Planned removal of Trees at StoneRidge

The owner of StoneRidge has contracted with a tree company to dig up, remove and sell trees located on the former golf course. The GVCA has discussed the situation with City representatives and have been told that the owner is permitted to remove trees without a permit as long as they are not listed as a City of Poway "Heritage Tree" or native trees such as Canyon Live Oak, Coast Live Oak, Englemann Oak, and California Sycamore. The City is monitoring the situation and if any trees require a permit the City's approval will be required.  We also have been told by council members that there is no movement at this time to revise the municipal code on trees in direct response to current activity at this specific property. 

FROM THE CITY MANAGER

The City has received several inquiries regarding the planned removal of trees at Stoneridge Country Club, as well as requests for the City to take action to address the removal.  The Poway Municipal Code Chapter 12.32 addresses tree removal on private property.  Since Stoneridge Country Club is private property,  the owner is permitted to remove trees without a permit so long as they are not native trees or heritage trees.  Essentially, native trees are oaks and sycamores.  To the City’s knowledge, the trees in question are eucalyptus and pine.  City staff has made the property owner and the nursery aware of the restrictions around native trees.

If the trees were located in a public right-of-way, then a tree removal permit would be required.  Again, it is the City’s understanding that the trees in question are not in the public right-of-way. 

The property is zoned OS-R (not commercial) and the property is vacant, without an active operation of any kind.  Therefore, a tree removal permit is not required under section 12.32.150.

Following the November 2017 election, the property owner terminated water service to the property. Therefore, the trees are not being watered and the City cannot compel the property owner to irrigate the property.

Changes to the City’s Landscape Maintenance Districts and how they could impact YOU

Driving along Espola Road over the last few years, have you grown dismayed at the deterioration of the landscaping along the road, as well as other key roads (known as Landscape Maintenance Districts) in the community? The City is proposing to increase taxes with the promise of updated landscaping in these areas. 

Per our request, the City has provided the following update on its plan for improving services in these areas (we have bolded some text for emphasis):

A Landscape Maintenance District, or LMD, is an area identified to provide benefitting property owners the option to pay for enhanced landscaping and other improvements, and services beyond those generally provided by the City. There are ten LMDs in Poway. The LMDs were formed in the 1980s when many of Poway’s neighborhoods were first being developed. They cover the cost of contract labor for tree trimming, gardening, litter control, weed abatement and other upkeep and general maintenance (above baseline services provided by the City), as well as costs for water and electricity. LMDs are funded through an assessment on annual property tax bills. The assessment rates, which can vary by zones and LMDs, have remained unchanged for decades. Unfortunately, the funds being collected through the assessment are no longer sufficient to adequately maintain some of the City’s LMDs.

The City is addressing two LMDs this year: 83-1 and 86-1. 

• LMD 83-1 encompasses the Arbolitos, Twin Peak/Kindercare, Kent eld Estates, Diroma Estates, Kent Hill, Country Creek, Rio Court, Park Village, Midland Estates, and Poway 16 neighborhoods/ subdivisions.

• LMD 86-1 includes Bridlewood, Old Coach, Piedmont Park, Stone Canyon Ranch, The Grove and Vision, Huntington Gate, Serenata and Green Valley Estates.

The City has taken short-term measures to reduce landscape services and watering schedules to minimize costs in each LMD. Over time, natural deterioration has affected irrigation systems, trees, plants and other landscape features. As the City plans for the long-term, it will invite property owners within each LMD to meetings to discuss how the funding shortfall and maintenance needs can be addressed. The LMD funding shortfalls leave the City and affected property owners with two options. The first option is to further reduce the maintenance services provided so that expenses are in line with revenues. While this is possible, the City is concerned about the poor appearance that will result from further reducing maintenance services. The second option is for property owners to approve a new re-engineered LMD (referred to as 18-1 and 18-2 respectively) with revised assessments, including an annual index (CPI) to ensure that future assessments keep pace with inflationary cost adjustments.

