Last Gasp of the CDO Issue? Nah....

Found on the Regional Water Quality Control Board's agenda for both of their November meetings, Thursday the 13 and Friday the 14:

Closed Session

5.    Ken Berry, et al. v. Central Coast Water Board, et al. (Sacramento Superior Court; CEQA Challenge to Los Osos CDOs)

http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2014/nov/Agenda/agenda_nov.shtml

I suspect this is NOT the last gasp. Those angry over their CDOs should drop Mr. Berry a thank you note I suppose. You can read about CEQA here, all 425 pages of it (and this isn't even the "official" copy, but it is prettier):

http://resources.ca.gov/ceqa/docs/2014_CEQA_Statutes_and_Guidelines.pdf

Changes to Titles 19 and 8, Retrofit Ordinances on BOS Agenda 11/4/14

Items Set for Hearing

2. Introduction of an amendment to the Building and Construction Ordinance, Title 19 of the County Code, changing the requirements for retrofitting of plumbing fixtures in connection with additions, remodels and new development of residential, commercial and other structures within the Los Osos Groundwater Basin. Hearing date set for November 25, 2014. District 2.

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=3964

Of interest to certain vacant lot owners off the staff report found on the above link:

4. Allow a one-time transfer of previously-issued water conservation certificates from a vacant PZ lot to a vacant lot outside of the PZ. 

 Since the inception of the retrofit-to-build program in 2008, 10 of the 27 water conservation certificates have been issued to vacant properties in the PZ. Property owners stated that the primary reason for obtaining certificates was to ensure that they have water for their vacant lots at the time the wastewater project is completed. Some property owners have expressed concern that the certificates will not be valid in the future on PZ lots. Additionally, with the adoption of the Basin Management Plan, lots in the PZ will benefit from supplemental water through implementation of the Basin Management Plan and may not need a water conservation certificate. The proposed amendments give these property owners the option of a one-time transfer of a previously-issued water conservation certificate to a specific property or land use permit outside of the PZ until January 1, 2019. These certificates represent completed retrofit work that has saved water but has not yet been applied toward a new building permit. 

3. Introduction of an amendment to the Health and Sanitation Ordinance, Title 8 of the County Code, changing the requirements for sellers of real property within the Los Osos Groundwater Basin to retrofit plumbing fixtures with water-efficient fixtures at time of sale. Hearing date set for November 25, 2014. District 2. 

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=3961

Here is a  quote from both Items 2 and 3 that does not affect most homes:

Due to complaints, mainly health and safety related, that staff has received about waterless urinals, staff recommends requiring that urinals in commercial structures use no more than 1.0 gallons per flush instead of requiring waterless urinals. 

Who knew? Well, best to read the stuff off the links if you are a vacant lot owner who has obtained enough water credits to build once the PZ has been un-PZed and the Basin Plan finalized.

Sewage Politics

I won't pretend to not be concerned about the future of the LOCSD, my husband is a candidate this election cycle and I was one myself back in 2006. I have been blogging about things sewer and the LOCSD since 2006. But a FALSE narrative has been circulating in the community about a certain candidate's forum which was held October 10 at the South Bay Community Center. It was organized by Keith Swanson. 

I can't speak for any candidate, attendees or not, but I can speak on the topic of why the program has not aired on Channel 20. There are a lot of garbage-y reasons floating around regarding this this, slamming incumbent candidate directors and the LOCSD's General Manager. Pure political BUNK. There is a legal reason preventing airing the forum. You probably already know that the office of Director for LOCSD is non-partisan.

Last night at the Emergency Services Advisory Committee, Director Michael Wright gave the background on why it was not aired.

The gist was this: The proposal to air the show came into the LOCSD office to the General Manager Kathy Kivley. She has not been in the District long enough to go through an election cycle, but knew when you don't know something, you look up what the rules are. She found a rule on the District's books that the LOCSD itself can't be involved in sponsoring something that involves a political party. The Grass Roots Dems supplied a moderator, and they are registered as an actual political pac. Other forums have used the non-political League of Women Voters to moderate. Of course this decision was not made without consulting LOCSD legal counsel Mike Seitz.

