Minutes 1990-03-05
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MINUTES
SPECIAL ADJOURNED MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIL
MONDAY, MARCH 5, 1990
CITY COUNCIL C~RS, 215 EAST BRANCH STREET
ARROYO GRANDE, CALIFORNIA
The City Council met at 7:00 P.M., with Mayor Mark M. Millis
presiding. Also present were Council Members A. K. "Pete" Dougall,
Gene Moots, Doris Olsen and B'Ann Smith.
City Manager Chris Christiansen said the City Council would
be discussing the issue of "Water in the City of Arroyo Grande."
Public Works Director Paul Karp referred to and summarized
five documents in the Council's meeting packet - (1) an excerpt he
prepared for the Long Range Planning Committee Report of September
13, 1988, (2) his February 8, 1990 Water Availability; Status
Report as of January 1, 1990, (3) his Protection of Unallocated
Water Resource report of February 16, 1990, (4) his Potential Water
Savings from Implementation of an "Inside the Home Plumbing
Retrofit Program" report of February 26, 1990, and (5) his Water
Conservation Program Update; Typical Water Consumptions from Large
Water Users report of March 2, 1990.
Mayor Millis referred to Mr. Christiansen's March 1, 1990,
memorandum, and stressed that the City is not out of water and can
meet the demands of the community, thanks to some wise planning in
the past. He said it is the Council's and staff's responsibility
to make sure there is enough water for the ultimate buildout of the
City through a combination of conservation and wise allocation of
the water. He said that this meeting was a "brainstorming" session
to look at ways to save water.
Council Members and Staff discussed the following points:
1. The city is not out of water, but it is in short supply.
2. It should be acknowleged that water must be available for a
buildout of all parcels in the city.
3. There should be conservation or water use will continue to rise.
4. The City should move ahead to hire the Water Conservation
Director.
5. There should be no more annexations with subdivisions.
6. There should be more public education on water conservation.
Education should come before penalties.
7. The maximum population which can be served by the City's total
available domestic water resource is 16,000. The city can approve
the construction of homes for less than 1,000 people without a
major conservation effort or acquisition of additional water.
8. Some people believe that the average population per dwelling may
be dropping from 2.6 to 2.5 or 2.4 because the population is
getting older.
9. The average Citywide water use is 190 gallons per person per
day.
10. New large lot housing is using significantly more water because
of more landscaping (approximately 260 gal/per/day).
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MARCH 5, 1990
11. The Oak Park Shopping Center is using more water than the Town
and Country, probably due to more restaurants and medical offices
in the former.
12. The Community Hospital remodeling will mean an increase in
water use.
13. Unless water rates are doubled or tripled, water savings in the
long-run probably would not result.
14. All future building in the city should have low water use
plumbing fixtures and appliances.
15. Instant hot water heating units should be mandatory in all new
construction. They save water and may be energy efficient.
16. The city should set an example by using drought-resistant
plants in landscaping City property where possible.
17. Rainwater and "gray" water should be used for irrigation, and
not allowed to run-off, if approval of appropriate State regulators
so permit such installations.
Mayor Millis invited the Public to speak at the meeting.
Offering ideas and suggestions to conserve water were TOM WILCOCK,
secretary of the San Luis Obispo Gardeners Association; JIM
MCGILLIS, surveyor for San Luis Engineering: JOHN KEEN, member of
the parking and Traffic Commission; PETER MILLER, attorney for the
developers of Rancho Grande; LEE WEBB; CLARK MOORE, member of the
Planning Commission; CHARLES JOHNSON, AND MARIE CATTOIR. Comments
included the following:
1. The city should get input from other communities in the State
on which measures to conserve water work and which ones do not
work.
2. Mandatory landscaping guidelines should be instituted.
3. There should be a maximum size for lawns - a certain percentage
of the parcel of land.
4. The use of the one-cup size electric instant hot water heating
units for hot drinks should be encouraged.
5. New construction should be required to set up systems of'
"looping" hot water heaters, using timers set for when the hot
water is needed.
6. When it is no longer cost-effective for the City to sell
construction water to contractors, require that water other than
drinking water be used for ground compaction.
7. If a City well is not producing good quality drinking water, use
that water for compaction and irrigation purposes.
8. Study the legal uses of "gray" water and rainwater;
9. Encourage the use of home circulating pumps, which could save
two to three percent of the water.
10. Study the use of "gray" water for flushing toilets.
11. If the City decides to retrofit the older homes, make it on a
volunteer basis only.
12. If water is rationed, deal with it even-handedly, setting usage
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and allotment figures the same for all.
After the public testimony, Council Members gave direction to
staff to return to the Council with the necessary ordinances or
resolutions to implement a City Water Policy by the second meeting
in March, 1990. They said the policy should include no extreme
measures such ,as retrofitting older homes or limiting building
permits, but should follow a moderate course. Mayor Millis said
the Staff should have a good idea what the Council wants from what
was said at the meeting. He said the policy should include:
1. A plan to educate the public on water conservation should be set ~
up.
2. For new construction the use of water saving plumbing and
appliances should be required.
3. All new landscapes that are subject to discretionary permits
should be drought tolerant.
4. There should be study by Staff leading to the requirement of
"looping" hot water systems in new construction. --
5. Staff should identify more projects like the recycling of water
at car washes.
6. The hiring of the Water Conservation Director in the Public
Works Department should be accomplished as soon as possible.
7. Parks and Recreation Director John Xeisler and the Parks and
Recreation Commission should review all City property to insure the
best use of water in landscaping, thus setting an example for the
rest of the City. .
-- 8. Staff should keep up-to-date on the latest water technology and
water sources such as desalinization and the use of reclaimed
water.
city Attorney Judy Skousen said that before bringing new
ordinances on use of "gray" water and rainwater to the Council, she
would provide Members with more legal information on the matter.
Mayor Millis said the Public is invited to continue to submit
ideas for water conservation to the City.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:29 P.M.
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MA OR ,
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ATTEST: l)i.A;uo1.1J. ~
CIT CLERK
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