE ELSE? GOOD MORNING, CHAIR EO, UH, COMMISSIONER RA AND COMMISSIONER RAYMOND, AS WELL AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER NICHOLSON. MY NAME IS STEVE TEACH AND I'M THE ED COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS. IT'S BEEN MY PLEASURE TO, UH, SPEND THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OF MY CAREER WORKING HERE IN ED COUNTY AS THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT AND GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROJECT. UH, IT'S, UM, ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE SEE AS A, A GAME CHANGER FOR OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST FOR MERCED, BUT ALL OF THE COUNTY. UH, WE'VE WORKED TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR THESE SCHOLARSHIPS ONCE WE MONETIZE THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT UNDERREPRESENTED KIDS THAT HAVE NOT, UH, HAD ACCESS TO SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE THE VIRGINIA SMITHS TRUST SCHOLARSHIP HAVE GOTTEN ACCESS TO THE SCHOLARSHIP THIS PAST, UH, FOUR YEARS AS WE EXPANDED THE AMOUNTS THAT WE'VE GIVEN OUT FROM ABOUT A HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR, UH, FOR ABOUT 35 YEARS TO OVER 500,000 A YEAR IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. SO, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THE TRUST WILL DO FOR, UH, THE CHILDREN OF MERCED COUNTY. WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT, UH, YOUR STAFF HAS PUT INTO THIS FOR THE, THE STAFF AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE COUNTY, UH, PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND THE UC. IT WAS A BIG LIFT. AND, UH, US UH, VST IS PROUD, QUITE FRANKLY, TO BE THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND, UM, ALL OF THIS WORK THAT'S GONNA MAKE MERCED REALLY A WORLD-CLASS COMMUNITY, UH, WELL INTO THE FUTURE THAT PROVIDES HOUSING FOR ALL LEVELS OF INCOME ON THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY. I'M EXCITED TO ALSO SHARE THAT, UH, OUR, UH, STATE SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC INSTRUCTION IS ALSO ENCOURAGING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO PROVIDE WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. AND WE'RE BEGINNING THAT CONVERSATION NOW WITH OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WORKFORCE HOUSING IN MERCED COUNTY. UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, UH, HELP AND, UH, I AM ASKING FOR YOUR VOTE AS WELL TODAY IN A POSITIVE NATURE ON THIS ANNEXATION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE? GOOD MORNING COMMISSIONERS. UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS ITEM. SCOTT MCBRIDE, THE CITY MANAGER FOR THE CITY OF MERCED. UH, UNFORTUNATELY, [00:35:01] I THINK MR. PECK SAW MY NOTES AND HE WENT OVER A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT I HAD WRITTEN DOWN HERE. UH, I DID WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE A FEW THINGS. UH, THIS IS A HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE PROJECT. UH, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND, AND THE STAFF AT THE COUNTY HAD TO REVIEW THE PROJECT, TAKE ACTIONS, AS DID THE CITY. WE HAD TO WORK COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME TO GET TO THAT POINT, AS WELL AS THE UNIVERSITY. UH, YOU HEARD DR. TEIN SPEAK TO THE FACT