1. Call to Order
8:00 p.m.
2. Roll
Directors Amoroso, Bertsch, Kayfetz, McClellan, Siedman present.
Director Amoroso presiding.
3. Manager’s Report
Phase one of the Alder Road distribution line, valve and hydrant installation project has been satisfactorily completed. New valves at Aspen, Birch and Cedar and 750 ft. of pipeline have been installed, tested and activated. Phase two, between Cedar and Evergreen, will take place next summer using a similar approach of combining District personnel and outside contractors. The first stage has cost approximately $25,000; the second phase should be considerably less.
Removing the old interior coating on the West water storage tank, preparatory to painting, has taken longer than anticipated but is nearing completion.
Drawings and specifications have been prepared for the cathodic protection of the storage tanks. If it meets expectations of doubling the life of the interior coating it should be another 35-40 years before repainting is necessary. The District will solicit bids for the work as son as the engineering work is delivered.
When work is completed on any lines they have to be disinfected and flushed before going back into service. To lower the concentration of chlorine in the water before flushing it Stinson Beach Water District is proposing purchasing a Line Purge Dechlorinator, which can then be rented by BCPUD when needed.
A failure of the newest irrigation pump at the sewage treatment facility has turned out to be burnt windings, which can be repaired relatively inexpensively.
The results of lab tests on the sludge from the sewage treatment facility are below the maximum contaminant level for heavy metals. Wastewater Treatment Operator Kate Currey and consultant Jeff Creque are proceeding with a pilot project to compost 12 cubic yards of sludge from Pond 2. It will be located inside the cyclone fence round the ponds and use hay bales for containment.
Bailey Green will be coming out on November 7 to discuss the proposed digester pits and optimum placement of the aerators at the sewage facility. The full crew will be present. Director Amoroso will also attend as will Director Bertsch, if possible.
Recent investigative work on the distribution system has led to the discovery of key valves which allow for the isolation and eventual abandonment of the obsolete 4” line on Mesa road between Evergreen and Overlook.
Manager Buchanan will be on vacation from October 20 – 27.
4. Community Expression
Joe Bracco noted that a new deputy in town was behaving unnecessarily harshly, a report confirmed by Ilka Hartmann who had also witnessed an incident with the deputy. It was suggested that Bracco write a letter of complaint to Lieutenant Brunslik.
Cela O’Connor asked the Board to form an ad hoc committee to provide input to the Citizen’s Advisory Commission (CAC). O’Connor explained that the Point Reyes Committee of the Commission had made a report in San Francisco which confused the issues under consideration for the future of the Wilkins/Tiscornia Ranch (Rancho Baulines). The Point Reyes Committee report suggested that the only option under consideration was tenancy by Point Reyes Bird Observatory. No public airing has been given to Mary Tiscornia’s proposal of continued tenancy.
-- Kayfetz/McClellan unanimous to put O’Connor’s request on the agenda as an urgent item, since a meeting of the Commission is scheduled for the end of the week
-- Kayfetz/McClellan unanimous to send a strongly worded letter to the CAC indicating that: pursuant to the May, 1978 report to congress that invited the formation of such an ad hoc committee, and in light of the fact that the gateway to our community, contrary to that legislation and the report that accompanied that legislation, is being taken away from a local member of the community who has preserved it very reasonably, and turned into what appears, at first blush, to be the beginning of a southern visitor center, which, specifically, the report promised would not happen, the Board feels that it’s a matter of urgency, and has acted as an emergency matter, to put this on its agenda and form a committee. The Board requests that the decision making process that is being discussed at the scoping session be delayed until there is time for input through this committee from the local concerned community and citizens; and that also there be given equal consideration to the preservation of the existing leasehold as Ms. Tiscornia has suggested, as an alternative, rather than a single proposal being considered as if it were the only choice. And to form the committee as requested by O’Connor.
Steve Matson, Cela O’Connor, Judith Lowry and Rudi Ferris were appointed on the spot and further applications will be invited through the Hearsay, to be appointed at the November 15 meeting, at which Superintendent Don Neubacher will be present to discuss Rancho Baulines.
The letter to the CAC will indicate that allowing 45-60 days for public comment after the upcoming meeting would be appropriate.
