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BOARD MEETING MINUTES

REGULAR MEETING
Saturday, October 19, 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, October 19, 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

Treasurer present:
Judy Stemen

General Manager present:
Ed Schmidt

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

B.    PUBLIC EXPRESSION

None.

C.    SETTING OF AGENDA

The order of the agenda was changed to hear first item No. 2, concerning the wastewater system at 7 Francisco Patio.

D.    PUBLIC HEARING

  1. Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Application to install a new alternative wastewater system at 7 Francisco Patio, Dixon-Tananbaum Family Trust, Owner, Account No. 1220.
    The existing 1,472 square foot residence on a 3,600 square foot lot will be demolished and be replaced by a residence not to exceed 1,900 square feet. This requires an upgrade or replacement of an existing system to meet current Title IV code. The average and maximum daily wastewater load rate will remain at 200 and 300 gallons, respectively.

    Variances are requested under Section 4.15.100 Site Criteria - Setbacks to eliminate a 5 foot setback to allow parking over the dispersal field and under Section 4.19.010 Use of Alternative Wastewater Systems Designs to utilize a recirculating textile filter. The design incorporates raised beds to meet the 3 feet groundwater separation requirement. The proposed wastewater design includes a new 1,500 gallon septic tank, Advantex RT recirculating textile pretreatment device, diversion valve, telemetry panel, and dual raised bed dispersal fields.

    Neighbor notifications were sent timely and a copy of the application was sent to the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Wastewater Committee reviewed the application and recommended the inclusion of a permeable driveway surface and breather pipes to be stated in the draft resolution.

    Troy Pearce, AYS Engineering, and designer of the system, noted that the existing system will be abandoned.

    Director Nelsen inquired as to the procedure to abandon a system. District Engineer Souza briefly described the steps in general: The contractor pumps the tank and provides a copy of the pumping receipt to the District. A four-inch diameter hole is drilled at the bottom of each septic tank compartment. The lid is then removed for backfill with crushed rock, sand, or other approved material to the top of the tank. The work is then inspected either by the District or Engineer Souza.

    Director Nelsen made a motion to approve draft Resolution No. WW 2019-15 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 a Setback Requirement for property located at 7 Francisco Patio, Stinson Beach, with the addition of another condition to remove and/or abandon the existing septic system components as approved by the District. Director Cross seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by President Boucke and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell. Vice President Baskin recused himself as he lives within 500 feet of the project.
  2. Discussion and possible direction to staff re: a Variance Application to install a new alternative wastewater system at 148 Seadrift Road, Mid Century Seadrift Trust, Owner, Account No. 6250.
    The addition of habitable space requires an upgrade or replacement of an existing system to meet the District's current Title IV code. The total existing and proposed habitable space for this residence will be less than 2,800 square feet. This variance application will replace an existing dual field gravity wastewater system that has a maximum and average daily wastewater loading rate of 600 and 400 gallons, respectively. The new alternative wastewater system will only have a maximum discharge limit of 450 gallons and an average daily discharge of 300 gallons, which is a decrease of 150 gallons in the maximum wastewater flow rate. The existing system, which was installed in 1974, will either be abandoned in place or removed.

    The design includes a new 1,500 gallon septic tank, a 1,500 gallon recirculation tank, an 810 gallon sump tank, recirculating textile (Advantex AX 20) pretreatment device, diversion valve, telemetry control panel, and dual raised bed dispersal fields to meet the 3 feet groundwater separation requirement. A variance is required under Section 4.19.010 Use of Alternative Wastewater Systems Designs to utilize a recirculating textile filter.

    Neighbor notifications were sent timely, and a copy of the application had been sent to the Regional Water Quality Control Board. The Wastewater Committee had reviewed the application and recommended approval.

    Director Cross made a motion to approve draft Resolution No. WW 2019-12 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 148 Seadrift Road, Stinson Beach. Director Nelsen 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 for repair/replacement of a wastewater system at 302 Seadrift Road, Stinson Beach, Edward and Patricia Cluss, Owners, Account No. 6890.
    This variance application replaces a failed single field gravity wastewater system having a maximum daily loading rate of 200 gallons which could not be repaired. The existing-single family residence consists of 1,609 square feet on a 18,600 square foot lot.

