Mar 11, 2025 Board Meeting

[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 11TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

[CALL TO ORDER]

[CLOSED SESSION (Part 1 of 2)]

AGENCY NEGOTIATORS, MARCI BARRERA AND BOARD CHAIR OR SUBCOMMITTEE TO BE DETERMINED.

EXISTING LITIGATION. ANTHONY TAYLOR VERSUS COUNTY OF MERCED WORKERS COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD, CASE NUMBER 80 J9533148. AND BAKER VERSUS COUNTY OF MERCED SUPERIOR COURT CASE NUMBER 25CV-00852.

THE PUBLIC WILL BE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON ANY MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED IN CLOSED SESSION, PRIOR TO THE BOARD ADJOURNING INTO THE CLOSED SESSION.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

OKAY, AT THIS TIME I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THE CLOSED SESSION ITEMS IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW ADJOURN INTO CLOSED SESSION. OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE HAVING A WHISKEY.

NO. GOOD MORNING, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE MARCH 11TH, 2025 MEETING OF THE MERCED COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

[10:00 A.M. REGULAR MEETING]

THE WORKMAN'S COMPENSATION AND LITIGATION ITEMS AND NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE AFTER.

WE WILL NOW START WITH THE INVOCATION LED BY PASTOR BRUCE METCALF FROM MERCED COUNTY RESCUE MISSION, AND THEN SUPERVISOR PAREIRA WILL LEAD THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

WILL YOU JOIN ME IN PRAYER? MIGHTY GOD, WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT YOU BRING US TOGETHER AS YOUR PEOPLE, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BUILD OURSELVES UP, BUT TO BUILD UP THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.

FOR IT IS OUR DESIRE, THROUGH LOVE AND SERVICE TO BRING PEOPLE TO A BETTER PLACE.

WE THANK YOU FOR THIS COUNTY AND FOR THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE SERVED, AND WHICH PEOPLE, IN MANY WAYS IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE BLESSED. BE WITH OUR SUPERVISORS AS THEY MAKE DECISIONS.

BE WITH OUR OFFICIALS AS THEY USE WISDOM TO GUIDE THEM.

AND BE WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE SEEK YOUR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE IN DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE, SO THAT IN EVERYTHING PEOPLE WILL BE SERVED, AND OUR COUNTY WILL CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD PLACE AND AN EVEN BETTER PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE AND FLOURISH. AND WE ASK THESE THINGS IN JESUS NAME.

AMEN. AMEN. 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.

[PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK]

OKAY. AT THIS TIME. EXCUSE ME. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT.

AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NON-AGENDA AGENDA ITEMS ONLY.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD. COUNTY COUNCIL, HANSON AND CEO MENDEZ.

MY NAME IS CAROL RAMOS, AND I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE STATE OF OUR HEALTH INSURANCE. WE ALL KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS.

WE'VE HEARD PLENTY ABOUT THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

I'M HERE TO TELL YOU HOW TERRIBLE THE COVERAGE IS.

ON OCTOBER 29TH, 2024, THE COUNTY OF MERCED, OUR ORGANIZATION LOST A 25 YEAR EMPLOYEE.

MARY MUTSCHLER WAS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE FOR 25 YEARS.

SHE STARTED OUT AS AN ENTRY LEVEL CLERK, WORKING HER WAY THROUGH COLLEGE, EARNING HER BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND WORKING HER WAY TO BECOME THE CHIEF APPRAISER FOR THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE. ALL WHILE RAISING THREE DAUGHTERS ON HER OWN.

ON OCTOBER 29TH, 2024, MARY LOST HER FOUR YEAR BATTLE WITH BREAST CANCER.

DURING THIS FOUR YEAR PERIOD, MARY AND HER TEAM AT STANFORD WERE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING WITH ANTHEM TO COVER THE RECOMMENDED SCANS AND TREATMENTS, FILING APPEAL AFTER APPEAL. MARY WAS IN REMISSION FOR ABOUT A YEAR WHEN THE CANCER RETURNED, WITH A VENGEANCE SPREADING TO HER LUNG AND BRAIN.

SHE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT BUT ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO GO ON HOSPICE CARE ON OCTOBER 21ST, 2024.

THE LAST FOUR WEEKS OF MARY'S LIFE WERE HARD.

IT WAS HARD FOR HER, HER FRIENDS, HER FAMILY, AND MOST OF ALL HER KIDS.

INSTEAD OF SPENDING VALUABLE TIME WITH MARY, HER DAUGHTER WAS BUSY TRYING TO FIND A SKILLED NURSING FACILITY THAT WOULD TAKE MARY'S COUNTY ISSUED COBRA ANTHEM INSURANCE PLAN. MARY HAD BEEN HOSPITALIZED AND NEEDED A FACILITY THAT WOULD OFFER PHYSICAL THERAPY.

THERE WAS NOTHING IN MERCED THAT WOULD ACCEPT OUR POLICY, SO SHE WAS SENT TO TURLOCK, WHERE SHE PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE FROM THERE.

HER HEALTH CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, AND SHE WAS EVENTUALLY SENT TO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL IN MODESTO.

AND THEN FROM THERE TO ALEXANDER COHEN HOSPICE HOUSE IN HOUSTON, HOUSTON.

[00:05:04]

ONCE WE ARRIVED AT THE HOSPICE HOUSE, MARY WAS CONSIDERED A CHARITY CASE.

ONE OF YOUR C LEVEL MEMBERS OF MANAGEMENT WHO WORKED HER WAY FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP WAS CONSIDERED A CHARITY CASE.

THAT IS THE LAST THING A STRANGER SAID ABOUT HER.

HONEST, HARDWORKING, INDEPENDENT, RESILIENT, FUNNY, CARING AND A WARRIOR.

THAT IS WHAT SHE WAS. CERTAINLY NOT A CHARITY CASE.

AS A FELLOW MEMBER OF UNREPRESENTED MANAGEMENT WHO HAS WORKED FOR THIS ORGANIZATION FOR 24 YEARS, I, FOR THE LIFE OF ME, HAVE NO IDEA WHO IN OUR COUNTY LEADERSHIP PICKS OUR PLAN AND NEGOTIATES FOR US, BUT DO BETTER. WE ARE NOT CHARITY, AND WE DESERVE BETTER AND OUR FAMILIES DESERVE BETTER.

AND YOU ALL DESERVE BETTER AS WELL. SO DO BETTER FOR US, PLEASE.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS MARK MIMS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THE GOOD WORK THAT ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, WITH ASSISTANCE FROM VARIOUS COUNTY DEPARTMENTS, HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDORS.

ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27TH, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TEAM LED BY DEPUTY DIRECTOR AMANDA DURAN WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, SHUT DOWN AND IMPOUNDED EQUIPMENT AND APPROXIMATELY 100 POUNDS OF UNSANITARY FOOD AT THE CORNER OF HIGHWAY 165 AND HENRY MILLER ROAD.

LAST THURSDAY, A SWEEP WITHIN THE CITY OF MERCED COUNTY STAFF SHUT DOWN AN UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDOR AT THE CORNER OF 16TH AND HIGHWAY 59, AND ANOTHER AT 16TH AND O STREET FROM BOTH SIDES.

A TOTAL OF 340 POUNDS OF UNSANITARY FOOD AND EQUIPMENT WERE IMPOUNDED.

THIS PAST FRIDAY, OUR TEAM RECEIVED A CALL THAT FOOD WAS BEING PREPARED AT A HOME LOCATED IN WINTON, E WITH SHERIFF'S VISITED THE SITE. EXCUSE ME TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE OWNER.

19 VEHICLES WERE FOUND AT THE SITE THAT WERE CONNECTED TO THE SWEEPS FROM THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.

APPROXIMATELY 20 PEOPLE WERE ON SITE PREPARING FOOD, BUT WHO QUICKLY LEFT WHEN COUNTY STAFF MADE THEMSELVES KNOWN.

STAFF DISPOSE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,000 POUNDS OF UNSANITARY AND ROTTING FOOD.

THEY ALSO IMPOUNDED THREE TRAILERS AND FOUR TRUCKLOADS OF EQUIPMENT, WHICH INCLUDED SEVEN CONTAMINATED COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATORS AND MORE.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TEAM IS WORKING HARD TO SHUT DOWN UNPERMITTED FOOD VENDORS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR HELP WITH ALL THE SWEEPS.

PUBLIC WORKS, THE AG COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE AND ALL CITY STAFF WHO ASSISTED IN THE IMPOUNDING OF THE EQUIPMENT LAST FRIDAY.

IT WAS TRULY A COUNTY EFFORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY.

HELLO, BOARD. FOLLOWING UP ON OUR PREVIOUS, PREVIOUS COMMENTS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, I HAVE A REQUEST FOR HELPING OUT ON THAT ISSUE OF HAVING UNPERMITTED FOOD. AND I NOTICED THAT CALIFORNIA HAS THE MICRO ENTITY HOME KITCHEN OPERATION LAW THAT ALLOWS FOLKS TO OPERATE A HOME KITCHEN OUT OF THEIR HOMES. I NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN SOME INFORMATION UPLOADED ON MERCED COUNTY WEBSITE ABOUT THIS LAW, BUT IT BASICALLY JUST LINKS TO THE CALIFORNIA POLICY.

I REQUEST THAT WE GET SOME MORE INFORMATION AND SET UP A PROCESS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET A PERMIT TO SELL FOOD OUT OF THEIR HOME, WHICH MAY HELP WITH REGULATION AND HELPING FOLKS TO HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY OUTSIDE OF THE COTTAGE FOOD LAW TO GIVE PROVIDE FOOD AND OPERATIONS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. I'M AGGIE FREEMAN, CLUB PRESIDENT OF MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY.

I WANTED TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT ON THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 15TH AT THE MERCED COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS PAVILION, WE'RE HAVING OUR 36TH SIXTH ANNUAL SHRIMP FEED FUNDRAISER FOR MERCED SUNRISE ROTARY TO SERVICE THE CITY AND COUNTY NONPROFITS THAT WE SUPPORT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JOSH.

[00:10:01]

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF YOUTH WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS MORNING. GOOD MORNING.

MY NAME IS NICK. I'M A MEMBER OF THE MOVING FORWARD PROGRAM AT THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE OFFICE.

I LIVE IN MERCED, AND I'LL BE SPEAKING TO YOU ABOUT WHY YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH IS IMPORTANT.

LAST MAY, WE DID A SURVEY ABOUT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH, AND IT GOT OVER 500 RESPONSES.

FROM THIS SURVEY, WE LEARNED TWO THINGS THAT STUDENTS ACROSS THE CITY OF MERCED FEEL UNSUPPORTED WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, AND THE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM ARE NOT HELPFUL.

OUR GOAL IS FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO CREATE AN ANNUAL BUDGET POLICY ALLOCATION SPECIFICALLY FOR YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.

WE BROUGHT THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION LAST SUMMER, AND WE FEEL YOU SHOULD RECONSIDER, BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE THE BENEFIT OF INVESTING IN MORE DIVERSE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES FOR YOUTH. BUT WE DON'T STOP THERE.

MY NAME IS MALACHI. I'M A PART OF WAIALAE, BUT WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR VOICES OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE HEARD OF ACROSS MERCED COUNTY THROUGH YOUTH COUNCIL.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE A LARGE PART OF THE POPULATION OF ONE MOST VULNERABLE GROUPS.

WE ARE THE ADULTS OR WE ARE THE FUTURE ADULTS.

WE CAN HELP THE PEOPLE AND OUR LIVES TO EXPRESS OUR LIVED EXPERIENCES, BE INVOLVED IN THE YOUNG PEOPLE'S AND DECISION MAKING. WE CAN MAKE LOTS OF PROGRESS.

WE DESERVE TO HAVE A SAY, AND THE CHOICES WILL IMPACT IN OUR FUTURE.

WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT IF YOU SUPPORT OUR ASK TODAY, THESE YOUNG OR THESE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES WILL BETTER OR COULD BETTER HELP GENERATIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS MERCED COUNTY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OOPS.

OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR. ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13.

[CONSENT CALENDAR]

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE THROUGH 13 IS NOW CLOSED.

DO I HAVE A MOTION? MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. AT THIS TIME, DISTRICT ATTORNEY NICOLE SILVEIRA WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING ITEM TEN, THE PROCLAMATION FOR CRIME VICTIMS RIGHTS WEEK.

GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS MORNING. I FIRST WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO CRYSTAL MUA.

SHE IS OUR PROGRAM MANAGER OF OUR VICTIM WITNESS UNIT AT THE MERCED COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.

I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND AS WE APPROACH THE ANNUAL VICTIMS' RIGHTS CEREMONY HERE IN MERCED COUNTY.

VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK CAME ABOUT IN 1981 AS A WAY TO HONOR SURVIVORS AND VICTIMS FOR THE STRUGGLES THAT THEY FACE, AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS A CALL TO ACTION CENTERED AROUND KINSHIP.

KINSHIP IS A STATE OF BEING WITH SURVIVORS THAT DRIVES VITAL CONNECTIONS AND INCREASES ACCESS TO SERVICES, RIGHTS AND HEALING. KINSHIP IS WHERE VICTIM ADVOCACY BEGINS.

I WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SINCERELY THANK ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR MAKING EXPANDING VICTIM SERVICES ONE OF YOUR PRIORITIES IN YOUR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR MERCED COUNTY, THEREBY RECOGNIZING THAT WHAT VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS ENDURE IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE MEMORIALIZED ONCE A YEAR, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ENDURE ALL YEAR LONG.

SO I HAVE FLIERS HERE. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO OUR CEREMONY ON APRIL 9TH AT COURTHOUSE PARK AT 12 P.M.

AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE RECOGNITION THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN.

THANK YOU. WE WILL NOW

[BOARD ACTION]

PLEASE NOTE THAT ITEM 14 REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE.

AT THIS TIME, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR NATHAN BRAY WILL BE PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING ITEM NUMBER 14.

[00:15:05]

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU HAS MULTIPLE ACTIONS TO TAKE ASSOCIATED WITH SELLING A PORTION OF PARCEL 035010056, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THAT PORTION OF THE PARCEL THAT IS OCCUPIED BY THE COUNTY'S TENANT MERCED MONUMENTS. AND MADAM CLERK, THANK YOU. WE'VE IDENTIFIED A MAP TO ARTICULATE.

THERE WE GO. SO THE LARGER PARENT PARCEL IS IDENTIFIED BY THE LARGE RED SHAPE.

THE PARCEL THAT WE ARE, OR THE PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT WE ARE SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT IS IDENTIFIED BY THAT BLUE RECTANGLE.

SO THE ACTIONS ARE IDENTIFIED ON YOUR STAFF REPORT.

BUT IN GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE FIRST ACTION IS TO FIND THIS ITEM EXEMPT FROM SEQUA AS THIS ITEM DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A PROJECT BY DEFINITION AND THEREFORE NOT SUBJECT TO CEQA. THE SECOND ACTION IS TO DECLARE THIS PROPERTY EXEMPT SURPLUS LAND AND DECLARE THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO SELL THE PROPERTY WITH A MINIMUM BID OF $80,000. AND THE LAST ACTION IS TO DIRECT THE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO PREPARE, ADVERTISE, RECEIVE AND CONSIDER SEALED PROPOSALS AND RETURN TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FOR POSSIBLE ACTION.

THE COUNTY ACQUIRED THE PARCEL FROM SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRANSPORTATION COMPANY IN 1994, AND.

THAT'S OKAY. THE COUNTY ACQUIRED THE PARCEL FROM SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRANSPORTATION COMPANY IN 1994 AND ENTERED INTO A LEASE AGREEMENT WITH MERCED MONUMENTS IN 1996.

THE LARGER PARCEL HAS MULTIPLE USES, INCLUDING MERCED MONUMENTS, PARKING FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH BUILDING LOCATED AT 260 EAST 15TH STREET AND THE D STREET SHELTER. THIS ITEM ONLY CONSIDERS SELLING THE PORTION OF PROPERTY CURRENTLY OCCUPIED BY THE TENANT.

MERCED MONUMENTS, WHICH IS ROUGHLY 19,550FT² IN SIZE.

IF APPROVED, STAFF WILL ADVERTISE A REQUEST FOR BIDS, EVALUATE THE BIDS, AND BRING BACK TO THE BOARD FOR POTENTIAL ACTION.

THIS PROPERTY, OR THIS PORTION OF PROPERTY WOULD BE PARCELED OFF BY A QUITCLAIM DEED, AS OPPOSED TO GOING THROUGH A MAPPING PROCESS, AND A DRAFT PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT IS INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA PACKET, WHICH CONTAINS CERTAIN SPECIAL CONDITIONS RELATED TO THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY.

MOST NOTABLY OF THESE SPECIAL CONDITIONS IS THE TRANSFER OF ANY ASSUMPTION.

ASSUMPTION OF COUNTY. OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE THE TENANT, IMPROVEMENTS BUILDINGS, OR PAY RELOCATION BENEFITS.

THE COUNTY CONDUCTED AN APPRAISAL OF THE SUBJECT PROPERTY AND BASED OFF THE APPRAISAL AMOUNT, LESS THE ASSUMED COUNTY OBLIGATIONS. THE MINIMUM BID HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE $80,000.

SO, TO RECAP, THIS ITEM HAS MULTIPLE ACTIONS FOR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING.

GENERALLY, THEY ARE TO FIND THIS ITEM EXEMPT FROM THE PROVISIONS OF SEQUA, TO DECLARE THE PROPERTY EXEMPT SURPLUS LAND, AND TO DIRECT PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR TO CONDUCT THE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO RECEIVE SEALED PROPOSALS.

AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. MR. PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. CHAIR. THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

I APPRECIATE IT THAT WE'VE GOT IT HERE. FINALLY.

THE FAMILY THAT OWNS THE MONUMENT COMPANY. IT'S ONE OF THE OLDEST COMPANIES HERE IN MERCED.

WITHOUT EXPOSING ANYTHING, I THINK THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE A LOT SOONER, EVEN BEFORE I'VE BEEN IN OFFICE FOR TEN YEARS.

AND I THINK FROM THE FIRST DAY THAT I STEPPED INTO THIS OFFICE, I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS.

BUT GOING FORWARD, I JUST WOULD ASK FOR SUPPORT FROM MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE ONE AND IT'S SEMI-RELATED.

BUT IN LOOKING AT THE PARCEL MAP THERE. SO ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE PARCEL OR THE PIECE THAT WE PLAN TO, TO OFFER FOR SALE TO THESE SIDE OF IT, THE TRIANGLE.

THAT LOT LINE LOOKS LIKE IT GOES THROUGH. IS THAT A RESIDENCE? THERE IS A, YEAH, THERE IS A RESIDENCE DUE EAST OF THAT LOT LINE.

THAT IS A SEPARATE PARCEL. OKAY. SO, THE LITTLE TRIANGLE PIECE IS UNOCCUPIED LAND.

OKAY. SO, THERE'S AN OFFSET LIKE THE HOUSE HAS AN OFFSET FROM THE PROPERTY LINE.

THAT'S CORRECT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. BUT AND THAT THAT RED LINE THAT'S THAT GOES TO CITY RIGHT AT THE END OF THAT IS

[00:20:02]

YEAH. OH, I JUST, SO JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE LINES THAT YOU SEE UP ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW AREN'T THE ACTUAL PARCEL LINES THAT THE ASSESSOR WOULD USE.

THEY ARE NOT. I DRAFTED THEM IN BASED UPON MY OBSERVATION OF THE APN MAP.

OKAY, COOL. BECAUSE THAT RED LINE LOOKS LIKE IT GOES THROUGH PART OF THAT HOUSE.

THAT'S, I THINK, WHERE THE QUESTION IS. OKAY.

YEAH, IT'S RIGHT ALONG THE FENCE LINE. PERFECT.

THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR PUBLIC WORK.

PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 14 AND 15. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MICHELLE. YOU CAN LOWER THE PODIUM. OH, OKAY.

THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MICHELLE BOONE. MY FAMILY HAS OWNED MERCED MONUMENTS.

WE TOOK OVER IN JANUARY OF 1992. MY FAMILY WAS IN PROCESS OF PURCHASING ALL THOSE PARCELS. AND THEN THE COUNTY CAME IN AND BOUGHT IT ALL OUT FOR, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE ESCROW CLOSED.

COUNTY WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE SALE OF OUR PARCEL.

THAT WAS THE AGREEMENT THEY MADE WITH THE RAILROAD.

I'VE BEEN THROUGH FIVE PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTORS.

DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SUPERVISORS, BUT THERE WAS A MEETING THAT WE HAD WITH KATHLEEN KIRKHAM.

PAUL FILLEBROWN RICHARD SCHWARTZ WAS THERE BECAUSE HE WAS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR THEN, AND WE WERE ALSO TOLD AT THAT MEETING THAT WE WOULD HAVE FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL, AND NOW IT'S GOING TO GO OUT FOR PUBLIC.

SO WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT THIS CAN FINALLY GET DONE.

MY PARENTS DESERVE THIS MERCED MONUMENTS. AND JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW, MERCED MONUMENTS OWNS THE ASPHALT UP COUNTY ONLY OWNS THE DIRT.

AND THAT HAS BEEN THE ISSUE WITH THE LEASE FOR YEARS.

NO COUNTY COUNCIL HAS EVER KNOWN HOW TO WRITE IT, SO IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION AND I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CAN SIDE WITH MY FAMILY.

YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY'S BEEN IN THE BUSINESS SINCE 1880.

MERCED MONUMENTS HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 1882, AND I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PUBLIC WORKS ITEMS 14 AND 15 IS NOW CLOSED.

DO I HAVE WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIELS, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. YEAH. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

AND THE MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE PUBLIC HEALTH ITEM 16.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR HEALTH ITEM NUMBER 16.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HEALTH ITEM 16 IS NOW CLOSED.

I DO SEE OUR NEW PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR IN THE AUDIENCE.

DO I HAVE. I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY, ITEM 17.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM 17.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR HSR ITEM 17 IS NOW CLOSED.

WHAT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COUNCIL OR THE BOARD? WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, SORRY.

GO AHEAD. ITEM 18. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR SAID ITEM 18.

GOOD MORNING BOARD. MY NAME IS ASHLEY MARIE SUAREZ, AND I WORK WITH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND RESIDENTS IN SOUTH MERCED AND PLANADA, RESIDENTS OF DELRAY, PLANADA AND UNINCORPORATED SOUTH MERCED THAT I AND MY COLLEAGUE ALICIA WORK ALONGSIDE FULLY SUPPORT THIS APPLICATION.

SUBMISSION OF THE CALHOUN PROGRAM FOR $1 MILLION TO BE USED FOR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE, AS WELL AS OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING REHABILITATION TO ASSIST LOW AND VERY LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM AND HOUSING REHABILITATION ARE TWO PROGRAMS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THROUGH THE HOUSING ELEMENT PROCESS,

[00:25:03]

WE URGE THE COUNTY THAT FOLLOWING THE SUBMISSION AND AWARD OF THIS GRANT, NOTICES AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ARE SHARED WITH THE COMMUNITIES ABOUT HOW TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE AND WHAT IT CAN BE USED FOR. ALTHOUGH THIS FUNDING IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO GET ASSISTANCE, WE URGE YOU TO ADD BOTH THE OWNER OCCUPIED HOUSING REHABILITATION AND THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM TO YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT.

ASSISTING SIX FAMILIES THROUGH THIS OPPORTUNITY IS AMAZING, BUT BY ADDING THESE PROGRAMS TO THE HOUSING ELEMENT, THE COUNTY CAN IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES AND COMMIT TO ASSISTING MORE THAN JUST SIX FAMILIES PER YEAR THROUGHOUT THE SIX CYCLE HOUSING ELEMENT.

WE URGE YOU TO REVISE THE COMMENT LETTERS THAT WE HAVE SENT TO THE COUNTY REGARDING THE HOUSING ELEMENT, AND WORK TO ADD COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO THE PLAN TO CONTINUE DOING AMAZING WORK AND IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS.

ADDITIONALLY, WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO POUR RESOURCES INTO COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT.

NOT ONLY DOES THIS DEMONSTRATE THE COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, BUT IT ALSO SERVES AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES YOU ALREADY WORK WITH TO GET UPDATES ON EXISTING AND FUTURE RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS. FOR ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ADDITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMS AND POLICIES THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE ADOPTED, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ALICIA RIVERA OR MYSELF.

ASHLEY MARIE SUAREZ. THANK YOU.

OKAY. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE FROM THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO COMMENT ON ITEM NUMBER 18? OKAY, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. DO I HAVE A MOTION? WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE FIRE ITEMS 19 AND 20.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR FIRE ITEMS 19 AND 20.

ANYBODY WISH TO COMMENT? OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR FIRE ITEMS 19 AND 20 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

DARON, PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT, WE HAVE WORKFORCE INVESTMENT. ITEM 21. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR DWI.

ITEM NUMBER 21. OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR DWI, ITEM NUMBER 21 IS NOW CLOSED.

I HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PEREIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE.

MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES. NEXT, WE HAVE TREASURER.

TAX COLLECTOR. ITEM 22. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TREASURER TAX COLLECTOR, ITEM NUMBER 22. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR TREASURER.

TAX. COLLECTOR. TREASURER. TAX COLLECTOR. ITEM 22 IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT, WE HAVE COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICE ITEMS 23 AND 24.

ITEM 23 IS TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE RESCINDING AND RE ADOPTING CHAPTER 5.14 OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE, ESTABLISHING AN ALTERNATIVE LEASING PROCEDURE FOR COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTY AND DELEGATING AUTHORITY TO COUNTY OFFICIALS FOR VARIOUS REAL PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS.

AND WAIVE. FURTHER READING AND ITEM 24 IS TO INTRODUCE AN ORDINANCE ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTIONS 10.3, 2.035 AND 10.32 .040 AND ADDING SECTION 10.320.0445 OF CHAPTER 10.32 OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC PROPERTY OF THE MERCED COUNTY CODE AND WAVE.

FURTHER READING. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER RAUL MENDEZ WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THESE ITEMS. YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

AS MENTIONED, WE HAVE TWO ORDINANCE ITEMS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION THIS MORNING.

EACH ITEM INTRODUCES THE MERCED COUNTY CODE LANGUAGE, AND THEN SETS THE ADOPTION DATE OF THE SAID ORDINANCES TO YOUR NEXT MEETING ON MARCH 25TH.

ITEM 23 PERTAINS TO CHAPTER 5.14. THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE REFERENCE CODE SECTION, BUT STATE LAW DOES REQUIRE DELEGATION AUTHORITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALTERNATIVE LEASING PROCEDURES FOR COUNTY OWNED REAL PROPERTY TO BE RENEWED BY THE BOARD EVERY FIVE YEARS, AND HENCE WHY IT'S BEFORE YOU. ITEM 24 RECOMMENDS FINAL AMENDMENTS BASED ON YOUR PRIOR BOARD DIRECTION TO CHAPTER 10.32 .32 RELATED

[00:30:09]

WITH SOME REFINEMENTS UNDER THE DEFINITION SECTION.

WE CLARIFIED THE TEXT IN CAMP OR CAMPING BY ADDING THE WORD IMMOBILE TO DESCRIBE VEHICLES USED FOR SLEEPING AND FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY, ADDING PRESCRIPTIONS TO MEDICATIONS TO MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE DESCRIPTIVE AND THEN BETTER DESCRIBING CONTRABAND DEFINITION UNDER THE LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION UNDER PRIVATE PROPERTY. WE DID ADD LANGUAGE REGARDING INCLUDING OTHER JURISDICTIONAL STAKEHOLDERS FOR ENHANCED COORDINATION.

AND AS MENTIONED, THESE ITEMS WILL COME BACK TO YOU AT YOUR NEXT REGULAR MEETING FOR ADOPTION.

AND IF SO, MOVE FORWARD WOULD GO INTO EFFECT 30 DAYS AFTER PASSAGE.

I WANT TO TURN IT BACK TO YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND YOUR STAFF IS AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THESE TWO ITEMS. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THE PUBLIC AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS 23 AND 24.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR ITEMS 23 AND 24 IS NOW CLOSED.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE.

I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO SAY IT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON THIS.

I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN MUCH NEEDED FOR QUITE SOME TIME, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF, YOU KNOW, ALL THE SUPREME COURT DECISIONS IN REGARD TO GRANTS PASS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST IT'S A REAL IT'S A REAL BLIGHT ON OUR COMMUNITY AND A REAL QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE.

AND I THINK THAT WITH THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED.

WE'RE TRYING TO JUST CLEAN UP THE COMMUNITY AND PUT PEOPLE IN PLACE FOR TO NOT HAVE THESE CAMPS.

SO, OR TO AT LEAST CLEAN THEM UP. SO, WITH THAT, I WILL MAKE THE MOTION AND LOOK FOR A SECOND.

SO, I HAVE A MOTION BY MYSELF. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE. RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, ITEM 25.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN UP PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD ITEM 25.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD ITEM 25 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

CALL FOR THE VOTE. PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. THE MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

NEXT, WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTMENTS, ITEMS 26 THROUGH 29.

AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS.

ITEM 26 THROUGH 29. THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR BOARD APPOINTMENTS ITEMS 26 THROUGH 29 IS NOW CLOSED.

WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. PLEASE CALL FOR THE VOTE.

PLEASE RECORD THE VOTE. MOTION UNANIMOUSLY PASSES.

OKAY. NEXT, WE HAVE THREE SCHEDULED ITEMS. WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING SUBMITTED BY PUBLIC

[SCHEDULED ITEMS]

AT THIS TIME, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR NATHAN BRAY WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

GOOD MORNING AGAIN, BOARD CHAIR AND SUPERVISORS NATHAN BRAY, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ROAD COMMISSIONER.

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER THE GENERAL VACATION OF HUNTER ROAD OR A PORTION OF HUNTER ROAD.

EXCUSE ME, IN THE LIVINGSTON AREA. THE ACTIONS BEFORE YOU ARE TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT.

TO CLOSE PUBLIC HEARING AND IF YOU SO CHOOSE, FIND THE PROPOSED VACATION IS EXEMPT FROM SEQUA AND ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO VACATE THE PORTION OF HUNTER ROAD. HUNTER ROAD IN THE LIVINGSTON AREA THAT HAS IS UNDER CONSIDERATION IS APPROXIMATELY ONE EIGHTH OF A MILE OR

[00:35:07]

THE COUNTY STAFF WAS APPROACHED FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY DEVELOPING THE PARCEL, WISHING TO LIMIT THE PUBLIC ACCESS ONTO THEIR PROPERTY, AS WELL AS WANTING TO INSTALL A GATE TO SECURE THEIR PROPERTY.

STAFF WORKED, LOOKED AT THE CIRCULATION PLAN AND FOUND THAT THIS ROAD IS NOT NEEDED FOR GENERAL PURPOSES.

PUBLIC WORKS STAFF ALSO WORKED WITH CITY STAFF AND FOUND THAT THE ACTION WOULD BE CONSISTENT WITH THE MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN, AND WOULD BE EXEMPT UNDER CEQA. SO, WITH THOSE, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU.

AT THIS TIME. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS ITEM. TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON. OKAY. ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC? PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR THIS ITEM IS NOW CLOSED.

I'LL CLOSE. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. DO I HAVE A MOTION? OH, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

YEAH. I DO HAVE ONE. ONE QUICK QUESTION. SO ON THE ON THE MAP, IT SHOWS HUNTER ROAD GOING FROM SULTANA WEST. AND THEN IT MAKES A 90 DEGREE TURN AND GOES DOWN TO CAMPBELL AVENUE.

SO, JUST CAN YOU. AND YOU SAID IT DEAD ENDS INTO PUBLIC OR TO A PRIVATE PARCEL.

SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT, PLEASE? SURE, SURE.

YEAH. SO THE ROAD THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED IT CURRENTLY EXTENDS TO THROUGH PARCELS 11 AND 12 THAT ARE IDENTIFIED ON THE MAP, THE ROAD THAT IS, I GUESS, USED BY THE UTILITY COMPANIES AND THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR IRRIGATION AND FARMING PURPOSES EXTENDS TO THE WEST TOWARDS SULTANA.

BUT THAT IS NOT A ROAD THAT HAS BEEN DEDICATED OR ACCEPTED INTO THE COUNTY ROAD SYSTEM.

SO, IT'S A PRIVATE ACCESS ROAD. OKAY. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OH. YES. SUPERVISOR. HE WANTS TO MAKE THE MOTION.

I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT, I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT THE CONTRIBUTIONS BE MADE SEPARATELY TODAY.

CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND SAY THAT? DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION? I JUST WANT TO KNOW, ARE YOU GOING TO IT'S GOING TO BE IN PLACE.

YEAH. SUPERVISOR PACHECO. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I WANT TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CEQA ACTION BE MADE SEPARATELY FROM THE ORIGINAL.

BUT MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THAT. I'LL SECOND THE MOTION ON NUMBER THREE.

YEAH. OKAY. SO WE HAVE A MOTION TO FIND THE PROPOSED VACATION EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT UNDER SEQUEL GUIDELINES, SECTION 15061BA (B)(3) COMMON SENSE AND SECTION WELL.

COMMON SENSE AND GOVERNMENT AND SECTION 15301(C) EXISTING HIGHWAYS AND STREETS FOR THE REASONS STATED IN THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION.

THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO AND SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. NOW YOU NEED TO ADAPT IT.

OH, I NOW MAKE THE MOTION THAT WE ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO VACATE THE PORTION OF HUNTER ROAD IN THE LIVINGSTON AREA.

SECOND. OKAY. SO, WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION TO VACATE A PORTION OF HUNTER ROAD IN THE LIVINGSTON AREA.

MOTION MADE BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SCHEDULED ITEM IS SUBMITTED BY COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. PUBLIC HEARING TO CONSIDER AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO APPROVE MAJOR SUBDIVISION APPLICATION MAS 20 001 SHEVLIN PLACE. THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH LANDOR AVENUE, 150FT SOUTH OF WEST GEER AVENUE IN THE HILMER

[00:40:01]

OUR BOARD CHAIR WILL THEN OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

ONCE THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD HAS CONCLUDED, WE WILL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE APPLICANT AND THEN THE APPELLANT WHO WILL EACH BE GIVEN, GIVEN A THREE MINUTE PERIOD TO PROVIDE A REBUTTAL.

OUR BOARD MEMBERS MAY ASK CLARIFYING QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE PRESENTATIONS.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MARK MIMS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE ITEM BEFORE YOU IS AN APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO APPROVE THE MAJOR SUBDIVISION APPLICATION NUMBER MS 20001 OR KNOWN AS SHEVLIN PLACE IN THE HILMAR AREA. THE SUBDIVISION WAS APPROVED BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 9TH, 2024, AND APPEAL WAS FILED ON OCTOBER 18TH. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE TIFFANY HO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. MARK. GOOD MORNING, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

CARL MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN. MY NAME IS TIFFANY HO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, AND I AM PRESENTING ON THE APPEAL FOR MAJOR SUBDIVISION NUMBER MAS 20-001, ALSO KNOWN AS SHEVLIN PLACE.

THE PROJECT IS A REQUEST TO SUBDIVIDE 33.6 ACRES INTO 136 RESIDENTIAL LOTS, INCLUDING A POCKET PARK AND DRAINAGE BASIN.

THE APPLICANT WAS WADSWORTH PROPERTY, WITH MIKE WADSWORTH REPRESENTING THE ENTITY, AND THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN AREA AND INCLUDES A VARIETY OF RESIDENTIAL LAND USES IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN AND GENERAL PLAN AND ZONED FOR A MIX OF RESIDENTIAL USES.

THE PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 9TH.

ONCE THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOUND THAT THE PROJECT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN AND GENERAL PLAN, ALL THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS INCLUDED FOR THE GENERAL PLAN AND COMMUNITY PLAN CAN BE UTILIZED FOR THIS PROJECT, AND THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF MEETS OUR DENSITY AND DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS IN OUR ZONING CODE.

FOLLOWING THAT APPROVAL, AN APPEAL WAS FILED ON OCTOBER 18TH, 2024, BY APPELLANT DANNY CODER.

THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE PROJECT SITE'S VICINITY, WITH THE PROJECT SITE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF LANDER AVENUE, SOUTH OF GEARY AVENUE.

THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN BOUNDARIES, AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN HIGHLIGHTED IN RED, THAT THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED IN THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN BOUNDARIES AND IS DESIGNATED FOR RESIDENTIAL LAND USES.

THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE PROPOSED TENTATIVE MAP, WHICH IDENTIFIES LOT SIZES BETWEEN 6000 TO 12,000FT².

INGRESS AND EGRESS ON GEER AVENUE AND LANDER AVENUE ON LANDER AVENUE.

THERE IS A RESTRICTED RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT ACCESS AS REQUIRED BY CALTRANS.

UNDERSTANDING ALL OF THESE FACTS. NOW, PLANNING WILL GO INTO THE APPEAL.

SO THE ZONING CODE DOES LIMIT THE SCOPE OF THE APPEAL TO THE ISSUES THAT ARE RAISED AT THE HEARING OR PRIOR TO THE HEARING, IN WRITING OR ON INFO THAT WAS NOT KNOWN AT THE TIME OF THE DECISION.

THE APPEAL, FILED ON OCTOBER 18TH, LIES WITHIN FOUR DIFFERENT CONCERN AREAS.

FIRST IS TRAFFIC WATER ERRORS AND THE STAFF REPORT, AS WELL AS DEVIATIONS FROM OUR COUNTY ORDINANCE AND GILMER COUNTY PLAN.

THE APPEAL ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT THE COMMUNITY PLAN, OR THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR GENERAL PLAN AND GILMER COMMUNITY PLAN BUT ALSO RAISES SOME SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT WERE PROVIDED.

REGARDING TRAFFIC. THE PROJECT OR THE PROJECT? APPELLANTS BELIEVE THAT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY THAT WAS PREPARED FOR THIS PROJECT WAS FLAWED BECAUSE IT DID NOT INCLUDE SCHOOL OPERATIONS WITHIN ITS PEAK HOUR ANALYSIS TO POINT OUT FOR THE RECORD, THE METHODOLOGY THAT WAS UTILIZED FOR THIS PEAK HOUR ANALYSIS IS STANDARDIZED IN THE HIGHWAY CAPACITY MANUAL, AND THAT THE AM PEAK HOURS, WHICH WERE BETWEEN 7 A.M.

AND 9 P.M. OR 9 A.M., DOES INCLUDE SCHOOL DROP OFF TIMES.

[00:45:01]

IN THE CASE HERE, THE SUBDIVISION WOULD BE GENERATING RESIDENTS COMING HOME AT NIGHT BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 4 TO 6 P.M., WHICH WOULD NOT COINCIDE WITH THE TYPICAL PICKUP HOURS OF SCHOOL, WHICH IS AROUND 3:00 PM.

THEREFORE, THE PROJECT WOULD NOT SIGNIFICANTLY CREATE TRAFFIC DURING THOSE HOURS, AND THAT'S WHY THE PEAK HOUR ANALYSIS DOES NOT INCLUDE SCHOOL PICKUP.

THE APPEAL ALSO LOOKS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FACILITIES, BELIEVING THAT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY DID NOT INCLUDE THAT NEW SCHOOL OPENING IN ITS TRAFFIC ANALYSIS. TO THAT THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS DOES LOOK AT THE WHOLE COMPLETE BUILD OUT OF THE HILMER COMMUNITY PLAN.