The City held informational meetings with LMD 83-1 owners in November. Staff will invite LMD 86-1 property owners to participate in informational meetings in January. These informational meetings precede a ballot that will be mailed in March 2018 with options for the future upkeep of landscaping along main roads, neighborhood entryways and common areas within each LMD. Ballots will include an option to vote to increase the assessment rate, which will include an annual CPI index, to restore and improve service levels and reinvest in landscaping and maintenance. The outcome will be determined by the majority of the ballots received.

For more information, including an interactive map with proposed assessments for LMD 83-1 and 86-1 (newly reengineered as LMD 18-1 and 18-2 respectively), visit the City’s website at http://poway.org/930/LMD-86-1-2018-Ballot-Measures

A Future Together Without StoneRidge

President's Message Winter 2018

With the “No” vote outcome of the Measure A/StoneRidge special election last November, and the club’s permanent closing, many important questions remain and new ones arise. As we have done since 1960 with many issues facing north Poway, the GVCA will continue to serve as a watchdog, provide factual information, and be an advocate for our members and the community.

• Moving forward, here is what we know about the property based on input from the City and property owner:

• The club is permanently closed and irrigation has ceased; the owner has no intention of reopening the facilities.

• The perimeter of the property has been fenced off.

• Maintenance of the property’s landscaping will include only required fire management maintenance per city code.

• The property is not for sale; the owner will consider any plan put forth by the community that is supported by the entire community.

We would like to thank our members and north Poway residents who contacted us before and during the Measure A campaign. Your input is important to our board as we consider critical issues such as this.

As time continues to pass, we encourage residents to move beyond the divisiveness that arose from Measure A so that someday this 117-acre property can once again be a centerpiece of our community. 

Steven Stone
President, GVCA

Big Decisions Impacting North Poway

President's Message Winter 2017

POSSIBLE REDEVELOPMENT AT STONERIDGE COUNTRY CLUB

Redevelopment plans are under serious consideration for StoneRidge Country Club and golf course. Over the last six months, Poway Open Space, Inc., a non-profit group formed by club members to preserve the golf course at StoneRidge, has been meeting with representatives of property owner, Michael Schlesinger, to reach an accord on potential redevelopment plans. On November 2, the Board of Poway Open Space met with a representative of Roni Hicks, Schlesinger’s consulting firm, and developer Cal Atlantic, to review the owner’s proposal that resulted from the planning group’s efforts. The Poway Open Space Board unanimously voted to endorse and actively support the StoneRidge Redevelopment plan and affirming Prop FF vote that:

• Limits residential development to less than 15 acres (12%)

• Delivers no less than an 18-hole par 70 course

• Designs and constructs a brand new clubhouse for members and the community

• Provides that the residential development be limited to 12 units per acre

• Caps residential unit count (no more than 180 units)

• Restricts residential development to an age qualified 55+ community (no impact on schools and reduced traffic impact)

• Models development after Auberge in Del Sur by CalAtlantic

• Limits height to no more than two stories

• Records a Conservation Easement on the 105-acre golf course to insure it is permanent open space

• Provides StoneRidge Golf Course is maintained in a first class standard throughout the City of Poway’s entitlement process

• Allows for complete community input and involvement in the entire process

NEXT STEPS 

CalAtlantic is in the process of creating a land use map and plan for community review and input at an open house to take place sometime in the next few weeks. If the owner and developer decide to move forward this year, in accordance with the provisions of Prop FF, they will be required to gather signatures to place a measure on a special ballot to gain voter approval for a land use change that allows for housing.

GVCA’S POSITION 

Over the last 18 months, GVCA board members have met with the property owner, Roni Hicks representatives, the Poway Open Space group, as well as City Council members to gather information and provide preliminary input on potential redevelopment of this property. While we are encouraged by the level of cooperation between the property owner and lead stakeholder Poway Open Space, the GVCA will take a formal position when a land use map and plan have been made available.

Measure W - Maderas Hotel defeated

Last November, Poway voters rejected a measure sponsored by property owner/developer Sunroad Enterprises that would change the land use at Maderas Golf Club to allow for a 240-room hotel. The measure failed by a margin of 680 votes (51.46 - 48.54%). The GVCA took a position against this measure due to a lack of information, transparency and outreach to the community prior to being placed on the ballot. Regardless of how you voted on this issue, we thank you for taking the time to learn about the measure and how it could impact the area. 

