Monarch Grove Sewer Rate Increase Pending!

UPDATE!! This is NOT accurate info from a tip I got from a Monarch Grove resident! I hope to have more info tomorrow as to what is correct and what is not!!

The LOCAC meeting was very enlightening on the evening of July 23! The actual happening here was nothing requiring a 218 vote - that is long over. It was the County enrolling the Monarch Grove sewer taxes onto the County's tax rolls, that's it! Phew for the residents of Monarch Grove!

You'd think I would have heard of this sooner, but the Estero Bay News came to my rescue with the latest sewer news!

Read all about it here - http://esterobaynews.com/county-to-hike-sewer-rates-for-monarch-grove/

Neil Farrell has written this excellent article on this topic! (I will be forever indebted to him for helping me out with a ton of information for my book on Los Osos/Baywood Park.)

So mark you calendar for August 11 for what might be a fascinating reading of the 83 votes— Yes or No— to be revealed at the Board of Supes - as to whether or not Monarch Grove will up their sewer rates, just like we did in the Prohibition Zone! The pertinent documents are not on the County website, but when posted I will notify all of you dear readers (three of you are probably not bots anyway, at least, I hope, but who knows.......)!

Finally! Recycled Water! And Monarch Grove Too!

AGENDA 

December 11, 2018 

County Government Center 

Board of Supervisors Chambers 

1055 Monterey Street | San Luis Obispo, CA 93408

Consent Agenda - Public Works Items:

28. Request to adopt the Rules and Regulations Governing the Distribution and Use of Recycled Water, Los Osos Recycled Water System San Luis Obispo County, August 2018; approve five agreements to deliver recycled water in the community of Los Osos with the Los Osos Community Services District, Golden State Water Company, S&T Mutual Water Company, and BSR (Sea Pines Golf Course); and approve the Amended and Restated Agreement for Mitigations Concerning Water Resources and Sewage Disposal for Tract 1589 (Monarch Grove). District 2.

You can access all the support documents here:
http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=9379

And there is an amazing amount of stuff to read. 

Roger Randall (former SLO County judge) of the Monarch Grove Homeowners Association spoke at the meeting. Ron Munds (on our LOCSD Utilities Advisory Committee - and more importantly, is Utilities Division Manager of the County Public Works Department) spoke on some typos. Chuck Cesena and Linde Owen spoke - Chuck on the water to dry land farmers (bad, bad, bad), and Linde on who is held responsible if the recycled water is rotten, plus dry land farmers, and her perpetual complaint about the $9.95 million settlement with ARB. Mark Hutchinson, Deputy Director of Public Works was asked by Supervisor Bruce Gibson to explain just what contracts were being discussed today (NOT the dry land farmer contracts), and he said that issue would be revisited once the in-town areas were up and running on the recycled water.

Access the video here:
http://slocounty.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=46&clip_id=3107

Monarch Grove Hooking Up!

The Monarch Grove housing tract has had its own wastewater treatment plant since being built. All 83 homes are served by a tidy little package plant that of late has become a bit loose around the seams and in need of an expensive facelift, or abandonment—the cheaper and more reasonable way to go—to hook up to the Los Osos sewer.

First Monarch Grove had to be accepted into the Los Osos URL. There is a whole story as to why it wasn't, not to be gone into here, as I am trying to point your attention to a document from the Board of Supes, February 6.

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Departments/Public-Works/Forms-Documents/Projects/LOWWP/Monarch-Grove/2-6-2018-Monarch-Grove-Hearing.aspx

Read about the plan and rationale for "capacity charges" for Monarch Grove. The charges named for them will have no impact on what charges the rest of hook-up-ees are paying.

Sewer geeks, aside from Monarch Grovians, might want to attend the April 3 meeting of the BOS!

Monarch Grove Late On BOS Agenda

Chairperson Lynn Compton had to ask the Board to vote on an extension to go past 5:00 p.m. at the BOS meeting on Tuesday, February 2.  The Monarch Grove agenda item had been switched with another item and went last on the agenda. There were three other issues along with Monarch Grove on this item. Staff presented their report. 

There was public comment. Roger Randall on the Board of the Monarch Grove HOA spoke. He said 74 voted to join the sewer and nine didn't vote, and he assumed that they were not opposed to hook up to the Los Osos Prohibition Zone sewer project. The Monarch Grove sewer's lines were scoped and jetted and passed muster. MG resident Martin Bragg spoke. He didn't want any complexity added to wastewater treatment and wanted to hook up to the County's sewer project. 

Adam Hill moved to pass this item, Bruce Gibson seconded and spoke on how the County was look forward to helping Monarch Grove hooked up and that the next steps would be at the Coastal Commission.  All five Supes voted yes and they did manage to finish up before 5:00 p.m.. 

Congratulations Monarch Grove! Hopefully you will be on  Coastal Commission agenda very soon!

Monarch Grove Update!

