[*A portion of this video is without audio*]
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[VI.A. Villa Cordoba Unit 4 Annexation to the Hilmar County Water District (LAFCO File No. 0704)]
PRESENTATION BY BILL NICHOLSON. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.CHAIR. OKAY. YEAH, I HAVE A POWERPOINT HERE THAT WE CAN GO THROUGH.
AGAIN, IT'S AN ANNEXATION UNTIL THE HILMAR COUNTY WATER DISTRICT, ONE OF OUR UNINCORPORATED SPECIAL DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTY, PROVIDING URBAN SERVICES TO THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY OF HILMAR.
LET'S SEE HERE. IT'S READY TO GO. GOTTA ADVANCE THE SLIDES HERE. OH, THERE WE GO. OKAY. OKAY, SO THE PROPERTY IS APPROXIMATELY 10.6 ACRES IN SIZE. AND IS PART OF A FUTURE OR EXISTING SUBDIVISION.
IT'S THE LAST PHASE OF A LARGER SUBDIVISION, WHICH I HAVE A MAP FOR IT.
AND THE SERVICES IS REQUIRED FROM THE DISTRICT ARE WATER, SEWER AND STORM DRAINAGE.
THE APPROVED SUBDIVISION APPROVED BY THE COUNTY WAS FOR 43 RESIDENTIAL LOTS.
AND IT'S LOCATED ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF CAMDEN DRIVE, 16TH STREET AND AMERICAN AVENUE, WHICH IS EAST WEST STREET ON THE NORTH END OF THE COMMUNITY OF PALMER, AND AGAIN IS THE FOURTH PHASE OF THE SUBDIVISION.
THIS IS A MAP OF THE AREA. THIS AERIAL PHOTO AND THE PROPERTY TO BE ANNEXED GOT THE RED BOUNDARY WITH HASH MARKS IN IT, AND THE, IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE, BUT THE DISTRICT WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET, THE DISTRICT BOUNDARY IS JUST TO THE NORTH.
OR ACTUALLY IT'S YET TO THE NORTH. THIS AREA ANNEXED ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO SHOWING THAT THE KIND OF THE SLOW GROWTH IN HILMAR HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN OLDER PROJECTS THAT WERE ANNEXED AND IT TOOK YEARS TO GET BUILDING.
AND ONE OF THE ISSUES FOR THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN WATER SUPPLY.
AND THIS ALSO SHOWS THE LARGER SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, WHICH IS A GREEN LINE, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY DOESN'T SHOW UP TOO WELL BECAUSE OF THE AERIAL PHOTO BACKGROUND, WHICH IS ALSO MOSTLY FARMLAND, WHICH IS GREEN.
SO LET'S MOVE ON. THIS IS A BLOW UP OF THE APPROVED TENTATIVE MAP WHICH HASN'T BEEN RECORDED, GETS PART OF THE ANNEXATION BY LAFCO WILL THEN ALLOW THE COUNTY TO RECORD THE MAP AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE URBAN SERVICES.
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THE SUBDIVISION TO THE [INAUDIBLE] IT'S BEEN BUILT AND THIS IS THE LAST PHASE. SO UNDER THE LAFCO CRITERIA, WE HAVE ONE OF THEM IS A DEFINITENESS AND CERTAINTY OF THE BOUNDARIES AND ALL THINGS RELATED TO THE BOUNDARIES AND OWNERSHIP, AND LOGICAL BOUNDARIES AND DIVIDING, AVOIDING ISLANDS OR CREATION OF PENINSULAS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED.SO THIS WAS A LOT OF A PARCEL, PREVIOUS PARCEL MAP, AND THE, TO RECORD THE ANNEXATION WE GET A DETAILED LEGAL DESCRIPTION AND MAP DRAWN BY A SURVEYOR, AND THERE WERE SOME ERRORS IN THE MAP THAT DID END UP WITH THE DISTRICT THEY MATCHED THE PARCEL MAP, BUT FOR LAFCOS PURPOSES OF GRANT AND IT'S GOT A MATTER OF DISAGREEMENT ON EVEN A SLIVER.
SO THERE'S A FEW CORRECTIONS THAT THE ASSESSORS AND THE COUNTY SURVEYOR FOUND.
SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ENGINEER FOR THE APPLICANT TO FIX THOSE.
AND THAT'S ONE CONDITION OF APPROVAL THAT'S BEING RECOMMENDED, THAT THEY FIX THAT MAP AND LEGAL BEFORE WE RECORD IT, WHICH IS STANDARD PRACTICE ANYWAY. AS I MENTIONED, AND YOU SAW IN THE PICTURE, THE LAND IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE NORTH AND EAST WITH THE EXISTING SUBDIVISION, AND THAT WOULD BE CONTIGUOUS WITH THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
AND THEY'RE ALSO CONTIGUOUS TO THE DISTRICT ON THE SOUTH.
AREAS TO THE NORTH ARE IN AGRICULTURAL USE AND LAND TO THE WEST IS RESIDENTIAL.
AND THIS IS AGAIN, THE AREA A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SEE AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE.
IT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW TO THE. THIS, THE RED PARCELS, ANNEXATION PARCELS.
YELLOW, TO THE NORTHWEST IS AN ALMOND ORCHARD.