THAT THIS PROJECT'S BEEN OVER, YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS IN THE MAKING HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE, GOING BACK DECADES NOW TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE TODAY. THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS ENACTED PROVIDED THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL OF US, WHICH IS GONNA HELP US SUCCEED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY AND OUR COMMUNITY. UH, I DID WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE TO THE COMMENTS MADE EARLIER TODAY. UM, WE VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD TODAY. UH, BUT I THINK THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT WOULD BE WORTH DISCUSSING AS WELL, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE OF IT. UH, THE CITY'S MADE A COMMITMENT THROUGH A POLICY TO PROVIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ALL OF OUR NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GONNA BE NEXT TO THE CITY, UH, WE HAVE ONGOING SUPPORT FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE THROUGH VARIOUS PROGRAMS. WE ALREADY ENACTED THE CITY, UH, AND LEADERSHIP CAMP. LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IS VERY AWARE THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHICH WE ALREADY SERVE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS. UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO LAFCO STAFF FOR THEIR GUIDANCE TODAY. AND, UH, WE'RE HERE SHOULD HE NEED ANYTHING FROM US. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ANYONE ELSE? OKAY. I'M GONNA CLOSE THIS PORTION OF PUBLIC COMMENT AT, UH, 10 43. UMM, RETURN IT TO THE COMMISSION FOR ACTION, AND THEN THE COMMENTS MAY I, MR. CHAIR. SO, THANK YOU. FIRST. I, MR. S THANK YOU. FIRST QUESTION, BILL. REFRESH MY MEMORY AGAIN ON AS, AS TO WHY WE WEREN'T ABLE TO CHANGE THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE TO JUST ADD THAT LITTLE PIECE IN. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE, UH, IT DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE. I PROBABLY, I KNOW IT DOESN'T REALLY AFFECT ANYTHING. 'CAUSE IT'S GONNA BE CONSIDERED, IT'S GONNA BE CONSIDERED PARK SPACE OR GREEN SPACE OR WHATEVER IT IS, BUT IT JUST, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME IF, AS, AS A, AS A ROLE OF LAV CO TO MAKE, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE TASKED WITH, UH, LIKE UNIFORMITY AND ANNEXATIONS AND BOUNDARIES, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT THAT ONE, INSTEAD OF THAT LINE FOLLOWING WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE AS A CREEK OR, OR, OR SOME, UM, A CANAL OR SOMETHING TO JUST MAKE IT FOLLOW THE PROPERTY LINE. SO JUST A QUICK COMMENT ON THAT IF YOU COULD. YEAH, IT ALL, IT ALL HAS TO DO WITH TIMING. UM, AS YOU CAN, AS YOU'RE AWARE AND AS COMMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR SO MANY YEARS. THIS LITTLE PIECE, UM, HAS, HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUTSIDE THE SPHERE, BUT NOT REALLY NOTICED. THE, THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST IS VERY AWARE OF THE HABITAT. IT'S MORE VERNA POOL LAND THAN IT IS, THAN A CREEK, BUT JUST GOES TO THE EAST AND GOES ON TO THE SIERRA. SO Z HABITAT, SO TO AMEND THE SPHERE, WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT, BUT HOW LONG