Minutes of the Palomar Mountain Planning Organization Meeting
April 9, 2005
Terri Bailey, Robert Carlyle, Tracy Dixon, Donna Dose, Elizabeth Getzoff (alternate), Bruce Graves, Jim Hamerly, Susan Humason, Elliot Miller, Bonnie Phelps, Michael Pique.
About 22 members attended as well.
The PMPO Board meeting was convened 10:01 A.M. April 9, 2005, at the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. The minutes of the January 15, 2005, board meeting were distributed and approved. The treasurer, Tracy Dixon, reported expenses of $37 for postage stamps, $21.53 for mailing labels, $20.00 for California not-for-profit registration renewal, (total $78.53), no income. Our beginning bank balance was $31,868.12 and ending bank balance was $31,789.59. The report was approved.
George Lucia was introduced as our new Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department Chief. He lives on Crestline.
Michael Pique reported that we are still hunting landmarks and discussing how best to present our case to the Bureau of Land Management. It was suggested that we talk to Shirley Thompson who owned much property on Palomar and might have old maps and deed records.
Bruce Graves says Tom Burton says there's nothing new to report, but some important meeting soon. The newsletter will have an update.
Earl Walls has has submitted the form to the Internal Revenue Service for not-for-profit federal tax classification. Earl has preliminary quotes on the structure and is pleased they came in under $12 per square foot for the steel frame and roof. The design makes use of local cedar which Nick Richutte will supply. Earl will bring draft plans to the PMPO Annual Meeting and Pancake Breakfast on May 28.
Elizabeth Getzoff recounted how for twelve years (since November 1992) the PMPO has been following the desires of former judge William Yale to pump a well alongside the East Grade Road and truck or pipe large amounts of water off the mountain. His previous plan, an application to San Diego County for a Major Use Permit, was withdrawn in 2003. He has arranged a new plan with the La Jolla Indian Reservation (LJIR), basically the same project under a different cover. He will transfer his land, about 7 or 8 acres, to the Reservation, build a pipeline down the mountain within the existing Reservation, and truck the water along Highway 76 to a bottling plant. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in Sacramento is leading the project, at least on paper, and in June 2004 issued a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) saying that the project would have insignificant environmental impact and should be approved without further study.
The PMPO, the Palomar Mountain Mutual Water Company, the San Diego County Department of Planning and Land Use, and 25 Palomar residents wrote letters to the BIA outlining the 10-year history of Palomar Mountain concerns and correspondence. They described in detail how the draft EA evaded or dealt incompletely with many of the environmental and water-rights issues that the PMPO and others had brought up during the County's MUP application process.
The BIA released a Final Environmental Assessment (FEA) in March 2005. The most disastrous thing is that in 2004 the BIA seemed truly unaware of the past history and seemed they would do the right thing and study it all when they were so informed. But in March, we learned they had done no new studies, either biological or hydrological, had not changed their bottom line, and intended to issue a ``Finding of no significant impact'' (FONSI).
Robert Carlyle moved the board authorize $3000 to retain an attorney to help in dealings with the BIA. Seconded by Tracy Dixon, approved 11-0-0.
Robert Carlyle moved the board authorize Bruce Graves to set up a committee to deal with the LJIR fee-to-trust and water pipeline project with our elected representatives, with necessary expenses up to $3000 under Bruce Graves' discretion subject to all restrictions of the PMPOs charter and by-laws. Seconded by Bonnie Phelps, approved 11-0-0.
Terri Bailey is going to meet informally with people down at the LJIR, stressing that the PMPO isn't a political group, just an information-gathering one.
Jim Anderson spoke. He lives in Cuca Ranch area and says he's been to County Supervisor Bill Horn's office and to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) about the unsafe motorcyclists. He say a small percentage of the riders are ruining the sport for everyone, both riders and the public. Law enforcement has been ineffective. Jim wants to make who's responsible, take action. Larry Reed, at Oak Knoll campground, has been pushing CHP for years We need to take the issue up so law enforcement on the street can do their jobs, not sit on their hands. CHP middle management does not seem to care if we have a problem. Jim has talked to Tamara Davis, who dropped being Chair of the PMPO Motorcycle Safety committee after feeling threatened. Jim met with CHP public relations director Tom Kern, who says he no longer even reads the Palomar Mountain email news complaints about the unsafe cyclists.
Bonnie Phelps says some cyclists remove their license plates to evade prosecution, we've asked that unlicensed motorcycles be impounded at the Summit, but it turned out that some were off-duty CHP.
Bruce Graves says we will try to do a outreach educational campaign at the Summit. Jim thinks we can stop them from speeding. A suggestion from the floor was to put a helicopter in the air, that it worked at the Angeles National Forest.
Doug Lande reminded us that the Palomar Mountain Fire Safe Council still has work to do and needs our support. Some questions will be coming up in the future. The next meeting is Saturday April 16, 10 AM at the Fire Station.
Susan Humason brought page proofs of the 2005 PMPO newsletter, which the Board members reviewed and corrected.
A newsletter assembly working party will be held Saturday April 30. The PMPO Annual Meeting and pancake breakfast will be held Saturday May 28, 2005 (Memorial Day weekend), at the Lodge. The next board meeting will be immediately following the Annual Meeting.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:07 P.M.
Michael E. Pique, Secretary.