AND THEN JUST BELOW IT OUR FIVE RURAL RESIDENTIAL LOTS WITH PRIMARILY THE HOME SITE.
SOME ONE HAS SOME AG TRUCKING, BUT WE'RE NOT INCLUDING THAT IN THE ANNEXATION.
PUSH THE DISTRICT TO ANNEX IT WHEN THERE'S NO DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED AND THE SERVICES AREN'T ADEQUATE RIGHT NOW TO PROVIDE MORE CONNECTIONS, SO SOMEDAY THE AREA WILL BE ANNEXED, BUT WE'LL JUST DEAL WITH IT.
AS TO THE FURTHER NORTH, WOULD BE, MAYBE THEY'LL BE ANNEXED IN THE FUTURE.
NOT SURE. SO GOING ON. YEAH. SO THIS NARRATIVE ON THIS SLIDE IS JUST ABOUT THE AREA TO THE WEST NORTHWEST, NOT INCLUDING IT. SO I COVERED THAT ALREADY.
YEAH. THE PROPERTY IS DESIGNATED AS CENTRAL AND ZONED R1 IN THE COUNTY, WHICH IS FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, WHICH IS WHAT THE SUBDIVISION OUT THERE HAS. IT'S LOCATED IN THE DISTRICT SPHERE OF INFLUENCE, WHICH WAS LAST UPDATED BY LAFCO IN 2010, WHICH MATCHES THE COMMUNITY PLAN, WHICH IS LIKE A 20-YEAR PLAN, SO THERE'S REALLY NO NEED OR NOTHING ON THE HORIZON TO UPDATE OR CHANGE THE PLAN OR THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.
AND I MENTIONED IT'S 43 LOTS ARE PROPOSED AND ALSO A PORTION OF A PARK WHICH HASN'T BEEN BUILT YET, BUT THIS PROPERTY BEING ANNEXED, WILL BE A, LIKE HALF OF A PARK THAT WILL BE BUILT, UPON COMPLETION OF THE PHASE. THE NEED FOR SERVICES AND COSTS FOR SERVICES.
THE NEXT FACTOR, AND AGAIN, THE DISTRICT IS A WELL-RUN DISTRICT IN THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY.
BUT LIKE MANY AREAS, WATER SUPPLY IS A CHALLENGE.
AND SO THEY'VE WORKED FOR A LONG TIME TO GET A NEW, FIND A NEW WELL, GET FUNDING FOR IT.
AND DURING THE PROCESS OF DRILLING IT AND TESTING IT.
AND THEY HAVEN'T RECORDED THEIR MAP. BUT THE DISTRICT HAS MADE A COMMITMENT THAT UNTIL THEY GET THEIR WELL, FULLY CONSTRUCTED AND QUALITY IS TESTED, THEY WON'T ISSUE ANY KIND OF [INAUDIBLE] SHORT NOTICES TO THE DEVELOPER THAT WOULD BE USED TO GET BUILDING PERMITS FROM THE COUNTY, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GET AHEAD OF THEMSELVES AND LET PEOPLE START BUILDING AND THEN FIND OUT, WELL, THERE'S NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HOOK YOU UP. SO THEY'RE MANAGING THE RATE OF GROWTH BASED ON THAT.
IF IT WAS 1000 UNITS SUBDIVISIONS, THEN WE WOULDN'T BE DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS THE LAST PHASE OF A SMALLER SUBDIVISION WITH 42 LOTS.
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SO AND AGAIN, HILMAR, THEY'RE NOT PROPOSING OTHER SUBDIVISION ANNEXATIONS NOW UNTIL THEY GET THEIR WELL, ONLINE. SO YEAH. AND THEN THEY HAVE ADEQUATE SEWER AND STORM DRAINAGE CAPACITY IN THE PAPERWORK, WHICH IS IN YOUR PACKET, THEY MENTIONED THEY HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY IN THEIR SEWER PLANT FOR ALMOST 500 UNITS, AND IN THIS PROJECT IT'S ONLY 43, SO THEY HAVE A LOT OF SEWER CAPACITY.AND THEN FOR STORM DRAINAGE, THEY EVEN HAVE MORE CAPACITY FOR 1470 UNITS.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN SPACE VALUE, THE LAND IS IDENTIFIED AS FARMLAND OF STATEWIDE IMPORTANCE IN THE STATE, IMPORTANT FARMLAND MAPPING. AND IT WOULD QUALIFY AS PRIME FARMLAND UNDER THE CORTESE-KNOX-HERTZBERG ACT, WHICH GOVERNS LAFCO PROCEDURES. BUT THE LAND DID, FOLLOWING COUNTY GENERAL PLAN POLICY.
AND WHEN THE SUBDIVISION WAS APPROVED IN THE COUNTY AND APPROVED THE, ACTUALLY THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN HAD THE POLICY THAT YOU WOULD HAVE TO GET AN EASEMENT TO CONSERVE OTHER FARMLAND ON A FOUR-ACRE BASIS.
SO THAT WAS MADE A CONDITION OF APPROVAL AND MITIGATION MEASURE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, WHICH THE COUNTY PREPARED FOR THE HILMAR COMMUNITY PLAN.
SO LAFCO CAN JUST RECOGNIZE THAT WE DON'T NEED TO ADOPT ANY NEW MITIGATION.