If the developer decides to bring forward a measure again, we strongly urge Sunroad to develop a land use plan/map and engage the community early in the process so that voters have a clear and complete understanding of what the proposed development would entail. 

Measure W: Don’t be Fooled – VOTE NO ON W

Whenever something is labeled a “no brainer” it should set alarm bells off in your head.  The prospect of a 240-room hotel complex at Maderas Golf Club off of Espola Road is ringing like a 5-alarm fire drill.  But the developer of this proposed project, Sunroad Enterprises, is tone deaf. They failed to garner input from the community before slipping the ballot measure request onto City Council’s agenda just under the deadline for it to appear on the November ballot. 

No vetting by the community or council. No plan presented. (Drawings were later rendered in haste to tempt residents with eye candy.) Very few residents even knew the proposal was being brought before council.

The desperate flood of Yes on W postcards residents have received leading up to the election are disingenuous and transparently misleading. Emblazoned with buzzwords like “guarantee“…”good neighbor” …“quality of life” …”funding for parks, libraries and paramedics” … these campaign promises are empty and patronizing to Poway residents. 

Magical thinking
Some may like the idea of new tax revenue brought into the City on someone else’s shoulders (via a Transient Occupancy Tax paid by hotel guests). But where is this magical $1.5 million the developer keeps touting coming from? What is the formula? Is it based on near-complete occupancy of a 240-room resort?  It should be noted that the sprawling Rancho Bernardo Inn is 287 rooms. Neither Sunroad nor the community has any say in how tax revenue, which would go into the general fund, would be spent. 

No guarantees
If Measure W passes, the die is cast. The land would be approved for a hotel development up to 240-rooms for the current and future owner of the property. Critical decisions on location, square footage, height and more would be in the hands of city staff with approval by three members of a future city council.  

Skirting an updated Environmental Impact Report?
Council approved putting Measure W on the ballot based on a 26-year-old Environmental Impact Report. Key factors such as density, traffic, water, and fire safety have changed significantly since the 1980 report. The developer will do whatever it can to limit the extent of any new EIR that would be required by the city.

Questionable history
Sunroad is a developer with storied and questionable business practices, including having to remove the top two floors of an overbuilt office building near Montgomery Field and a pay-to-play scheme with the City of San Diego. 

GVCA has your best interests
The GVCA has been a watchdog for the quality of life in Poway since 1960. We keep an eye on issues such as water rates, inappropriate variances, fiscal responsibility, as well as support of local youth activities and events. 

Vote NO on W

We know Poway residents are smarter than the developer gives us credit for. Demand honesty, more information and transparency at the ballot by voting NO on W.

Be sure to read our arguments against Measure W in your voter guide.

Vote No: Measure W Maderas Hotel

When the idea of allowing a 240-room hotel development at Maderas Golf Club (Measure “W” on the November ballot) first surfaced in the public arena this summer, it elicited a variety of reactions from residents: curiosity, excitement, skepticism, opposition. Before taking a position on this potential land use change and major development, the GVCA board did its homework.

Upon learning that a land use request and ballot measure would go before a vote of City Council on July 19th, the GVCA had a mere two weeks to research the facts. In that time, we:

• Obtained public records from the City Clerk’s office related to the land use request, including the Original Specific Plan, the Amended Specific Plan, and a recent traffic study
• Conducted an email poll to gauge support or opposition of the proposal
• Met with a representative from Sunroad Enterprises, the property owner and developer
• Contacted City Council members

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

What we learned (and didn’t learn) left us with more questions than answers. Because the GVCA had serious concerns about the size of the development (akin to the 287-room Rancho Bernardo Inn), the potential impact (traffic, fire safety, water usage, noise, visual), and the hasty process by which the measure was brought to Council, with little to no information or input from the community, we cautioned Council against approving the applicant’s request. 

WHERE WAS THE VETTING?

