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Palomar Mountain Planning Organization Minutes, 8/19/1995 Board Meeting minutes

Minutes of the Palomar Mountain Planning Organization Meeting August 19, 1995

Board Members Present:

Terri Bailey, Donna Dose, Thomas Fortney, Elizabeth Getzoff (alternate), Bruce Graves, Susan Humason, John Moriarity, Michael Pique, Carol Ravenscroft, John Tainer, Joseph Weeks.

The PMPO Board meeting was convened at 10:00 A.M. Saturday August 19,1995.

OLD BUSINESS:

Jerry McLees of Brian F. Mooney Associates presented a letter providing the PMPO an update on the status of his company's work on behalf of PMPO, regarding AirTouch Cellular, Relay Engineering, and Yale Well.

Air Touch Cellular:

Mr. McLees reported that the Major Use Permit Modification was approved by the County Planning Commission and will be final on August 15 unless an appeal is filed. The project adds additional antennas on an existing tower with no increase in height.

Relay Engineering Major Use Permit:

Mr. McLees said he had discussed our concerns with County Planner Maxx Stalheim. Mr. Stalheim said he had heard nothing from Relay since the last PMPO meeting in May. Joe Weeks agreed to help photograph existing towers.

Yale Well:

Mr. McLees said the County is awaiting Mr. Yale's Pre-Intake Assistance Application, and that Maxx Stalheim is assigned to the project. Mr. McLees summarized Mr. Yale's May 23, 1995, Draft Project Memorandum, prepared by consultant Douglas Roff. Copies were given to the PMPO board and discussed at length. Mr. Roff's Memorandum uses the 570-acre Jeff Valley as the well's recharge zone. He understands that the Yale project proposes to pump 48 acre-feet (15.6 million gallons) per year. Mr. McLees noted that the Memorandum uses the mean annual basin recharge although in most years the proposed extractions (by this project, existing spring water withdrawals, and projected residential use) exceed the estimated recharge.

George Ravenscroft noted that the Memorandum's calculations neglected to include potential water use by the part of the Indian Reservation within Jeff Valley.

John Tainer reported that both Mr. Roff and Dr. David Huntley said it was unusual for one person to lay claim to an entire watershed.

Mr. McLees said that under the County General Plan a parcel's allocation of watershed withdrawals would be determined by its percentage of the watershed's acreage.

Michael Pique emphasized that the Memorandum's recharge calculation is not a basin aquifer net gain estimate because it does not include natural aquifer groundwater discharge.

George Ravenscroft questioned the Memorandum's assumption that the basin's ground water would be uniformly available for withdrawal from any location.

General agreement was reached of the need to be assured that the pumping be regulated by monitoring of Cedar Creek's stream flow as well as neighboring wells' water levels.

Mr. McLees summarized the Major Use permitting process. First, the applicant submits a Pre-Intake Assistance Application, followed within a month by a non-announced but ostensibly public meeting. Then the County writes a letter outlining the major planning and environmental issues the Applicant must address. Two to three months later the Applicant files a Major Use Permit application, which undergoes Environmental Document Review and revisions by the Applicant's environmental consultants. Only at that stage is there a public review period, and a public hearing before the Planning Commission.

The PMPO authorized $500 to pay Dr. Huntley to review the Memorandum and give the PMPO his analysis and recommendations. (This letter was sent on September 2, 1995).

Terri Bailey will ask Katie Beishline, a former owner and resident, for her historical observations of Cedar Creek stream flow.

Meeting Schedule:

The following PMPO meetings are scheduled for 10 A.M. on Saturday morning: November 18, 1995, and in 1996: February 17, April 20, and May 25.

The meeting was adjourned.

Elizabeth D. Getzoff, Secretary.


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