SO THAT INCLUDES THE MOST INTENSIVE LAND USES THAT CAN BE BUILT OUT IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN, AS CONTEMPLATED IN THE COMMUNITY PLAN, AS WELL AS ANY APPROVED ENTITLEMENTS AND ANY PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED BY THE COUNTY, INCLUDING THE PLANNED SIGNALIZATION ON GEAR AND LANDOR AVENUE BY CALTRANS.

THE APPEAL ALSO BELIEVES THAT THE WILLIAMS AVENUE AND LANDOR AVENUE INTERSECTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE TRANSPORTATION IMPACT STUDY, TO WHICH CASE BOTH THE SCOPE OF WORK AND THE METHODOLOGIES AND THE ANALYSIS WERE REVIEWED BY CALTRANS AS WELL AS THE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND THEY DID NOT FIND THIS WAS AN INTERSECTION THAT WOULD NEED TO BE STUDIED IN THEIR IMPACT ANALYSIS.

REGARDING WATER CAPACITY. THE APPEAL BELIEVES THAT THE COUNTY SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE DUE DILIGENCE ON WATER CAPACITY AND NOT RELY ON THE DISTRICT'S CONDITIONAL WILL SERVE LETTER BECAUSE THE COUNTY WILL SERVE LETTER IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT.

THE DISTRICT HAS TO LEGALLY ISSUE IT AND DOES NOT SERVE AS AN ENDORSEMENT OF THE PROJECT.

NOW, PLANNING STAFF UNDERSTANDS AND RECOGNIZES THAT THE SOLE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE A PROJECT A SUBDIVISION PROJECT, LIES WITHIN THE COUNTY. HOWEVER, BECAUSE HILMAR COUNTY WATER DISTRICT IS THE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE HILMAR AREA, THEY ARE ALSO THE ENTITY TO RELY ON FOR CAPACITY OF THEIR WATER SERVICES.

SO IF THE DISTRICT IS LEGALLY REQUIRED TO STATE THAT THEY HAVE CAPACITY AND THE WILLINGNESS TO SERVE BECAUSE THEY LEGALLY HAVE CAPACITY, THEN THE COUNTY MUST USE THAT IN ITS DETERMINATION THAT THERE ARE ADEQUATE SERVICES PROVIDED FOR THE SUBDIVISION.

THE COUNTY ALSO RECOGNIZES THAT THE SPECIAL DISTRICT IS AN INDEPENDENT SPECIAL DISTRICT WITH ITS OWN JURISDICTIONAL AUTHORITY OVER ITS GOVERNANCE, ITS INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICE PROVISIONS. THEREFORE, ANY ISSUES THAT THE APPEAL RAISES REGARDING INFRASTRUCTURE, WATER QUALITY AND WATER PRESSURE ARE REALLY THOSE TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE DISTRICT AND NOT BY THE COUNTY.

THAT SAID, THE DISTRICT DOES HAVE A PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM PERMIT WITH THE STATE OF WATER RESOURCES.

SO OVERSIGHT IS BY THE STATE, AND SO ANY VIOLATIONS OF THE WATER QUALITY GETS REPORTED.

AND THE LAST VIOLATION WAS REPORTED BACK IN 2019 PRIOR TO THIS PROJECT BEING SUBMITTED AND WAS PROMPTLY RESOLVED WITHIN THREE MONTHS.

FINALLY, IN REGARD TO WATER, THE PROJECT APPELLANT BELIEVES THAT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY SUBDIVISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BUT NOT BUILT OUT YET, THAT LEADS TO A CONCERN THAT THESE REASONS WERE NOT BEING BUILT OUT BECAUSE OF WATER CAPACITY ISSUES, AND BECAUSE THESE SUBDIVISIONS ARE NOT WITHIN THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.

THIS IS VERY TYPICAL. MANY SUBDIVISIONS HAVE TWO YEARS TO BE APPROVED AND THEN THEY COULD APPLY FOR EXTENSIONS.

AND EXTENSIONS CAN BE APPLIED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.

THE COUNTY DOESN'T REQUIRE THEM TO SPECIFY ALL OF THEM.

SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE, IN THE CASE OF THE APPEAL JUSTIFICATION STATEMENT NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE WATER DISTRICT.

AND THEN IT'S VERY TYPICAL FOR OUR SUBDIVISIONS, ESPECIALLY UNDEVELOPED LAND, NOT TO BE WITHIN A DISTRICT.

THE ONLY REQUIREMENT IS DISTRICTS AMEND THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE TO MATCH THE COMMUNITY PLAN'S BOUNDARY.

AND THEN AS UNDEVELOPED LAND HAS APPLICATIONS FOR DEVELOPMENT, AND THOSE DEVELOPERS PAY THEIR CONNECTION FEES AND MEET ALL THEIR CONDITIONS NEEDED TO BE SERVED, THEN THEY GET ANNEXED INTO THE DISTRICT.

THIS LAST SLIDE HERE TALKS ABOUT CONCERNS RAISED IN THE APPEAL THAT WERE NOT RAISED AT THE PUBLIC HEARING OR IN WRITING PRIOR TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. SO TECHNICALLY THEY ARE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE APPEAL, BUT COUNTY WILL ADDRESS THE CONCERNS JUST FOR THE RECORD.

SO, THE FIRST PART IS THAT THE STAFF REPORT HAS SOME ERRORS INDICATING THAT SUBDIVISION NAME IS SHEVLIN PLACE OR SHELDON PLACE, AND THAT THE PROJECT MAY NOT BE ACCURATELY DESCRIBED THROUGHOUT THE STAFF REPORT, AND THEREFORE THE CONCLUSIONS MIGHT BE WRONG.

THESE ARE VERY MINOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS THAT ARE LIMITED TO THE HEADER, WHICH, WHEN YOU INPUT IT,

[00:50:01]

WHAT MATTERS MOST IS THAT THE PROJECT DESCRIPTION IS ACCURATELY DESCRIBED AND CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THE STAFF REPORT, THROUGHOUT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY AND THE LETTERS THAT ARE ISSUED BY CALTRANS.

SO THEREFORE THE ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS WOULD REMAIN THE SAME.

THE APPEAL ALSO CITES THAT THE STREET NAMES IN THE PROPOSED TENTATIVE MAP DO NOT ALIGN WITH COUNTY STANDARDS.

PLANNING APPROVALS DON'T TYPICALLY LOOK AT STREET NAMES.

THOSE ARE DEFERRED AFTER THE APPROVAL OF THE SUBDIVISION DURING THE FINAL MAP SUBMITTAL THAT IS ADMINISTERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.

FINALLY, THE APPEAL STATES THAT THE PROJECT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE GILMER COMMUNITY PLAN BECAUSE THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN ENCOURAGES OPEN ENDED CUL-DE-SACS TO THAT, WHILE THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN ENCOURAGES THAT IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.

THESE ARE GUIDELINES AND NOT REQUIREMENTS. THE INTENT OF SUCH GUIDELINES IS TO PROMOTE CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE SUBDIVISION AND EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL AS TO ADJACENT PARK SPACES. NEITHER OF THESE CRITERIA EXIST NEXT TO THE SUBDIVISION, AND SO THEREFORE THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT TO INCORPORATE AN OPEN ENDED CUL-DE-SAC DESIGN FOR THE SUBDIVISION.

THIS SLIDE HERE TALKS ABOUT PROPOSED SOLUTIONS THAT WERE RAISED IN THE APPEAL.

AND AGAIN, SOME OF THESE ISSUES WERE RAISED DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING AS IT RELATES TO TRAFFIC, BUT SOME OF THESE WERE NOT. AND THEN THE SOLUTIONS THEMSELVES WERE NEVER BROUGHT BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO CONSIDER AGAIN.

COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE TO RESPOND TO THESE, BUT COUNTY WILL.

IN THE CASE OF CUL DE SACS, IT IS NOT A REQUIREMENT.

IN THE CASE OF REQUIRING A COLLECTOR ROAD FOR SENDING A NEW ROAD FROM WILLIAMS AVENUE TO THE SUBDIVISION, THIS IS A NEW ROAD THAT IS NOT REQUIRED. WE HAVE NO NEXUS FOR REQUIRING SUCH A ROAD, BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY SAYS THAT CIRCULATION WOULD MEET CALTRANS AND GENERAL PLAN STANDARDS. A NEW ROAD IS NOT CONTAINED WITHIN THE GENERAL PLAN'S CURRENT CIRCULATION PLAN OR IN THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN.

SO THEREFORE, IT WOULDN'T BE CONSISTENT WITH EITHER POLICY DOCUMENTS.

AND WITH THAT, THEY WOULD NEED FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND ASSOCIATED GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.

AND LASTLY, THE APPEAL DOES REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY CONSIDER ENLARGING THE PARK SPACE THAT IS PROPOSED.

AND ADD COMMUNITY SERVING AMENITIES TO THAT PARK SPACE.

THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT FOR A PARK IN THE SITE, BUT THE APPLICANT DID PROPOSE SUCH A PARK SPACE IN ORDER TO LEVERAGE SOME AGRICULTURAL BUFFER THAT'S REQUIRED BY THE COMMUNITY PLAN.

DRAINAGE NEEDED TO HAVE THERE, AS WELL AS CREATE AN AMENITY FOR THE EXISTING THE FUTURE RESIDENTS THERE.

POCKET PARKS ARE TYPICALLY NOT PAID FOR BY THE COMMUNITY, BUT PAID FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THAT SUBDIVISION.

SO INCORPORATING ANY COMMUNITY, SERVING AMENITIES, OR MAKING A DESIGN THAT'S FOR THE COMMUNITY WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE FOR THIS POCKET PARK.

NOTICE OF THIS APPEAL HEARING WAS PUBLISHED IN MERCED COUNTY TIMES, MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT OF THE PROJECT SITE, AND SENT TO INTERESTED PARTIES WHO HAD EXPRESSED MAILING OF THE NOTICE ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025.

AS OF TODAY, NO COMMENTS WERE RECEIVED. GIVEN ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SUMMARIZED IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION, DETAILED IN THE BOARD ACTION ITEM, AND THEN ALSO FURTHER DETAILED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT.

STAFF HAS TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

FIRST, TO CONSIDER, AFFIRM AND DENY THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO DETERMINE THAT NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS REQUIRED, AND THEN TO CONSIDER AND AFFIRM, DENY OR MODIFY THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO APPROVE THE SUBDIVISION.

THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION. I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.

I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE APPLICANT IS IN THE AUDIENCE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM, TOO. I JUST REALLY QUICKLY WANT TO SAY, PER COUNTY COUNSEL'S ADVICE, HE HAS ASKED FOR US TO HOLD OFF ON ANY CLARIFYING QUESTIONS UNTIL AFTER THE APPELLANT HAS BEEN ABLE TO PRESENT THEIR CASE.

OKAY. I WILL NOW AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE THE APPELLANT UP TO THE PODIUM TO STATE THEIR CASE.

HI, I AM STEPHANIE MARSON, STANDING IN FOR DANNY CARTER.

HE WAS CALLED OFF TO WORK SO HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.

I AM A BORN AND BRED HILMAR RESIDENT. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN THERE FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

THE STATE OF OUR TOWN IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND OBVIOUSLY TO EVERYBODY WHO LIVES THERE. SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF BRIEFLY REVIEW THAT APPEAL TOUCH ON SOME OF THESE

[00:55:01]

GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE ONLY HAD TEN DAYS TO PRODUCE THIS APPEAL WE DO STAND BY OUR ASSERTION THAT A NEW TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY IS NEEDED. IT MAY BE.

IT MAY HAVE BEEN STANDARD HOURS AS FAR AS THE STATE IS CONCERNED.

BUT HILMAR IS A SMALL LITTLE COMMUNITY, AND A STATE HIGHWAY RUNS RIGHT SMACK THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF OUR TOWN.

AND ON THAT STATE HIGHWAY IS OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL.

OKAY. THAT INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY IMPACTS OUR TRAFFIC SITUATION IN THE MORNING WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND WORK THAT 7 TO 9 PERIOD. OF COURSE, IN THE EVENING WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMING HOME FROM WORK, BUT ALSO FROM ABOUT 130 UNTIL ABOUT 330, WHEN TWO ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TWO HIGH SCHOOLS ARE EXITING. OKAY. THAT'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

AND THOSE THINGS DO NEED TO BE CONSIDERED. HILMAR IS KIND OF AN EXCEPTION TO THE STATE GUIDELINE IN THAT REGARD. HOW MANY TOWNS CITIES HAVE THEIR SCHOOLS ON A STATE HIGHWAY? PROBABLY NOT MANY. WILLIAMS AVENUE IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR.

ANYBODY THAT COMES IN FROM THE WEST SIDE. OKAY.

NEWMAN. GUSTIN. THEY'RE COMING IN THROUGH WILLIAMS. SOME OF THEM WILL COME IN THROUGH 140 AND THEN DOWN LANDER.

BUT A LOT OF THEM COME IN THROUGH WILLIAMS. IT IS A MAJOR ROAD.

IT IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED FOR THIS EXACT REASON.

OKAY. IT'S NOT ONE OF THESE LITTLE DINKY HILMAR ROADS THAT ARE FULL OF POTHOLES BECAUSE IT'S IN USE.

IT IS A MAJOR, MAJOR ARTERY. FURTHER, ONCE THIS SHEVLIN PLACE IS PUT IN TO PLAY. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT IMPACTED BECAUSE OF THAT PORK CHOP.

THAT RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT. OKAY. SO ANOTHER THING IS THAT WHEN JKB BUILT 30 HOUSES AT THE END OF AMETHYST DRIVE THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED EGRESS INGRESS ONTO LANDER.

AND THAT'S ONLY 30 HOUSES. AND NOW WE'RE PROPOSING 136 HOUSES ON THE SOUTHERN END OF TOWN, WHEN EVERYBODY HAS TO DRIVE NORTH TO GET TO SCHOOL, WORK, SHOPPING.

AND WE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THAT INGRESS EGRESS ONTO LANDER AVENUE.

THAT'S INCONSISTENT AND IT'S UNSAFE. THAT WILL BRING AT LEAST 272 CARS COMING ONTO LANDER, AND IF THEY DECIDE I DON'T WANT TO TURN RIGHT ONTO LANDER AND THEN MAKE A U-TURN, POSSIBLY ILLEGALLY AT WILLIAMS AVENUE, THAT MEANS THEY'RE ALL GOING TO COME OUT THROUGH THE GEER AVENUE ACCESS POINT THAT DROPS OUT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

OKAY, THAT KIND OF TRAFFIC HASN'T BEEN IT'S NOT ENCUMBERED IN THE TIS.

THAT'S AT LEAST 272 CARS COMING IN AND OUT OF GEER AVENUE.

GEER AVENUE DOES NOT HAVE A LIGHT AT LANDER. I KNOW THAT IT'S SCHEDULED FOR IT, BUT IT DOESN'T NOW.

OKAY. SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, WHY AREN'T WE ADDING A STOPLIGHT ON LANDER AT SHEVLIN? WE ALREADY HAVE STOPLIGHTS. PROPOSED AT GEER FIRST STREET BLUES AMERICAN AUGUST.

ADDING ONE AT CHEVLIN IS GOING TO SLOW TRAFFIC DOWN COMING INTO TOWN.

IT WOULD ALSO GIVE THOSE PEOPLE ANOTHER LEGITIMATE INGRESS EGRESS POINT FOR THEIR SUBDIVISION. OH, THIS DIDN'T GO RIGHT.

OKAY. SO MOVING ON TO WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES.

THE COUNTY, KALMAR COUNTY WATER DISTRICT. THEY STATE THAT THE DISTRICT IN OCTOBER 2023.

THEY STATE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE WATER FOR NEW PROJECTS.

[01:00:06]

WE DO NOT HAVE WATER FOR THESE PROJECTS. THIS VIDEO HERE.

SORRY. THERE. THAT'S THE DISTRICT THING. THIS VIDEO HERE.

WHERE'S THE VIDEO? THERE IT IS. THAT SHOWS WATER SPEWING OUT OF THE GROUND ON CLINTON AVENUE BACK IN OCTOBER. ON OCTOBER 6TH. THAT'S OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.

THAT WE'RE SPEWING WATER, PRECIOUS WATER ONTO THE SURFACE STREETS.

OKAY. THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS OLD. IT HAS A HARD TIME ADEQUATELY SERVING PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LIVE IN HILMAR, ADDING THESE NEW HOUSES. IT'S GOING TO STRAIN IT EVEN MORE.

OUR COUNTY COMMUNITY PLAN. THAT'S OLD, OLD, OLD SAYS THAT WE HAVE THREE WELLS IN HILMAR.

WE HAVE TWO ACTIVE WELLS IN HILMAR, AND WE HAVE ONE STANDBY.

WELL. THE COMMUNITY PLAN INDICATES THAT WE NEED TWO MORE WELLS.

THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THREE. SO WE ONLY HAVE TWO.

THAT MEANS WE NEED THREE MORE WELLS. WE DON'T HAVE THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.

PERIOD. PERIOD.

SO IT WAS STATED THAT. YES. THE DISTRICT IS NOT AN APPROVING BODY FOR SUBDIVISIONS. YOU GUYS ARE. THAT'S YOUR JOB. BUT YOU RELY ON THEM FOR INFORMATION.

SO, THEIR MINUTES EXPLAIN THAT CANON WILL SERVE LETTERS ARE ISSUED WHEN IT'S TIME TO BUILD, BUT ONLY IF THE COMMUNITY DISTRICT HAS SYSTEM CAPACITY.

IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WHY ARE THERE THREE OTHER SUBDIVISIONS WAITING ON WATER FROM THE DISTRICT AND HAVING TO REPEATEDLY REQUEST EXTENSIONS ON THEIR CAN AND WILL SERVE LETTERS. WHY IS THE DISTRICT ISSUING THESE LETTERS TO DEVELOPERS WHO AREN'T EVEN IN THEIR DISTRICT? SHE ADDRESSED THAT ALREADY, SO I KNOW THAT'S BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THIS HEARING, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT FUNCTIONING HERE.

AND TO CONTINUE TO SHOVE SUBDIVISIONS IN THE PIPELINE WHEN THERE'S NO INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT IT ISN'T GOOD, HEALTHY GROWTH. OH, HOLD ON A SECOND. THAT'S.

NOPE. OKAY. YEP. SHEVLIN SHELVING IT. SHE ADDRESSED THIS.

IT IS PARTLY A TYPO, BUT IT CARRIES THROUGH THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT.

AND THE CALTRANS REPORTS DO, IN FACT, USE THE INCORRECT LANGUAGE.

IT'S LITTLE DETAILS THAT ERODE CONFIDENCE IN OUR LEADER'S ABILITY TO LEAD AND MAKE DECISIONS.

AND THEN THE STREET NAMES. SHE SAID THIS IS ADDRESSED FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.

AND BEEFING ABOUT THIS DOES SEEM PETTY. WE WERE INSTRUCTED THAT WE HAD TO FOCUS ON AREAS WHERE THE PROPOSAL WAS LACKING.

SO THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF FOCUSED ON THERE. AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT CLOSING THE ACCESS TO GEER AVENUE AND MAKING THAT AN OPEN ENDED CUL DE SAC.

YES. THE COMMUNITY PLAN SAYS THAT THAT IS ENCOURAGED, BUT IT ALSO STATES THAT'S FUNDAMENTAL TO SUCCESSFUL PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CIRCULATION.

AND IT IS. WHY MAKE WHY MAKE IT WORSE? WHY MAKE YOUR AVENUE WORSE THAN IT ALREADY IS? HAVE ANY OF YOU BEEN ON GEAR OR LANDER DURING SCHOOL TRAFFIC TIMES? I'M GOING TO TAKE THAT AS A NO. PLEASE DO GO SIT THERE.

GO WATCH THAT. HILMAR. THAT IS, WHAT, TWO MILES LONG.

IT WILL TAKE YOU 30 MINUTES TO GET THROUGH TOWN.

DURING THOSE TIMES, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS FALLS BELOW THE STANDARD SET BY THE COUNTY.

AND IT'S BEEN IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR FAR TOO LONG.

AND AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, EVERYBODY DRIVES NORTH.

THEY DON'T DRIVE SOUTH. SO, TO NOT HAVE GOOD REASONABLE ACCESS NORTH ISN'T

[01:05:06]

THAT WOULD AT LEAST TAKE PEOPLE IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO PUT A STOPLIGHT AT SHEVLIN AVENUE, THAT WOULD AT LEAST TAKE PEOPLE TO A WIDE OPEN, SAFER INTERSECTION IN WHICH TO GET ONTO LANDER.

GEAR IS NOT AS OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE AS LANDER.

AND AGAIN, YOU'VE GOT SCHOOL TRAFFIC RIGHT THERE.

SO THAT'S THAT. SO, THE COMMUNITY PLAN IS A GUIDE THROUGH 2025.

IT SAYS HERE WE ARE. BUT SECTION 10.9 REQUIRES THAT A NEW PLAN BE INITIATED BY 2018 AND ADOPTED BY 2020.

WE'RE FIVE YEARS BEHIND, FIVE YEARS BEHIND. THIS PLAN IS NOT ADEQUATELY REPRESENTING WHERE HILMAR IS NOW.

OKAY. THIS PLAN DOES REQUIRE ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT.

GEAR AND LANDER ARE LISTED IN THAT PLAN AS NOT ORDERLY.

OKAY. AND THAT PLAN ALSO HAS PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AREAS. A IS WHERE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH WHAT'S IT CALLED? CORDOBA. VILLA CORDOBA IS ALL UP THERE, BUT CD DOWN THERE AT THE BOTTOM THAT SHEVLIN PLACE IS DOWN IN D.

THAT'S WAY DOWN ON THE PROPOSED AREA. IF THOSE ARE PRIORITY AREAS, EVERYTHING ELSE NEEDS TO GET TAKEN CARE OF.

BEFORE WE GET OVER TO SECTION D. OKAY. SO THE PLAN IS OLD BY ITS OWN DEFINITION.

AND THE PLAN ALSO STATES THAT WE NEED MASTER AND INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS TO HELP GUIDE US IN AN ORDERLY DIRECTION. DO WE HAVE THOSE? I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM. DO YOU GUYS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE? DO WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS? WE DON'T. THIS IS WHY THE NEWER PROJECTS ARE SEEING ACTIVITY BEFORE OLDER PROJECTS.

THIS IS WILLY NILLY, AND THE PLAN CALLS FOR THIS TO BE DONE IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.

SO THE COMMUNITY PLAN REQUIRES THAT'S OBJECTIVE RPS 2.0.

WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. AND IT ACTUALLY STATES THAT TO ENSURE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS ADEQUATELY FUNDED AND CONSTRUCTED IN A TIMELY, PHASED APPROACH RATHER THAN A PIECEMEAL APPROACH.

SO WE'RE DOING THIS IN A PIECEMEAL WAY, PRECISELY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MASTER PLAN AREAS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE PLANS IN PLACE.

OKAY. A THING THAT THIS ADDRESSES ALSO IS THE HIGHWAY 165 BYPASS.

AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BEST PLACE TO PUT THAT IS SOMEWHERE EAST OF LANDER.

OKAY. THERE WAS A STUDY THAT WAS FUNDED BY CONGRESS IN 2005, BUT THE STUDY WAS NEVER ACTUALLY COMPLETED.

MA'AM, YOU HAVE ABOUT ONE MINUTE LEFT. OKAY. SO THE PLAN WAS NEVER ACTUALLY COMPLETED.

SO BEFORE THIS IS APPROVED, WE NEED OUR BYPASS.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT SAFE ON LANDER AVENUE.

THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS THROUGH LANDER.

OKAY. THE MONEY WAS GIVEN TO THE COUNTY IN 2005 TO FUND OUR PROJECT REPORT TO FOR HIGHWAY 165 BYPASS. ONE THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IS WASTEWATER AND STORM DRAINAGE. THIS STATES RIGHT HERE THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE WASTEWATER AND STORM DRAINAGE, YOU CANNOT APPROVE ANY NEW PROPOSALS.

MA'AM, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO FINISH UP YOUR YOUR THOUGHT.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, YOU GUYS, IT FALLS UPON YOU TO DETERMINE IF THAT IS AVAILABLE.

THAT'S NOT ADDRESSED IN ANY OF THIS STUFF. THANK YOU.

MA'AM, YOUR 15 MINUTES ARE UP. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. OKAY.

AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.

BEFORE WE ASK FOR IF YOU HAVE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS NOW OR IF YOU WANT TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE PUBLIC COMMENT.

I'LL WAIT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. SO AT THIS TIME, I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

CARING. AND AT THIS TIME I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS ITEM.

[01:10:03]

HELLO BOARD? JUST A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC HERE.

ONE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME THAT I THINK IS WORTH CONSIDERATION IS ABOUT THE TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY FROM THE, I FORGET WHICH THE TERMS, BUT THE APPELLANT SIDE, THE FOR THE BUILDERS DEVELOPING THIS PLAN.

ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT TO ME IS THAT IT SEEMS THEY'RE FOLLOWING KIND OF LAWS, REGULATIONS ON THAT. BUT I THINK AS THE APPRAISAL OF THE PLAN OR COMPONENTS OF THE PLAN STATED THAT THE AREA DOES HAVE UNIQUE SITUATION.

SO, I DO THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH THINKING ABOUT IS A NEW TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDY OR, YOU KNOW, SOME MORE INFORMATION THERE, ESPECIALLY WITH HAVING MULTIPLE SCHOOLS ON ONE ROAD.

I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANT TO SEE THAT THIS GOES THROUGH, AND THEN WE SEE LATER THAT, HEY, WE HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE SOMETHING OUT BECAUSE WE'RE HAVING LOTS OF TRAFFIC PROBLEMS OR UNSAFE THINGS.

AND THAT'S THE MAIN THING THAT I JUST WANTED TO CALL OUT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. HELLO. OKAY. CRYSTAL CASEY, REPRESENTING THE HOMER STEVENSON MAC.

AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, I PRESENTED A SLIDE SHOW HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT THE DEVELOPMENT OF GEER ROAD THAT IT'S HAVING, PARTICULARLY WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW SCHOOL, WITH THE INCREASED TRAFFIC WE'VE ALREADY HAD TO ADJUST TO.

WE SIMPLY CANNOT HANDLE ADDITIONAL VEHICLES. IN FACT, AT THAT TIME, NINE OUT OF NINE MAC BOARD MEMBERS VOTED AGAINST THIS PROJECT.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO BRING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT OUR COMMUNITY HAS PLAN IS ALMOST 20 YEARS OLD AND DESPERATELY NEEDS UPDATING.

THE MAC HAS RAISED THIS ISSUE MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT YET HAS TO RECEIVE APPROVAL FOR THIS NEW PLAN.

IT'S CONCERNING THAT WE MIGHT BE STILL TRYING TO ALIGN NEW PROJECTS WITH THE 20 YEAR OLD PLAN, WHICH IS VERY WHICH VERY LITTLE HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

AS SOMEONE INVOLVED IN NEARLY EVERY ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE AND HILMAR AND BOARD AND HILMAR, I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT NONE OF THEM ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS PROJECT.

EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO HAS SPOKEN WITH ME HAS EXPRESSED OPPOSITION TO THIS DEVELOPMENT SOUTH OF THE SCHOOL.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT HILMAR IS NOT AGAINST GROWTH.

WE ARE ADVOCATES FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH. WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY VOTED IN FAVOR FOR TWO SUBDIVISIONS, AND VILLA CORDOVA HAS PLANS TO STILL COMPLETE THEIR PHASES.

THE RESIDENTS OF HILMAR ARE VERY CLEAR IN THEIR VISION OF THE COMMUNITY.

THEY DO NOT WANT LARGE SUBDIVISIONS BUILT SOUTH OF THE SCHOOL.

FURTHERMORE, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISKS POSED BY THIS PROPOSED SUBDIVISION.

IT HAS AN EXIT ONTO LANDER, WHICH IS A HIGHWAY.

WHILE RIGHT OF WAY ONLY RESTRICTION IS BEING PROPOSED, IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THE DRIVERS WILL NEED TO MAKE A U-TURN ONTO LANDER, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY UNSAFE. THOSE WHO DRIVE ONTO LANDER DAILY KNOW THE EXACT.

EXACTLY WHAT I MEAN. IN CONTRAST, WHEN JACOB DEVELOPED ALONG LANDER A.

FEW YEARS AGO, THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO CREATE DIRECT ACCESS TO.

THE HIGHWAY THAT HAD CONNECTING TO THEIR EXIT ON THE EXISTING SUBDIVISIONS.

I HOPE YOU'LL TAKE IN TIME TO CAREFULLY CONSIDER ALL THE POINTS I'VE RAISED TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND I DO WANT TO JUST MENTION TO STEPHANIE, I KNOW WE REPEATED A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT I HAVE A KID IN SCHOOL AND IT'S ACTUALLY A 01:00, 2:00 AND A 3:00 PICKUP THERE, AND THEN THE SPORTS START AND THEN THE DRIVING HOME.

SO IT'S CONSTANT ON GEAR. IT'S CONSTANT. THERE'S REALLY NOT A BREAK.

AND SO THAT, THAT THAT'S WHY WE WERE IN FAVOR OF NORTH BUILDING NOTHING SOUTH BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT HITS ALL OF THE CONGESTION THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE DAY. THANK YOU.

HI. MY NAME IS CLARISSA I RESIDE IN HILMAR. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR ABOUT 45 YEARS.

I'M A BUSINESS OWNER AND ON MULTIPLE BOARDS IN THE COMMUNITY.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT ANY OF YOU SPECIFICALLY LIVE IN HILMAR OR WITNESSED THE TRAFFIC AND THE CONGESTION.

MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, WHY DON'T THE RESIDENTS OF HILMAR HAVE A LOUDER VOICE? WE ARE VERY PROUD AND PROTECTIVE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

THIS IS A COMMUNITY OF 5 TO 6000 PEOPLE WITH ONE PARTIAL GROCERY STORE.

YOU'RE ALLOWING THE GROWING OF A TOWN THAT'S NOT EVEN INCORPORATED.

WE ALREADY HAVE FOUR OTHER APPROVED HOUSING PROJECTS THAT AREN'T EVEN COMPLETED WITH MULTIPLE PHASES.

IF YOU WANT TO GROW, HILMAR, WE NEED TO MAKE IT A MUNICIPALITY.

THEN OUR COMMUNITY WILL RECEIVE ITS FAIR SHARE OF REPRESENTATION, TAXES AND PLANNING FOR PROPER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS DESPERATELY NEEDED.

WHY HAVEN'T THE CHANGES IN INFRASTRUCTURE LIKE WATER AND SEWER BEEN ADDRESSED AND CONSIDERED IN THE TOWN.

FUTURE PLANS. JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE ROAD RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY RENTAL, 7796 NORTH CLINT DRIVE COLLAPSED.

[01:15:02]

THESE ARE MAJOR CONCERNS WITH HAVING AN ANTIQUATED SEWER AND WATER SYSTEM.

WHY DOESN'T THE BOARD HAVE A BIGGER VOICE AND MORE CONSIDERATION AND AUTHORITY FOR THE TOWN GOVERNANCE? TO THE CITIZENS OF HILMAR? IT MOSTLY SEEMS LIKE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS ARE BEING OVERLOOKED OR PUT ON THE BACK BURNER.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO GROWTH BUT NEED PROPER PLANNING FOR WATER, SEWER AND TRAFFIC.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS TAYLOR NILAND. MY FAMILY STARTED DAIRY FARMING IN THE EARLY 1920S ON GEER AVENUE, AND TODAY, FIVE GENERATIONS LATER, WE ARE STILL FARMING IN THE SAME LOCATION.

MY FAMILY HAS WITNESSED GROWTH IN HILMAR AND THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

TODAY I STAND YOU BEFORE YOU AS A BUSINESS OWNER, AND I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT A SUBDIVISION WILL DO TO AN ALREADY DISASTROUS TRAFFIC PROBLEM THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE BETWEEN LANDER AND COLUMBUS AVENUE.

WE PERSONALLY HAVE ADJUSTED AND MODIFIED OUR FEED SCHEDULE IN ORDER TO KEEP OUR EMPLOYEES FROM CROSSING GEER AVENUE DURING PEAK TRAFFIC TIMES, BOTH IN THE MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS WITH TRACTORS AND FEED WAGONS.

WE HAVE ADVISED OUR EMPLOYEES NOT TO CROSS THE ROAD DURING THESE TIMES BECAUSE IT'S SIMPLY UNSAFE, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER WHEN WE HAVE FOGGY CONDITIONS.

WE DO NOT MOVE ANIMALS OR COMPOST AT THESE TIMES.

THESE ARE NOT IDEAL FOR A BUSINESS, AND WE HAVE DONE SO AND MADE ALL THESE CHANGES WITHOUT COMPLAINTS.

LAST YEAR, A NEW TO HILMAR FAMILY PURCHASED A HOME ON GEER DIRECTLY SOUTH OF THE SCHOOL.

WHEN THEY WENT TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN, THEY WERE TOLD THERE WAS SIMPLY NO ROOM FOR THEM AND THEY WOULD NEED TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN IN STEPHENSON SCHOOLS.

HOW CAN WE SUPPORT AN INFLUX OF FAMILIES WHEN WE CAN'T EVEN SUPPORT WHAT WE HAVE.

BEFORE YOU APPROVE A SUBDIVISION WITH 136 HOMES, I URGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT THE FAMILY THAT WAS TURNED AWAY AND ALSO THE FAMILY FARM WHO IS TRYING TO PRESERVE OUR WAY OF LIFE. WE DID NOT ASK TO BE ON ONE OF THE BUSIEST ROADS IN HILMAR, BUT WE SIMPLY ARE. AND WE ASK YOU TO THINK ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE PRESENTED BEFORE YOU APPROVE THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU.

GOOD MORNING. BOARD. MY NAME IS GREG CARR. I LIVE AT 20251 GEER AVENUE, WHICH IS THE PROPERTY ADJACENT ON THE WEST SIDE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT.

I WOULD BE LYING TO YOU IF I DIDN'T TELL YOU THAT I WASN'T AGAINST THIS.

I HAVE NOTHING PERSONAL AGAINST THE FAMILY THAT OWNS IT THAT IS WANTING TO DO IT.

I JUST HATE TO SEE FARMLAND RANCHES TAKING OUT OF WHAT THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE AND BECOME HOMES.

GOD'S NOT MAKING ANY MORE LAND. THAT BEING SAID, WHEN THESE TRAFFIC REPORTS WERE DONE, THE NEW SCHOOL HADN'T OPENED UP YET, WHICH IS A K THROUGH SECOND GRADE.

PLUS, ALL THE BALL FIELDS THAT ARE OVER THERE. SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THE SPORTING ACTIVITIES WERE GOING ON, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY TIME TO PARK ON MY PROPERTY AND WATCH TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.

AS FAR AS OTHER THINGS FOR TRAFFIC FLOW, THAT SEEMS TO BE THE MOST BIGGEST ISSUE.

AT THE TIME, LANDER AVENUE HAD TWO CROSSWALKS FOR THE SCHOOL.

SINCE THEN, SINCE THIS REPORT HAS BEEN DONE, THEY'VE ADDED A NEW CROSSING SYSTEM, WHICH IS A FLASHING OR SOLID RED LIGHT, WHICH STAYS ON. I DON'T I HAVEN'T TIMED IT, BUT IT STAYS ON FOR QUITE A WHILE TO ALLOW KIDS TO GET ACROSS THAT IF THOSE ARE GOING OFF WHILE TRAFFIC IS COMING THROUGH. TRAFFIC BACKS UP BIG TIME. ALSO GOING THAT THAT ROUTE LANDER AVENUE, BECAUSE IT IS A STATE HIGHWAY CALTRANS IS THE JURISDICTION THERE. THEY ARE ONLY ALLOWING A SOUTHBOUND EGRESS ON THIS.

SO AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GO OUT THAT WAY.

THEY ARE NOT GOING TO GO AROUND TOWN TO COME BACK.

THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE A U-TURN AT WILLIAMS. THE PROPERTY OWNER OWNS THE SECTION THAT GOES UP AGAINST WILLIAMS. BUT IT'S TO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S NOT ZONED FOR HOUSING.

IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON SENSE THING TO REZONE THAT.

AND IF THIS IS TO GO THROUGH, TO ALLOW THEM TO EITHER BUILD ON THAT OR TO MAKE THAT THE EGRESS REGRESS SITUATION AND SEND EVERYTHING OUT ON WILLIAMS AND GET IT AWAY FROM GETTING OUT ON GEER AVENUE. AND AS FAR AS THE WATER ISSUE GOES, MY WELL DOES NOT TEST.

THERE'S QUITE A FEW WELLS IN THAT AREA THAT DO NOT TEST.

I GET FREE BOTTLED WATER FROM THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY WATER DISTRICT.

THEY HAVE A PROGRAM THAT'S A BOND. SO WE HAVE SIGNED UP WITH THAT, AND THERE'S QUITE A FEW HOMEOWNERS OUT THERE THAT GET THEIR WATER THAT WAY.

AS FAR AS THE HILMAR WATER DISTRICT GOES, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MEET REQUIREMENTS BARELY,

[01:20:05]

THANK YOU.

HEY, ARE THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS? OKAY, I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. OH, SORRY.

OH, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. YOU CAN DO QUESTIONS BEFORE, OR YOU CAN DO THE.

WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO THE REBUTTAL. I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON PAUSE AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THE REBUTTALS. SURE. OKAY.

AT THIS TIME, PLANNING AND OR THE APPLICANT HAS THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE A REBUTTAL. THE TIMER. THANK YOU. BOARD.

THANK YOU. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. STEPHANIE HILL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING. AGAIN, JUST WANT TO RESTATE THAT THE PROJECT WAS FOUND TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY GENERAL. THE GENERAL PLAN AS WELL AS THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN.

ALTHOUGH THE PROJECT THE COMMUNITY PLAN ITSELF IS DATED AND WAS ADOPTED IN 2008.

IT LOOKS AT THE ENTIRETY GROWTH OF THAT BOUNDARY AREA.

AND SO, IF THERE'S NOT A LARGE POPULATION GROWTH AND IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THIS IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THEN THERE IS NO NEED TO LOOK AT AMENDING IT.

AMENDING IT WOULD ONLY SUBJECT IT TO MORE REGULATIONS THAT WOULD REQUIRE MORE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS, MORE OTHER LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNITY PLANS, AND WOULD LOOK AT GROWTH, NOT A DECREASE IN THE BOUNDARY SIZES.

ALL THAT SAID IS THE TRAFFIC HAS BEEN LOOKED AT FOR THE PROJECT SPECIFIC IMPACTS, MEANING THE IMPACTS THAT THE PROJECT ITSELF WOULD CREATE TO THE EXISTING BUILT AREA. IT LOOKS AT THE IMPROVED DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY PLANNED AND IN PLACE, INCLUDING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WERE PLANNED THERE.

AND IF YOU SAW ON THE LAND USE DIAGRAM, A NUMBER OF THOSE FACILITIES WERE ALREADY LABELED AS SCHOOL FACILITIES.