WOULD IT HAVE TAKEN, HOW MUCH MORE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW ON WETLAND TERRITORY THAT THEY'RE NEVER GONNA DEVELOP? UM, IT WOULD JUST HOLD EVERYTHING UP EVEN LONGER. SO THEY'VE BEEN WAITING SO LONG, AND, UH, SO I HAVE THE STUDENTS FOR HOUSING AND NEARBY AND ALL THAT, SO THAT IT'S TIME WAS THE ENEMY. AND, AND I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE TAKING IN JUST MOVING FORWARD SO THAT IT DOESN'T DRAG OUT MORE TIME. BUT I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT IT'S SEVEN FRICKING ACRES. IT, IT JUST, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GO, PROBABLY SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO STUDY SOMETHING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THE ANSWER TO, BECAUSE THAT WHOLE THING HAS BEEN STUDIED BACK AND FORTH AND INSIDE OUT AND, AND EIGHT WAYS TO SUNDAY ALREADY. SO UNDERSTANDING THAT, I, I CAN TELL YOU BECAUSE IT'S GONNA LEAD RIGHT INTO MY NEXT PART, IS JUST MORE ON, ON COMMENTS, IS I DO WANT TO THANK MR. PECK AND, AND MR. TEACH AND, AND THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST, BECAUSE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, I MEAN, I STARTED AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER IN LOS SPAN WHO REALLY DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF AFFILIATION WITH THIS AND DIDN'T KNOW A WHOLE BUNCH ABOUT IT. BUT IMMEDIATELY WHEN I GOT ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, THAT TO ME, IF YOU WANT TO GET A PROJECT THROUGH AND SOMETHING AS BIG AS THIS, THEY HAVE, UM, ON, ON COUNTLESS OCCASIONS HAVE, HAVE REACHED OUT AND, AND, AND EDUCATED FOLKS AND, AND BROUGHT IN AND DONE PRESENTATIONS. SO AS I FEEL LIKE THERE SHOULD BE MORE HOOPLA HERE, I THINK THERE SHOULD, THERE SHOULD BE A LOT MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE CELEBRATING, UH, THIS, THIS, YOU KNOW, MOMENT. I MEAN, LISTEN, IN MY OPINION, THIS WAS KIND OF ALREADY PRE-DESIGNED, RIGHT? WHEN, WHEN, WHEN UC CAME HERE, THIS WAS ALL PART OF THE PUZZLE. THIS WAS ALWAYS GONNA BE A PART OF THIS. BUT GOVERNMENT AND AS SLOW AS IT WORKS AND ALL THE PROCESSES THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, AND, YOU KNOW, DR. TEJ AND I MEAN, IF, IF A PERSON COULD TRY TO COUNT THE, THE AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT, THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE JUST ALONE HAVE INVESTED INTO THIS, [00:40:01] UH, LET ALONE I SEE A LOT OF FOLKS, CITY STAFF THAT ARE HERE, THERE'S A LOT OF COUNTY STAFF THAT'S NOT HERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS, THERE'S THAT ONE POINT WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, DO WE JUST DO THIS IN THE COUNTY? AND, AND I BELIEVE WE'RE TAKING THE RIGHT PATH. THIS CITIES ARE BETTER EQUIPPED TO PROVIDE MUNICIPAL SERVICES THAN THE COUNTY IS, RIGHT? AND SO, I MEAN, IT'S A CULMINATION OF A LOT OF WORK AND, AND THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS TO GO AROUND AND, AND I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS. I MEAN, WE, UM, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME TODAY, YOU KNOW, AS SCHEDULES ARE ALL CRAZY AND TRYING TO GET THIS AND, AND GOING DOWN THESE PARALLEL PATHS WITH, WITH THE LEGISLATION THAT, UH, FORMER ASSEM, FORMER ASSEMBLY MEMBER GRAY PASSED IT ALLOWED FOR THIS. AND THEY WERE GOING DOWN THESE PARALLEL