RECORD SETS THE COUNTY ENFORCED RETIREMENT. AND THEN PROMOTING BALANCE OF HOUSING FOR PERSONS AND FAMILIES OF ALL INCOME LEVELS IS ANOTHER CRITERIA OF LAFCO. AND THIS SUBDIVISION IS A NICE SUBDIVISION.
IT'S JUST A CONSIDERATION. SO IN OTHER PARTS OF THE HILMAR COMMUNITY, THERE'S A LOT OF LANDERS, ACTUALLY, 85 ACRES THAT ARE DESIGNATED FOR MEDIUM DENSITY HOUSING.
JUST TYPICALLY WHERE YOU GET THE AFFORDABLE WOULD BE APARTMENTS OR CONDOS.
SO WITH THE NEW WELL COMING ONLINE, THERE'LL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN HILMAR.
SO THIS IS JUST KIND OF REPORTING THE FACTS AND IT'S THE LAST PIECE OF AN EXISTING SUBDIVISION.
SO IT REALLY MAKES SENSE THAT YOU FINISH IT OUT AS IT WAS PLANNED.
YEAH. SO FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, AGAIN, THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CERTIFIED EIR WITH THE ADOPTION OF THE COMMUNITY PLAN FOR HILMAR, WHICH IS WAY BACK IN 2008, AND THE COMMUNITY PLANNING, MINI GENERAL PLAN FOR AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY.
WHICH IS THE COMPONENT OF THE COUNTYWIDE, MERCED COUNTY GENERAL PLAN.
AND FOUND THAT THE IMPACT FOR THE SINGLE-FAMILY LOW-DENSITY DEVELOPMENT, WHERE APPROPRIATE, USE OF THE LAND FOR THE AREA. AND IN MARCH 2022 THE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVED THE VILLA CORDOVA UNIT NUMBER 4 SUBDIVISION AND DETERMINED TO EXEMPT FROM CEQA UNDER SECTION 15183, PROJECT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ZONING.
AND SO THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO MAKE THE ENVIRONMENTAL FINDING THAT THE PROJECT IS EXEMPT FROM CEQA, MAKE THE SEVEN DETERMINATIONS ON PAGE FOUR AND FIVE OF THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE REPORT THAT DEFINE THE PROJECT AND DENOTE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE CORTESE-KNOW-HERTZBERG ACT AND LAFCO POLICIES. ASSIGNED THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION THE FOLLOWING SHORT FORM DESIGNATION.
AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO COMPLETE THE PROCEEDINGS WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE, HEARING OR ELECTION.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE APPLICANT SURVEYOR TO ACCOMPLISH THAT NOW.
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THANK YOU. BILL [INAUDIBLE] PRELIMINARY FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.I'M GOING TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING RIGHT NOW AT 10:17.
IF ANYONE FROM THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT THIS ANNEXATION.
PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND POSITION. YEAH. CURTIS JORRITSMA.
DISTRICT MANAGER, HILMAR COUNTY WATER DISTRICT.
FIRST OFF, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A COUPLE OF MINUTES HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU TO MR. NICHOLSON AND HIS STAFF. I THINK HE DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB FOR ISSUES LIKE THIS.
HAVING NOT DONE AN ANNEXATION IN A LONG TIME IN HILMAR, HE DID A GREAT JOB KIND OF WALKING US THROUGH AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAD EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO HAVE. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE COMMENT THAT STAFF MADE REGARDING THE MAPPING ISSUE, AND OUR ENGINEERS CAN HELP WORK THROUGH THAT AND GET THAT TAKEN CARE OF, SO THAT WON'T BE AN ISSUE.
IF THEY DO, I THINK THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO PICK UP THOSE OTHER RESIDENTIAL LOTS THAT ARE RIGHT THERE, AND WE WOULD DO AN ANNEXATION FOR THAT AT THIS POINT.
MORE THAN ANYTHING, HILMAR IS EXCITED FOR IT, AS MR. NICHOLSON MENTIONED, WE'RE WORKING ON GETTING A WELL ONLINE.
THAT WILL HOPEFULLY SATISFY EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO TO HAVE THIS PROJECT GO.
WE HAVE SOME, IN OUR CONDITIONAL CAN AND WILL SERVE LETTER TO THE DEVELOPER.
AND THERE'S ISSUES AND THE CAPACITY, ISN'T THERE, THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'VE GONE THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THAT WE STILL WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO OFFER THAT PROPERTY THE WATER SERVICE THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED.
SO OUTSIDE OF THAT, EVERYTHING MR. NICHOLSON STATED IN HIS REPORT IS ACCURATE.
SEWER AND STORM DRAIN CAPACITY SEEMS TO BE OKAY RIGHT NOW.
OTHERWISE. APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT BY STAFF AND YOUR EFFORTS.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? I'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 10:19 AND BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR QUESTIONS AND ACTION. YEAH, CURT, WHAT'S THE EXPECTATION ON TIMELINE FOR THE WELL? SO THEY'RE MOVING ALONG RIGHT NOW. TENTATIVELY, WE'RE THINKING EARLY FALL.
SO SEPTEMBER, END OF SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER ISH IS WHEN WE EXPECT TO BE ONLINE WITH IT.
WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY GET DONE WITH THE CONSTRUCTION A LITTLE BIT BEFORE THAT AND THEN RUN ALL OF OUR, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPMENT TESTS JUST TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FROM THEM.
ANY INDICATION? EARLY TESTING, OUTSIDE OF GOOD WATER QUALITY, CHECKING ALL THE BOXES THERE.
WE ANTICIPATE HOPEFULLY BETWEEN 1100 TO 1300 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
AND, OF COURSE, LIKE, THINGS HAPPEN AS SOON AS THAT ONE CAME ONLINE, ANOTHER ONE WENT OFFLINE FOR VARIOUS REASONS, AND IT'S NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ABANDONED.
BUT IT PUMPED ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT. IT WAS ABOUT 100 GALLONS PER MINUTE.
WELL, AND SO THIS WAS KIND OF BACKFILL THAT SPOT AND PUT US IN A PRETTY DECENT SPOT.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSION? IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO ONE, ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION AS THE COMMISSION, AS A RESPONSIBLE AGENCY UNDER CEQA, HAS DETERMINED THAT THE PROPOSED ANNEXATION CAN BE FOUND EXEMPT FROM CEQA REVIEW UNDER SECTION 15183 PROJECTS CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ZONING FISCAL GUIDELINES, AND NO FURTHER ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS REQUIRED.
AND TWO, MAKE THE SEVEN PROJECT DETERMINATIONS LISTED ON PAGE FOUR AND FIVE OF THE REPORT AND APPROVE THE ANNEXATION, SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPROVAL.
A. EXECUTIVE OFFICER IS INSTRUCTED NOT TO RECORD THE CERTIFICATE COMPLETION UNTIL THE COUNTY SURVEYOR HAS CONFIRMED THE MAP AND LEGAL DESCRIPTION ACCURATELY DESCRIBED THE BOUNDARIES OF THE ANNEXATION TERRITORY, AND THREE.
WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE] SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER MCDANIEL.
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THAT WE MOVE TO MOTION WITH ALL THE FINDING STIPULATIONS GO FOWARD.ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MOTION, I THINK. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
AYE. OPPOSED? MOTION PASSED. OKAY. THAT TAKES CARE OF THAT.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMMISSIONER COMMENTS. I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR MR.
[VII. EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS]
GEORGE, THE HILMAR CHEESE. THEY'RE NOT IN THE DISTRICT, BUT THEY GOT THEIR OWN WATER FACILITY AND THE WHOLE THING OVER THERE.ARE THEY EVER GOING TO BE IN THIS DISTRICT? ARE THEY YOUR PLANS TO KEEP THEM OUT? ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD DIALOG WITH HILMAR CHEESE.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS, I WOULD SAY MOSTLY PERTAINING TO THEIR NEWER BRICK BUILDING.
THAT BRICK BUILDING ACTUALLY DOES TIE INTO OUR SEWER SYSTEM, BUT IT'S THE EQUIVALENT OF.
THE OFFICES, YOU MEAN. YEAH. SO THAT DOES TIE IN AND UTILIZE OUR SEWER SYSTEM.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT OR THE ONLY SERVICE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THEM CURRENTLY.
WE'VE GOT A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP. WE ALWAYS HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS OPEN.
IF THE TIME COMES WHERE IT'S APPROPRIATE TO DO SO.
WE'LL KIND OF DISCUSS THAT, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, I THINK EVERYONE'S KIND OF [INAUDIBLE].
JUST CURIOUS. YEAH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. BILL.
ITEM 7. UPDATE ON RESTRUCTURING THE CALAFCO ORGANIZATION.
DO YOU HAVE ON THAT TODAY. RIGHT, YEAH. IN YOUR PACKET, I HAD SENT A, THERE'S A 6-TO-9-MONTH ACTION PLAN BY THE CALAFCO BOARD. IT'S A TERM THAT'S GOT GREEN BOX ON IT.
THEY'RE COMPLETED THEIR GREEN AND THEY'RE PARTIALLY COMPLETED THEIR HALF GREEN.
AND THEN THE ONES THAT ARE ON THE TO DO LIST ARE WHITE.
BUT THE MAIN ISSUES ARE THE RESTRUCTURING AND THE REWRITING OF THE BYLAWS FOR CALAFCO THAT HAD BEEN ONGOING FOR MANY MONTHS NOW, AND THEY'RE HEADED TO THE FALL CONFERENCE IN SAN DIEGO IN OCTOBER TO HAVE THE COMMUNITY WIDE VOTE OF THE LAFCO. AND WE HAVE THE LAFCO BOARD.
BUT THE THE CHANGES, THE BYLAWS TAKE A VOTE, MAJORITY VOTE OF THE MEMBERSHIP.
THEY BROUGHT HER BACK AS A KNOWLEDGEABLE SPECIALIST ON IT.
RENÉ LAROCHE, THE FORMER DIRECTOR, HAS QUIT OR LEFT.
AND JOSE ENRIQUEZ FROM SACRAMENTO, LAFCO IS THE ACTING EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOR THE ORGANIZATION, SPENDING A LOT OF TIME.
AND JENI TICKLER, WHO WAS THE SECRETARY AND CLERK BEFORE.
