If you missed the forum on water alternatives on March 16, 2010, you can now view it here on aboutcambria.com (in four parts). Use this link or the link in the header menu. If you were there, watch it again! Thanks to Steve Figler for the video.
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As the desalination project starts moving forward again with the test wells, the Cambria Community Services District Board and staff refer to the Water Master Plan – a series of studies and documents that have been approved over the last decade and a half. The new CCSD website isn’t as easy to navigate as the previous one, so finding some of this information can be trying or near impossible. If you want to make an informed decision or better understand what the Board is basing their decisions on, add these documents to your reading list.
(I welcome any suggested additions to this list. Just send me an email amanda at aboutcambria dot com or in comments below.)
A collection of several documents in one download.
The least you should know (warning: Large File)
Cambria Urban Water Management Plan (December 2005)
2005 Urban Water Management Plan (Download)
Baseline Water Supply and Demand Analysis (2000, also known as the Kennedy-Jenks report. Current surcharge ordinance and drought “stages” are in this document.)
Water Master Plan Task 2 Baseline Water Supply Analysis (Download)
Assessment of Long-Term Water Supply Alternatives (2002. Also known as Task 4 of the Water Master Plan. Includes data used to compare various alternative sources and the basis on which they were evaluated.)
Assessment of Long Term Water Needs and Alternatives (Download)
Buildout Reduction Report (prepared by consultant and approved by CCSD Board in 2005)
Buildout reduction report (download)
Water Master Plan Environmental Impact Report (2007)
EIR WMP Download
Also an interesting read: the appeal on the Pine Knolls tanks project (June 2005)
CCC Staff Report Pine Knolls Tanks Appeal
On November 12,2007, this site was created. The original intention of AboutCambria.com was to provide a way for people to share information about water and sewer rates among the forty or fifty folks who had come together to protest the rate increase of the fall 2007. That first post was titled “Why Did You Protest The Rate Increase?”
The look and direction of the site has changed somewhat over the last couple of years. The focus has broadened to include more than just water and sewer rates and the activities of the CCSD. There is still much more to include here and I hope that Cambrians are able to get the information they want and stay informed about the decisions their community leaders are making on their behalf.
I encourage you to take a stroll through the last two years. At the very bottom of every page are links to each month of the last two years. Simply click the month and all the posts from that month will be listed as links. Find something fun? Leave a comment and I’ll re-post it for all to read.
The last two or three moths here have been rather quiet, mostly because I was very involved in organizing the recent Day of Action on Climate Change with the Cambria Climate Action Group (including being the webmaven for Cambria350.org) and I have a new job. I am working part-time for an arborist in Morro Bay. I’m still getting the hang of the five-day per week job and plan to get back to more writing here at AboutCambria.com now that I’m not busy with the Cambria350.org anymore.
Thank you to all of you who have contributed your thoughts, writing and support over the last two years. Special thanks to those few folks who have helped this site (and me) survive financially. It’s still a struggle and even the new job may not be enough to keep us afloat, but I have no immediate plans to stop trying or to stop keeping my eye on the CCSD, CCHD, county and state leaders and bringing you the information you need to make better decisions about who you elect and how you participate in creating a better community.
See you Monday at the CCSD meeting (12:30pm, Veterans Memorial Hall). Agenda posted here when it’s available.
P.S. You can still donate to the cause. Just click on the little guy right below this post!
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More valuable than a gallon of gas? Say YES! with a small donation today.A new site popped up recently that may be of interest to you. The content on it SHOULD be of interest to you. UnclogCambria.com tells the story of Cambria development from the point of view of lot owners not on the CCSD wait list. An appeal was set for last Thursday (10/28) and no matter how the judges rule on the appeal, the case is still far from over.
UnclogCambria.com includes all the case filings in a battle that may not end well for the CCSD and will continue to cost Cambrians money that would be better spent elsewhere. If you can wade through some of the more slanted and obnoxious statements about the Coastal Commission, the Cambria Community Services District and the sometimes immature tone, it is an interesting read that will provide some background on the other side of the “preserve our village” coin.
My recommendation: click over to the site and read the couple of brief pages (Home and Case Background) with an open mind and the understanding that there are always more ways to see things than the one we may prefer. The best way to protect ourselves and a vision of Cambria we can support is to get informed, stay involved and keep the conversation going. This will not go away just because it is being ignored.
Cambria is a charming village. Most of us who live here recognize Cambria’s qualities make it an attractive draw for people looking for a slice of paradise. We value the forest and the secluded nature here. Greenspace and other land trusts do us all a great service by purchasing undeveloped properties and ensuring they will remain undeveloped. The purchase and preservation of the land now called the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is an overwhelming example of how Cambria can work together and get help from others. To meet the matching funds requirement of the American Land Conservancy, we pulled together money from special events, individual donations, funds from the County’s parks and recreation development funds (about $250,000) and a dedication of a significant amount of land by Mid-State Bank. It was a feat that eliminated 783 possible housing units.