PLA PATHS. AND, AND SO IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE HERE TODAY AND ON THIS SPECIAL MEETING, UH, TO MAKE SURE, AND, AND I WANTED TO BE HERE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN SO INFORMED ON THIS PROJECT. I FEEL LIKE I DON'T KNOW IT NEARLY AS WELL AS MR. PECK DOES, UH, OR, OR DR. TEIGEN OR THE CITY, BUT JUST, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF EDUCATING REALLY THE POLICY MAKERS, THE FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA BE MAKING THE DECISIONS ON THIS. I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS OTHER THAN I'M FRUSTRATED THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO ANNEX OR CHANGE THE SPHERE TO ADD THE SEVEN ACRES. THAT'S MY ONLY FRUSTRATION WITH THIS WHOLE THING, WHICH WE DON'T REALLY HAVE CONTROL OF. SO THANK YOU. AND, AND MR. NICHOLSON, YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS, AND I DO, UM, ALL OF THE FOLKS AS YOU'RE KIND OF THE GLUE THAT, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, MR. MCBRIDE TALKED ABOUT THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN VST, BETWEEN THE CITY, BETWEEN THE COUNTY, UM, YOU'RE KIND OF THAT GLUE THAT KIND OF HELPED ALL THAT STUFF WORK OUT SO THAT WE COULD END UP WITH WHAT WE HAVE TODAY. AND THAT CONCLUDES MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MR. RIBMAN HAVE ANY COMMENT? OKAY. UM, I'LL, I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU MY COMMENT NOW INSTEAD OF AFTER THE MOTION'S MADE, I, UM, WHETHER WE, WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, THE UNIVERSITY'S HERE, SOME OF US LIKED IT, OTHERS DIDN'T, BUT IT'S HERE. IT'S IN OPERATION. THE COMMUNITY, IT NEXT TO IT IS PLANNED. THERE HAS TO BE FACILITIES TO AUGMENT THE UNIVERSITY FOR HOUSING, FOR STUDENT HOUSING, FOR BUSINESSES, FOR THEM TO EAT AND, AND BUY THINGS LIKE THAT. AND I CAN, I CAN SEE THAT ALL HAPPENING AND MERCED IS NOT UNIQUE IN A UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY. IT'S PROBABLY HAPPENED TO ALL PLACES THAT, UM, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE GONE TO. UM, MY HOPE IS, UH, THAT WHEN THE TRUST STARTS DEVELOPING THAT, UM, YOU, THE, THE, UH, GUIDELINES SAY YOU'RE GONNA DEVELOP IN, UH, IN PHASES, WHICH, UH, MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. IT'S CAN'T DO IT ALL AT ONCE. UM, THAT, UH, YOU PROBABLY DO THE, UH, STUDENT HOUSING AND, AND, AND, UH, SUPPORT FOR THEM FIRST BEFORE YOU GO ON TO MAKE RESIDENCES. UM, ONE THING MAYBE I SUGGEST, AND THEN MIGHT BE IN YOUR PLANS, MAYBE NOT. UM, I SEE A LOT OF THESE NEW DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE ASKING FOR MORE DENSITY, THAT THEIR STREETS ARE TOO NARROW. I MEAN, LOS BNIS HAS THAT, I THINK I MENTIONED THAT BEFORE IN SOME OF THEIR NEW DEVELOPMENTS. UH, 'CAUSE THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PARKING ON, ON THE SPECIFIC HOME OR APARTMENT SITE FOR CAR, FOR A CAR OR A CONDO, THEN THEY PARK ON THE STREET. AND WITH CARS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE STREET, THERE'S BARELY ROOM FOR OTHER TRAFFIC TO PASS TWO CARS GOING AND LET ALONE, UH, EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT IF THEY EVER HAVE TO. SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD THAT IN YOUR PLAN TO MAKE BIGGER, BIGGER STREETS, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, DENSITY OF, UH, BUILDING FOR, FOR THAT. BUT I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING. SO THAT, THAT, THAT'S ONE SUGGESTION I HAVE. AND, UM, ANOTHER, JUST ONE MORE QUESTION. UH, DOES THAT PROPERTY HAVE MID WATER RIGHTS? NONE. NO, NONE AT ALL. OKAY. 