Minutes of the Palomar Mountain Planning Organization Meeting
October 9, 2004
Thomas Burton, Tracy Dixon, Donna Dose, Bruce Graves, Susan Humason, Scott Kardel, Bonnie Phelps, and Michael Pique.
About 6 members attended as well.
The PMPO Board meeting was convened 10:15 A.M. October 9, 2004, at the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. The minutes of the August 14, 2004, board meeting were distributed and approved. The treasurer, Tracy Dixon, reported income of $1000 from donations with expenses of $300 to biologist Virginia Moran and $1,744.24 to EDAW consultants, both for reports submitted to the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding inadequacies in the Environmental Assessment of the Yale well pumping and pipeline project. Our beginning bank balance was $25,912.36 and ending bank balance was $24,868.12. The report was approved.
Michael Pique said the PMPO work is still pending new investigations by Robert Haase of the Section 24 - Section 19 corner at the range line between Townships T10SR1E and T10SR2E. Tom Burton suggested a public meeting, especially with owners of property within Section 14 - which borders the National Forest along the controversial boundary - before any new PMPO letter goes out to the Bureau of Land Management.
Tom Burton says that consultant Jerry McLees is monitoring the update for us. A few weeks ago, the county staff transitioned from working on residential to commercial portions of the plan. The PMPO still believes that Palomar Mountain constitutes a bona fide `country town', enabling an exemption from the Forest Conservation Initiative down-zoning. The PMPO says the core area at the Summit should be planned to allow additional commercial space consistent with its combined commercial-residential nature. A period for public comment is now coming up; Tom talked with Dahvia Locke last week and learned that the county will not go along with us on this point in the 2020 General Plan, but insisted that we could accomplish the goal later through zoning, which to Tom seems illogical. Tom says the staff has to pin down commercial parcel sizes before any Environmental Impact Report is begun, a condition for approval. At least now the staff's focus is on this part of the plan; perhaps there will be a meeting with the PMPO around the beginning of 2005. Tom will invite Dahvia Locke here for the January 15 Board meeting.
Earl Walls has been preparing plans and necessary calculations but will be unable to submit the community development grant application in time to meet the October 1, 2004 deadline. Earl hopes nevertheless to secure funds for constructing the retaining wall this year. Tom Burton reported the CCPM received its not-for-profit incorporation documents but still needs to complete its application for federal tax exemption. Louise Walls will pursue this. Tom says that other successful grant applications have included substantiation based on population demographics. He has a colleague at the Center for Governmental Analysis who will help prepare such a study, with the goal of making the study general enough to help on fire safety and water supply issues as well as the community center. We would like visitor counts for the Observatory, State Park, church camp, school trips. Scott Kardel will provide Tom with Observatory visitor statistics.
Bonnie Phelps talked to some deputy sheriffs for ideas on controlling traffic and noise. Bonnie say the CHP can check motorcycles for illegally modified exhaust systems and issue tickets. She will talk to Tamara Davis who is collecting Palomar resident reports of unsafe motorcyclists. Tamara's telephone is (760) 742-4546 and email tdfrank@mindspring.com.
Michael Pique reported that Elizabeth Getzoff has tried to telephone Patrick O'Mallan of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) regarding William Yale's pending agreement with the La Jolla Indian Reservation to sell his parcel to the Reservation and build a pipeline to carry his pumped well water down to Highway 76. She has not yet heard back from him, but learned that his new telephone number is (916) 978-6044; the new BIA office number is (916) 978-6000.
Bonnie Phelps reported that the PMPO's request for an informal meeting with La Jolla Indian Reservation members Jack Musak and Tracy Lee Nelson was declined.
Bruce Graves says Willie Taylor has seen ``activity'' around Mr. Yale's well site, possibly biological inventorying or land surveying.
Pat Jones has submitted his resignation from the Board for health reasons. The Board thanked Pat for his service to the community. Jim Hamerly was appointed to fill out Pat's term, which expires in May 2005. Jim bought 20 acres of land along Fern Meadow road about two years ago and is working on securing permits to build a home there. He is a business school professor, holding appointments at Cal State San Marcos and the University of Phoenix, lives in Poway, and has been involved in software startups and the America On-Line company.
The next board meeting will be January 15, 2005, at the Fire Station.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:17 A.M.
Michael E. Pique, Secretary.