Nearly ten years later, the critical parts played by Mid-State Bank, the County, the Preserve’s previous owners and even the magnitude of the financial burden shouldered by the American Land Conservancy all seem marginalized. It couldn’t have been accomplished without collaboration and cooperation. To thrive, we need leaders, partners and supporters from our local community, but also from the larger communities of the County, the State, the Nation and the planet.
This seems to be a lesson not learned. One of the best things about living in a small town a sense of mutual respect for others and personal responsibility that comes from nearly everyone knowing everyone else. There are no anonymous actions, since no one is a stranger. But the flip side of this heightened sense of accountability and community can be a heightened distrust of “the other” and of change. We can become urgently protective of our community, shutting out others in ways that damage precisely what we mean to protect.
One of the primary responsibilities of the Cambria Community Services District is to ensure a reliable water source. One of the side effects of the District’s policies in recent years has been to slow our growth to a near standstill. The CCSD board declared a code 350 water emergency on November 15, 2001, citing the fear that there may not be enough water to provide for fire protection and generous water use by current customers. This declaration grants the district broad powers to enact ordinances regarding water use and to declare a moratorium on new water connections until the situation is resolved. The Board set a cap of 4,650 water connections in July 2003 to address the concerns that a reliable source of water would cause an explosion in population. In November 2006, a District-sponsored measure to limit the urban services line passed with a large margin. Since its passage, any requests for water provided to development outside the current area served by CCSD must be approved by the voters of Cambria.
There seems to be a lingering impression that protecting our village atmosphere isn’t a priority for the County. The County is the authority for land use policies, ordinances and permitting in Cambria and the rest of unincorporated San Luis Obispo County. They are legally responsible for creating and implementing policies to guide long-range community planning. The CCSD has a responsibility to manage the water resources and ensure a reliable supply for the population within the service area. The two responsibilities (land use and water) are inextricably linked, yet reside with two different independent agencies with elected Boards of directors.
This is understandable, since the 1988 North Coast Area Plan (NCAP) set the residential absorption capacity of Cambria at 17,471 and a 2000 update of the NCAP (never adopted or certified by the Coastal Commission) noted 11,701 Single Family Residences at total build-out for Cambria. Add this to the fact that just over half of all the homes in Cambria by 2000 had been built since 1980, and its easier to understand why there seemed no end to the growth explosion. ¹ The reality is that the current NCAP, adopted by the Board of Supervisors and certified by the Coastal Commission in November 2007 states that “if the Plan is never updated, the theoretical build-out is 6,130″ residences.
Since the declaration of the water code 350 emergency and moratorium, the County has incorporated additional control of growth into the policies and ordinances that apply to development in Cambria. Specifically, in 2002 the Board of Supervisors amended the Growth Management Ordinance (which is part of the LCP and must be approved by the Coastal Commission) to limit the number of new dwelling units to 1% of the current number of houses each fiscal year. Then in 2006, they amended it again to reduce the number of permits for new dwellings to 0% through June 2009. In May 2009, they extended the 0% allocation through June 2012.
The County has legislated Cambria some breathing room, almost 3 more years to get our additional water project permitted and underway before it will consider issuing permits for new residences. Perhaps this is an opportunity for the CCSD Board to re-evaluate the water code 350 declaration, moratorium and its buildout cap. These policies (the Water Master Plan) is affecting more than just those with undeveloped property, on the list or not. The moratorium is likely at least partly responsible for the sharp increase in home values during the first few years of the century as well as for the softer blow Cambria’s home values took recently.
As the moratorium continues to drag on, defending the policy choices the CCSD has made will get more difficult (and expensive.) There is a tipping point beyond which control of Cambria and its size will be completely out of our hands. We have had a tenuous grasp on it anyway, since it is the County (and to no small extent, the Coastal Commission) who makes policy and decisions regarding land use and planning.
I think the issue of containing unbridled and unsustainable growth is a red herring. The work of earlier CCSD Boards definitely made its point to the County and are reflected in its policies and ordinances. Efforts like the acquisition of the Fiscalini Ranch (which retired 783 potential units) and lot mergers (352 lots reduced as of June 2009), retirements and conservation easements are also making a real difference total number of homes that will eventually be built here.
It is now time for the District to step out of the way (or duck) and let go of its need to control land use. If the County goes forward as expected (changing course isn’t one of government’s strong points), up to 39 permits will be issued between July 2012 – June 2013 to applicants with letters of intent to serve from the CCSD. If all permits allocated are used every year, it will be 2029 before the last wait list position gets their permit. Of course, the permitting process is a bit more complex, but current County ordinances will limit the pace of new growth. Making changes to those ordinances is a lengthy and expensive process and all amendments must be certified by the Coastal Commission before going into effect.