With the exception of Councilman Dave Grosch, City Council approved the proposal without questioning the 26-year-old Environmental Impact Report, the appropriateness of a 240-room resort, the validity of a promised $1.5 mil in hotel tax revenue, or preliminary support from the community, 

A development of this magnitude and potential impact, demands proper vetting by the City Staff and City Council on behalf of the residents of Poway before reaching the ballot, not a rubber stamp of a vague and open-ended ballot measure which simply states:

Do you approve Specific Plan Amendment 16- 002 as adopted by the Poway City Council to amend the Old Coach Golf Estates Specific Plan, to allow development of a hotel with up to 240 rooms on the existing Maderas Golf Course site located at 17750 Old Coach Road?

Voters need a clearer understanding of what it is they are voting on and the impact their decision could have. It should be noted that a hotel was not approved in the Original Specific Plan due to community concerns. 

KEY DECISIONS OUT OF VOTERS HANDS

Without additional parameters on the land use (i.e. height limit, square footage, etc.) spelled out on the ballot, these key decisions will be left up to approval by a future City Council if the measure passes. The promise of community workshops cannot ease serious concerns about the recent disconnect in communication between Staff, Council and the community on major projects and developments.

LETS GET IT RIGHT

The GVCA is fully supportive of a thriving economic environment in Poway. We are active members of the Poway Chamber of Commerce and its Board of Directors, and proud supporters of Poway OnStage performances at the Poway Performing Arts Center. In order for a major hotel development in Poway to be a win-win for everyone involved, we need to get it right BEFORE it reaches the ballot. Measures such as this require more information, honesty and transparency. Voters should demand it by voting NO on W.

Candidate Responses to GVCA's Questions

As the November election nears, one of the roles the GVCA has traditionally taken is to inform the community about the candidates who are seeking local office for Poway City Council and Poway Unified School District.  As such, we asked the candidates questions relevant to the concerns of our community. 

Presented below are the candidates' verbatim responses.

Future 240-room hotel at Maderas Golf Club now in voters' hands

At the July 19, 2016 City Council meeting, council members laid the groundwork for a large hotel development at Maderas Golf Club, voting 4-1 to approve a request by the club owner to modify their specific plan to include a 240-room hotel (Councilman Grosch opposed), and approved the measure that will be placed on the November election ballot. The application was brought to the City with short notice in order to meet the deadline to appear on the election ballot. 

Council also approved an addendum to the 1990 Environmental Impact Report (EIR) stating that there is no new information of substantial importance which would result in new significant or substantially increased adverse impacts as a result of the development of a 240-room hotel.  

The GVCA asked Council to reduce the number of rooms and include basic project parameters (i.e, square footage, size and mass) in the language of the ballot measure. Our request was denied with a unanimous vote. Neighbors also addressed Council with concerns about relying on a 26-year-old EIR, increased noise, lack of wildfire escape routes, and traffic/safety issues resulting from a 240-room hotel in this otherwise quiet rural setting.

The GVCA recognizes the economic importance to the City which is expecting to receive $1.5 million per year of hotel tax revenue from this development and the desire to keep Maderas as one of the top golf courses in the country. However, we are disappointed that Council chose not to include additional project information about the location, size and scale of the development in the ballot measure so that voters have a better understanding of what they are being asked to consider at the November 8th election. 

Maderas Golf Club asking City Council for a land use change allowing a Hotel

The Maderas Golf Club opened in Poway's Old Coach area in 2001. Aidan Bradley

As reported by Steve Dreyer of the Pomerado News "The owners of the Maderas Golf Club will be asking the Poway City Council to place on the November ballot a measure that, if passed, would clear the way for them to propose a hotel on the Old Coach Road property.

Bob Manis, the city’s development services director, said that Sunroad Enterprises is interested in building a hotel of up to 240 rooms but that the specific plan covering the Old Coach area would first need to be amended to allow the use. That would require a citywide vote under Proposition FF. The specific plan covers land uses within the two Old Coach luxury residential developments and the golf course.