IS BACK HELPING. SO THEY BROUGHT SOME OF THE OLD GUARD BACK.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES BECAUSE THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE THE OLD STAFF PEOPLE BACK, YOU BRING IT BACK TO SEE [INAUDIBLE] IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO'S ON THE BOARD.
THE BOARD HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON IT, ALTHOUGH SOME HAVE LEFT.
AND THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE CONSTERNATION CAME IN, OF NEW PEOPLE COMING ON WITH DIFFERENT IDEAS AND TRYING TO HAVE LAFCO AND GO, OR CALAFCO GO IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. HISTORICALLY HAD.
A QUESTION ABOUT THIS NOW. OKAY, SINCE SEVERAL OF THESE LAFCO HAVE DROPPED OUT OF THE ORGANIZATION AND SAY THEY HAD BOARD MEMBERS, THOSE PEOPLE LEFT WITH THEM. ARE THEY STILL CONSIDERED A PART OF THAT BOARD? NO. THEY'RE GONE. YEAH, AS OF. AND WHEN CALAFCO VOTES FOR THIS NEW PLAN, IT'S ONLY GOING TO BE THE CURRENT DUES-PAYING MEMBER.
EXACTLY. RIGHT. YEAH. AND IN THE BYLAWS ACTUALLY THEY'RE CHANGING FROM MEMBERSHIP TO LIKE LAFCO MEMBERS OF GOOD STANDING, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT PAYING YOUR DUES, YOU'RE NOT, YOU CAN'T VOTE, BASICALLY.
SO MANY OF THE LAFCO. SO, WE'RE JUST IN JULY 17TH.
THE ONES THAT LEFT WERE PAID THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, WHICH JUST ENDED IN JUNE.
SO IT'S REALLY, EXCEPT FOR RIVERSIDE, WHICH LEFT A WHILE AGO.
IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR THEM. THEY THEY DIDN'T LIKE PAYING MORE.
THEY LEFT BEFORE. BUT EVERYONE ELSE, INCLUDING SAN DIEGO AND LOS ANGELES, THEY JUST LEFT EFFECTIVE.
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JULY 1ST. YEAH, JULY 1ST. YEAH. SO THEY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE UNLESS THEY AT THE CALAFCO CONFERENCE ONCE THEY COME BACK.AND ANY ISSUES FOR THE MAIN PROPOSALS RIGHT NOW IS TO RESTRUCTURE HOW THE BOARD IS APPOINTED.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S ALL VOTED ON BY CATEGORY. SO THE COUNTY SUPERVISORS VOTE FOR THE COUNTY REPS.
THE CITY REPS VOTE FOR THE CITY REPS. AND THEN EVERYBODY GOES TO THE PUBLIC MEMBER, AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS VOTE FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS. SO THEY WANT TO HAVE IT OPEN UP TO THE BROAD THAT ANYBODY RUNS AND THEY'RE GOING TO THROW IN EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, JUST LIKE MYSELF, COULD ALSO RUN. AND THEN YOU WOULD BE VOTING ON THE CANDIDATES, AND YOU WOULD STILL BE BY REGION, WE HAVE THE FOUR REGIONS IN THE SOUTHERN, AND WE'RE IN THE CENTRAL AND THE COASTAL.
SO THEY'LL STILL BE FOUR REGIONS, BUT YOU'LL JUST GET A POOL OF CANDIDATES.
IS THERE A PROPOSAL? BUT WHO WANTS TO RUN? AND YOU CAN SAY, WELL, I'M AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BUT I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR, YOU KNOW, 30 YEARS, SO I THINK I'M QUALIFIED.
OR YOU CAN HAVE A NEW SUPERVISOR THAT SAYS, HEY, I REALLY LIKE THIS.
AND THEN YOU VOTE ON WHOEVER IT WAS. SO YOU DON'T HAVE THESE DISTINCT CATEGORIES BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT HAVE A, LIKE FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS, WE DON'T HAVE ANY IN MERCED COUNTY, SO VOTING ON SPECIAL DISTRICT MEMBERS TO BE ON THE CALAFCO BOARD DOESN'T MATTER THAT MUCH.
WELL, IT MAY NOT BE, IF THAT'S IN THE CENTRAL REGION WHERE WE ARE, MAYBE THAT'S NOT A COMMON.
SO THAT'S A RULE CHANGE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE VOTED ON AT THE CONFERENCE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT AS A SOLUTION, BECAUSE THERE WAS A LOT OF CONSTERNATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, SEATS CHANGING AND THE PRESSURES OF DIFFERENT, WHETHER CITIES OR COUNTIES OR SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND THE POLITICS THAT GO ON AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE ORGANIZATIONS.
[INAUDIBLE] AND THERE'S DEFINITELY INFIGHTING AND DISAGREEMENTS AND HURT FEELINGS AND ALL THAT, SO. I FILL [INAUDIBLE]. THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT, YEAH.
YEAH, YEAH. DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. SO YEAH. SO, IT'S TAKING A LOT OF WORK, A LOT OF TIME.
SO WE GET KIND OF FIRSTHAND KNOWLEDGE. SO I'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT THE LATEST ARE.
THE BIG VOTE ON WHICH WAY, KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED.
FOR THE NEW YORK [INAUDIBLE]. IS A GREAT PLACE TO LEARN, YOU KNOW, TO GO ONE FULL DAY AND TWO HALF DAYS OF SESSIONS AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND THEN YOU MEET OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, FROM OTHER CSAC OR LEAGUE MEETINGS AND ALL THAT, SO ANYWAY. REGARDLESS, REGARDLESS. THROUGH THE CALAFCO STAYS AS AN ORGANIZATION WITH LESS MEMBERSHIP OR WE REGAIN A LOT OF THE MEMBERS WE LEFT.
THE REGULATIONS AND RULES THAT COME DOWN FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE ABIDED BY OR FOLLOWED BY THE LAFCOS IN GENERAL IN CALIFORNIA, REGARDLESS WHETHER WE BELONG TO THIS ORGANIZATION OR NOT, IS THAT CORRECT? CORRECT, YEAH. THIS IS TOTALLY. THE DIFFERENCE IS GOING TO BE MAYBE WE WILL NOT GET AS MUCH.
YOU THINK THEY GET. A LAFCO THAT BELONGS TO CALAFCO GETS MORE INFORMATION AND MORE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THE STATE'S THINKING IS THAN THOSE THAT DO NOT. YEAH, ACTUALLY VERY, VERY GOOD POINT, CALAFCO, BECAUSE IT'S AN OLD ORGANIZATION BEEN AROUND, I MEAN, 35, 40 YEARS. IT WAS THAT [INAUDIBLE].
WELL, THE [INAUDIBLE] DIDN'T FORM IMMEDIATELY, BUT IT GOT TOGETHER, THIS FORM OF 63.
SO I'VE BEEN INVOLVED SINCE 83. AND THERE WAS A CALL UP WITH MORE STAFF.
[00:30:01]
AT THAT POINT THERE WAS SOME COMMISSIONER, BUT THE STAFF WAS, LEFT THE STAFF FOR DOING MOST OF THE WORK AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FULL TIME STAFF.SO WHEN CALAFCO IS AN ORGANIZATION REPRESENTING CITIES, COUNTIES AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS, WHEN THEY SUPPORT A BILL OR OPPOSE A BILL THAT HAS INFLUENCE ON THE STATE LEGISLATORS.
THE ONLY THING WHICH IS ONE OF THEIR OWN, WHICH IS THAT THEY'D BE.
YEAH, THEY'D BE LOBBYING. IF THEY NEEDED TO, AND NO ONE ELSE WOULD.
YEAH. SO THE BEST EXAMPLE FOR US WAS GOING TO CALAFCO WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR THE UC MERCED ANNEXATION, WHICH TOOK SPECIAL LEGISLATION BECAUSE IT WAS TWO MILES FROM THE CITY LIMITS AND YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO ADD A ROAD STRIP TO CONNECT.
YOU USED TO HAVE THAT. SAN JOSE DID THAT ALL THE TIME AND THEY TOOK THAT OUT OF THE LAW.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE. SO WE GOT A SPECIAL EXCEPTION FOR UC MERCED WITH THE UNIQUE NATURE OF IT, AND THEN ALLOW THE DEVELOPMENT, THE PROPERTY NEXT TO THE CAMPUS TO BE DEVELOPED.
THAT'S WHERE HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL IS SUPPOSED TO GO IN THE ORIGINAL PLAN.
SO GOING TO CALAFCO, THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WAS KIND OF A HARD SELL BECAUSE IT WAS AN UNUSUAL THING, AND THEY WORRY ABOUT, WELL, IF MERCED DOES THIS, EVERYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT.
RIVERSIDE WILL DO IT. AND SO THEY WERE, BECAUSE IT WAS SO LIMITED TO MERCED THEY AGREED TO IT.
AND THEN THE LEGISLATURE KNEW THAT CALAFCO SUPPORTED IT.
SO WITHOUT A CALAFCO, IF IT WAS JUST FOR SAID PROMOTING THIS BILL.
OTHER, YOU KNOW, WHO CARES ABOUT MERCED ACROSS THE STATE.
THEY WOULD THINK, WELL, THIS IS SPECIAL. MAYBE RIVERSIDE OR SAN DIEGO WOULDN'T LIKE IT.
SO THAT'S THE BENEFIT OF IT. ANYTHING ELSE ON THAT THEN.
NO. ALL RIGHT. WHAT'S THE UPDATE? ANY UPDATES ON MSR? YES. [INAUDIBLE] YEAH. WE DID GET A COMPLETED ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT FOR THE LOS BANOS MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW, FINALLY, AND SENT IT TO THE CITY LAST WEEK. SO THEY'RE HAVING AN INTERNAL REVIEW OF THEIR STAFF TO BE SURE THAT THE DATA AND INFORMATION WAS ACCURATE. THERE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, ISSUES, YOU KNOW, STAFF STILL HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR SPHERE.
AND LAFCO DID WITH WRITING A LETTER. AND SO THAT'LL BE PART OF THE POLICY DEBATE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MSR WILL BE USED TO PROCESS THE SPHERE INFLUENCE UPDATE. BUT WE'RE RIGHT NOW TRYING TO REALLY GET MORE TECHNICAL VERIFICATION THAT WE GOT, THAT THE DATA YOU GAVE US IS ACCURATE OR NOT.
