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BOARD MEETING MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, May 18, 2019

A.    CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL

President Boucke called the Regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Stinson Beach County Water District to order on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., at the Stinson Beach County Water District office, located at 3785 Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA 94970.

Directors present:
Barbara Boucke, President
Lawrence Baskin, Vice President
Sandra Cross, Director
Morey Nelsen, Director
Jim Zell, Director

General Manager present:
Ed Schmidt

Staff present:
Rich Souza - District Engineer
Helma Schwendig - Office Supervisor

B.    PUBLIC EXPRESSION

Lovisa Rubin, wife of Steve Rubin, spoke in Mr. Rubin's absence. The Rubins are owners of properties that are close to Elly Drosihn's property at 3265 Shoreline Highway. The Rubins are concerned that Mrs. Drosihn will not abide by the terms set forth in Resolution No. WW 2019-05, which was approved by the majority of the Board of Directors at the April 20, 2019 Board meeting. Vice President Baskin stated that the Resolution was clear in spelling out the manner in which Mrs. Drosihn could continue to utilize her property, her allotted water usage, and her party functions.

The Board could not take any action as the Rubins' protest was not listed as an agenda item for this Board meeting. However, the General Manager will remind Mrs. Drosihn by letter, listing the commitments she made at the April 20, 2019 Board meeting. These include her honoring party events only through November 1, 2019, no new contracts on her website, her deadline of Friday, June 21, to secure all necessary County approvals and special use permits, water usage should not exceed 500 gallons a week through November 1, and subsequent wastewater usage is limited to a maximum of 300 gallons per day and average 200 gallons per day for a single family residence not to exceed 1,900 square feet.

C.    SETTING OF AGENDA

The agenda was unanimously adopted as set.

D.    PUBLIC HEARING

  1. Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Application to repair a wastewater system at 191 Seadrift Road, Douglas S. Andelin, Owner, Account No. 7555.
    The variance application is to replace a failing single field gravity system with an alternative wastewater system rated at 300 gallons per day maximum and 200 gallons per day average. No building improvements are proposed. The three variance requests are: Section 4.15.100 Site Criteria - Setbacks to reduce a front line property setback to a leach field from 5 feet to 3 feet, to eliminate a 5 foot setback to allow parking over a portion of a raised bed dispersal field and under Section 4.19.010 Use of Alternative Wastewater System Designs to utilize a recirculating textile filter.

    As the application is a repair/replacement, there is no review required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board and neighbor notification is not required. The Wastewater Committee reviewed and discussed the project as its May 6, 2019 meeting. To expedite replacement of the failing system, the Design Approval Permit will be conditioned for a period of 6 months.

    Director Cross noted that the condition requiring the homeowner to submit a current maintenance contract agreement should be changed to having the property owner submit to the District the name, address, e-mail, license number or certification of a qualified service provider who will receive and respond to telemetry alerts.

    With these modifications, Director Nelsen moved to approve Draft Resolution No. WW 2019-07 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 Reduce Site Criteria Setback Requirements for Property Located at 191 Seadrift Road. Vice President Baskin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell.
  2. Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Application to install a new alternative wastewater system at 196 Seadrift Road, Robin Steele, Owner, Account No. 6480.
    The District issued a Design Approval permit for a standard intermittent sand filter system for this property on April 10, 2017. Subsequent review of the building plans by the Seadrift Association, however, required that the pool equipment to be relocated from the rear yard to the front. Relocation of this pool equipment initiated the redesign of the wastewater system. The previously approved intermittent sand filter pretreatment device was replaced with an alternative recirculating textile filter (Advantex) to decrease the wastewater footprint and accommodate the relocated pool equipment. As a result of the site plan revision, new Design Review and Variance applications were submitted for an alternative wastewater system.

    The lot is approximately 25,500 ft2 and located on the ocean side of Seadrift Road. The average slope is 6.2%. Soils observed by Staff on March 6, 2017 were sand to an approximately depth of 50-inches. Groundwater was present at 50-inches during the wet weather season.

    The new wastewater system is designed for a maximum and average loading rate of 450 and 300 gallons per day, respectively. The maximum allowable habitable space is 2,800 ft2. A Design Review and Coast Permit is currently under review by Marin County Planning for the building and site improvements. The proposed wastewater design includes a 1,500 gallon septic tank, 1,500 gallon process tank, 810 gallon sump tank, recirculating textile filter, dual raised leaching beds, and a diversion valve. The existing septic tank and gravity leach field will be abandoned in place. Based on the use of the raised beds, there is a least three (3) feet of separation from the bottom of bed to seasonal high groundwater. A variance to Section 4.19.010 Use of Alternative Wastewater System Designs is required for use of the recirculating textile filter. A copy of the application was mailed to the Regional Water Quality Control Board for review and neighbor notifications were mailed timely. The application was reviewed by the Wastewater Committee on April 8, 2019.

    The condition referring to submittal of a current maintenance contract agreement will be revised to having the property owner submit to the District the name, address, e-mail, license number or certification of a qualified service provider who will receive and respond to telemetry alerts.

