BOARD MEETING MINUTES
REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, April 18, 2015
A. CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL
President Baskin called the Regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Stinson Beach
County Water District to order on Saturday, April 18, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., at the Stinson Beach
County Water District office, located at 3785 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970.
Directors present:
Lawrence Baskin, President
Sandra Cross, Vice President
Barbara Boucke, Director
Morey Nelsen, Director
Jim Zell, Director
Treasurer present:
Judy Stemen
General Manager present:
Ed Schmidt
Staff present:
Rich Souza - District Engineer
Helma Schwendig - Office Supervisor
B. PUBLIC EXPRESSION
Scott Tye, a former Board member, distributed excerpts of the
minutes of the Board of Directors Regular Meeting of Saturday, December 21, 2013,
concerning Public Hearing item No. 2, the discussion and possible direction to staff re: Design
Approval Permit for Vacant Lot on Calle del Embarcadero (APN 195-132-03). At this meeting,
three Board members voted to grant a one year Design Approval Permit extension for a septic
system if a request for extension is received before September 15, 2014, but based on the
Design Approval Permit dated September 17, 2012 and Resolutions Nos. WW 2012-04 and
WW 2012-05. [A Design Review Extension Application was subsequently approved to
September 17, 2015]. Mr. Tye is concerned that the building improvement plans submitted to
the County show a slightly different location of the proposed septic system.
District Engineer Souza stated that it is not uncommon for the septic tank location to be
adjusted as long as all setback requirements are met. The District will verify its location
during the preconstruction meeting for the septic system.
C. SETTING OF AGENDA
The agenda was unanimously adopted as set.
D. PUBLIC HEARING
-
Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Request for replacement of
an existing septic system with an alternative type system, 125 Buena Vista Avenue,
Account #3480, Mary and Dale Thomsen, owners.
This project had previously been reviewed at the March 18, 2015 Wastewater Committee meeting. The total habitable space of the existing single family residence will be increased from 1,418 square feet up to 1,900 square feet. The garage will be utilized as non-habitable space for storage/work shop. A new alternative septic system will be installed to treat and disperse a maximum and average daily rate of 300 and 200 gallons, respectively.
The existing single field gravity septic system will be abandoned. The proposed drip dispersal field, Aerobic Treatment Unit, and Ultra Violet unit require a variance per Sec. 4.19.010 - Use of Alternative Wastewater Systems Designs. Also, a variance is required to Section 4.15.111 Depth to Groundwater. To mitigate the high groundwater level, an intercept/foundation drain is proposed upslope of the dispersal field to divert groundwater to a dissipater trench, increasing the separation to the required 36 inches between the bottom of the drip dispersal field and highest observed elevation of groundwater.
The Board expressed concern that the existing garage may be converted to habitable space. Director Nelsen made a motion to approve draft Resolution No. WW-2015-03 [subsequently renumbered as WW-2015-04], Granting a Variance to the Requirements of the Stinson Beach County Water District Wastewater Treatment Regulations Ordinance No. 2014-04 to Utilize an Alternative Wastewater System and to Mitigate Seasonal High Groundwater Separation from the Dispersal Field for property located at 125 Buena Vista Avenue, Stinson Beach, but subject to the addition of the following whereas clauses on page 2 of the Resolution:
"WHEREAS, this Resolution applies to the Sewage Disposal Plan designed by Eckman Environmental dated April 5, 2015 and subject to design modifications approved by the District Engineer, the conditions listed in Section 4.15.621 Design Flow, and listed below for a single family residence with up to 1,900 ft2 of habitable space on the subject property; and
"WHEREAS, no existing or additional auxiliary structures may be used as habitable space and no additional habitable space beyond the 1,900 ft2 herein provided for shall be allowed unless through a new design and variance application approved by the Board of Directors; and"
Vice President Cross seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by President Baskin, Vice President Cross and Directors Boucke, Nelsen and Zell.
E. GENERAL BUSINESS
-
Discussion and possible correction of a typographical error on a financial
spreadsheet submitted to the California Public Employees' Retirement System
(CalPERS) for the Fiscal Year 2011 - 2012.
The Board decided that this matter should be discussed first at a meeting of the Personnel Committee on April 22, 2015 and then brought back to the Board for further discussion at the May 16, 2015 Board meeting.
F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Vice President Cross moved to approve the minutes of March 21, 2015. Director Boucke
seconded the motion. The motion was approved by President Baskin, Vice President Cross
and Directors Boucke and Zell. Director Nelsen was not present at the March 21, 2015
meeting.
G. APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS
Vice President Cross moved to approve the disbursements of March 18, 2015. Director
Boucke seconded the motion. The motion was approved by President Baskin, Vice President
Cross and Directors Boucke, Nelsen and Zell.
H. MANAGER'S REPORT
The General Manager discussed his monthly report. He distributed his notes from the
Coastal Commission Public Hearing that he attended on April 16 with Vice President Cross.
The new proposed Local Coastal Plan prohibits development of desalination facilities.
However, the Governor's Executive Order B-29-15 of April 1, 2015 encourages investment in
new technologies and the use of desalination plants.
The Board will send a letter to the Board of Supervisors and Coastal Commission for
consideration of amending the LCP to permit the use of several small, portable desal units
that could supplement the District's existing water supplies in case of emergency. The
District is totally dependent on groundwater and has no pipelines to be able to connect to
other sources of water. It supplies water for the thousands of recreational users of the Park.
The Board and the General Manager thanked Allan Richards of Stetson Engineers, for his
good and successful efforts in submitting the grant applications which have been approved.
Mr. Richards made a presentation to the Board, explaining the process of desalination, which
removes salts and other dissolved constituents from sea or brackish water. He explained the
different methods, the technology, the energy requirements of the process and a summary of
existing facilities worldwide, in the U.S. and in coastal California. Stetson Engineers had
provided a draft reconnaissance evaluation to the District in July 2006, which explored water
desalination.
At the May 16, 2015 Board meeting, a representative from AMPAC USA, Advanced Water
Treatment Solution, will make a presentation of their small sized portable desal units.
The cost summary for the Calles Pipeline project has been completed and totals $342,873.74.
ABAG will request the District's documentation shortly. The District will receive $1.25 million
in grant funds for which it has a 25% match obligation of $312,500, which has already been
met.
I. COMMITTEE REPORTS
None.
J. CORRESPONDENCE
The Board reviewed the correspondence.
K. ADJOURNMENT
The motion to adjourn the meeting was approved by unanimous vote. The meeting was
adjourned at 11:30 a.m.