If the measure passes, Sunroad would then be able to proceed with proposing what Manis called a “boutique hotel/resort.” The plans would be subject to a thorough City Council review, including public hearings, he said.

The matter is scheduled for the council’s next meeting, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 19, 2016."

Informational Meeting about StoneRidge Country Club

INFORMATION MEETING
June 5th at 4:00 pm
StoneRidge Country Club

As you may have heard recently, the owner of StoneRidge Country Club has determined that retaining a membership-based course and its clubhouse amenities are no longer viable operations as currently structured. To explore its options for the site, the property owner has hired local consultants to conduct one-on-one ascertainment research among Poway residents living directly adjacent to the StoneRidge golf course, as well as representatives of adjacent homeowners associations, the GVCA, and those who have purchased golf club, tennis club or social memberships.

In light of this activity, members of the StoneRidge Men’s Golf Club have organized a committee to explore ways to keep the property as a golf course/club. You are invited to attend an informational meeting led by this group to learn more about their efforts. The meeting will be held on Sunday, June 5th, 4:00 p.m., at StoneRidge Country Club.

For more information, email: SaveStoneRidge@outlook.com 

Looking for PUSD School Board Candidates

Two seats of the five seats on the Poway Unifed School District Board of Education are up for general election in November. One seat is currently held by incumbent Kimberly Beatty and the second is held by long-time board member Andy Patapow who is not seeking re-election.

As an award-winning school district, PUSD needs strong, stable leadership on its board of directors to help sustain its excellence in education which also protects home values in the area. Currently, there are no members on the board who live in the City of Poway.

If you are interested in running for one of the open seats, a group called The Coalition for Effective School Board Leadership is seeking candidates to endorse. The group consists of 20 parents, teachers, local business owners, and community leaders, including former Poway High School Principal, Scott Fisher.

For more information, visit:

www.coalition4effectiveschoolboard.com

The candidate filing deadline for this election is August 12, 2016. 

What's Happening at StoneRidge?

As you may have recently read in the San Diego Union Tribune and Pomerado News, the owner of StoneRidge Country Club has been exploring alternative uses for the property and hired a PR company to survey the community.  Over the last several months, the GVCA has meet with City of Poway officials, the owner of StoneRidge and their consultants to stay abreast of the issue. 

Shown below is the City of Poway's FAQ sheet on what is allowed there now and what it takes to change the zoning. Per the City of Poway "voter approval is required for any General Plan amendment, zone change, subdivision map, or other discretionary land use decision affecting any area zoned Rural Residential or Open Space, which would increase the residential density or change the zoning designation to allow commercial or manufacturing uses." 

The GVCA will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed. Please like us on Facebook to receive our informative news feed.

Thank you,

Steven Stone
President

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Recent News Articles

StoneRidge Owner Exploring Housing Option, Pomerado News, May 4, 2016
StoneRidge Eyed for Development, San Diego Union Tribune, May 4, 2016
 

President's Message Winter 2016

Paying more for using less:  What can we do about the water conundrum?

San Diego County Water Authority board member Matt Hall recently was quoted in the San Diego Union Tribune saying that our water situation is hard to explain to ratepayers. “It’s real hard to tell them, ‘You have to let your grass die,’ and in the same breath you have to tell them, ‘We have more water than we can use,’” he said.

So why is this? It is the direct consequence of California Governor Jerry Brown’s Executive Order B-29-15. This Emergency Regulation gives no credit to local water agencies for developing new sustainable water supplies, such as the new Carlsbad desalination plant – investments that our local water authority has made and we are paying for.

The City of Poway becomes part of this tangled web as it is required to comply with the Governor’s order to reduce water use by 32% (and to enforce the order). This steep reduction is contributing to rising water rates because local water agencies and the City are forced to meet revenue needs with lower sales.

What can we expect if the State continues to impose mandated water reduction as its primary drought plan?

• Water allocations and penalties – Poway City Council passed an ordinance in late 2015 which establishes a baseline allowance and penalties for excess non-essential use.
• Mandated irrigation standards – the State recently required cities to adopt irrigation standards for new construction, existing landscape rehabilitation greater than 2,500 square feet needing city approval, and for existing homes with landscape area greater than one acre.
• Continued mandated water cuts and higher water rates – reduced water sales coupled with ever increasing operating cost and more expensive desalination and recycled water will result in higher rates.