¹[1,206 homes were built in Cambria between 1980 and 1989 and another 815 between 1990 and March of 2000. There were 197 single family units and 4 multi-family units produced between 2001 and June 30, 2008. Today, there are 3,936 housing units in Cambria. Housing data sources: 2006 North Coast Area Plan 2006 Draft, County Housing Element Draft 2009 and US Census data. ]
More valuable than a gallon of gas? Say YES! with a small donation today.The first weekend of August looks to be a busy one in Cambria this year. There will be a plethora of fun things for locals and visitors to do. Top of my list is the two day BBQ fun-fest (Saturday and Sunday 10-3) benefiting the Cambria Dog Park and local injured contractor Boyd Hogan. (for details, see the AboutCambria.com home page)
Other fund raising events include the Library Book Sale at the Veterans Memorial Hall (Friday 4-6:30 and Saturday 9-2:00) and a BBQ dinner 6 to 8:30 benefiting Cambria Adult Resources Education and Support (CARES) Saturday, Aug. 1, at Santa Rosa Church parish hall, 1174 Main St., Cambria. Tickets, $15, include barbecued chicken or tri-tip, salads and dessert. There will be live music for listening and dancing. For details, call Jesse Miller at 927-0680.
These and other events in Cambria are included on the Google calendar that can be viewed here at AboutCambria.com on the homepage and by clicking the datebook link. If you have an event you’d like included, send an email to calendar at aboutcambria.com.
All’s been quiet on AboutCambria.com for a few weeks. It’s not that there’s nothing going on, of course. Your humble web maven has just returned into the land of the conscious from a dreadful heavy cold. You can expect to see much more activity here starting with this post.
What’s news? The North Coast Advisory Council will be meeting Wednesday July 15 at Rabobank at 6:30pm. On the agenda: discussion of the vacation rental ordinance review the Board of Supervisors has planned for next week. For more of what’s on the agenda this month, visit the NCAC website.
NOTE: The Cambrian listed the NCAC meeting as being on July 17th – in both an article and in a correction from the previous week’s issue. The date is listed correctly in the public meetings section – Wednesday, July 15 at 6:30pm at Rabobank on Main Street in Cambria, CA
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Water and growth have been welded together for years in Cambria. It’s been so long since we knew any other way. The issues are complex and the details begin to fade after so many years, if they ever even knew them. Almost 60% of us have lived in our current home for under 10 years. (neighborcity.com) Only 45% of us have lived in town more than 5 years. (clrsearch.com) Armed with these facts, it may be easier to understand why there is some confusion and misinformation. Time to begin to dispel the myths and offer facts so we can make informed choices. With nearly 68% of us earning a higher degree, I am confident that information and discussion can only be an asset. So to that end, AboutCambria.com will be going back to basics. A refresher for some, an introduction to others and eye-opening for all, the next few weeks will be all About Cambria.
A building history of Cambria:
And Cambria’s building future:
Democracy is a participatory, ongoing project. David Suzuki, scientist and envronmental activist recently said he thinks the greatest threat to the health of our planet is citizen complaisency. His line of reasoing went like this: When “ordinary” citizens aren’t involved, aren’t pressuring the policy makers to make sustainable policies they leave room for the special interest groups and the agenda’s they are pushing. , whose interest isn’t in the well-being of all, but in pushing their own narrow agenda. Nurturing a thriving and sustainable community is a collaborative adventure between the people, the elected leaders and staff of the government agencies. Most public meetings are not very well attended. When the general public is in attendance, its usually because the board is considering a controversial decision or will impact people financially. There are a small number of very vocal, opinionated folks who always seem to be kicking up dust.
Whether you agree or disagree with their positions, means and the ends they are going for, there are advantages and disadvantages to their involvement. Those who are not involved fall into 3 basic categories: those who justify/rationalize their complaisant or passive attitudes toward participation in government; those who were involved, but gave up trying to engage in the process in a meaningful way because of frustration or emotional beatings; and those who are uninformed and/or unaware and so don’t participate.
If you’re reading this, you probably are already involved and keeping current with the issues I write about. The next time the CCSD comes up in conversation, do us all a favor and ask your companion whether or not they’ve seen or heard of this website. If they haven’t, steer them to the site for updated information and discussion. (along with www.cambriacsd.org).In fact, send a link to at least 2 Cambrians on your email list with a link to an article you find interesting. Or copy and paste one of the links below into an email.