5. Vegetation Management Committee: subcommittee proposals
Director Amoroso stated that, rather than discussing the substance of the reports and comments submitted by the two subcommittees at this meeting, he wished to establish a procedure for arriving at a decision. Various suggestions were made: to appoint a spokesperson for each group to outline main components of the proposals; defer reports and comments until directors have had time to read and digest the material; reading the proposals aloud; acting only on points of agreement immediately (only one could be found); setting up a conference committee to identify overlaps in the proposals. Ultimately it was decided to bring the item back before the Board at the November meeting. In the interim directors will be able to submit written questions to the subcommittees to be answered at the November meeting when they make their presentations. The non-presenting committee will also be able to ask questions at the November meeting.
Ann Young asked if funds that had been allocated for containment of the trees to the present area, which she said was supported in both proposals, could be used. However, funds have not been specifically set aside, although some might be secured when needed. Dale Polissar stated that the only area of agreement was in dealing with hazardous trees on Mesa Road, many of which are in the County right-of-way, not on BCPUD property. Ray Moritz noted that the County was not willing to deal with any trees without evidence of strong community support.
-- Siedman/Bertsch unanimous to appoint Ray Moritz as District representative in evaluating hazardous trees on Mesa Road and Olema-Bolinas Road, and to consider giving written support to proposals that he brings to the Board.
6. Steven Kennedy’s Vegetation Management Video Project: request for letter of support
Steven Kennedy asked the Board for written endorsement of his projected video on urban fire-fuel containment. He stated that his distribution list included all endorsers and thus increased the attractiveness of his proposal to granting agencies. Director Amoroso requested a letter from the non-profit agency acting as his fiscal sponsor. Director Siedman said it was not appropriate for a public agency to endorse an independent proposal to enable it to get grants.
-- Siedman/Kayfetz 4 ayes, McClellan absent to deny Kennedy’s request for a letter of support
7. Formation of Housing Committee
-- Siedman/Kayfetz unanimous to appoint all seven applicants to the Housing Committee, subject to Board giving direction on what the committee is expected to accomplish
Joe Bracco stated that he perceived a need for agency oversight of housing committees acting without public knowledge.
Director Amoroso identified two specific concerns for the committee to address that could lead to modification of the Community Plan: the first issue is the current and potentially increasing use of formerly residential housing for vacation rentals and its impact on the community; the second is the trend towards the building of “monster” homes. Director McClellan noted that Paragraph 6 of Resolution 173 is intended to address the issue of appropriate new building size, although it might need to be amended. Director Kayfetz, while noting that District jurisdiction does not include Horseshoe Hill and parts of Mesa Road, proposed that the committee evaluate the potential impacts, both positive and negative, to the reservation of homes for vacation rentals and make recommendations to the Board, whether to amend the Community Plan and/or to involve the County in regulation of such. Director Bertsch affirmed that her priority was vacation rentals, and that the issue of “monster” homes should be secondary. Ilka Hartmann said that she would also like to take on the affordable housing situation, without overlapping the work of the existing organizations in town devoted to that topic.
-- Siedman/Kayfetz unanimous to follow Bertsch’s recommendation that the committee address the vacation rental situation before moving to other housing issues.
8. Bolinas Community Land Trust: Gibson House affordable housing project
Continued.
9. Public Easements Along Cliff Behind 410 Yucca (Yucca and Poplar)
Director McClellan aired the idea of establishing a public easement along the cliff top at the end of Poplar, through the parcel now up for sale, which, though undevelopable, might be fenced off if sold. No action was taken.
10. Bolinas Beach: proposals to lease land and/or accept Offers To Dedicate easements
Cela O’Connor explained that if BCPUD were to lease the sections of Brighton Beach that are currently owned by the State Lands Commission and then deal directly with the Coastal Commission to implement any proposed use restrictions, control of the beach would stay in local hands. She said that Linda Locklin, the manager of the coastal access program, could attend the December meeting to answer any questions if desired. Director Kayfetz suggested waiting to see what measures County might propose before pursuing such a course.
11. Mesa Septic: update on request to County of Marin for Ex Officio appointment to SepTAC
No specific response has been received to date from Supervisor Kinsey to Manager Buchanan’s request to include BCPUD representatives as Ex Officio members of the SepTAC; however Director Bertsch’s name was included in the list of attendees as an “Interested Party” and Bertsch and Director McClellan have received minutes and agendas of meetings. Director Siedman stated that Ex Officio status must be pursued.