What can YOU do?

• Be engaged. Sign up to receive email notifications of City of Poway city council meeting agendas so you are informed of when new restrictive water-related ordinances are being considered and adopted. Go to: http://poway.org/list.aspx
• Attend council meetings and contact Council Members directly to voice your comments on issues, such as water, that directly impact your quality of life, home value and community.
• Contact our state legislators:

38th Senate District - JOEL ANDERSON
500 Fesler Street, Suite 201
El Cajon 92020
(619) 596-3136 • Fax (619) 596-3140 www.sen.ca.gov/anderson

77th Assembly District - BRIAN MAIENSCHEIN
12396 World Trade Drive, Suite #118
San Diego, CA 92128
(858) 675-0077 • Fax (858) 675-0688 https://ad77.asmrc.org

These elected officials support petitioning Governor Brown to allow us to meet mandated cutbacks through both conservation and sustainable water supplies, such as the Carlsbad desalination plant. Let them know you support their efforts for a more balanced drought management plan. You can also contact the State Water Resources Control Board directly:

Jeanine Townsend, Clerk of the Board
State Water Resources Control Board
1001 I Street, 24th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
commentletters@waterboards.ca.gov

Now What? – How to take action against Water/Sewer Rate Increases

Over the last few weeks, we have heard from a number of GVCA members and residents in North Poway who are very concerned about the water and sewer rate increases identified in the Prop 218 notification which went out recently.  The new rates for water and sewer service amount to a combined increase of 20% for a typical north Poway property. On December 15th, City Council will vote to formally adopt the rate increases as described in the Prop 218 Notice. 

What You Can Do

1.  Contact elected officials in Sacramento where policies are being made that significantly impact our local water and sewer rates. 

2.  Send a formal protest to the City of Poway asking them to do the following in order to limit future increases:

• Review how the City can better scale its water operations and capital improvements in light of the "new" normal water demand to reduce its operating costs and lessen rate increases year after year.
• Assess if pass-through costs from other agencies are justified.
• Have staff prepare an action plan for Poway to push back against these pass-through increases and join forces with other cities facing the same issue.  

According to the Poway City Clerk, written protest must include the following information:

• A description of the protestor's property, such as the address or assessor’s parcel number; and
• The name and original signature of the customer submitting the protest
• City Council will consider all written and oral protests at this public hearing. Email nor oral comments will not qualify as formal protests.

Hand Delivered
Written protests can be submitted in person to the City Clerk’s Office at 13325 Civic Center Drive, Poway.

Sent via US Mail
City of Poway, Attn:  City Clerk, P.O. Box 789, Poway, CA  92074-0789

Submitted Protests must be received by the City Clerk’s office no later than 4:30 p.m. December 15, 2015. 

Submitted at the Council Hearing
Written protest can be submitted in writing in the Council Chambers before the Public Hearing is closed. 
 
NOTE: Last month, Poway City Council held a public workshop regarding the proposed rates. The GVCA addressed council with concerns regarding the new rates, the "temporary" surcharge, "pass-thru" cost, and the department's operating expenses. The workshop was sparsely attended by the public. We encourage all residents who are concerned about future increases to their water and sewer bills to become engaged in the public discussion BEFORE it reaches the Prop 218 phase.

Update: Stoneridge Country Club

As you may know, the StoneRidge Country Club property is for sale and the owner is considering his options. The property is currently zoned Open Space Recreational (OSR) and any change in land use would require a citywide Proposition FF vote by the citizens of Poway.

The GVCA met with the owner of StoneRidge Country Club upon his request. We suggested that he communicate any intentions he has for the property to the property owners contiguous to the StoneRidge golf course and to the community.

To our knowledge, no proposal has been presented or filed with the City for any land use change. If an official plan is proposed by the property owner, the GVCA will be diligent in ensuring that it is in the best interests of the community.  