SO JUST WANT TO RECONSIDER FOR THAT. THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID DETERMINE THAT THE PROJECT IS CONSISTENT, THAT THE TIS DOES INCLUDE ALL THE REQUIREMENTS NEEDED TO LOOK AT TRAFFIC IMPACT STUDIES AND THAT SAFE CIRCULATION THAT MEETS BOTH CALTRANS STANDARDS AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PLAN STANDARDS HAVE BEEN MET. AND THEN FINALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO WATER THAT FALLS WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THE GILMER COUNTY WATER DISTRICT, AND THE GILMER COUNTY WATER DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED A LEGAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THEY DO HAVE WATER CAPACITY FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

THIS NEW SUBDIVISION, AND THEREFORE THAT IS OUR BASIS FOR DETERMINING IF THERE IS WATER CAPACITY FOR THIS SUBDIVISION.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NOW THREE MINUTES. HI. STEPHANIE MORRISON AGAIN.

THE COMMUNITY PLAN DOES INDEED IN SECTION 10.9 STATE THAT THIS COMMUNITY GROWTH IS IF GROWTH RATES ARE EXCEEDED DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, IT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED TO RESPOND TO COMMUNITY GROWTH PRIOR TO THE YEAR 2020.

OKAY, THAT'S THE AMENDMENT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.

BUT IT ALSO DOES STATE IF THE ABOVE CRITERION DOES NOT OCCUR, A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE, NOT AN AMENDMENT.

A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE SHOULD BE INITIATED BY THE YEAR 2018 TO ENSURE THAT AN UPDATED HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN IS ADOPTED BY 2020.

THIS PLAN IS OUT OF DATE. THIS PLAN IS NOT RELIABLE FOR CURRENT GROWTH PERIOD.

BACK TO THE BOARD. OKAY, NOW BACK TO THE BOARD.

SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. PLANNING.

COULD I ASK A QUESTION, PLEASE? I WANT TO TRY TO GET TO A SPOT TO UNDERSTAND THE TRAFFIC STUDY. IS THIS SUBDIVISION RESTRICTED TO SENIORS LIKE, 55 PLUS? NO, IT WOULD BE MARKET RATE, SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

OKAY. AND THEN DID THE TRAFFIC STUDY. DID IT ONLY CONSIDER THE 7 TO 9 AND 4 TO 6 TRAFFIC COUNTS? OR DID IT? DID IT CONSIDER LIKE THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC THAT HAPPENS BETWEEN THE ONE AND 4:00 REALLY THE ANALYSIS LOOKS AT TRAFFIC IN GENERAL THAT IS GOING TO BE GENERATED BY THE PROJECT.

SO THE PROJECT ITSELF WOULD GENERATE ALMOST 1000 DAILY TRIPS, NEW DAILY TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE DAY, BUT IT ANALYZES ALSO THE PEAK HOURS JUST TO GIVE A PICTURE OF HOW MUCH MORE EXACERBATED IMPACTS COULD OCCUR DURING THAT

[01:25:09]

AND 4 TO 6 P.M. 99 TRIPS WERE IDENTIFIED FOR THAT PEAK HOUR TIME PERIOD, AND 133 TRIPS WERE IDENTIFIED FOR THAT PM PEAK HOUR.

BUT OVERALL, THE SUBDIVISION LOOKS AT ALL DAILY TRIPS, AND THAT DAILY TRIP AMOUNT WAS ABOUT 1000, A LITTLE BIT MORE, 1300 DAILY TRIPS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU. SO, MY COMMENT IS, IS THIS YOU KNOW, I'M A GENERALLY I AM A PROPERTY RIGHTS BELIEVER. AND I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU OWN LAND AND IT'S IN YOU KNOW, IF IT'S ZONED FOR, FOR WHAT YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT YOU KNOW, OTHER THAN GUIDANCE, I DON'T BELIEVE WE SHOULD SHOULD DISAPPROVE.

AND I'VE SAID THAT FROM THE DIOCESE BEFORE. HOWEVER, I HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS THIS TIME, AND THE ONE IS THE TRAFFIC. AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN REQUEST AN UPDATED TRAFFIC STUDY, BUT WHAT THE WHAT THE PUBLIC COMMENT IS SAYING ABOUT THE SCHOOL TRAFFIC IS I DON'T EVEN THINK THEY'RE EXPLAINING IT TO THE DEGREE THAT IT IS.

IT'S JUST UNREAL. THERE'S PEOPLE THAT USE THE TURN LANE AS A TRAFFIC LANE THROUGH HILMER.

IF YOU GO THERE. IN FACT, I WAS PART OF THE IMPETUS WITH THEN ASSEMBLYMAN GRAY TO GET THE TWO HAWK SYSTEMS PUT IN.

AND I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THAT A CHILD HASN'T BEEN OR MORE CHILDREN.

I GUESS THERE WAS A DEATH QUITE A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THE MORE CHILDREN HAVEN'T BEEN INJURED TRYING TO GET TO SCHOOL.

AND SO, I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE VALIDITY AND NOT THAT THE TRAFFIC STUDY WAS DONE WRONG.

I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS DONE ACCURATELY TO DESCRIBE THE TRAFFIC GEAR AND LENDER AND, AND THEN THE, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE RAISED THIS QUESTION WITH PLANNING THE PORK CHOP AND THE AND THE RIGHT TURN IN AND THE RIGHT TURN OUT AT SHELVIN AVENUE IS GOING TO CAUSE PEOPLE TO GO TO GO SOUTH WHEN THEY DON'T WANT TO, AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO DOWN TO WILLIAMS AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE U-TURNS BECAUSE I YOU KNOW, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, 90% OF THE TRAFFIC AT GEER AND LANDER ARE GOING NORTH.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH NOT HAVING TOO MUCH FOG LATELY, BUT I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE IF WE GET BACK INTO TO A WEATHER PATTERN WHERE WE HAVE LOTS OF FOG. I JUST I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND OR DON'T THINK MAYBE THAT CALTRANS UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE DOING.

AND THEN, OH, I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR PLANNING THE SEWER CAPACITY.

HAS THE HILMAR SERVICE DISTRICT. HAVE THEY WEIGHED IN ON THE SEWER CAPACITY ABILITY? SO THE COUNTY WILL SERVE LETTER COVERS, BOTH WATER OR COVERS WATER, WASTEWATER AND STORM DRAINAGE.

OKAY. SO? SO WE KNOW THAT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR THE WATER AT THIS POINT.

THERE, SAYING THAT THEY WOULD SERVE THEM IF THE CAPACITY BECOMES AVAILABLE, WHICH SEEMS AWKWARD FOR A CAN AND WILL SERVE, SHOULD MEAN WE CAN AND WILL SERVE. BUT THEY CAN'T.

AND THEY AND THEY AND THEY WILL SERVE AS IS PROBABLY MORE ACCURATE.

SO DO WE AS THE COUNTY HAVE THE ABILITY TO OVERRIDE THEIR LETTER? NO, BECAUSE THEY ARE THE JURISDICTION THAT PROVIDES THAT SERVICE.

WE HAVE TO USE THEIR LEGAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THEY HAVE CAPACITY FOR THIS.

YEAH. OKAY. SO THEN MY ASK OF MY COLLEAGUES IS, IS IF YOU IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF YOU PLAN TO VOTE YES, THAT SOMEBODY WOULD AT LEAST MAKE A RESTRICTION THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL THE STOPLIGHT GOES IN AT GEER AND LANDER BECAUSE I THINK YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FRUSTRATION FROM THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER AND I ASKED STAFF, THAT WAS BROUGHT UP IN PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT HAVING THE INGRESS EGRESS INSTEAD OF BEING ON LAND OR BE AT WILLIAMS AND FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, IF YOU PULL UP THE MAP, YOU CAN SEE THE DISC DIRT AND THE SAME PROPERTY OWNER OWNS ALL THE LAND. AND EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING TO DO THE SOUTHERN PART AS PART OF THE SUBDIVISION, AND IT'S NOT INSIDE THE COMMUNITY PLAN, THEY COULD PUT A STREET OUT TO WILLIAMS AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, EITHER THAT OR A STOPLIGHT AT SHELDON AND LANDER.

[01:30:02]

IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME, I HAVE SAT OUT THERE AT 7:00 IN THE MORNING.

I'VE BEEN THERE AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING. I'VE BEEN THERE AT THREE IN THE AFTERNOON.

I'VE HAD PEOPLE DRIVE PAST ME IN THAT CENTER LANE.

YOU CAN'T SPEAK, MA'AM. I'M SORRY, BUT I'M JUST ACKNOWLEDGING THAT.

THAT THERE IS A MESS THERE. AND I, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I THINK AT SOME POINT THIS, THIS PROJECT, YOU KNOW, COULD BE APPROVED, BUT I JUST THINK UNDER THE CONDITIONS, IT'S JUST NOT DONE.

RIGHT. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. SORRY, SORRY.

YOU TURNED ME ON. LET THAT GET OUT. YEAH. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. I AM A PROPERTY RIGHTS PERSON, FOR SURE.

I UNDERSTAND THIS. I'VE BEEN THROUGH THAT AREA DURING THOSE TIMES AS WELL.

I MEAN, EVEN AS A YOUNG MAN IN A DIFFERENT PROFESSION, I HAD TO DRIVE THROUGH THERE ALL THE TIME.

I ACTUALLY SERVICED THAT AREA FOR ANHEUSER-BUSCH AND FOR GALLO AS A SALESMAN.

SO THROUGH THERE, THROUGH THE PEAK TIMES. IT IS ROUGH.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, ME LEAVING MY HOUSE THIS MORNING TO GET HERE ON TIME.

I HAVE A SCHOOL RIGHT NEXT TO MY HOUSE AS WELL.

I THINK EVERY SCHOOL HAS THE SAME MITIGATION PROBLEMS, AND I KNOW THE SCHOOLS ARE WORKING TO GET THOSE CARS OFF THE ROAD, BECAUSE MORE PARENTS ARE DROPPING THEIR CHILDREN OFF IN CARS INSTEAD OF ALLOWING THEM TO WORK OR TO WALK OR BIKE OR EVEN BUS.

THOSE ARE CHOICES THAT THE PARENTS ARE MAKING.

AND I CAN TELL YOU, THOSE PARENTS ARE NOT GOOD DRIVERS DURING THAT TIME.

THIS I SEE HOW IT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY COULD DO ANY FURTHER.

CALTRANS, IF IT WAS UP TO THE COUNTY, WE'D PUT A STOPLIGHT ON LANDER.

I CAN JUST SAY THAT THAT'S PRETTY. THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES WE WANT TO PUT STOPLIGHTS WHERE THEY'RE NEEDED, BUT CALTRANS DOES NOT ALLOW IT. IT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS THROUGH CALTRANS.

AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION FOR I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE APPLICANT OR TIFFANY.

IS THERE ANY AG LAND MITIGATION? BECAUSE THAT WAS A CONCERN SOMEBODY BROUGHT OUT.

WE'RE TAKING AG LAND OUT OF PRODUCTION. WAS THERE A MITIGATION PROCESS THROUGH THIS? YES. SO THE THAT'S REALLY LOUD. THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN HAS A PROGRAMMATIC EIR THAT OF COURSE, THIS PROJECT UTILIZES. AND THE EIR STATES THAT BECAUSE LANDS ARE BEING REDESIGNATED TO RESIDENTIAL AND WHATNOT TO ACCOMMODATE THIS GROWTH, THAT AG MITIGATION SHOULD OCCUR FOR ANY PROJECTS THAT EVENTUALLY DO GET DEVELOPED IN THESE UNDEVELOPED FALLOW LAND RIGHT NOW.

SO IN THIS CASE, THE PROJECT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO AG MITIGATION.

SO THEY WILL BE MITIGATING. SO, WHERE THERE'LL BE A ONE FOR ONE OR IS IT ONE FOR ONE.

SO WHATEVER LAND USE SOIL TYPE IS IDENTIFIED THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT THAT ONE AMOUNT OF HOWEVER MANY ACRES EQUAL AMOUNT ELSEWHERE UNDER A CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND CONSERVATION AND KEEP IT IN AG ONGOING. OKAY.

IN THE COUNTY AS WELL. RIGHT ON. THANK YOU. MAYBE TIFFANY, HERE'S ANOTHER THING.

THROUGH THIS APPEAL. HOW MUCH STAFF TIME HAVE WE HAD TO PUT INTO THIS? SO JUST THE APPEAL IN GENERAL, BECAUSE WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN THROUGH THIS PROJECT MANY TIMES BRINGING THIS ITEM THROUGH THE MAC.

I WOULD SAY THREE TIMES IN THE LIFE OF THIS ITERATION OF THE PROJECT, AS YOU'VE SEEN WITH THE PUBLIC COMMENT LETTER THAT'S SUBMITTED BY THE APPLICANT, THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS EVEN FURTHER THAN THAT FOR THE APPEAL WE'VE SPENT OVER, I WOULD SAY, 15 HOURS JUST PREPARING THE ANALYSIS. AND THAT JUST INCLUDES PLANNING STAFF TIME DOESN'T NECESSARILY INCLUDE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TIME, ANY STAFF TIME THAT COUNTY COUNCIL HAS IMPARTED ON THIS, AS WELL AS OUR BOARD CLERKS.

RIGHT. AND I'M ASKING THIS QUESTION JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE CHECKED EVERY BOX OR THE DEVELOPER HAS CHECKED EVERY BOX HERE, AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE ARE OPENING UP OURSELVES AS A COUNTY.

I MEAN, WE CAN'T ASK ANYMORE FOR THIS, AND WE ARE DEFINITELY OPENING OURSELVES UP TO EXPOSURE TO EXPOSURE TO LITIGATION. SO MOVING FORWARD, I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA THANK YOU. TIFFANY, I KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT THE AGENCY IN CHARGE OF CANNON WILL SERVE LETTERS, BUT IF APPROVED AND THEY DON'T HAVE CAPACITY, WHAT HAPPENS THEN? IT DOESN'T GET BUILT. AND HAVE WE EXPLORED I GUESS LOOK AT.

[01:35:03]

MY BIGGEST SINGLE ISSUE WITH THIS PROJECT IS NOT BEING ABLE TO PUT A STOPLIGHT AT LANDER.

I THINK THAT DOESN'T SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS, BUT I THINK THAT SOLVES A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS IS BECAUSE I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE.

THE RIGHT IN, RIGHT OUT IS JUST IT'S ASKING FOR DISASTER.

I CAN JUST TELL YOU, IF I WAS THERE AND I WAS LIKE, THERE'S NOBODY COMING. I'M PROBABLY GONNA ZIP OUT THERE AND GO THE OTHER WAY AND SAVE FROM GOING DOWN TO WILLIAMS AND MAKING A U-TURN. DURING TOMATO SEASON, YOU ADD THAT WHOLE LAYER OF TRAFFIC THAT COMES THROUGH HILMAR EVERY DAY.

IS THERE ANY PRESSURE THAT WE COULD PUT ON CALTRANS? COULD WE MAKE THAT A REQUIREMENT? LIKE JUST SAY THAT IS A REQUIREMENT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HAVE YOU HAVE TO HAVE A TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

AND YEAH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.

NATHAN. GOOD MORNING. BOARD CHAIR SUPERVISORS.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, NO, CALTRANS IS IN CONTROL OF THEIR FACILITY.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE REASON THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING A LEFT TURN OR A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION AT SHELVIN PLACE AND LANDER IS DUE TO THE PROXIMITY OF THE INTERSECTION WITH GEER. CALTRANS IS FUNDING, THROUGH THEIR OWN MEANS THE INSTALLATION OF A SIGNAL AT GEER AND LANDER.

SO IN MY MIND, IF I WERE LIVING IN THE SUBDIVISION AND I WANTED TO GO NORTH, I WOULD GO OUT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION OF GEAR AND SHELDON AVENUE, TURN RIGHT TO GO TO LANDER, AND THEN I WOULD HAVE A SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION TO CONTINUE MY TRAVEL NORTH ON LANDER.

THAT'S WHERE MY MIND GOES. IF YOU WANTED TO GO OUT, SHOVEL AND PLACE ONTO LANDER, YES, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TURN RIGHT AND NAVIGATE YOUR WAY BACK TO WHEREVER YOU WANT TO GO.

BUT BECAUSE IT'S A CALTRANS FACILITY THAT THEY HAVE ULTIMATE CONTROL OVER.

THEY TAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THEY HAVE THE ULTIMATE SAY.

AND, NATHAN, THAT'S IT. THANK YOU. NATHAN, DO YOU HAVE A TIMELINE ON WHEN THAT SCHEDULE OR WHEN THAT TRAFFIC DEVICE WILL BE INSTALLED? I DO, YES. SO WE JUST HAD A MEETING YESTERDAY.

THEY ARE LOOKING AT 28, 29 2028, 2029 IS WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT HAVING THAT PROJECT INTO CONSTRUCTION.

OKAY. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. YEAH. YEAH. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUE TO THE TO THE NORTH OF HERE, THERE ARE FOUR SCHOOLS WITHIN A THIRD OF A MILE OF THIS PROJECT.

AND SO, ONE SCHOOL, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE.

IMAGINE FOUR SCHOOLS AT THE SAME INTERSECTION.

SO. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING.

THANKS. I DIDN'T MEAN TO PUSH A BUTTON. ANYBODY ELSE? OKAY, SO I TEND TO AGREE WITH SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS THIS REALLY IS A PROPERTY RIGHTS ISSUE. AND I GET IT. YOU KNOW, I SYMPATHIZE WITH THE PEOPLE IN HILMAR WHO, YOU KNOW, DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS, BUT THE, THE, THE ISSUE THAT I'M HAVING WITH THIS IS NUMBER ONE IS THIS PROJECT HAS CHECKED EVERY SINGLE BOX.

SO, IT'S, IT FULFILLS. AND EVEN IN THE APPEAL IT SAYS, WE SADLY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS PROJECT FALLS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF OUR 2008 COMMUNITY PLAN.

SO IT KIND OF SAYS, YEAH, IT DOES. IT FOLLOWS ALL CHECKS, ALL THE BOXES AND DOES EVERYTHING WE WANT.

IT'S JUST WE DON'T WANT IT. I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF WHAT IT GOES ON TO SAY FURTHER.

AND SO, I THINK THAT STAFF DID A REALLY GOOD JOB IN HIGHLIGHTING ALL OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT WERE PROPOSED BY THE APPELLANT.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERY SINGLE ONE CHECKS EVERY LIKE EVERY BOX IS CHECKED.

IT FOLLOWS THE PLANS, AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THE, THE MAC IN HILMAR HAS DONE A, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE DOING THEIR ROLE AS AN ADVISORY COUNCIL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SUPERVISOR WHO REPRESENTS YOU HAS THE INFORMATION BASED OFF THE AREA. BUT WE ALL REPRESENT MERCED COUNTY, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, AND I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATIONS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WILL ALSO SAY THAT AS A FORMER TEACHER MYSELF, ANY TRAFFIC PLAN IN FRONT OF ANY SCHOOL IS NEVER GOING TO BE PERFECT.

ON ALL OF THAT, BOTH INSIDE MERCED CITY AND MERCED COUNTY, IF YOU GO OLIVE AVENUE AT ANY TIME, ESPECIALLY DURING PEAK HOURS, THERE IS ANOTHER SCHOOL NOT TOO FAR FROM THERE.

THERE'S TWO SCHOOLS ACTUALLY AROUND IN THAT AREA.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THOSE ARGUMENTS ARE.

[01:40:01]

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT JUST GERMANE TO ONE AREA OF THIS COUNTY.

AND I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN SAY PLAINSBURG IS THE SAME THING TO WHERE THAT'S BACKED UP, WEAVER AND PIONEER AND ALL THAT OVER THERE. IT'S THE SAME THING. AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TRAFFIC THING, YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT ALL INTO CONSIDERATION THROUGHOUT THE, THE WHOLE COUNTY.

AND SO I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND, BUT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PLANNING IN A GOOD WAY.

AND THE COUNTY IS DEVELOPING IN A, IN A POSITIVE WAY.

AND YES, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME HICCUPS, BUT I THINK THAT BY THIS PERSON OR THIS COMPANY WHO IS, YOU KNOW, SUBMITTED THE PLAN, HAS LISTENED TO EVERYBODY, HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, BASED UPON THE COUNTY'S RECOMMENDATION AND THE COUNTY'S STANDARDS.

