The SPA1 lots that hold CCSD waitlist positions are the easy ones. Knowing that CCSD will not give a meter in this area will encourage these owners to acquire another lot outside SPA1 and transfer the waitlist position to it, and thereby agree to retire the SPA1 lot. But property owners will be less likely to assume this expense unless they believe they will get a water meter on their replacement lot.

The SPA plan and the BRP are actually elegantly complimentary. Carrying out the BRP will make it possible to increase the water supply without risking unacceptable growth. Increasing the water supply will allow those transferring out of the SPA to build on another lot in a less environmentally sensitive location instead of being stuck in limbo forever in the SPA. Yes, all this will increase demand for quality buildable lots outside the SPA, but market forces will work that out. Some may ultimately decide that building in Cambria is not for them, and they can sell their TDC’s to somebody else.

I agree that no, it is not fair to create new build now meters and sell them outside the wait list. I think the money should be raised another way and meters should only go according to wait list priority. I really appreciate your expression of concern for what’s fair to those of us on the water wait list. Given this concern, do you think that in order to keep CCSD (the community) from having to own and maintain vacant lots that don’t generate taxes that private owners should have to keep them, maintain them, and pay taxes on them indefinitely? Are you suggesting that if CCSD were to sell water meters that the income should instead go to subsidize operating costs in order to save the community money, thus eliminating the BRP, thereby eliminating the possibility of a new water supply and staying in permanent moratorium? Do you think you can maintain a moratorium legally all the while selling water meters at a price that is grossly inflated as a direct result of that very moratorium?

If you keep up the moratorium long enough, you will ensure the loss of property tax because eventually people will insist on the re-assessment of their useless lots until the day that the community finally comes together to find a solution.

http://www.coastalconservancy.ca.gov/sccbb/0709bb/0709Board14G_Cambria_Restoration_Program.pdf

As of September 20, 2007, the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County had “acquired and permanently protected 142 individual parcels in the project area, which represents close to 20 percent of the targeted area… The specific areas targeted for protection contain 775 parcels.”

Contrary to the explanation for the buildout reduction plan, (mitigating the growth inducing element of allowing a desalination plant), the explanation for the purchase of lots under the Lodge Hill Restoration Program is for: “acquisition, for purposes of open space, resource protection, and purlic access or restoration of real property . . . identified in Exhibit 2.” i.e
Special Areas l & 2. (See exhibit 2, map of priority lots)

As I read this Project description (File No. 07-079-1) it seems the Land Conservancy will purchase the property using funds put in escrow by the CCSD. It seems their intent is to purchase all of the priority lots (the buildable lots) and retire the lots from ever being developed. This seems to fly in the face of the tortured logic used to explain the Buildout Reduction Plan, i.e. “retire some of the lots, and we’ll let you build a desal and then you will be able to build on some of the lots.”

But – if the lots are being purchased – there will be no further development in Lodge Hill. Where will those people on the water wait list build if their lots are in the Restoration area as described above. Will a desal plant, which is the carrot being held out to these people through a “Buildout Reduction Plan” help people in Special Area 2 (Lodge Hill).

Additionally, under the Buildout Reduction Plan, the Land Conservancy gets to sell three (3) build now meters outside of the water wait list. What is the equity of that? Is this fair to those on the water wait list? Is it fair to the rate payers of CCSD for this $1,000,000 for these “build nows” be used to buy lots, which will be retired and the CCSD will be responsible for the upkeep of the lots, and loss of property tax?

Yes, it is a good question: Why Buildout Reduction?

Charlotte Darehshori