    Director Nelsen moved to approve Draft Resolution No. WW 2019-08 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 for Property Located at 196 Seadrift Road. Vice President Baskin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell.
  3. Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Application to install a new alternative wastewater system at 342 Seadrift Road, Jeffery Mazet, Owner, Account No. 7080.
    This variance application is for a new alternative wastewater system with a maximum and average daily flow rate of 450 and 300 gallons, respectively. The proposed wastewater system is designed for a new single family residential home with up to 2,800 ft2 of habitable space. The variance requests were previously approved in Resolution WW 2017-08; however, the current application proposes parking over portions of the dispersal field in lieu of a one foot setback. The purpose of the request is to allow pool equipment to be relocated from the backyard into the front yard as required by the Seadrift Association.

    The subject property is a 60' wide lot located south (ocean side) of Seadrift Road. Existing single family residences are located east and west of the subject property. The existing 1,200 ft2 residence will be demolished/replaced under a building permit from the County of Marin. The existing single field gravity system will either be abandoned in place or removed.

    The proposed septic system components include a new 1,500-gallon septic tank, 810-gallon sump tank, recirculating textile filter (Advantex AX20) pretreatment device, and dual raised bed dispersal/leach fields. The system is considered an alternative type system due to the use of the Advantex AX20 pretreatment system. A variance is required per Section 4.19.010 - Use of Alternative Wastewater Systems Designs. This filter will be used in lieu of a standard intermittent sand filter pretreatment device. The Advantex filter is NSF approved with equivalent or better treatment qualities than the sand filter. A pretreatment device is required to mitigate the fast percolating sand soils.

    Per Section 4.15.100 Site Criteria - Setbacks, a variance is required to reduce the setback from a leach field to a driveway/parking area from 5 to 1-foot. To mitigate possible compaction of soils above the leach field, a District approved traffic barrier will be installed.

    A copy of the application was mailed to the Regional Water Quality Control Board and neighbor notifications were timely mailed. The application was reviewed and discussed at the May 6, 2019 Wastewater Committee meeting.

    The condition referring to submittal of a current maintenance contract agreement will be revised to having the property owner submit to the District the name, address, e-mail, license number or certification of a qualified service provider who will receive and respond to telemetry alerts. Director Croaa moved to approve Draft Resolution No. WW 2019-06 Granting a Variance to the Requirements of the Stinson Beach County Water District Wastewater Treatment Regulations Ordinance No. 2014-04 to Eliminate a Driveway Setback and to Utilize an Alternative Wastewater System for Property Located at 342 Seadrift Road. Director Baskin seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell
  4. Review of the Draft Operations and Maintenance Budget and Capital Improvement Program Budget for Fiscal Year 2019/2020 and continue the Public Hearing until the next Board meeting on Saturday, June 15, 2019.
    The draft budget has been reviewed several times by the Finance and Personnel Committees. Property Tax Apportionment Revenue continues to increase due to more home sales. Salary increases have been recommended for all staff. No action was taken and both Revenue and Expense figures may still be adjusted before the next public hearing at the Saturday, June 15, 2019 Board meeting.
  5. Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Draft Resolution Establishing an Employee Benefit Program for the Fiscal Year 2019/2020 and continue the Public Hearing until the next Board meeting on Saturday, June 15, 2019.
    The Employee Benefit Program is subject to review each year by the Finance and Personnel Committees. There are no changes in benefits for fiscal year 2019/2020. The draft Resolution will come before the Board again at the Saturday, June 15, 2019 Board meeting.

E.    GENERAL BUSINESS

  1. Review and possible direction to staff to submit the 2018 Water Quality/Consumer Confidence Report to all of the District's customers if requested.
    By consensus, the Board approved the 2018 Water Quality /Consumer Confidence Report.

F.    APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Vice President Baskin and Director Cross requested several ministerial changes be made to the minutes of April 20, 2019: With these modifications, Director Nelsen moved to approve the minutes of April 20, 2019. Director Zell seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell.

G.    APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS

Vice President Baskin moved to approve the disbursements of April 17 and April 24, 2019. Director Zell seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell.

H.    MANAGER'S REPORT

The General Manager discussed his monthly report. He spoke to Mia Monroe, GGNRA Public Outreach, regarding the District's Sea Level Rise Report. Time was spent on the phone and e- mails discussing the Barrel House with Dave Horning. Time was spent with Steve Rubin discussing the Drosihn Resolution that the Board approved at the April 20, 2019 Board meeting

I.    COMMITTEE REPORTS

None.

J.    CORRESPONDENCE

The Board reviewed the correspondence.

K.    CLOSED DOOR SESSION

The meeting was adjourned to Closed Door Session at 11:00 a.m., pursuant to California Government Code Section 54957, Public Employee Performance Evaluation, Title: General Manager to review his performance and 2019/2020 salary.

L.    OPEN DOOR SESSION

Out of Closed Door Session at 11:15 a.m. Reviewed General Manager's performance and agreed on proposed raise.

M.    ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned. The next regular meeting will be on Saturday, June 15, 2019, at 9:30 a.m.

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