I CAN'T IN GOOD FAITH VOTE AGAINST THIS PROJECT.

SO, IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I'M GOING TO HAVE CAN I GET A MOTION FOR NUMBER FOUR? OKAY. LET'S SEE. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO CONSIDER AND AFFIRM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO DETERMINE THAT NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW IS REQUIRED FOR THE PROJECT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15183 PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLAN, GENERAL PLAN, OR ZONING BASED ON THE FINDINGS SET FORTH IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT DATED OCTOBER 9TH, 2024. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SO MOTION BY MYSELF.

SECOND. BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ALL THOSE OPPOSED? NAY. OKAY. MOTION PASSES.

OKAY. NUMBER. IS THERE A MOTION FOR NUMBER FIVE? YOU'RE ON A ROLL. ALL RIGHT. I WILL MAKE THE MOTION TO AFFIRM THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S DECISION TO APPROVE MAJOR SUBDIVISION APPLICATION NUMBER MAS 20-001, BASED ON THE FINDINGS SET FORTH IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT DATED OCTOBER 9TH, 2024, AND THE FINDINGS CONTAINED IN THE BOARD.

AGENDA ITEM. OH, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. OH YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S FOR PLANNING OR IF IT'S FOR DPW OR COUNTY COUNSEL BUT COULD I MAKE AN AMENDMENT TO LIMIT THE APPROVAL. AND I GUESS WHAT I'M THINKING IS THAT IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO LIMIT THE CERTIFICATES TO OCCUPY TO ONE THIRD OF THE PROPOSED NUMBERS UNTIL THE STOPLIGHT IS INSTALLED AT LANDER AND GEER.

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFER. DO YOU GUYS WANT TO GO TO COMMITTEE? I DON'T KNOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DEFER TO PLANNING STAFF, AND WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO MEET AND DISCUSS.

YOU DO HAVE THE SEQUA ACTION HAS ALREADY BEEN PASSED BY THIS BOARD.

SO, YOU WOULD ALSO HAVE TO GO BACK AND REDO THAT MOTION.

AND SECOND, OR THERE NEED TO BE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER THAT AS WELL.

WHAT WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE WITH CEQA? I WOULD CONSIDER ANY CHANGE TO THE PLAN TO MAYBE REQUIRE AT LEAST LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL CEQA ANALYSIS NECESSARY.

THE CEQA ANALYSIS IS BASED ON THE PROJECT THAT'S PRESENTED TO YOU TODAY, BUT THIS IS AN EXPANDING IMPACTS TO CEQA.

IT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE RESTRICTING THE IMPACTS TO CEQA.

I THINK EVEN THAT I WOULD DEFER TO STAFF ON WHETHER THAT NEEDS TO BE FURTHER ANALYZED.

I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT. ALL RIGHT.

AND I GUESS A POSSIBLE OPTION WOULD BE IS IF THE APPLICANT WAS WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT AS A CONDITION.

YEAH. SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS OF APPROVAL, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DIRECT STAFF TO KIND OF WORK WITH THE APPLICANT ON,

[01:45:04]

OF COURSE, THE APPLICANT WOULD ALSO HAVE TO AGREE. AND AS COUNTY COUNSEL MENTIONED, BECAUSE YOU ARE KIND OF ESSENTIALLY CHANGING THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT, ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, THE ACTION WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR AGAIN.

WE HAVE TO REVISIT THAT PART OF IT, EVEN THOUGH THE PROJECT WOULD STILL BE CONSISTENT OVERALL.

WE DO HAVE TO REDO AND LOOK AT THAT, THAT CEQA EXEMPTION MODIFICATION TO COMPARE THE ACTIONS.

WELL, THEN A QUICK QUESTION FOR THE APPLICANT.

SO THE APPLICANT IS IN THE AUDIENCE, AND WE CAN INVITE HIM TO DISCUSS IF HE WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE PODIUM.

YEAH. FIRST, I APOLOGIZE FOR PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.

AND IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TODAY, I ACCEPT THAT.

RIGHT. BUT WOULD A CONDITION OF ONLY GETTING CERTIFICATES OF OCCUPANCY FOR A THIRD OF THE HOMES UNTIL THE STOPLIGHT IS PUT IN AT LANDER AND GEER BE SOMETHING THAT YOUR GROUP MIGHT ENTERTAIN? WELL, MAYBE I COULD SAY SOMETHING THAT MIGHT RESOLVE THAT.

THERE'S PROBABLY A YEAR AND A HALF, TWO YEARS WORTH OF ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING DRAWINGS AND THEN APPROVAL TO DO AND THEN BUILDING PERMITS TO APPROVE.

THERE'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE A HOUSE OF PHASE ONE OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH IS PROBABLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE PROJECT FOR ANOTHER.

AND THAT WOULD START CONSTRUCTION AND THEN OF COURSE, CONSTRUCTION. SO, IT'S PROBABLY THAT STOPLIGHT WILL PROBABLY BE THERE BEFORE THERE'S A HOUSE FOR SALE ON THE PROJECT. BUT I WOULD YOU KNOW, I'D REALLY I MEAN, IT'S BEEN 32 YEARS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS, SO I'D REALLY RATHER NOT ADD RESTRICTIONS TO IT NOW.

I KNOW MAYBE AS LONG AS I'M HERE, YOU KNOW, THE SCHOOL DECADES AGO, WHEN I WENT TO PLANNING OR PLANNING MEETINGS IN HILMAR, WHEN THE GENERAL PLAN WAS DONE, THE COMMUNITY WANTED HOUSING ON THE WEST SIDE OF LANDER NEAR THE SCHOOL, SO KIDS WEREN'T HAVING TO TRY TO CROSS LANDER.

THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHY THIS WAS ZONED RESIDENTIAL THEN.

SO WE'RE JUST ALL GOING THROUGH ALL THE PROCESSES WHICH YOU KNOW ALL TOO WELL IT TAKES TO GET HERE.

AND NOW WE'RE FINALLY THERE. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S NEEDED REALLY.

I THINK WHAT YOU DESIRE WILL HAPPEN ANYWAY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST YOU COULDN'T MAGICALLY PUT THIS THING IN PLACE FOR YEARS.

OKAY. SO ALL RIGHT, WELL, THANKS AND SORRY FOR PUTTING YOU ON THE SPOT.

I APPRECIATE YOUR CANDOR WITH US BACK. ANY. THANK YOU.

IS THAT. NO, THAT WAS IT. OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO BRING IT BACK.

WE DO HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. NAY. MOTION PASSES 4 TO 1.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE A FIVE MINUTE BREAK.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED AGAIN.

THE THIRD PUBLIC HEARING WAS ALSO SUBMITTED BY COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION APPROVING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 20-001 AND AN ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE CHANGE NUMBER, ZC 21-002 AND APPROVAL OF CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CP 20-011 AND AN ASSOCIATED SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT.

AT THIS TIME, COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DIRECTOR MARK MIMS WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ITEM.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AGAIN, MARK MIMS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

THE PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE YOU IS CONSIDERED ADOPTION.

TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AND ORDINANCE.

TO APPROVE THE ZONE CHANGE, TO CREATE A ZONING OVERLAY OVER THE VILLAGES OF SAN OF EXCUSE ME, VILLAGES OF LAGUNA SAN LUIS TO THEN CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT AND THE SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT FOR THE LOS COMMA SOLAR PROJECT, A UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECT. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW INTRODUCE AGAIN TIFFANY HO, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, WHO WILL PRESENT ON THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

MARK. GOOD MORNING AGAIN. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CEO MENDEZ AND COUNTY COUNSEL HANSEN.

TODAY, I'M PRESENTING THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT NUMBER GPA 20-001 WITH ASSOCIATED ZONE CHANGE,

[01:50:05]

AND THIS IS FOR ALSO KNOWN AS THE PROJECT LAS SOLAR PROJECT FOR THE APPLICANT EDPR CALIFORNIA SOLAR PARK THREE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY.

THE REQUEST IS TO AMEND THE VILLAGES OF LAGUNA SAN LUIS COMMUNITY PLAN, WHICH AFTER THIS SLIDE, I'M GOING TO START REFERRING TO IT AS THE VILLAGES TO KIND OF MAKE AS A SHORTHAND TO DESIGNATE ABOUT 202 ACRES OF LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL LAND USES INTO MEDIUM AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL LAND USE, AS WELL AS TO CREATE AN OVERLAY TO ALLOW FOR A 200 MEGAWATT SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANT THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY SUNSET IN 2060, WHEN THE POWER PLANT ITSELF IS DECOMMISSIONED AND THE SITE IS RECLAIMED BACK TO A PRIOR PROJECT.

APPROVALS. THE PROJECT ALSO INCLUDES AN AGREEMENT FOR SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT, WHICH WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THE SOLAR PROJECT TO THE COUNTY. THAT INCLUDES A COMMITMENT TO CREATE A LOCAL PLACE OF BUSINESS AS THE POINT OF SALE FOR THE COLLECTION OF SALES AND USE TAXES TO BENEFIT MERCED COUNTY, AN ANNUAL PAYMENT OF 33,000 PER YEAR FOR 20 YEARS TO HELP SUPPORT COST RECOVERY FOR PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES, AND THEN ALSO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A LOCAL HIRING AND RECRUITMENT EFFORT WITH COOPERATION OF LOCAL TRADE UNIONS, COUNTY WORKFORCE AGENCIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO PROMOTE THE CREATION OF LOCAL JOBS.

THIS PROJECT WAS FIRST HEARD BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 4TH, 2024, AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION DID UNANIMOUSLY VOTE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPT THE AND CERTIFY THE FINAL SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, AS WELL AS ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, APPROVING THE GENERAL PLAN, APPROVING THE ZONE CHANGE, AND THEN APPROVING THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER CP 20-0011.

BASED ON THE ALTERNATIVE FOOTPRINT THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.

WHAT THIS PRESENTATION WILL DO IS TO SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS OF THE PROJECT THAT IS DETAILED IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT.

AND IN THE SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.

THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE PROJECT SITE WITH THE SOLAR PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED IN BLACK WITH THE VICINITY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF I-5 AND STATE ROUTE 52.

IT'S PRIMARILY CONTAINS VACANT, UNDEVELOPED, FLAT LAND WITH SOME GENTLY ROLLING HILLSIDE LANDS.

AND THIS SLIDE HERE IS MORE ZOOMED UP VERSION OF THE PROJECT SITE, WHERE YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND RV PARK, A COMMERCIAL AREA, AND THE LOS BANOS, PG&E SUBSTATION LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF THE PROJECT SITE, AS WELL AS THE BILLY WRIGHT LANDFILL TO THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE SITE.

THE SITE IS CURRENTLY BEING USED FOR GRAZING AND DRY FARMING, WHILE PORTIONS OF IT HAS ALSO BEEN ALLOWED TO BE FALLOW AND RETURNED TO NON-NATIVE ANNUAL GRASSLANDS. THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE PROPOSED SOLAR PLAN AND REDESIGNATION OF THE OVERLAY, SO THE PROJECT SITE IS LOCATED ON APPROXIMATELY 1700 ACRES, BUT THE SOLAR FOOTPRINT WOULD BE LIMITED TO 1460 ACRES. THE BLACK OUTLINE REPRESENTS NOT ONLY THE SOLAR PROJECT BOUNDARY, BUT ALSO THE OVERLAY.

THE RED OUTLINE WITH THE BLUE BLOCKS REPRESENTS WHERE THE SOLAR FACILITY WOULD BE LOCATED.

THE BLUE HATCHED AREAS ARE THE AREAS THAT WILL BE REDESIGNATED WITH THE OVERLAY FROM LOW DENSITY TO MEDIUM AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL, AND THEN THE GREEN HATCHED AREA REPRESENTS AREA THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED TO BE PUT INTO THE SOLAR FACILITY BUT WILL NOW BE REDUCED IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE POTENTIAL FUTURE EXPANSION FOR THE BILLY WRIGHT LANDFILL. THE FACILITY WOULD INCLUDE SOLAR PANELS, TEMPORARY ROADS, ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT, AS WELL AS CONNECTIONS TO THE ADJACENT PG&E SITE, AND SOME LANDSCAPING SCREENING TO BUFFER BETWEEN THE RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE SOLAR PROJECT ON THAT NORTHWEST CORNER. ACCESS WILL BE AVAILABLE VIA BILLY WRIGHT ROAD AND THEN ON THE SOUTH SAN LUIS ROAD ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER.

THIS SLIDE HERE JUST SHOWS A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THESE SOLAR ARRAYS WOULD LOOK LIKE WHEN THEY'RE INSTALLED ON THE PROJECT.

THE PROJECT WOULD OPERATE FOR 35 YEARS AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT WOULD BE DECOMMISSIONED AND THEN RECLAIMED BACK TO PRIOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT.

CONSTRUCTION EXPECTED TO OCCUR BETWEEN 1 TO 2 YEARS IN A SINGLE PHASE, AND UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT,

[01:55:01]

THIS SLIDE HERE SHOWS THE GENERATION TIMELINES THAT WOULD BE CONNECTING THE PROJECT TO THE LOS BANOS SUBSTATION.

IT WOULD INVOLVE FIVE POWER POLES WITH THE HEIGHT OF UP TO 110FT IN HEIGHT.

THIS NEXT SLIDE HERE SHOWS AGAIN THAT OVERLAY, BUT ON TOP OF THE EXISTING ZONING, SO YOU CAN GET AN IDEA OF HOW THE OVERLAY WOULD INTERPLAY WITH OUR EXISTING COMMUNITY PLAN AS WELL AS OUR ZONING MAPS.

SO THE OVERLAY WOULD EXIST ON TOP OF THE EXISTING ZONING.

AND THEN AFTER 2060, IT WOULD DISAPPEAR. THE OVERLAY MEANS THAT POTENTIALLY, IF THE PROJECT WAS NEVER DEVELOPED, THAT THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT COULD STILL OCCUR ACCORDING TO THE ZONING.

BUT IT ALSO JUST ALLOWS THE PROJECT APPLICANT TO DEVELOP AS SOLAR AS WELL.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN THE OVERLAY, YOU'LL SEE THAT REDESIGNATION OF LOW DENSITY TO HIGH DENSITY NEXT TO THE BILLY WRIGHT LANDFILL. THE COMMUNITY PLAN DOES ALLOW FOR SHIFTING OF ZONING AS WELL AS LAND USE DESIGNATIONS.

BECAUSE THERE'S ALREADY THAT IMPACT THAT'S BEEN STUDIED.

AND THAT IN ORDER FOR DEVELOPMENT TO ACTUALLY OCCUR IN THAT AREA, THE COMMUNITY PLAN DOES REQUIRE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT FACILITY, A WATER TREATMENT PLANT FACILITY, AND SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

SO THERE WOULD BE A NUMBER OF STEPS THAT WOULD HAVE TO OCCUR IN ORDER FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT TO OCCUR IN THIS AREA.

REGARDING CONSISTENCY WITH OUR GENERAL PLAN AND OUR ZONING CODE.

SO THIS PROJECT SITE IS DESIGNATED AGRICULTURAL HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE, AND THEN A VARIOUS NUMBER OF URBAN DESIGNATIONS THAT WERE CONTAINED IN THE VILLAGE'S COMMUNITY PLAN. AND THIS PROJECT COULD BE FOUND CONSISTENT WITH OUR LAND USE GOALS, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOALS, AND NATURAL RESOURCES GOALS, JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THEM IN THE.

BASICALLY, THESE GOALS ARE TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES IN THE COUNTY AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT CONFLICT WITH PRODUCTIVE AGRICULTURAL LAND. FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. SO, NOTICE OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING WAS NOTICED IN MERCED COUNTY TIMES AS WELL AS MAILED TO PROPERTY OWNERS.

WE DID RECEIVE TWO COMMENT LETTERS IN OPPOSITION OF THE PROJECT, REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT ACCESS TO THEIR OWN PIECE OF PROPERTY.

IF THIS PROJECT WERE TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND THE APPLICANT HAD BEEN ENGAGING WITH THOSE NEIGHBORS TO.

ENSURE THAT THEIR ACCESS IS SECURED AND THEN FOR THIS PUBLIC HEARING.

THE NOTICE WAS PUBLISHED IN MERCED COUNTY TIMES WAS MAILED TO.

PROPERTY OWNERS WITHIN 300FT AND THEN ALSO SENT TO INTERESTED PARTIES ON FEBRUARY 27TH, 2025, ONLY COMMENT LETTERS FROM SAN LUIS WATER DISTRICT WERE RECEIVED. THOSE COMMENT LETTERS WERE REALLY BASED ON FIRST THE WATER SUPPLY ASSESSMENT.

AGREEING THAT THEY APPRECIATED THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE CREATED AND FACILITATED IN COOPERATION WITH THE COUNTY, THE APPLICANT AND THE WATER DISTRICT AND THEN THEIR OVERALL VIEWS ON.

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT ON THE WEST SIDE. FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, BECAUSE THERE WAS A COMMUNITY PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BEFORE THAT COMMUNITY PLAN COULD BE ADOPTED, AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WAS PREPARED, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WAS CERTIFIED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN 2008.

THE PROJECT THEN HAS TO LOOK AT THE SUBSEQUENT PROJECT SPECIFIC IMPACTS TO THIS TO THE COMMUNITY PLAN IN COMPARISON TO THE BUILD OUT OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN IF THIS PROJECT WAS DEVELOPED.

SO KNOWING THAT THE COMMUNITY PLAN HAD SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS, AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT WAS PREPARED, AND A NOTICE OF PREPARATION WAS CIRCULATED ON AUGUST 13TH.

WE ALSO HELD A SCOPING MEETING ON AUGUST 25TH TO TAKE IN-PERSON AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION COMMENTS ON THE PROJECT.

AFTER THE CLOSE OF THE NOTICE OF PREPARATION ANY COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED WERE INCORPORATED IN THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, AND ONCE THAT WAS COMPLETED, A NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY WAS CIRCULATED MAY 3RD, 20,2 THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT.

GENERALLY FOUND THAT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOLAR PROJECT IN LIEU OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN WOULD HAVE A REDUCED, IMPACT BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL THESE COMMERCIAL USES AND RESIDENTIAL IMPACTS WOULD HAVE A LARGER ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.

THAT SAID, IT STILL SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT, UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS TO AESTHETICS, AIR QUALITY, NOISE AND UTILITIES. AND THEN I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE STAFF REPORT HAD INDICATED THAT THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE IMPACT TO AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. THAT WAS THE CASE FOR THE COMMUNITY PLAN, BUT NOT FOR THE PROJECT.

[02:00:01]

SO WHEN A SIGNIFICANT AND UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS ARE FOUND.

FINDINGS OF FACT ARE REQUIRED TO DETERMINE WHY MITIGATION MEASURES COULDN'T MAKE THOSE IMPACTS REDUCED.

AND THEN A STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE TO THE COUNTY TO SAY THAT THERE ARE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OR OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS THAT WOULD OUTWEIGH THOSE SIGNIFICANT, UNAVOIDABLE IMPACTS.

SO THOSE WERE REPAIRED ALONG WITH THE FINAL DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, WHICH BASICALLY IS A RESPONSE TO ALL THE COMMENTS THAT WERE RECEIVED FOLLOWING THE NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY. AND WE ALSO INCLUDED A WATER SUPPLY ASSESSMENT ADDENDUM, AGAIN, TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT BY SAN LUIS WATER DISTRICT.

CONSIDERING ALL OF THAT WHAT WAS STUDIED IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT ALSO INCLUDES THE REDUCED ALTERNATIVE FOOTPRINT TO ALLOW FOR THE BILLY WRIGHT LANDFILL EXPANSION, AND STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT FOOTPRINT THAT WAS ANALYZED IN THE EIR TO THE BOARD, RATHER THAN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL OF THE BOARD OF THE PROJECT.