Cambria has a very vocal anti-growth clique. They are a small group of folks with friends in high places. Cambria also has people who enjoy living in a small town, but recognize that plans to stop anyone from building forever is unrealistic. These folks seem to feel less compelled to be involved or are too busy working to earn what it takes to pay the bills here to get involved.
Water and growth have been welded together for years in Cambria. It’s been so long since we knew any other way. The issues are complex and the details begin to fade after so many years, if they ever even knew them. Almost 60% of us have lived in our current home for under 10 years. (neighborcity.com) Only 45% of us have lived in town more than 5 years. (clrsearch.com) Armed with these facts, it may be easier to understand why there is some confusion and misinformation. Time to begin to dispel the myths and offer facts so we can make informed choices. With nearly 68% of us earning a higher degree, I am confident that information and discussion can only be an asset. So to that end, AboutCambria.com will be going back to basics. A refresher for some, an introduction to others and eye-opening for all, the next few weeks will be all About Cambria.
An evaluation of our water resource capacity (water supply) provided the data the Board used to determine we do not have enough water to provide a reliable supply to even the current residents and businesses (Water Master Plan Task 3). This was not the first study of our water and is unlikely to be the last. But it did trigger the Board to declare a water emergency and a moratorium on new connections. In order to ensure a very high standard of reliability, the CCSD Board decided a desalination plant must be built. When I first started following the activity of the CCSD and the County of San Luis Obispo, I assumed that anti-growth and anti-desal were essentially one position. As the stereotypes have faded and I’ve gotten a better understanding of the situation, it’s clear that growth and desalination are two sides of the same coin – distinct and not always a matched set.
Like most of you, I value our village atmosphere. The continuing stress on our shared resources doesn’t contribute to a vibrant and healthy community. But I’m not convinced that locking the gates and stopping all new construction here is realistic. This does not make me the enemy of our town. I am in favor of having a living, thriving, open town committed to a set of sustainable, rational policies that will create a model community, one that other want to emulate, instead of an example of what to avoid.
It seems like no growth advocates have rather effectively controlled the Cambrian narrative and future planning for at least a decade. Their story of Cambria includes an ominous horde of developers cast in the role of villains intent on destroying our village atmosphere and way of life. In that world, without the limits on the water supply, Cambria would go from a town of 4,000 to a city of 11,000 overnight. Even if a growth rate this large was possible from a construction angle, the County’s ordinances, regulations, planning policies and permitting procedures are designed to keep the rate of growth reasonable. Under the current 20 year plan for the North Coast, it will be 2056 before we reach the 6,130 dwellings the County estimates as absolute buildout. The story no growth-ers tell paints them as the heroes and any Cambrian who doesn’t abhor growth as not caring about our town or its future. That’s a little like saying that if I’m not anti-abortion, I’m pro-abortion. Of course, as with all stereotypes, the reality is much more nuanced and there isn’t really a hero and a villain, and the opposite of no growth is not pro sprawl.
One other thing to keep in mind: just because there are no new homes being built doesn’t mean there aren’t new people moving here. They too must be educated and provided the information to be a member of the community. Playing catch-up while you try to acclimate and make new friends isn’t easy. But whether you just finished unpacking boxes or are recognized by everyone in town making errand in town take at least 3 times longer than anywhere else, refreshing your memory about Cambria and Development no longer means reading study after study or attending lengthy meetings. All you have to do is check out AboutCambria.com And if you spot an inaccuracy or error, please contact me. We’ve all got enough rumors and misinformation clouding our ability to decide.
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Despite the fact that water supplies are undeniably constrained and climate change is likely to constrain them even more, there is more than enough water to go around — and that includes enough water to maintain the environmental and biological integrity of our rivers, streams, estuaries and wetlands.
In November 2004, the Planning and Conservation League (PCL) published “An Investment Strategy for California Water”. This publication (available online at PCL.org) concluded that new demands for water associated with California’s projected growth could not only be met, but could be met economically and without damaging California’s environment. The following year, the state Department of Water Resources essentially confirmed PCL’s findings in The California Water Plan Update 2005, Bulletin 160-05.
More recently, Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute has argued what we have is a water management problem, not a water shortage problem. If we were to manage our water use more efficiently, our limited resource could provide for more people. It means we need to change the “me” paradigm into a “we” paradigm. We need to make some fundamental changes in our behavior and our assumptions.
Here’s two important questions for everyone: How much are you and your 4,000 neighbors willing to pay for water without restriction? The current plan approved by the Board Is the plan to limit the number of connections a defensible policy? Before you respond, just think about this: 4,650 customer are using water without restriction, but every other lot owner inside the CCSD’s service area is out of luck because they aren’t on a list that was closed in 1990 and ceased producing new connections in 2001. You and I can waste all the water we can pay for while hundreds of others are denied service. Please help me see how this isn’t going to present a problem.
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