AND THEN THE OTHER MSR THAT'S ALMOST OUT FOR REVIEW IS THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT, WHICH IS AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WE'RE PRETTY MUCH HEADED TOWARD RECOMMENDING A CONSOLIDATION OF THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICTS INTO ONE OR MAYBE TWO, WITH GRASSLANDS STAYING SEPARATE BECAUSE THEY'RE MORE UNIQUE.
BUT WITH THEIR SUPPORT SEEMS LIKE THE GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THAT CONCEPT.
SO THAT'S GOT TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS PROPOSAL OR CONCEPT, AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO BE INITIATED BY THE COMMISSION AS A SEPARATE ACTION AFTER IT IS DESIRED. AND WE WOULD GO OUT AHEAD OF THE DISTRICT SO WE GET THE DISTRICTS INVOLVED.
AND THEN THE OTHER MSR IS A SMALL ONE RIGHT NOW THAT'S INVOLVING AN UPDATE FOR THE STEVINSON WATER DISTRICT, WHICH IS ANNEXING A BUNCH OF LAND AND DETACHING SOME ADJACENT LAND FROM THE MERQUIN WATER DISTRICT.
FOR, IT'S REALLY FOR SGMA PURPOSES AND PROVIDING WATER.
SO ANYWAY, IT NEEDED A, BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF THE MSR UPDATE.
SO WE'LL GET INVOLVED LATER. SO LIVINGSTON IS REALLY JUMPING UP AFTER MANY YEARS.
AND WE HAD ISSUES WITH THEIR BIG, LAST TIME WE HAD A BIG SCARE.
[INAUDIBLE] BUT THEN THEY NEVER CAME BACK AND REVISED IT.
AND THEN WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] COMPLETED THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE.
AND ATWATER'S IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR [INAUDIBLE] UPDATE. CITY OF MERCED IS ALSO DOING THEIR JOB.
SO WE'LL GET MORE INPUT INTO THOSE PROCESSES.
[INAUDIBLE] YEAH. HOLD ON. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. COMMISSIONER COMMENTS.
[00:35:06]
MR. REED YOU GOT ANY COMMENT TONIGHT? [INAUDIBLE] ARE STILL COMPLETING OUR HOUSING ELEMENT, I BELIEVE WORKING WITH LAFCO WITH OUR ANNEXATIONS.I'M MOVING FORWARD ON THAT. OKAY. GOT IT. [INAUDIBLE] ANYTHING TO SAY? THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. SO, SOMETHING I WANT TO PROPOSE TO THE BOARD IN SPEAKING WITH DOS PALOS AND POTENTIAL ANNEXATION.
AND HAVING A GENERAL PLAN THAT WAS LAST UPDATED IN 1990.
AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COST ON UPDATING THEIR GENERAL PLAN IS WELL OVER $1 MILLION AT THIS POINT, AND RESOURCES ARE HARD TO COME BY. I KNOW AS PART OF IT THEIR UPDATE, THEIR MSR, THEIR SERVICE REVIEWS ON IT.
AND SO I'D LIKE THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, AND I THINK PROBABLY GUSTINE MAY BE IN THE SAME BOAT.
LIKE WHEN WE DO, WE'VE DONE WATER DISTRICTS, WE'VE DONE SPECIAL DISTRICTS, AND I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY DOING CEMETERY DISTRICTS, AND THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGE THAT REALLY HAPPENS WITH THE CEMETERY DISTRICTS.
AND SO I'D LIKE THE COMMISSION TO CONSIDER IS, MAYBE HAVING MR. NICHOLSON AT LEAST EXPLORE INTO WHAT IS THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE HAVE BUDGETED.
WOULD THAT COVER MAYBE PICKING UP THOSE MSR FOR THOSE SMALLER JURISDICTIONS THAT, IT JUST ADDS TO THE PILE OF BURDEN THAT THEY HAVE, AND THEY'RE STUCK IN THIS UNIQUE POSITION OF, YOU KNOW, HOUSING ELEMENTS THAT ARE DUE, BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE UPDATE YOUR GENERAL PLAN TO DO IT, BUT YOU GOT TO HAVE YOUR GENERAL PLAN IN ORDER TO UPDATE YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT, BUT YOU NEED YOUR HOUSING ELEMENT TO ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO BUILD ANY HOUSES.
AND THEN THERE'S THE BIG ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM IS THAT WE NEED A MILLION AND A QUARTER DOLLARS, THAT WE DON'T HAVE, TO BE ABLE TO DO IT. AND SO I THINK, AS THE JURISDICTIONS IN GENERAL, AND I GET IT, IT'S PROBABLY A PERSON CAN MAKE THE ARGUMENTS.
NOT FAIR, THAT CITY OF LOS BANOS IS HAVING TO PAY FOR THEIRS.
THESE SMALLER JURISDICTIONS, IT'S A LOT CHEAPER COST.
AND I THINK AS PART OF THAT, LIKE WE'VE SUPPORTED THESE SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND WE SUPPORTED WATER DISTRICTS AND JUST KIND OF SAYING AS PART OF OUR BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, YES, SORRY. YES. EPS KIND OF HAVE LIKE A STANDING CONTRACT WITH THEM, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, THAT THEY JUST KIND OF DO THESE WORDS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREAS.