GIVEN ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS SUMMARIZED IN TODAY'S PRESENTATION DETAILED IN THE STAFF REPORT, AS WELL AS IN THE FINAL SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, STAFF HAS A COUPLE OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

FIRST IS TO CERTIFY THE FINAL SUBSEQUENT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT ADOPT THE FINDINGS OF FACT, THE STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS AND THE REVISED MITIGATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM.

AND THEN TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION APPROVING THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT.

ADOPT THE ORDINANCE APPROVING THE ZONE CHANGE, APPROVE THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND THEN LASTLY APPROVE THE LAS PALMAS SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT. AND THIS CONCLUDES STAFF'S PRESENTATION.

IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THE APPLICANT, AS WELL AS THE CONSULTANTS ARE IN THE AUDIENCE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM.

OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING.

AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS ITEM.

AND TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

OKAY. THE PUBLIC. OH. GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, MR. CHAIRMAN. MY NAME IS MATTHEW KAUFMAN, REPRESENTING THE APPLICANT FROM EDP RENEWABLES.

EDP RENEWABLES IS THE FOURTH LARGEST RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN THE WORLD.

AND OUR FOCUS IS, IS DEVELOPING, OWNING AND OPERATING FACILITIES.

SO, WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO BE STARTING A PARTNERSHIP WITH MERCED COUNTY WITH THIS PROJECT AND WANT TO REALLY THANK THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAFF. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PROJECT LITERALLY FOR YEARS NOW.

THROUGH MANY HOURS, WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT WHERE THE PROJECT IS RIGHT NOW.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK WITH A LOT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE PROJECT, AND WE FEEL THAT WE'RE IN A VERY GOOD POSITION TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU NOW.

AND WE JUST WANT TO SAY REALLY APPRECIATE WORKING IN THIS COUNTY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS HERE NOW AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

AS TIFFANY SAID, WE HAVE STAFF HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

YEAH. THANK YOU. CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR CLOSING THE PUBLIC HEARING.

I'VE GOT A COUPLE QUESTIONS. SO THERE'S A 35 YEAR SHELF LIFE.

IS THAT FROM THE INCEPTION TODAY WHEN WE. IF WE APPROVE IT MOVING FORWARD? OR IS IT AFTER THE SOLAR PANELS ARE ALREADY UP? SO IT WOULD BE AFTER THE SOLAR PANELS ARE ALREADY UP.

OKAY. AND THEN SECOND OF ALL, AND I KNOW I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT I KIND OF WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, DOES THIS AFFECT OUR ARENA NUMBERS IN MERCED COUNTY? NO, IT WOULD NOT AFFECT OUR ARENA NUMBERS BECAUSE WE ARE REDESIGNATING AND PRESERVING THAT HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE.

AND WE DID CONSULT WITH THE STATE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ON THIS.

YES. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE FOLKS UNDERSTOOD THAT, AND THE POWER WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE GRID THROUGH PG&E.

GOOD, BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF THE BAY AREA FOLKS COMING IN AND TAKING OUR SON, TAKING OUR WATER AND RAISING OUR HOUSE PRICES HERE IN THE AREA.

SO THAT'S GOOD THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT OFF THIS AS WELL HERE AT MERCED.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS.

SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. QUICK QUESTION.

I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS. IT'S GOING TO BE FENCED IN, RIGHT? YEAH. BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A TULE ELK. WE'RE STARTING TO HAVE A TULE ELK ISSUE OUT IN THAT AREA.

THOSE HERDS ARE GROWING AT QUITE THE RAPID PACE.

[02:05:03]

I JUST WANT TO THANK EDP RENEWABLES FOR THESE PROCESSES ARE SLOW AND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN DOING THIS.

I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS DID A BIG PROJECT IN FRESNO COUNTY TO THE SOUTH OF US, BUT GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND I THINK THAT YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY THE MODEL OF IF YOU WANT TO GET A PROJECT APPROVED, YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS, RIGHT.

AND THE STAKEHOLDERS. AND THERE'S ALWAYS ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THAT COME ALONG.

I'M THANKFUL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US THAT SIT ON THIS BOARD ALSO SIT ON THE JPA FOR THE LANDFILL.

AND THAT IS A CONCERN. AND YOU GUYS TOOK THOSE CONCERNS INTO CONSIDERATION AND READDRESSED.

AND SO THAT'S APPRECIATED. WHEN I FIRST MET THE FOLKS FROM EDP RENEWABLE, I'M ONE OF THEIR BIG THINGS THAT THEY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION IS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE A PART OF THIS COMMUNITY. WE JUST DON'T WANT TO COME AND PUT SOLAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY. AND THEN WE ALL FLY OFF AND GO BACK TO OUR HOMES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. THEY'VE BEEN A BIG, BIG PART OF OUR COMMUNITY ON THE WEST SIDE.

I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS KUDOS FOR, FOR MULTIPLE YEARS NOW COMING OUT TO THE SPRING FAIR, HELPING TO SUPPORT OUR LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS, THAT DOESN'T GO UNNOTICED ON ME. AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A BIG REASON WHY.

MATT, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT GAVE PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY IS BECAUSE THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN TESTED.

WE'VE WENT THROUGH ALL THE PROPER ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW.

YOU'VE DONE THE RIGHT THINGS TO GET YOURSELF TO A SUCCESSFUL PROJECT.

SO I'M GOING TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.

YOU'RE TAKING GROUND THAT, FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES NOW IS, YOU KNOW, IF THEY GET SOME WHEAT IN AND IF WE GET ENOUGH RAIN, THERE'S A POTENTIAL THEY CAN GET A WHEAT CROP OFF OF IT. OTHERWISE, IT JUST SITS THERE AND NOW PUTTING IT TO A BENEFICIAL USE.

AND I THINK THAT THE BIG THING THAT MY COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT THREE MENTIONED IS, IS THIS POWER IS GOING BACK ONTO THE GRID TO PG&E.

AND SO IN THEORY, I'M NOT SURE THAT EVERY NEUTRON OR PROTON OF ENERGY IS GOING TO GO TO RESIDENTS IN MERCED COUNTY, BUT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GO THERE FIRST. SO I WANT TO I WANT TO AGAIN ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SUPERVISOR PACHECO, JUST A QUESTION TO OUR COMMENT.

THIS IS GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO BE USING OUR LOCAL LABOR AND WORKFORCE AND LOCAL PEOPLE HERE TO HELP BUILD THIS.

AS A PART OF OUR SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT, WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT TO DO OUR BEST TO HAVE OUR CONTRACTORS WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES.

SO WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT AT ALL. WE'LL COME FROM THE COMMUNITY, BUT WE WANT TO DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO MAKE SURE WE CAN UTILIZE LOCAL LABOR.

AND WILL THERE BE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE GOING TO BE AT THIS FACILITY ALL THE TIME, OR IS IT GOING TO BE UNMANNED? YES, THERE WILL BE. THERE WILL BE EMPLOYEES NEAR THE FACILITY.

WE EXPECT TO HAVE LIKE AN O AND M FACILITY NEAR THIS LOCATION, NOT ACTUALLY ON THE SITE.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. SO DO WE HAVE WE HAVE TO DO NUMBER THREE FIRST.

YEAH. OH, MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO CERTIFY THAT THE FINAL SUBSEQUENT EIR AND ADOPT THE CEQA FINDING OF FACT, THE STATEMENT OF OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS AND THE REVISED MITIGATION, MONITORING AND REPORTING PROGRAM. SECOND, OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. MR. CHAIR, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT TO 0001 TO ESTABLISH A SOLAR OVERLAY ZONE ON THE LOST COMMA SOLAR OVERLAY PLAN, AMENDMENT GPA TWO ZERO. I GOT OFF MY LINE THERE. SORRY. OVER APPROXIMATELY 1741 ACRES, GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF INTERSTATE FIVE AND STATE RIGHT STATE ROUTE HIGHWAY 152, NORTH OF BILLY WRIGHT ROAD, THREE MILES SOUTHEAST OF SANTANELLA.

SIX MILES WEST OF LOS BANOS AND REDESIGNATE APPROXIMATELY 202.8 ACRES OF VILLAGES OF LAGUNA SAN LUIS COMMUNITY PLAN AREA FOR LOW DENSITY TO MEDIUM AND HIGH DENSITY RESIDENTIAL WITH A SUNSET OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2060.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. SECOND. OKAY. THE MOTION WAS MADE BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA, SECONDED BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. AND THEN I.

ITEM NUMBER FIVE, ADOPT AN ORDINANCE APPROVING ZONE.

CHANGE NUMBER 21-002 TO ESTABLISH THE LAS PALMAS SOLAR OVERLAY TO SUNSET DECEMBER 31ST, 2060.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA.

SECOND. BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

[02:10:04]

AND THEN I'M GOING TO TAKE THE LAST TWO TOGETHER. MOTION TO APPROVE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT NUMBER 20001 FOR REAL PROPERTY.

COMPROMISE OF ASSESSOR. ASSESSOR PARCEL NUMBERS 07816012013047056060078172001, IN PART 0781900400507816003007816047.

BASED ON THE REVISED SUBJECT PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESCRIBED IN SECTION S4.

REDUCED FOOTPRINT ALTERNATIVE OF THE SUBSEQUENT EIR BASED ON THE FINDINGS IN DECEMBER.

IN THE DECEMBER 4TH, 2024, STAFF REPORT AND SUBJECT TO THE RECOMMENDATION, RECOMMENDED CONDITIONAL APPROVAL AND APPROVED THE LOST COMMA SOLAR BENEFITS AGREEMENT.

ALTHOUGH CAN YOU REREAD THAT JUST ALL THOSE IN.

SO, WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. ALL THAT AND THEN IT'S THAT.

OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE WILL NOW RECESS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING AND CONVENE AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THE COUNTY OF MERCED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY, CHOWCHILLA. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR NON-AGENDA ITEMS. AS A REMINDER, THE NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT MUST BE REGARDING ITEMS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AS THE COUNTY OF MERCED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY. CHOWCHILLA. CHOWCHILLA TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

OKAY. THE NON-AGENDA PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED.

WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO BOARD ACTION BEGINNING WITH COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ITEMS ONE AND TWO.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, I WILL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM ONE AND TWO.

OKAY. PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR SAID ITEMS ONE AND TWO IS NOW CLOSED.

BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD. MOTION TO APPROVE.

OH, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OKAY. SECOND. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA AND A SECOND BY SUPERVISOR PAREIRA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSE? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. ALL RIGHT.

NEXT, WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AS SUBMITTED BY COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE 2024 REVISED CHOWCHILLA SUB-BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN. GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIRMAN.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MARK MIMS, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

TODAY'S ACTION IS TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING PRIOR TO CONSIDERING ADOPTION OF AN AMENDED CHOWCHILLA SUB-BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, OR GSB. THE AMENDMENTS TO THE CHOWCHILLA GSB INCLUDE CHANGES TO THE SUBSIDENCE AND GROUNDWATER LEVEL.

SUSTAINABILITY. SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT CRITERIA.

IN 2020, THE CHOWCHILLA SUBBASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCIES GSA'S COLLECTIVELY DRAFTED AND SUBMITTED TO DWR A SINGLE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT IN 2022.

THE CHOWCHILLA SUBBASIN GSB WAS DETERMINED TO BE INCOMPLETE BY DWR AND THE CHOWCHILLA.

GSA'S AMENDED THE GSB TO ADDRESS THE IDENTIFIED DEFICIENCIES AND RESUBMIT RESUBMITTED THE GSB IN 2023.

DWR AGAIN DETERMINED THAT THE CHOWCHILLA SUBBASIN GSB WAS INADEQUATE AND SHIFTED THE REVIEW OF THE GSB TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD TO HOLD A POTENTIAL PROBATIONARY HEARING.

SINCE THEN, THE CHOWCHILLA GSAS HAVE BEEN DILIGENTLY WORKING WITH STATE STAFF TO ADDRESS THE INADEQUACIES BY SATISFYING THE CONCERNS OF THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD. THE CHOWCHILLA ESSAYS ARE INTENDING TO AVOID A PROBATIONARY HEARING AND SHIFT THE GSP REVIEW BACK UNDER THE PURVIEW OF DWR. PRIOR ACTIONS TAKEN TODAY ARE ALSO RELATED TO AMENDING THE CHOWCHILLA GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN, INCLUDING ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE DOMESTIC WELL MITIGATION PROGRAM, WHICH CLARIFIES THE SERVICE'S COSTS AND FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM, AND ADOPTING AN MOU WITH THE CHOWCHILLA MANAGEMENT ZONE, WHICH COORDINATES THE COMPLEMENTARY COMBINATION OF DATA MONITORING, WATER QUALITY TESTING AND MITIGATION BETWEEN THE CMC PROGRAM FOR NITRATES AND CHOWCHILLA. GSAS AND ADOPTION OF A DEMAND MANAGEMENT MOU AMONG THE CHOWCHILLA GSAS TO ALLOW SPACE FOR A DEMAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO BE DEVELOPED AND

[02:15:09]

FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ADOPTION OF THE AMENDED GSP BY EACH OF THE GSA'S.

THE GSP WILL BE RESUBMITTED TO THE STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD.

THANK YOU AND STAFF IS HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? SUPERVISOR PACHECO? NO. OH, TAKING IT OFF.

OKAY. I WILL NOW OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING. AND AT THIS TIME, I WILL ACCEPT PUBLIC COMMENT REGARDING THIS ITEM.

TESTIMONY IS LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES PER PERSON.

OKAY, I WILL NOW CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD.

DO WE HAVE A MOTION? OH, YEAH. NUMBER THREE. YES.

I MOVE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE MICROPHONE.

TURN YOUR MICROPHONE ON. I MOVED TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ACTING AS THE MERCED COUNTY CHOWCHILLA GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY BOARD ADOPT THE PROPOSED 2025 REVISED CHOWCHILLA SUB-BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN TO IMPLEMENT GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT THROUGH THE CHOWCHILLA SUB-BASIN.

OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY SUPERVISOR PACHECO, SECOND BY SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE. AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? SAY NAY. MOTION CARRIES. WE WILL NOW ADJOURN THE MEETING AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AS THE COUNTY OF MERCED GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY, CHOWCHILLA, AND RECONVENE AS THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.

OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HAVE BOARD REPORTS, STARTING WITH SUPERVISOR PACHECO.

[REPORTS/BOARD DIRECTION]

IT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION THAT NIGHT. THEY HAD WONDERFUL HMONG FOOD THERE AND SOME PERFORMANCES BY THE LOCAL ARTISTS.

I JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THE INVITATION OUT THERE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD PROGRAM TO GET SOME HMONG HISTORY INTO THE, INTO THE SCHOOLS. AND ALSO, ON THE 28TH, I ATTENDED PART OF THE MERCED OAS TABLETOP EXERCISE, WHICH INCLUDED NUMEROUS COUNTY DEPARTMENTS AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES, GOT TOGETHER AND THREW SOME REALISTIC SCENARIOS, WENT THROUGH SOME DIFFERENT PRESENTATIONS AND WERE ABLE TO AND WE'RE HOPING TO IDENTIFY SOME STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN THE COUNTIES COMING TOGETHER WHEN WE HAVE NATIONAL DISASTERS.

I THINK THEY WERE ABLE TO THAT IT WAS ABLE TO GET US MORE PREPARED FOR IN THE EVENT THAT SOMETHING DOES COME OUR WAY.

IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE COMMUNICATION, THE COOPERATION BETWEEN ALL THE AGENCIES THAT ARE INVOLVED.

THERE WAS CITY AGENCIES, OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES AND STATE AGENCIES. AND LIKE I SAID, ALONG WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. SO IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE COOPERATION AND I THINK IT WAS A VERY PRODUCTIVE DAY. I WANT TO THANK ADAM AMARAL AND TO ALL THOSE INVOLVED FOR DOING THAT.

IT WAS A GREAT EXERCISE AND A GREAT DAY. THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU, SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, WE HAD A WHIRLWIND LAST WEEK WE WERE IN WASHINGTON, DC LOBBYING ON BEHALF OF MERCED COUNTY, AS WELL AS ATTENDING THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES CONFERENCE.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT. IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE.

WE WERE THERE FOR EIGHT DAYS, BUT YET IT FELT LIKE WE WERE THERE FOR THREE MONTHS.

WE GOT A LOT ACCOMPLISHED. I'M PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES.

WE HAD REALLY GOOD HEART TO HEART DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVES THAT WE THAT WE MEET WITH.

IT'S THE STAFF GOING THROUGH DOGE, WHICH WAS THE MOST INTERESTING LEVEL BECAUSE EACH DEPARTMENT THAT WE VISITED, I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S DEFINITELY A DIFFERENT APPROACH WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION, AS THERE WAS WITH A PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.

IT SEEMS LIKE. THE, THE FOLKS THAT WE WERE MEETING WITH WERE REALLY WILLING TO HELP US INSTEAD OF GIVING US EXCUSES WHY THEY COULDN'T HELP US. AND IT'S JUST AMAZING HOW MUCH OF A SHIFT THERE IS WITH A DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE STAFF OF ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS.

I'M GLAD THAT THE WORK WE DID. WE ALREADY GOT SOME RECOGNITION FROM EPA.

WE ALREADY GOT SOME RECOGNITION FROM ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

SO, THAT'S TWO WINS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE, BECAUSE THESE ARE FOLKS THAT WE'VE BEEN CALLING AND PUSHING AND SHOVING AND TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THEM,

[02:20:09]

SO THAT'S VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME.

AS I WAS SERVING IN THE CAPACITY OF VICE CHAIR OF WORKFORCE AND COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WE HAD SOME VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS THERE. IT'S FUNNY HOW WHEN YOU WORK AS A COUNTY OR A STATE ASSOCIATION, THAT YOUR APPROACH IS ONE THAT YOU KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND YOU'RE STRATEGIC ON YOUR APPROACH, ON YOUR ASK OF THIS ADMINISTRATION YET. AND IT'S A NATIONAL LEVEL.

THEY HAVE THEIR HAND OUT AND JUST ASKING FOR MORE MONEY.

AND PART OF MY DEBATE THE WHOLE TIME IS WE HAVE TO BE MORE STRATEGIC AND COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF JUST HOLDING OUR HANDS OUT AND ASKING FOR MONEY.

ONE OF THOSE WAS THE HOMELESS SITUATION. IT BECAME A VERY BIG DISCUSSION THAT I WAS ON MY OWN AT THE BEGINNING, BUT TOWARDS THE END, I HAD MOST WELL, I CAN'T SAY MOST BECAUSE I DID LOSE IN THE FINAL VOTE, BUT I KEPT TRYING TO REFER TO THEM AS THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE NUMBERS OF HOMELESSNESS ARE GOING UP.

BUT THEY WERE LOOKING AT NATIONWIDE NUMBERS. I SAID, WELL, LOOK, I'M FROM CALIFORNIA.

THOSE NUMBERS ARE ALL REFLECTED OUT OF LA COUNTY.

AND AS THEY KEEP GOING UP, THEY'RE AFFECTING YOUR NUMBERS ARE GOING UP AS WELL.

AND CALIFORNIA KEEPS PUTTING A LOT OF MONEY INTO IT.

AND WE GET MORE HOMELESS. AND A LOT OF THESE FOLKS, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, THEIR NUMBERS AREN'T REALLY GROWING.

THEY'RE STAYING THE SAME. BUT OUR NUMBERS IN CALIFORNIA AFFECT THE NATIONWIDE NUMBERS.

SO I ENDED UP LOSING AT THE END. THEY JUST WANTED MORE MONEY OUT OF THAT ONE AND ANOTHER.

INTERESTING. AND I THINK MY COLLEAGUES WILL SHARE THIS AS WELL, IS ALSO WE HAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM CANADA COMING TO OUR COMMITTEE ACTUALLY ASKING FOR US TO PUSH BACK ON OUR ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY'RE, BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE TARIFFS.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, THAT'S WHERE THE UNITED STATES CAME TOGETHER.