'CAUSE IF THEY DID, I WAS GONNA ASK HOW YOU WERE GOING TO UTILIZE 'EM, SO, OKAY. ALRIGHT. UM, TURTLE, THAT'S THE COMMENTS I HAVE. UH, ONE MORE ABOUT THE YOUNG LADY THAT MADE THE COMMENT, UH, ABOUT THE SOUTH MERCED COMMUNITY. UH, WE SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU, BUT, UM, NOW WITH, UH, WITH, UH, COUNCIL AREAS, YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO WHATEVER, HOW MANY COUNCILMEN YOU HAVE TO, TO REPRESENT YOUR AREAS. AND YOU CAN MAKE YOURSELF HEARD BETTER MAYBE THAN WHEN, UH, COUNCIL PEOPLE WERE ELECTED AT LARGE. SO I SUGGEST YOU USE THAT ROUTE TO GET WHAT YOU, THINGS THAT YOU NEED. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION REGARDING THIS, UH, ANNEXATION. ALRIGHT, ANOTHER COMMENT. IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, MR. CHAIR, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO MAKE THE FOUR ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATIONS AND ACTIONS LISTED ON PAGES NINE AND 10 OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT FOR THE ANNEXATION, [00:45:02] AND ALSO MAKE THE EIGHT DETERMINATIONS AS LISTED ON PAGES 10 AND 11 OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORT. FOR THE ANNEXATION DETERMINATIONS, ASSIGN THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION, THE FOLLOWING SHORT TERM DESIGNATION, THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST ANNEXATION TO THE CITY OF MERCED. UM, IN, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CORTESI KNOT HERTZBERG LOCAL GOVERNMENT REOR REORGANIZATION ACT OF 2000, THE COMMISSION APPROVED THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION AS DESCRIBED IN DOCUMENT A AND DESIGNATES AND AUTHORIZES LABCORP STAFF TO COMPLETE THE PROCEEDINGS FOR THE ANNEXATION WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE, HEARING OR ELECTION. HERE A SECOND. I'LL SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE THE MOTION BY, UH, COMMISSIONER RA, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER RAYMOND, THAT WE APPROVE THE ANNEXATION, UM, WITH ALL THE, UH, DETERMINATIONS AND, UM, AND ACT AND ACTIONS MENTIONED. UH, WOULDN'T, UH, MR. NICHOLSON, WOULD YOU READ THE MOTION, PLEASE? OKAY, I'LL REPEAT. I'M SORRY. YEAH, JUST TO REPEAT THE MOTION TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENT. I'M SORRY. GRAB, I GOTTA GRAB THAT AS READ BY HE GETS, YEAH. I, I READ IT AS READ AS READ AND STATED BY, UH, COMMISSIONER SRA. YEAH. EVERYBODY UNDERSTAND THE MOTION? YES. OKAY. WE, WE, AND I UNDERSTAND IT. YOU UNDERSTAND IT. WE ALL UNDERSTAND IT. SO, OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF, UH, THE ANNEXATION OF THE VIRGINIA SMITH TRUST PROPERTY CITY OF MERCED. SAY, AYE. AYE. AYE. ALL OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIED. CONGRATULATIONS, LADY AND GENTLEMEN. BEEN A LONG TIME. I JUST WANNA MAKE ONE FINAL COMMENT, MR. PECK. I MEAN, I, I'VE SEEN YOU AROUND MERCED SO MUCH. I GO HAVE LUNCH AT, UH, NATIVE SUN OVER THERE, AND, UH, I SEE YOU IN TOWN. SO WE HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, AFTER YOU ALL THESE YEARS, A CULMINATION WORK THAT