SO I'D LIKE US TO AT LEAST EXPLORE THAT AND MAYBE BRING THAT BACK AS A CONSIDERATION OR TO.
SO I GUESS THAT'S MY ASK, BECAUSE AT LEAST EXPLORE THAT AND TALK TO MAYBE THE CITY OF AUGUST AND CITY OF DOS PALOS AND SEE IF THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL AND HELPFUL AND KIND OF MAYBE HOLDING OFF ON DOING THE CEMETERY DISTRICTS FOR A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HURT ANYTHING. AND MAYBE LOOK AT DOING SOMETHING MORE VALUABLE, MORE USEFUL WITH THOSE RESOURCES IN EXPLORING THOSE REVIEWS SO THAT'S MY COMMENT.
AND THEN MY NEXT COMMENT IS MR. NICHOLSON, DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND, WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER FOR CALAFCO? IT HAS ME. HASN'T EVEN HIT YET. WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE.
THEY HAVEN'T HAD THE FEES YET. THEY'RE STILL SETTING UP THE PROGRAM AND ALL THAT.
OKAY. IT'LL PROBABLY BE A COUPLE OF MONTHS I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THIS IS PROBABLY AN INTERESTING ONE, WILL BE AN INTERESTING ONE TO ATTEND, TO SAY THE LEAST. IN THE REALIZING, AT LEAST IN MY MIND.
YOU'RE INVOLVE. YEAH KNOW ABOUT THAT TOOL. AND, YOU KNOW, IN MY MIND IS THESE BIGGER JURISDICTIONS AND HOW OUR DUES CALAFCO ARE MADE, YOU KNOW, IT'S BASED UPON YOUR SIZE.
AND IF YOU LOSE A RIVERSIDE COUNTY AND A SAN DIEGO COUNTY.
THAT'S COUNTY [INAUDIBLE]. THAT'S DEFINITELY, FOR THE REST OF US, IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO INCREASE WHAT OUR DUES ARE GOING TO BE IN ORDER TO, FOR THAT ORGANIZATION TO. [INAUDIBLE] IT REALLY DOES, AND I THINK THAT PART OF THE ANSWER TO THE MAKEUP STRUCTURE OF THE BOARD IS, AND I KNOW THAT WE DO THIS AT CSAC IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BROKEN UP INTO RURAL, SUBURBAN AND URBAN. BUT LIKE L.A. COUNTY HAS A STANDING SEAT ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, URBAN CAUCUS, BECAUSE THEY'RE SO LARGE, THEY HAVE A STANDING SEAT ON THEM.
I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, IN ORDER TO MAKE THINGS KIND OF BE FAIR IS, THAT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PASS ON TO THE ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CALAFCO, IS MAYBE THAT'S HOW YOU GET THOSE FOLKS BACK IN.
IS THAT AN L.A. COUNTY. AND I THINK IT BEHOOVES US TO DO IT.
[00:40:01]
AND THE REASON BEING IS L.A. COUNTY BY THEMSELVES.THEY CAN HIRE THEIR OWN LOBBYING FIRM ALL BY THEMSELVES AND JUST KIND OF DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.
AND PROBABLY WOULD BE JUST AS EFFECTIVE, IF NOT MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CALAFCO IN CHANGING POLICY AND LOBBYING LEGISLATORS BECAUSE IT'S THERE. YOU KNOW, I'LL GO BACK TO, I REMEMBER WHEN ADAM GRAY, WHEN HE FIRST GOT ELECTED TO THE ASSEMBLY, AND THEY DO THE NEW CLASS. THEY DO ROLL CALL BY COUNTY IN THE STATE ASSEMBLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, AND OF COURSE, L.A. COUNTY, THEY GO ALPHABETICAL ORDER, AND THEY SAY, OKAY, L.A. COUNTY AND A THIRD OF THE ROOM STANDS UP, RIGHT.
SO A THIRD OF THE LEGISLATORS IN THE ASSEMBLY REPRESENT PARTS OF L.A.
COUNTY. AND THEN YOU GO TO MERCED, AND NOW IT'S CHANGED A LITTLE BIT WITH REDISTRICTING, AND THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, MERCED COUNTY, AND THEN ONE LEGISLATOR STANDS, RIGHT.
SO I THINK IT REALLY BEHOOVES CALAFCO TO NOT LOSE SOME OF THOSE BIGGER JURISDICTIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE THE MEANS AND THE ABILITY TO GO OUT ON THEIR OWN, OR EVEN START LIKE AN URBAN COUNTY CALAFCO OR URBAN COUNTY LAFCO, WHATEVER.
AND SO THAT MIGHT BE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE APPETITE OF THE REST OF THE COMMISSION WOULD BE, BUT GIVING THOSE LARGER JURISDICTIONS LIKE A PERMANENT SEAT ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OR ON THE BOARD OR WHATEVER, I THINK THAT MIGHT, MIGHT BE A WAY TO HELP [INAUDIBLE].
THAT'S ALL I'LL SAY. THANK YOU. MR. PEDROZO. ANY COMMENTS? I HAVE NONE EITHER TODAY. SO WE WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING THEN.
FOR THE BUSINESS MEETINGS WE ARE GOING TO BE ADJOURNED AT 10:43.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.