12. Surplus Property: report on request for legal advice; sale proposal (AP# 188-090-14)
The opinion of District Counsel Hadden Roth on the legality of selling the District’s 73-acre parcel on Pine Gulch Creek is that selling to the National Park Service, even if outbid by private parties, is legal, and that attaching conditions of grazing rights and public access should not pose any problem. However, purchasing the parcel my not be as advantageous to the adjacent property owner, Michael Moritz, as Moritz had previously hoped. Staff proposed drafting a letter offering the parcel to the Park Service with the condition that, if the Park Service hasn’t accepted entered into a purchase agreement within fourteen months it will be offered publicly.
--Kayfetz/Siedman unanimous to approve drafting a letter to the NPS as outlined by Manager Buchanan.
Cela O’Connor noted that if Moritz bought the property he could build a single family dwelling on it, with a road to it, which would resolve one of his current issues.
13. Kale Road Maintenance: clarification of March 15, 2000 Board order to remove spoils; cost estimate for survey of public easements
Shortly after the most recent surveyor approached for an estimate for surveying the public easements turned down the job, a conversation with Don Hobbs of the Marin County Public Works Department has suggested that the work might be carried out by DPW at no charge. Staff will investigate further.
Continued.
14. Resolution No. 454, rescinding and replacing Resolutions 238, 248, 258, 439 and 440, concerning water meter suspension and abandonment procedures
Director Kayfetz indicated that the definition of abandonment in the draft needed clarification. The Legal Committee will review and revise the resolution.
Continued.
15. Other Business
a. Committee Reports
-- Downtown Parking:
The Board noted that a letter from Nancy McDonald to the Marin County Planning Department requesting investigation of an apparently illegal business conducted in the property adjacent to her had received no response. Staff will send a letter to the Planning Department requesting clarification of the legality of conducting a business that could use as many as 39 parking spaces on Brighton Avenue, without any permit, stating that such information is essential for accurate results of the Parking Committee’s survey.
Staff will respond to a letter from Jody Angel requesting clarification of the role of the Parking Committee. Directors delineated the scope of the downtown area for parking purposes as including Wharf Road, Brighton Avenue, Park Avenue and Olema-Bolinas Road as far as Mesa Rd.
-- Finance: draft 1999-00 financial audit
-- Bertsch/Siedman unanimous to approve audit.
-- Legal:
Directors Siedman and Kayfetz queried the length of time spent by District Counsel Hadden Roth at a status conference.
-- Park and Recreation: title 22 water reclamation project update
Director Siedman reported that Bailey Green intends to complete the water reclamation project report needed to apply for State Water Bond fund, by December 3, 2000. The report can also be used to apply to other grant sources. His fee of $8,000 is to be paid in two parts, whether or not the grant is received. Siedman expressed some concern about Green’s timeliness.
The regulations for the Park Bond funds are still being worked out. If neither State Water or Park Bonds produce funding, private financing my be pursued.
The Mesa Park Board of Commissioners would like to appoint Robert Hunter to fill the remainder of Malcolm Ponder’s term on its board. There were no objections.
-- Personnel: 10/3/00 meeting report; office staffing recommendation
Staff proposed increasing Administrative Assistant Jill Whitcroft’s hours to approximately 21 per week on a trial basis, to be ratified at the December meeting if satisfactory.
-- Kayfetz/McClellan unanimous to approve trial period
-- Solid Waste: Resource Recovery Project: September financial report; operations report
Mike Aitken wants to remove an almost dead walnut tree from the Resource Recovery site. It was suggested that he seek bids for the highest value for its removal.
Director Amoroso noted that it was important to publicize the forthcoming November 1, 2000 Special Meeting to discuss Measure G on the November ballot. Director Siedman stated that he felt it was inappropriate for the District to pay solid waste consultant Paul Rottenberg for his attendance at the meeting. Amoroso insisted that Rottenberg had been an integral part of the process to date and his presence at the meeting would be essential.
b. Minutes of Meeting
-- Bertsch/Siedman unanimous to approve September 20, 2000 minutes as amended.
c. Warrants
-- Bertsch/Siedman unanimous to approve warrants.
d. Scheduling of Next Meeting(s)
Special Meeting – November 1, 2000
Regular Meeting – November 15, 2000
16. Adjournment
11.25 p.m.