WE STILL GET TO SEE YOU AROUND TOWN A LITTLE BIT. IT'S BECOME MY SECOND HOME. THERE YOU GO, . OKAY, NEXT, WE'RE [VII.A. Correspondence on SB 1209 (Cortese) regarding indemnification agreements; and Issue of "Legacy" periodical provided by the California Farmland Trust. ] GONNA FINISH OUR AGENDA ITEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY. THE GENERAL BUSINESS IS, UH, CORRESPONDENCE ON SENATE BILL 1209, UH, FROM MR. CORTESI REGARDING I INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENTS AND ISSUE OF LE LEGACY LEGACY PROGRAMS TO THE CALIFORNIA FARMLAND TRUST. YES, I'M SORRY. YEAH, THE FIRST I ITEM WAS A, UM, AS THE COMMISSION VOTED ON THE, A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE LEGISLATION, UM, TO SUPPORT LAKOS HAVING THE RIGHT TO, TO INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENTS, UH, THERE WAS, WHILE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE THAT CITIES AND COUNTIES USE IT ALL THE TIME ON, ON APPLICATIONS, SO THAT IF YOU APPROVE A SUBDIVISION AND THERE'S NIMBYS THAT DON'T LIKE IT, AND THEY SUE YOU, RATHER THAN HAVE THE CITY OR THE COUNTY HAVE TO USE THEIR MONEY TO DEFEND THAT PROJECT, WHICH EVEN THOUGH IT BENEFITS THE CITY OR THE COUNTY, IT'S A PRIVATE DEVELOPERS INVESTMENT. THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE MONEY OFF IT. SO THE INDEMNITY AGREEMENT IS THAT, THAT WHEN YOU GET A LAWSUIT, THAT THEY WOULD BE THE ONES TO PAY FOR IT. UH, THE, THE LEGAL DEFENSE, THE ATTORNEYS, NOT THAT THE COUNTY OR THE CITY WOULDN'T JOIN IN, BUT UM, THE, THE PAYING OF, AND IF YOU LOSE PAYING THE, THE ATTORNEY'S FEES FOR THE, UM, THE OTHER PARTY. UM, SO FOR LAF CCOS, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, UH, LAFCO THAT, THAT SAID, YOU CAN'T IDENTIFY. THEY, THEY HAD AN IDENTIFICATION AGREEMENT AND THE COURT THREW IT OUT SO THAT LAFCO WAS ON THE HOOK TO PAY. UM, SO THIS IS, AND ONE OF THE REASONS WAS THAT IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY CITED IN LEGISLATION THAT, THAT LAFCO CAN, CAN HAVE THAT POWER. SO THIS BILL IS TO PUT THAT POWER, UM, IN SPECIFICALLY FOR LAKOS, AND IT PASSED THE SENATE AND THE, AND THE ASSEMBLY UNANIMOUSLY. AND IT'S SITTING ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK AND THERE'S, UM, HEAVY PUSHBACK AND LOBBYING TO HIM FROM THE BUILDING INDUSTRY AND OTHER GROUPS WHO, WHO ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO PAY THOSE FEES. AND THEY'D RATHER HAVE THE COUNTY OR THE, OR THEY'D RATHER HAVE THE LAFCO, UM, PAY FOR IT. SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE WORD YET. UH, IT'S BEEN MONITORED BY OUR, OUR CAL LAFCO ASSOCIATION. UM, BUT I HAVEN'T GOT WORD YET THAT HE SIGNED IT, BUT I DID SEND THIS LETTER. THEY, THEY REQUESTED THAT WE, UM, HIT EVERY, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, UH, THE, THE ASSEMBLY AND THE SENATE AND THE, THE GOVERNOR NOW WITH OUR LETTER OF SUPPORT. SO I JUST, I, I MODIFIED THE LETTER THAT THE COMMISSION APPROVED TO, TO TARGET THE, THE GOVERNOR IN THIS CASE. SO, AND, AND I THINK OUT OF OUR 58 LKO IS, AT LEAST I KNOW OVER 30 HAVE SUBMITTED LETTERS BY NOW, MAYBE EVEN MORE. SO WE'RE HOPING THAT HE'LL, HE'LL PASS IT. UM, AND IT'S, YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY IMPORTANT FOR OUR LKO. WE'VE REQUIRED INDEMNITY AGREEMENTS ALL ALONG. ALRIGHT. AND THE OTHER, UH, CORRESPONDENCE WAS, UM, A MAGAZINE