In the meantime, we continue to keep an eye on the situation and will update our members as public information becomes available.

Update: Water and Sewer Rates

At Tuesday night's City Council Workshop meeting, council decided to proceed with the proposed water and sewer rate increases.  A public notice will be prepared and mailed to residents advising of a public hearing to adopt the new rates. The City's next meeting on this will be a hearing on December 15th at 7:00 pm at the City Council Chambers.  

The proposed water and sewer rates are:

• 7.75% increase in the Water Commodity rate to $4.60 per unit (748 gallons) and $6.56 per unit for those using more than 200 units
• $0.75 per unit "Drought Recovery" water surcharge, effectively making the rate $5.35 per unit up from the current $4.27 per unit
• 8.75% increase in Water Meter Charge
• 7.5% increase in Sewer Use rate
• 8.75% increase in the Sewer Service Charge 

At the workshop meeting, the GVCA asked council to:   

1. Review how the City can better scale its water operations and capital improvements in light of the "new" normal water demand to reduce its operating costs and lessen rate increases year after year.
2. Assess if pass-through costs from other agencies are justified.
3. Have staff prepare an action plan for Poway to push back against these pass-through increases and join forces with other cities facing the same issue.  
4. Consider if the "Drought Recovery" surcharge is appropriate.
5. Ensure that the Drought Recovery surcharge not become a permanent fee.

While Council considered our questions, they concluded that with the "new" normal water use Powegians will not see large increases in their bills since residents are using on average 36% less water. Council members were unanimous in their decision to include a sunset clause on the Drought Recovery surcharge to officially end in December 2018. We continue to encourage Council to push for new solutions for affordable and sustainable water and sewer service in the face of rising pass-through costs and water use restrictions from Sacramento.  

Noted below is the City of Poway water commodity cost per unit over the last 16 years. In the year 2000 water was $1.76 per unit compared to $5.35 per unit in 2016, a 7.2% annual rate of increase. Today's inflation adjusted rate would be about $2.56 per unit.  

View fullsize

WATER & SEWER RATES GOING UP, UP – AGAIN

What can be done? Tell Poway City Council what you think.

Water and sewer rates continue to rise as the City of Poway passes through costs for water and sewer charges to homeowners. Since 2004, our water rates have gone from $1.93 per unit to now a proposed $5.35 per unit. This Tuesday, October 20th at 7 pm, Poway City Council will discuss a staff report on recommendations to increase your water and sewer rates again:

• 7.75% increase in the Water Commodity rate to $4.60 per unit (748 gallons) and $6.56 per unit for those using more than 200 units
• Create a $0.75 per unit "Drought Recovery" water surcharge
• 8.75% increase in Water Meter Charge
• 7.5% increase in Sewer Use rate
• 8.75% increase in the Sewer Service Charge 

So what do these increases mean to you? In total, these changes would increase the "typical" GVCA households bimonthly bill to $481 for an increase of $80 (see chart below). As we know, most households in the Green Valley area have larger yards, irrigated slopes, orchards and some even have large animals and are not the "typical" 20 unit water users the City discusses in the report.

Single-Family Residential Customer
Combined BiMonthly Water and Sewer Bill
(65 Units, 3/4-inch Meter, Tier 4) 

• 61% of the cost is water is made up of water supply charges from the San Diego County Water Authority. The remaining 39% is the City's cost to operate our local water system.
• 54% of the sewer rate is pass-through expenses from the City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater System. 
• As we continue to cut back our water use, the price we pay will continue to rise due these pass-through increases and high fixed cost which are compounded by lower water sales revenue. 

We recognize this is a regional problem, but here are some of questions for City Council to consider:   

1. How can the City reduce its operating costs to lessen rate increases year after year?
2. Is the City adopting smart and fair water/sewer rates and policies for all ratepayers?
3. Are the pass-through costs from the San Diego County Water Authority and the City of San Diego Metropolitan Wastewater System justified?
4. What more can Poway do to push back against these pass-through increases? 
5. What can be done to secure a long-term supply of water with a more stable price? 