1-28-2016

Thursday night - 74 to zero - Monarch Grove HOA members voted in favor of hooking up to the sewer! Next step - the Supes, next week, vote to amend the County's Local Coastal Plan (AKA the Estero Area Plan) by moving the Urban Reserve Line on their legal maps and descriptions to include Monarch Grove!

Yayyy Monarch Grovians, welcome aboard the sewer train!

Also, from Kerry Brown at the LOCAC meeting, the County is moving ahead with the Community Plan and the draft EIR. They are working on the Habitat Conservation Plan as well and hope to release them simultaneously. She will have a better timeline at the next LOCAC meeting and there will be public meetings on this ahead.

Monarch Grove Buried On BOS Agenda, But Still Breathing

Well, the Board of Supe's agenda for the Tuesday meeting does indeed have Monarch Grove on it, but it took some digging to find it. The item comes up after 1:30 under the heading, "Hearings:."

19. Hearing to consider proposed amendments to 1) San Luis Obispo County General Plan - Land Use and Circulation Element, San Luis Bay Inland Sub Area of the San Luis Obispo Area Plan, 2) the County Official Maps – Part III of the Land Use Element/Local Coastal Plan (Estero Area Plan), 3) San Luis Obispo Sub Area of the San Luis Obispo Area Plan, 4) Title 22 of the County Code – the Land Use Ordinance for the Winter 2016 General Plan Amendment Cycle; includes approval of environmental documents. All Districts. 
    

Here is a link to the relevant documents:

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=5595

Beware—there are four items on this proposal, so you will have to dig through quite a bounty of pdfs to find the relevant documents for Monarch Grove. And good luck Monarch Grove! This ought to be a slam dunk to have the urban reserve line moved to include you guys, but you never know......

Monarch Grove On BOS Agenda!

I know, the scan is tiny, but click on the image for the larger size!

See item 2!

Tuesday, February 2, 2016, the BOS is addressing the Los Osos urban reserve line which never included the neighborhood of Monarch Grove. They are unique in that they have their own sewage package plant. But now that sewer hook-up is fact upon us starting next month, time to include them IN the line so that they can hook up to the sewer and discontinue using their old—and must-be-decrepid-by-now—plant. Tune in to Channel 21 or have a look on your computer if you want to see what happens. It will probably be a snoozer of an item but this being Los Osos and all.......... You will find the link to the show on this page around 9:00 AM, Tuesday. I will be viewing and rooting for inclusion!

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/bos/BOSagenda.htm

I have blogged about this before, but some background info can be found off these links if you are interested:

http://www.losososcsd.org/Library/2015%20Agenda%20Packets/08.06.15/Agenda%20Item%2012B%20Approve%20Reimbursement%20Agreement%20btwn%20LOCSD%20and%20Monarch%20HOA.pdf

This was the opinion on hooking up in 2007, but the opinion might have changed by now as they won't pay as much as the single family homes that have no pipes already in the street, and the plant is 9 years further along the road to obsolescence:

http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/BOS+Related+Items/Letter+Monarch+HOA+BOS+8-28-07.pdf

Monarch Grove Update!

The Planning Commission held their meeting on Thursday, October 29, 2015 regarding Monarch Grove. The Commission voted unanimously "yes" to forward the proposal to the Board of Supervisors for their approval to include Monarch Grove in the Los Osos Urban Reserve Line. If approved, and all is good with the Coastal Commission (updating the LCP), Monarch Grove residents can discontinue the use of their package sewer plant and hook up to the Prohibition Zone's sewer. They already have their pipes in the ground and will now need to do an inspection of the lines so the County will take them. Faulty lines won't cut it as Bayridge found out.

Planning Commission Thursday - Monarch Grove Hook-Up

Tomorrow the Plannning Commission will have a hearing on whether or not to recommend to the Board of Supervisors to vote to include Monarch Grove into the urban reserve line of Los Osos. Right now it is not eligible to hook up to the sewer the rest of us are getting because they are outside of "the line."

Right now, they have their own mini wastewater treatment plant (a "package plant") to service the 83 lots in the subdivision.

Here is the link to the Planning Commission documents:
http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=5244

Here is what the Monarch Grove Homeowners Association had to say in 2007:
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/BOS+Related+Items/Letter+Monarch+HOA+BOS+8-28-07.pdf

Here is what was presented at the LOCSD meeting July 28, 2015 regarding Monarch Grove:
http://www.losososcsd.org/Library/2015%20Agenda%20Packets/08.06.15/Agenda%20Item%2012B%20Approve%20Reimbursement%20Agreement%20btwn%20LOCSD%20and%20Monarch%20HOA.pdf

Monarch Grove, Part II

0. 
   