The Board can agendize this issue, discuss it and even modify the rule, but as it stands now, it is up to the Directors to do something, NOT staff, and it needs to go onto a LOCSD meeting agenda. So, established legal principles and binding agreements were honored. As they should be.

Footnote: What inspired me in part to write this entry was an inaccurate and purely speculative letter in the Bay News, "Dirty Politics in Los Osos," by Keith Swanson's Campaign Treasurer, Jerri Walsh. 

Upon further digging on this topic, and remembering event organizer Mr. Swanson's E-mail early on to the candidates mentioning co-sponsorship by the Grass Roots Dems (and that was mentioned again at the Emergency Services Committee meeting on Wednesday night), it would seem that the FPPC deems that when a partisan group sponsors (co-sponsors, in this case) an event, unless the candidates themselves pay for this event (which they DID NOT), this constitutes a contribution to a candidate. The CSD is not a partisan entity and can't make contributions to partisan groups, which airing the event would be. Sorry Mr. Swanson, but those are the rules.

I wonder why the League of Women Voters was not contacted, or the Latino Outreach Council? Oh wait, Mr. Swanson mentioned it himself, those groups DON'T sponsor events like this—they only MODERATE them!

I guess getting this done was very important to Mr. Swanson and he should be glad anyone with a computer can access the event on YouTube, which actually reaches more households than cable TV service's Channel 20. But in getting so nasty as he did at the ESAC meeting and on his recent appearance on Dave Congalton's radio show, he erased any goodwill he may have garnered from his participation in the forum and by the ESAC meeting participants. He has unfortunately also pointed out how little he knows on FPPC rules which all candidates must abide by. If his unprofessional and rude treatment of staff now, in this case Ms. Kivley, who must thread the needle between rules and the instructions from the Board, is anything like his manner toward staff if elected, good luck to all in our CSD office.

Execution—But In A Good Way!

Off the Board of Supes Agenda, Tuesday, October 28, 2014, the collection pipes are officially DONE! I will post links to the support documents as they become available.

0. Consent Agenda - Public Works Items:
2. 14. Submittal of a resolution authorizing execution of notice of completion and acceptance for the Collection System Areas A & D Contract (ARB, Inc.) for the Los Osos Wastewater Project, Los Osos. District 2.
   

Link to Item 14 Documents.

0. 15. Submittal of a resolution authorizing execution of notice of completion and acceptance for the Collection System Areas B & C Contract (W.A. Rasic Construction Company, Inc.) for the Los Osos Wastewater Project, Los Osos. District 2. 
   

Link to Item 15 Documents.

Gazing Into The Mysterious Depths......

.......Of what you might ask. 

Could it be a piece of pottery? 

A Christmas ornament sans the metal cap? 

Perhaps a window into the universe?

Actually, none of the above. 

Had you been where I was standing, had you wobbled due to horrific aromas, you too might have wanted to change the the reality of what there was in the lens of your cell phone with Photoshop, 

Reality is what you see below, and I'm happy to not be able to include the Smell-O-Vision version here, but I can next year if we both buy this (wouldn't that be not fun?):

Above you see a really LARGE septic tank just having been pumped. 

I will be glad when the last putrid smells become diluted into the breeze, the contents of our tanks are pumped one last time, and they are finally put out to pasture in noble and gainful use as rainwater catchment chambers, or perhaps, simply and humbly filled with rocks.

Video of Ox Ditch and Sewer Construction Pix!

Check out the Trib for video and an article on our wastewater treatment plant-in-the-making! If the oxidation ditch (or racetrack) container was complete, the interviewer and the interviewee would be standing in 12 turbulent feet of swirling water (2 feet per second) with floaters! Yikes.

There are also photos of the current construction.

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/10/07/3284610_construction-underway-on-los-osos.html?sp=/99/100/&rh=1

County Postcard! County Update!

The latest communication shows an arial photo of the treatment plant, a sewer timeline, and a reminder of retrofitting your fixtures!

See it at this link:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/Wastewater+Project+update+postcard+Sept2014.pdf

Find on this link below the project update for August 2014:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/PM+Monthly+Update+Oct2014.pdf

The photos are awesome, and the contract information on how the project is going, interesting (at least to sewer geeks).