AND I'M SURPRISED THEY COULDN'T GET OUT OF THAT ROOM FAST ENOUGH AFTER WE STARTED BARRAGING THEM WITH QUESTIONING STATING THEIR FACTS.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE? AND THEY KEPT TELLING US, WELL, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY CANADIAN WHISKEY AT A CHEAP PRICE ANYMORE.

AND WE SAID, WELL, YOU CAN'T HAVE KENTUCKY BOURBON EITHER AT A CHEAP PRICE.

AND THEN EVERYBODY FROM EACH STATE KEPT PILING ON OTHER STUFF THAT THEY HAVE THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ENJOY EITHER.

SO ANYWAY, IT WAS VERY FRUITFUL MEETING AND LOBBYING AT THE AT THE FRONT PART OF THE STUFF.

IT'S A LONG TRIP. YOU CAN HEAR IT IN MY VOICE.

I THINK I BROUGHT HOME A LOT OF THE SICKNESS ON THE WAY HERE.

I'M STILL TRYING TO GET OVER IT, BUT ANYWAY, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WELL, I LOOK AND SOUND SO FRESH BECAUSE I DIDN'T STAY FOR THE WHOLE EIGHT DAYS IN DC.

I DID GO OUT AND DO THE LOBBYIST PORTION AND IT AS SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL SAID, IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WANTED TO HELP. THEY STILL WEREN'T SURE WHERE THEIR FOOTING WAS AS FAR AS FUNDING GOES.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE WHERE MONEY WAS GOING TO COME FROM.

BUT I THINK DEFINITELY THE RELATIONSHIPS WERE BUILT.

AND AS THAT SETTLES OUT MERCED COUNTY IS POISED TO BE ABLE TO ACCESS SOME OF THAT FUNDING AND GET SOME GOOD THINGS DONE.

I WANT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT NS METALS AND I DON'T NORMALLY ADVERTISE BUSINESSES UP HERE, BUT NS METALS TAKES APPLIANCES FOR FREE. THERE IS NO NEED TO DRIVE ALL THE WAY OUT INTO THE COUNTRY AND DUMP THEM ON SOMEBODY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN FRONT OF SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY AND ALSO THE LANDFILLS. BOTH THE BILLY WRIGHT AND LOS BANOS AND THE MERCED LANDFILL TAKE MATTRESSES.

AND I'M GOING TO REITERATE FOR FREE. AND THAT IS ALL CAPITAL LETTERS FOR FREE.

SO THERE'S NO NEED TO DROP THOSE OFF ON THE HIGHWAY LESS THAN A HALF A MILE FROM THE LANDFILL.

WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO THE EXTRA HALF MILE AND DO YOUR COMMUNITY A GOOD SERVICE? AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU ALL ON MARCH 17TH OUT TO BALLICO FOR THE CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE. SAINT PATRICK'S DAY CELEBRATION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE POTS, THE WATER OR THE WOODEN SPOON, BUT THE FOOD THERE IS DELICIOUS, AND IT'S WORTH THE DRIVE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR SILVEIRA. THANK YOU.

I DO HAVE QUITE A FEW THINGS I WANT TO GO OVER TODAY.

FIRST, I'LL TALK ABOUT NACO AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL MENTIONED, YOU KNOW,

[02:25:06]

IT'S JUST AMAZING WITH THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ADMINISTRATION, AGAIN, MEETING WITH OUR, OUR LOCAL MEMBERS WE MET WITH COSTA, OBVIOUSLY ADAM GRAY AND THEN CONGRESSMAN VALADAO, ALL WERE VERY EVEN GOT TO MEET WITH OLE SHIFT.

HE, HE HAD ACTUALLY HIS FIRST TIME IN MY TIME IN BEING IN DC THAT ACTUALLY WAS IN THE SENATOR'S PERSONAL OFFICE.

HE INVITED US BACK AND WE GOT A NICE 15, 20 MINUTE CONVERSATION.

USUALLY WHEN YOU MEET WITH YOUR US SENATOR, YOU'RE IN A CONFERENCE ROOM WITH STAFF, AND THE SENATOR MIGHT STOP BY AND SAY HELLO.

AND THEN THERE WAS A PREVIOUS SENATOR THAT WAS BECAME VICE PRESIDENT WHO DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO MEET WITH US.

ALL THEY WANTED TO DO WAS TAKE A PICTURE WITH US. BUT THAT WAS THAT WAS NICE FOR A CHANGE.

AND WHETHER YOU AGREE WITH THEM POLITICALLY OR NOT GENUINELY A NICE PERSON TO TALK TO.

BUT ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT FOR ME IS, IS WHILE WE WERE BACK THERE, WE STARTED OUR ADVOCACY STUFF ON THE HILL ON WEDNESDAY.

ON MONDAY WAS THE DAY THAT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WERE ALL REQUIRED TO BE BACK AT WORK, AND THROUGH THE YEARS OF GOING BACK THERE, MADE SOME REALLY GOOD CONTACTS WITH THE COPS PROGRAM AND THE GAL, SHANNON THAT WE THAT WE'VE KNOWN NOW FOR A FEW YEARS.

SHE WAS JOKING THAT SHE DIDN'T LIKE IT BECAUSE SHE WHEN SHE WENT INTO THE BREAK ROOM LIKE THERE WAS NO ROOM IN THE REFRIGERATOR BECAUSE ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE NOW BACK AT WORK.

AND JUST ANOTHER JUST TO PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, THE USDA BUILDING IS A HUGE, MASSIVE, BEAUTIFUL BUILDING, RIGHT? THAT THAT OUR FOUR FOUNDERS BUILT WITH.

AND 5% OF THE BUILDING WAS OCCUPIED PRIOR TO A WEEK AGO, MONDAY OR TWO WEEKS NOW AGO MONDAY.

SO, WHEN YOU WHEN YOU'RE IN AN UBER AND YOU WERE TALKING TO FOLKS THAT MAKE THEIR LIVING IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY SUPER HAPPY THAT PEOPLE ARE BACK AT WORK.

YEAH, THE TRAFFIC WAS A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER, BUT RESTAURANTS WERE DOING BUSINESS.

UBERS WERE GETTING EXTRA BUSINESS. SO I THINK THINGS ARE CHANGING BACK THERE.

THE ONE THING THAT YOU CAN TELL CAREER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING THROUGH AN ADMINISTRATION CHANGE AND THEN YOU GO THROUGH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CHANGE, WHICH IS LIKE TIMES 100.

THEY ALL WERE, THEY WERE ALL KIND OF OUT OF SORTS A LITTLE BIT.

THEY JUST THEY JUST DON'T QUITE KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THE DUST IS GOING TO SETTLE. BUT IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM, I CAN REMEMBER ONE PARTICULAR MEETING WHERE I, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE NO MONEY TO PUT OUT BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

AND SO YOU START CHATTING WITH THEM. AND I SAID, OH, SO DID YOU SEND YOUR FIVE THINGS IN THAT YOU DID FOR THE DAY. ONE GENTLEMAN SAID HE SENT IN TEN. THE GAL SITTING NEXT TO HIM GAVE ME AN EVIL EYE.

SO, IT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE OKAY.

CID STAFF TODAY. GUYS, YOU GUYS ARE ON POINT.

THANK YOU. I KNOW YOU GUYS HAD A LOT OF PRESENTATIONS TODAY.

A LOT OF GOOD WORK DONE THERE. WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR THAT.

ATTENDED THE MERCED COUNTY FARM BUREAU DINNER ON THURSDAY NIGHT.

I THINK IT WAS LAST WEEK. IT WAS A NICE TURNOUT THERE.

YESTERDAY MYSELF AND MY COLLEAGUE SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL MET WITH STATE TREASURER FIONA MA.

SHE CAME OUT TO MERCED COUNTY. I WANT TO THANK THE CID STAFF.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, THE ASSISTANT CEO HENDRICKSON, FOR PUTTING ON A LITTLE PRESENTATION AND JUST KIND OF TOOK HER AROUND CASTLE AND SHOW HER WHAT THE CASTLE COMMERCE CENTER IS DOING. SEEMED VERY INTERESTED.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S RUNNING FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

AND SO AT LEAST I THINK IN MY MIND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN ON THE MAP, BUT NOW WE HAVE A PERSON THAT WE KNOW BY NAME THAT'S BEEN OUT TO SEE MERCED COUNTY AND THE GOOD THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

I ALSO GOT PUT ON THE CSAC CHILDCARE WORK WORKING GROUP.

SO CHILDCARE IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS.

AND REALLY JUST KIND OF EXPLORING HOW CAN CSAC BETTER ADVOCATE IN THAT SPACE AND REALLY TRYING TO LOOK AT THERE'S A LOT OF ADVOCACY IN THAT SPACE.

BUT SEEING HOW AND WHERE CSAC COULD BE BENEFICIAL TO ADVOCATE IN THAT SPACE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE I GOT ALL MY THINGS. AND THEN LASTLY, BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE ILLEGAL FOOD VENDORS.

I WANT TO THANK ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. YOU KNOW, I GOT A MESSAGE FROM A PERSON WHO IS DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS.

YOU KNOW, SHE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT SHE PAYS A COMMISSARY $500 A MONTH TO BE ABLE TO GO STORE HER FOOD AND GET RID OF HER.

HER USED COOKING OIL, DOING ALL THE RIGHT THINGS GOES THROUGH THE COUNTY PERMITTING PROCESS.

AND SHE'S LITERALLY GOING OUT OF BUSINESS BECAUSE OF ALL THESE ILLEGAL FOOD VENDORS OUT THERE.

AND THERE'S PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT SAY, OH, WELL, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING. WELL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE A LIVING, DO IT THE LEGAL WAY, BECAUSE I CAN'T I CAN'T FAULT HER WHEN SHE TELLS ME, WHY AM I DOING THAT? WHY AM I SPENDING THIS MONEY JUST TO BE PUT OUT OF BUSINESS BY THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT ILLEGALLY?

[02:30:02]

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET PEOPLE SICK. BUT I'M THANKFUL FOR THE STEPPED UP ENFORCEMENT.

AND I'VE COMMITTED THAT I, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL RAIDS.

AND IF IT TAKES USING SOME OF MY SPECIAL PROJECT FUNDS, I KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES DO SOME GRAFFITI ABATEMENT STUFF.

IF THERE'S A POTENTIAL WAY THAT I CAN HELP WITH THAT, BECAUSE IT IS RAMPANT.

IT IS RAMPANT. AND IT'S AND THEY SEE ONE. AND YOU'VE HEARD THE STORIES OF LITERALLY THEY GO OUT THERE, THEY CONFISCATE THEIR STUFF, THEY MOVE THEM ALONG AND THEN GO OFF TO ANOTHER SPOT AND COME BACK LATER THAT DAY AND THEY'RE BACK UP THERE.

IT'S JUST IT'S GETTING OUT OF CONTROL. AND I AND I APPRECIATE THE STEPPED UP ENFORCEMENT AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE THAT.

AND LASTLY, I WANT TO ADJOURN TODAY'S MEETING IN IN MEMORY OF DIANE NEVES.

DIANE NEVES IS A LONG TIME FRIEND OF THE LOS BANOS COMMUNITY.

I'VE GROWN UP WITH HER AND HER FAMILY OR HER SONS.

ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, DIANE, SERVED ON THE FAIR BOARD FOR A LOT OF YEARS.

IS REALLY WHERE I GOT TO INTERACT WITH HER, BECAUSE I ACTUALLY WAS ON THE FAIR BOARD WITH HER FOR A WHILE.

OTHER THAN KNOWING HER AS DIANE, CHRIS'S MOM, I GOT TO KNOW HER IN HER IN HER, I WOULD SAY HER PROFESSIONAL SETTING.

SHE TOOK THE BACK-END STUFF AT THE FAIR, ALL OF THE EXHIBIT BUILDINGS.

SHE HAS A WHOLE CONTAINER FULL OF THE LITTLE PROPS THAT OLD DESKS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT SHE WOULD BRING IN AT FAIR TIME TO KIND OF SPRUCE UP THOSE BUILDINGS TO GIVE PEOPLE AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE. LATER ON BECAME A MEMBER OF CASA WAS ON THE BOARD OF CASA.

HER AND HER SISTER CAROL WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN PUTTING ON FUNDRAISERS ON THE WEST SIDE AND HELPING WITH THE FUNDRAISERS ON THE EAST SIDE FOR CASA, WHICH IS THE COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES.

SO DIANE PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK. HER FUNERAL SERVICES ARE TOMORROW.

A GOOD FRIEND, A GOOD COMMUNITY MEMBER, AND SHE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU. SUPERVISOR MCDANIEL THEN.

PAREIRA. THANK YOU. SORRY, I FORGOT, BUT MY COLLEAGUE FROM THE WEST SIDE DID REMIND ME THROUGH ALL THAT PROCESS OF DISPOSAL OF THE BAD FOOD. I GOT JUST A BIG THANK YOU TO JEAN KNIGHT AND CENTRAL VALLEY DISPOSAL.

THE LANDFILL WAS. IT WAS AFTER HOURS, SO WE WEREN'T ABLE TO PROCESS IT THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, BUT. BUT CENTRAL VALLEY DISPOSAL ACTUALLY ANSWERED OUR CALL AFTER HOURS.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY A BIG SHOUT OUT TO JEAN KNIGHT.

BY THE WAY, THAT COMPANY IS IN DISTRICT THREE, BUT JUST SAYING SHE STEPPED UP AND REALLY HELPED US OUT A LOT.

THANKS, SUPERVISOR PAREIRA. THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE THIS MEETING IN MEMORY OF GORDON GRAY.

HE WAS A LONG TIME MERCED COUNTY EMPLOYEE IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND LIVES IN SNELL, OR LIVED IN SNELLING, AND WAS REAL INSTRUMENTAL IN RESTORING THE MERCED COUNTY COURTHOUSE OUT THERE.

AND IT'S NOW BEING OPENED AS A MUSEUM THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS, BUT ESPECIALLY MR. GRAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. MR. CHAIR, THANK YOU.

CEO. YES, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

JUST A COUPLE ITEMS TODAY. I DID WANT TO. I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED EARLIER.

WELCOME, DR. KRISTEN SULLIVAN, WHO BEGAN AS OUR DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH DIRECTOR YESTERDAY.

SO, I WANTED TO JUST WELCOME, WELCOME HER TO THE ORGANIZATION AND THEN ALSO BID FAREWELL IN A GREAT RETIREMENT TO MARK COWART, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR WHO ALSO OVERSEES IT.

AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, HIS LAST DAY IS MARCH 21ST, SO HIS RETIREMENT IS OBVIOUSLY APPROACHING.

IN TRUE MARK FASHION, HE WANTS TO KIND OF EXIT QUIETLY.

AND SO WE'VE HONORED THAT. BUT WE WILL FIND A WAY OF KIND OF FINDING SOME PERSONAL TIME WITH HIM JUST TO KIND OF PRESENT HIM WITH SOME RECOGNITION AND SOME AWARDS.

SO THANK YOU. THAT'S IT, MR. CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCIL.

OKAY. I TOO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE FARM BUREAU DINNER.

I DID ALSO MEET WITH FIONA MA YESTERDAY WHO REALLY SHOWED SOME INTEREST IN IN MERCED COUNTY.

I ALSO WANTED TO CONGRATULATE CHIEF TRINIDAD FOR BEING NAMED THE CHIEF OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HERE, THAT I THINK HE'S GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB. I, TOO, WENT TO WASHINGTON, DC.

AS MY ROLE AS THE AG AND RURAL AFFAIRS STEERING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON.

I GOT TO CHAIR THE MEETING. AND WE DISCUSSED A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

MAINLY THE EXTENSION OF A FARM BILL. LAND USE.

AND THEN ONE OF THE COOL THINGS THAT WE DID WAS WE BROKE INTO GROUPS AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE DIFFERENT SUPERVISORS OR COMMISSIONERS OR PARISH PRIESTS OR CLERKS OR THERE'S NAMES FOR JUDGES THERE, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF NAMES.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE ABOUT NACO IS, IS THE FACT THAT, YEAH, THE GEOGRAPHY IS WAY DIFFERENT,

[02:35:07]

I ALSO I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH OUR CANADIAN COUNTERPARTS ALSO.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, THAT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE IN AND OF ITSELF.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK, YOU KNOW, WE DID HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD MEETINGS.

I THOUGHT YOU KNOW, ON THE FLIGHT BACK, I WAS TALKING TO A COLLEAGUE AND HE SAID, WHAT'S THE OR BEFORE WE GOT ON, WHAT'S THE WHAT WAS THE LOW LIGHT? AND I SAID OF THE TRIP AND I SAID PROBABLY JUST THE LENGTH, BUT I THINK EVERYTHING ELSE WAS JUST IT WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE.

MEETING WITH SENATOR SCHIFF WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE BECAUSE HE, YOU KNOW, DISCUSSED A MEDICAL SCHOOL AT UC MERCED, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING, WAS REALLY COOL.

ALSO, I WANTED TO JUST CONGRATULATE MY SON'S ACADEMIC DECATHLON TEAM.

I HAD TO MISS IT BECAUSE I WAS IN WASHINGTON, DC CHAIRING THIS AG COMMITTEE MEETING.

BUT MY SON IS IN EIGHTH GRADE, AND THIS WAS HIS LAST COMPETITION.

SO ACADEMIC DECATHLON IS WHEN THEY COMPETE AGAINST THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE DIOCESE, I THINK THERE'S TEN THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY.

AND OUR LADY OF MERCY SCHOOL FROM MERCED GOT FIRST PLACE IN LOGIC AND SECOND OVERALL, WHICH IS A REALLY BIG DEAL FOR THEM.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, IF YOU EVER WANT TO JUST FEEL DUMB FOR A LITTLE BIT, GO QUIZ THOSE KIDS WHILE THEY'RE PREPARING BECAUSE IT IS NOT.

IT'S NOT FUN. ALSO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT MY TOWN HALL IS MARCH 25TH, FROM 6 TO 8 AT THE MONDO BUILDING AND THEN FINALLY THE 25TH. YES. THANK YOU. AND THEN I ALSO WANTED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING IN MEMORY OF A COUPLE PEOPLE.

FIRST ONE IS THOMAS HOOPS. TOM HOOPS WAS MY UNCLE'S BEST FRIEND.

JUST A REALLY FUNNY GUY. PASSED AWAY AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH CANCER.

AND THEN ALSO, THIS ONE WAS REALLY HIT HOME. MARY DUSEK PASSED AWAY ON SUNDAY NIGHT, AND IT'S MY DAD'S SISTER'S MOTHER-IN-LAW. SO, MRS. D, AS WE CALLED HER WAS LIKE EVERYBODY'S GRANDMA.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE SWEETEST LADIES. SHE WAS A DEVOUT AND INTENSE.

PROBABLY THE MOST INTENSE SAN FRANCISCO 40 NINERS FAN AND SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS FAN.

YOU'LL YOU WOULD HAVE EVER MET BECAUSE SHE KNEW EVERYTHING.

SHE LOVED THE NINERS MORE THAN ANYTHING. AND WE USED TO GROW UP WHEN THE NINERS WERE REALLY GOOD AND GOING TO EVERY SUPER BOWL OR THE SUPER BOWLS GROWING UP, THAT'S WHERE YOU WENT TO HAVE THE PARTIES AND ALL THAT.

AND SO MRS. WAS 94 LIVED A LONG AND BEAUTIFUL LIFE.

AND SHE'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE MISSED. SO WITH THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK INTO CLOSED SESSION.

BUT I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT OUR NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY,

[POSSIBLE DIRECTION FOR FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

[CLOSED SESSION (Part 2 of 2)]

STAFF HAS BEEN GIVEN DIRECTION, MOTION OR MEETING ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.