   AGENDA                                  BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 
   

   Tuesday, June 02, 2015 
   
   
   
   Board Business:

35. Consideration of a request to authorize processing of an Amendment of the Official Maps – Part III of the Land Use Element / Local Coastal Plan Amendment (LRP2014-00021) to adjust the Urban Services Line to include the neighborhood of Monarch Grove, located south of Monarch Lane and west of Pecho Valley Road, in the community of Los Osos. District 2

http://agenda.slocounty.ca.gov/agenda/sanluisobispo/Proposal.html?select=4751

Hmmmm. The change to the Urban reserve Line was in processes at the Coastal Commission in 2006, then dropped there for lack of attention by the LOCSD.......Yet another delay caused by the LOCSD's bankruptcy; a lesser known one of course, but one still very important to the residents in Monarch Grove.

Monarch Grove Could Hook-Up

The section of Los Osos called Monarch Grove is a subdivision that is not within the urban reserve line of Los Osos. That oversight will be corrected with a General Plan Amendment/Local Coastal Plan Amendment/Estero Area Plan Amendment. The first stop will be a review by LOCAC to discuss any issues or concerns at the local level. Next, it will go to the Board of Supervisors to authorize the County Planning and Building Department to work on this plan amendment. Then the BOS will need to adopt the amendment. 

It is very strange that this sub-division was never included in the Urban Reserve Line!

Why is this important? To back up a bit, Monarch Grove has its own sewage system, and sadly, one that has been plagued with problems over the years. Read about some of that here:

Monarch Grove 2005 - item3_attachment8.pdf


And read the Staff Report for the Enforcement Hearing for October 6, 2005 here:
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/centralcoast/board_info/agendas/2005/oct6/item3/item3_staff_report.pdf


The treated wastewater from the Monarch Grove housing subdivision's system is currently used to water the nearby golf course, Sea Pines. The Los Osos wastewater treatment plant's Coastal Commission Conditions mandates that water be sent to the golf course as is listed on page 16 (page 19 if you opened it in in Acrobat) of the Effluent Reuse and Disposal Tech Memo, July 2008. However, this is not a problem as it shows that only 16 AFY is going Sea Pines, not enough to water the whole property.

According to the Basin Plan, the golf course currently uses 15-20 acre feet a year from Monarch Grove, still not enough to water the entire property. Water from on-site upper aquifer wells at 75-85 acre feet a year supplements that, totaling 90-105 acre feet a year from both sources to water the golf course.

The Basin Plan has allocated 40 acre feet a year of recycled water for Sea Pines, and the plan is to blend it with their upper aquifer well water 1:1. So the 15-20 AFY from Monarch now is replaced with 40 AFY. So only 50-65 AFY will be used of their upper aquifer well water. As crummy with nitrates as the upper aquifer water is, and despite the fact that 300,000 to 1,000,000 gallons of water leach into the bay DAILY anyway from seeps and springs (.92 AFD - 3.69 AFD), this is a net gain for the basin. 

Once the septics go off line, the water table is bound to lower. That will be a problem for the wastewater team to monitor as part of the conditions of the Coastal Development Permit, Condition #87.

Here is the pre-authorization referral request that is to go before LOCAC, I am not sure when, the March agenda is not out yet.

LRP2014-00021_COUNTY_OF_SLO__MONARCH_GROVE_.pdf


For map geeks, here are links to the County ones from 1997. Monarch Grove sat this point is apparently a remainder parcel of Tract 1589, to be carved up into lots:
https://slocountypwd.org/MapFiles/MB/MB_018/MB_018_032_001.tif
https://slocountypwd.org/MapFiles/MB/MB_018/MB_018_032_002.tif
https://slocountypwd.org/MapFiles/MB/MB_018/MB_018_032_003.tif
https://slocountypwd.org/MapFiles/MB/MB_018/MB_018_032_004.tif
https://slocountypwd.org/MapFiles/MB/MB_018/MB_018_032_005.tif

This moving Monarch Grove into the Urban Reserve Line was on the BOS agenda (among other things) October 5, 2004, Item 11 (after lunch). 
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Asset7098.aspx
This item was continued to October 19, 2004. On October 19, the BOS tentatively agreed to include Monarch Grove into the Estero Area Plan Update (see the last page):
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/CR/BOS+Minutes/BOS_2004/101904.pdf
But then.......less than a year later.........the sewer project was stopped, Los Osos was left out of the update and here is where we are today.

Monarch Grove does not appear to have an assessment for hooking up (see page 3):
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/document+library/Final+Assessment+Roll+-+April+08.pdf

But the Solano Pump Station seems poised to take in Monarch Grove flows (see Page 21):
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/Assets/PW/LOWWP/document+library/20111024+Final+BODR.pdf

It is a mystery. Much searching found no answer as to why the second half of the subdivision was left out of the Urban Reserve Line, just speculation.

Dig Los Osos Has a Spacial Notice for Monarch Grove Kid's Parents

Read about it here:

http://www.diglososos.com/2013/05/12/special-notice-to-monarch-elementary-school-parents/