CALLED LEGACY THAT'S PREPARED I DON'T, OR PRINTED, [00:50:01] IT'S NOT ON, I DON'T THINK IT'S ON A REGULAR SCHEDULE, BUT, UM, MAYBE EVERY FOUR MONTHS OR SIX MONTHS FROM THE CALIFORNIA FARMLAND TRUST THAT THEY KIND OF GREW OUT OF LOCAL TRUSTS IN MERCED STANISLAUS AND, AND, UM, SAN JOAQUIN COUNTIES. AND SO THEY, THEY ADDRESSED THE, UH, LETTERS, THE, THE BROCHURE TO MERCED LCO COMMISSIONERS. SO I JUST INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET FOR INFORMATION. AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, ALL THE EASEMENTS IN MERCED COUNTY THAT HAVE GONE TO AG CONSERVATION, MOSTLY THROUGH THE, THE COUNTY, ARE ALL HELD BY THAT TRUST. SO IT'S A, IT'S A VIABLE, VIBRANT, UM, ORGANIZATION WITH COMMITTED FOLKS THAT, THAT VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO BE ON IT. AND THEY PUT IT ON, ON LOCAL FARMLAND, THAT THE FARMERS ARE WILLING, THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT THE EASEMENTS ON THEIR OWN LAND TO KEEP IT IN FARMING. UM, IN FACT, THE MYERS FLYING IN RANCH JUST EAST OF UC, MERCED, UH, RECENTLY PUT AN EASEMENT ON PART OF THEIR PROPERTY. SO, UM, YEAH, IT'S WITHOUT, WITHOUT A TRUST OR ORGANIZATION LIKE THIS, IT WOULD BE HARD TO DO THE AG MITIGATION 'CAUSE THE COUNTY WOULD HAVE TO HOLD EASEMENTS FOR THE CITY AND IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU TYPICALLY DO. SO, UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S A SUMMARY OF JUST CORRESPONDENCE I GAVE. ALRIGHT. YOU HAVE ANY [VIII. EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS ] OTHER, ANYTHING ELSE TO NO, JUST THAT OUR, OUR NORMAL REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETING NEXT WEEK IS COUNSELED AND WE ALL KNEW WE HAVE HAD A PROBLEM TRYING TO SCHEDULE, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THREE OF YOU BEING HERE FOR THIS ONE. IF WE HAD TO HOLD IT OFF EVEN LONGER, YOU CAN. THEY'VE BEEN WAITING SO LONG. UM, THE, THE TEMPERATURES ARE RISING. SO, UM, WE DON'T HAVE A, A MEETING IN NOVEMBER, TYPICALLY BECAUSE OF THE HOLIDAYS AND WE COMBINE THEM INTO DECEMBER ON THE SECOND THURSDAY. SO THAT'LL BE OUR NEXT MEETING. OKAY. WE HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS PENDING. UM, THE, I MENTIONED IT, THE DETACHMENT FOR OF CCID OF ALL THE LAND THAT'S, IT'S ALL DEVELOPED LAND THAT'S IN THE CITY LIMITS. IT WAS NEVER DETACHED. THEY WANT TO TAKE IT ALL OUT IN ONE FELL SWOOP. SO I HAVE THAT, UH, PENDING AND THEN I HAVE, UM, THE ANNEXATION INTO THE STEVENSON WATER DISTRICT. UM, MOST OF IT WAS LAND THAT WASN'T IN A DISTRICT, BUT PART OF IT WAS LAND THAT IN THE ME KEEN, UH, WATER DISTRICT AND THEY'RE GOING TO DETACH FROM THAT. AND BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG AREA, UM OKAY, LIKE ENLARGING INSIDE THAT DISTRICT, WE HAVE TO DO AN MSR UPDATE. SO I'M WORKING ON THAT. THAT MAY BE READY BY DECEMBER OR, UM, EARLY NEXT YEAR. ALRIGHT. SO THAT'S OKAY. THAT'S IT. ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COMMISSION? NO, THAT, NO, I HAVE NONE EITHER. OKAY. MEETING JUDGE, DON'T FORGET, UH, DON'T FORGET I'M GOING BILL'S GOING OH, YEAH. UH, TO THE, UH, TO THE BIG CONFERENCE UP THERE IN YOSEMITE. SO, YEAH. AND, UH, ABOUT MAYBE DRIVING UP FOR THE BB K DINNER. OH YEAH, THAT WOULD BE COOL. JUST DROP UP FOR THE DON'T TAKE A TESLA. . . OKAY. THAT MEETING'S A CHAIR. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.