    The design incorporates leach lines which meet the 3 feet groundwater separation requirement and is designed for a maximum and average loading rate of 300 and 200 gallons per day, respectively. Included is a new 1,500 gallon septic tank, a 1,500 gallon sump tank, a recirculating sand filter (pretreatment) device, a diversion valve, and dual leach fields. A variance is required under Section 4.19.010 Use of Alternative Wastewater Systems Designs to utilize a recirculating sand filter. As the application is for the repair/replacement of a failed system with no increase in habitable space, Regional Water Quality Control Board and neighbor notifications are not applicable. A qualified service provider who will receive and respond to telemetry alerts is not required for this project.

    The Wastewater Committee had reviewed the application and recommended approval with the proviso that a future increase of habitable space would require a new variance application subject to most current Title IV regulations.

    Director Cross moved to approve draft Resolution No. WW 2019-16 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 302 Seadrift Road, Stinson Beach subject to revising condition b. to read: "Future increase of habitable space shall require a new variance application subject to the Title IV regulations in effect at the time of the application." Director Nelsen seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell.

E.    GENERAL BUSINESS

  1. Discussion and possible direction to staff to grant a Water Use Charge Reduction Request for Judy Hunt and Harry Hunt, 285 Belvedere Avenue, Account No. 512001.
    The Hunts requested a water use charge reduction request for their tenant occupied home at 285 Belvedere Avenue for the period from June 28, 2019 to July 29, 2019. The water use portion of their bill for 43,394 gallons was $998.50. There were several leaks in their irrigation system, which were promptly repaired by their neighbor, Richard Reasoner of Dendron Landscape.

    The Hunts had previously signed up for the on-line portal to monitor their water usage but had not utilized the EyeOnWater e-mail alert.

    The District's current Resolution establishing policy for water use charge reductions states that usage cost above 29,920 gallons but less than 120,000 gallons may be calculated at the District's current cost for delivering a gallon of water. This computation results in a water usage reduction of $158.98.

    Director Nelsen made a motion to grant a water use charge reduction in the amount of $158.98. Director Zell seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell.
  2. Review and discuss proposal from CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc., re: climatic change planning.
    CSW/Stuber-Stroeh Engineering Group, Inc., has prepared a proposal to help the District plan the next steps in addressing global warming which is anticipated to cause flooding of the septic systems in the low-lying areas of Stinson Beach. The Wastewater Committee recommended approval to the Board of Directors, as well as adding a Desalination study to the proposal.

    The Finance Committee analyzed the proposal and also recommended approval with a starting date of December 1, 2019, but it did not want to include Desalination within the scope of this proposal. Director Cross felt strongly that desal should not be dismissed and that a wastewater treatment plant could be combined with desal.

    President Boucke requested that the minutes reflect that the Board has unanimous support of desal and that desal will be actively pursued. Vice President Baskin made a motion to approve the proposal from CSW/Stuber-Stroeh dated September 12, 2019 for $58,258 with the understanding that desal will be considered as an option. Director Nelsen seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Directors Cross, Nelsen and Zell

    There will be a Special Board Meeting on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, to watch a webcast given by the Public Policy Institute of California through ACWA: "Preparing California's Water System for Climate Extremes."

F.    APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Vice President Baskin moved to approve the minutes of September 21, 2019. Director Nelsen seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously by President Boucke, Vice President Baskin and Director Nelsen. Directors Cross and Zell had not attended the September 21, 2019 Board meeting.

G.    APPROVAL OF DISBURSEMENTS

Vice President Baskin moved to approve the disbursements of September 16, 2019. Director Cross 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 distributed copies of a revised Rolling Capital Improvements Cash Flow Sheet covering the next 12 months. As the District is running in the red for the next two months pending the property tax check in mid-December, the Steep Ravine Tank Project will probably be postponed until next fall.

The Finance Committee is looking to rotate the District's financial auditor by interviewing a local CPA. In the next several months, the Legal Committee will review a draft policy for the termination of water service for a customer's failure to pay their water bill.

The Initial Study for 21 Calle del Onda has been prepared by WRA and Associates. Changes will be forwarded to WRA for review.

The Barrel House project has three remaining issues: road repair responsibilities, a drainage plan that is acceptable for all parties and the disposition of the construction sheds.

The Board requested for budget purposes that a determination be made as to the number of lots in all areas of Stinson Beach that could be capable of being developed.

I.    COMMITTEE REPORTS

None.

J.    CORRESPONDENCE

The Board reviewed the correspondence.

K.    ADJOURNMENT

The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m. The next regular meeting will be on Saturday, November 16, 2019, at 9:30 a.m.

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