What can you do? We strongly encourage you to submit your questions, concerns and suggestions to the Poway City Council at the meeting on Tuesday, October 20th, or by emailing them at councilmembers@poway.org

For more information on the proposed increases, go to:
http://docs.poway.org/WebLink8/DocView.aspx?id=103137&dbid=0
http://www.pomeradonews.com/news/2015/oct/14/water-sewer-rate-increases-proposed-poway/

Supporting our local community

As part of the GVCA’s ongoing efforts to support local youth, activities and community partners, this year we:

• Contributed $1,000 to Poway High Grad Nite
• Donated $500 to the Kumeyaay Interpretive Center in memory of former Poway City Councilman
• Exclusive show sponsor of two performances presented by Poway OnStage at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts 

An interview with one of GVCA’s first presidents Clay Perkins

Tell us about your background
I grew up in Austin, Texas, and received my Master’s degree in Physics in 1958 from the University of Texas Austin. I then moved to San Diego and married that same year. We had two children while living in Green Valley and now have three grandchildren. I am 80 years old.

How did you come to settle down in Poway?
In the early 1960s Poway was wide open and connected to San Diego only by a two-lane road (really). A great place for the money, where we could buy a lot and design our own house. Our biggest personal event in Green Valley was a tragedy: the great brush  re of 1967. Our home and about twenty other Poway houses were burned to the ground and many others damaged in a  re that started ten miles away in Ramona. We lived there another two years while building a new home in San Diego. We moved for business reasons, not because we wanted to leave beautiful Green Valley.

How and why did you become involved with the GVCA?
A budding interest in civic affairs, coupled with some local problems: under-grounding utilities, white striping the roads, lack of neighborly cohesiveness, for example. Back then, there were three developments, each not really wanting to cooperate with the others. They were (in decreasing size) the original Green Valley, Valle Verde to the west, and the much smaller Del Norte to the southwest. We had an association officially named “The Green Valley / Valle Verde Civic Association.” When I appeared before County Board of Supervisors, I always got a laugh with that name. One Supervisor once said that we had the longest name of any organization appearing before them.

What were the GVCA’s greatest accomplishments during your tenure?
It sounds minor, but the most important was changing our name. I started a quiet campaign pointing out the awkwardness of our redundant name, and how it made us look unprofessional. I met with the Valle Verde residents in particular and sympathized with their love of the beautiful Spanish name. This was a really big issue; we had the biggest meeting ever. I had organized speakers on both sides, but carefully hid my own feelings. And I had found a 19th Century map showing Green Valley creek originating in our valley; that helped a lot. The result was a majority vote among the Valle Verde folks for the name Green Valley, and thus few hard feelings. After I was thrown into the pool, I discovered that most people thought that I had opposed the change!

I was president for two or three years during which we formed a public utility district to sell bonds to fund the under grounding; and we white striped the roads, and we white striped the roads. No, that is not a typo. The county refused to stripe the roads because of our light traf c, so we paid the county to do so. That took some pushing. Then just weeks later they slurry-sealed the roads, covering up the lines. Boy, was I mad. After a lot of yelling and finger pointing, the county repainted the lines without charge. That we painted them, and then we painted them again, became a standing joke.

What awards have you won?
Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Texas. Election to honorary membership in the 509th Composite Group (the WWII atomic bombers). As such I attend annual reunions with the men who ended WWII. Although now deceased, the last three crew members of the Enola Gay were personal friends of mine. Also I was given a plaque of appreciation from the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor (the WWII POW organization for the Paci c Theater). My wife Dorothy and I won the 2014 Los Alamos [NM] History Award.

What you would like to see happen in the future of our community?
Well, selfishly I would like to see it stay wide open, so I can gaze at and hike on other peo- ple’s land. Oh, wait that was 54 years ago; I’m too late. Heck, I don’t know anything about Poway today. Well, when I came to see my grandsons play football and lacrosse at Poway High, I greatly admired how the trees had grown. But I can hope that the future of Poway will bring happiness, prosperity, and cooperation.

I am delighted that GVCA has grown to what looks at a glance to be 20 times bigger than it was back then – and that you have not changed the name.