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Water district may lock horns with would-be golf course owner
JOSHUA TREE - The Joshua Basin Water District Board of Directors authorized their attorneys to try to negotiate an amicable solution with the owner of a property on Sunfair Road who proposes to build a golf course development.
Failing an amicable solution, the board authorized the filing of a complaint.
Robert Ellis has installed wells on his property for high-volume use.
The issue involves the district's requirement to install meters on wells. According to Joe Guzzetta, JBWD general manager, so far Ellis has failed to allow the installation of meters. The board authorized its staff to initiate litigation if Ellis continues to prohibit it.
Guzzetta emphasized the district's interest is in metering potentially high-volume water producers and not customers using less than two acre-feet of water per year. A typical household uses a third to a half an acre-foot of water in a year.
Ellis also failed to apply for a permit from the district, although he was requested to do so. He did obtain a permit from the county.
Water district officials are not aware that Ellis has made any progress toward the development of a golf course, such as environmental studies or applications for land-use changes.
Budget approved
The board unanimously approved the district's first two-year budget. For the 2006-2007 fiscal year which begins July 1, the district projects receiving $4.3 million in revenues and putting out $3.4 in ongoing expenses.
In addition, the district has been saving money for new capital projects, equipment and programs that will total $3.4 million the first year and $1.6 million the second year.
Projects include embarking on a water-line replacement program beginning in the southwest portion of the district known as the “H-zone,” and establishing a formal preventive-maintenance program for water tanks, fire hydrants, booster pumps and valves.
Additionally, the district plans to buy new property that will be needed in the future for reservoirs, wells and percolation ponds, upgrade its telemetry system, begin sending out a customer newsletter and purchase new equipment.
Package plants treat water for developments
The district's engineering firm, Dudek & Associates, presented a study showing the cost for managing and operating the “package” sewer treatment plants now required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board for new development to protect the groundwater quality.
The package plants are sewer treatment plants designed to serve a small number of homes. They are fully enclosed and can fit on a standard residential lot.
The first of these is expected to be installed for a tract of 61 homes proposed at Chesapeake Drive in the Friendly Hills area. As proposed, the developer will pay for and install the plant, and turn it over to the district.
The new residents would pay the full cost of operating the treatment plant.
If the district decides not to assume ownership and maintenance, it would be owned and operated by a homeowners association.
The district has been concerned that leaving the operations of these plants to homeowner associations and small businesses would leave too much opportunity for system failures and potential groundwater contamination. A similar plant installed recently in Yucca Valley suffered such failure, taking several months to identify and correct the problem.
District-wide treatment plant discussed
Dudek representatives presented a second study showing the feasibility of a district-wide sewer treatment plant that could be built in conjunction with the development of Section 33, a 640-acre section located south of Twentynine Palms Highway and east of La Contenta Road.
Current zoning could allow for more than 2,000 homes that would need something larger than a package treatment plant.
The study showed the ideal location for district-wide treatment plant at the eastern end of the district.
However, to be cost effective, that location would need a large number of existing homes to connect within a short period.
A more economically feasible location would be east of the county courthouse.
Costs for the treatment plant and pipe systems could range from $20 million to $60 million depending on the number of homes served.
Failing an amicable solution, the board authorized the filing of a complaint.
Robert Ellis has installed wells on his property for high-volume use.
The issue involves the district's requirement to install meters on wells. According to Joe Guzzetta, JBWD general manager, so far Ellis has failed to allow the installation of meters. The board authorized its staff to initiate litigation if Ellis continues to prohibit it.
Guzzetta emphasized the district's interest is in metering potentially high-volume water producers and not customers using less than two acre-feet of water per year. A typical household uses a third to a half an acre-foot of water in a year.
Ellis also failed to apply for a permit from the district, although he was requested to do so. He did obtain a permit from the county.
Water district officials are not aware that Ellis has made any progress toward the development of a golf course, such as environmental studies or applications for land-use changes.
Budget approved
The board unanimously approved the district's first two-year budget. For the 2006-2007 fiscal year which begins July 1, the district projects receiving $4.3 million in revenues and putting out $3.4 in ongoing expenses.
In addition, the district has been saving money for new capital projects, equipment and programs that will total $3.4 million the first year and $1.6 million the second year.
Projects include embarking on a water-line replacement program beginning in the southwest portion of the district known as the “H-zone,” and establishing a formal preventive-maintenance program for water tanks, fire hydrants, booster pumps and valves.
Additionally, the district plans to buy new property that will be needed in the future for reservoirs, wells and percolation ponds, upgrade its telemetry system, begin sending out a customer newsletter and purchase new equipment.
Package plants treat water for developments
The district's engineering firm, Dudek & Associates, presented a study showing the cost for managing and operating the “package” sewer treatment plants now required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board for new development to protect the groundwater quality.
The package plants are sewer treatment plants designed to serve a small number of homes. They are fully enclosed and can fit on a standard residential lot.
The first of these is expected to be installed for a tract of 61 homes proposed at Chesapeake Drive in the Friendly Hills area. As proposed, the developer will pay for and install the plant, and turn it over to the district.
The new residents would pay the full cost of operating the treatment plant.
If the district decides not to assume ownership and maintenance, it would be owned and operated by a homeowners association.
The district has been concerned that leaving the operations of these plants to homeowner associations and small businesses would leave too much opportunity for system failures and potential groundwater contamination. A similar plant installed recently in Yucca Valley suffered such failure, taking several months to identify and correct the problem.
District-wide treatment plant discussed
Dudek representatives presented a second study showing the feasibility of a district-wide sewer treatment plant that could be built in conjunction with the development of Section 33, a 640-acre section located south of Twentynine Palms Highway and east of La Contenta Road.
Current zoning could allow for more than 2,000 homes that would need something larger than a package treatment plant.
The study showed the ideal location for district-wide treatment plant at the eastern end of the district.
However, to be cost effective, that location would need a large number of existing homes to connect within a short period.
A more economically feasible location would be east of the county courthouse.
Costs for the treatment plant and pipe systems could range from $20 million to $60 million depending on the number of homes served.
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GGWebGrrl wrote on Jan 17, 2009 1:59 PM: