November 2, 2005 - Top Stories
The VC fire board is looking at 2006 as the year to put a ballot measure before the voters to increase funding for the district.
Directors agree that for this to happen they must move on it as soon as possible.
Several types of funding mechanisms are possible:
• General obligation bonds
• Certificates of participation (COPS)
• Community Facilities District (CFD)
• Assessment upon real property.
The board, at its October meeting, heard California Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection CDF Battalion Chief Rich Bolton, who is also chief of the Deer Springs Fire District, explain how that district two years ago approved a funding mechanism through a majority vote of property owners. The vote was conducted by a mailed ballot.
This is unlike bond elections which require two thirds of the voters to approve them.
Director Dan Thornton, who oversees the district’s budget, urged setting a time line for an election and bringing in an expert to talk about the pros and cons of the various funding mechanisms available.
“We need to determine what our needs and our wish list, and put some figures and then bring in someone to talk to us. It will be easier if they know what our goals are,” he said.
The district recently adopted long-term goals. Now directors need to prioritize them to see which ones are feasible and how much money it would cost to realize them, urged Thornton.
One such goal is building a new fire station on the district’s property on Cole Grade Road.
Board Pres. Stan Johnson urged getting a presentation by the same consultants who helped Deer Springs.
“I feel we need to get some information from these people and decide if we want to go with this system or the other. . . If we were to listen to someone and hear some ideas, that would give us something to go on,” said Johnson.
Director Weaver Simonsen was impatient with this approach. It is obvious that there is only one practical way to go, he claimed.
“Bonded debt is something you don’t go do for operational costs. It’s fiscally irresponsible to do that,” he said. “You can either do a Mello Roos, which takes two thirds of the people, or a special assessment of the land owners. Do you really need a consultant to tell you? It’s either a two thirds vote of the people or a majority of land owners. I think it’s obvious. Why would you want to go to a two thirds vote?”
The board voted to hear some presentations and hold special meetings to discuss the issue.
Land use decisions should be made by the County, not by the water district, says VCMWD Gen. Mgr. Gary Arant.
So he brought the VC Municipal Water District’s proposed Policy for Wastewater Services (i.e. sewer) to the October meeting of the VC planning group and asked them to review it.
“What I’m looking for is input on the policy,” he told the group.
The water district already can’t violate County regulations. So the policy’s main practical result will be to keep developers from trying end runs around County density rules by asking the district to build them a sewer.
Planning Group Chairman Andy Washburn told The Roadrunner this week: “The Valley Center Community Planning Group appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Water District draft policy. We hope we can help to make it a better policy to meet the challenges in Valley Center's future.”
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The draft policy will be discussed at the next meeting of the VC Community Planning Group (Nov. 14, 7 p.m. at VC Community Hall).
The subcommittee assigned to this issue will hold a meeting Nov. 8, Tuesday, 7-9 p.m. VC Community Hall (lower room).
The water district board will probably have the policy on its agenda in December as a regular agenda item. Though there will be no formal public hearing, as with all items before the Water Board, public comment will be accepted for consideration prior to action, although no formal hearing is planned.
Note: The text of the policy will be posted on our web site this week: valleycenter.com
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At the meeting Arant made clear that the district is not asking for advice on determining who gets sewered parcel by parcel.—VCMWD is currently overseeing construction of a wastewater plant to service the Woods Valley Ranch project. It is likely to be expanded to serve Orchard Run, which is across VC Road from Woods Valley Ranch.
There is a possible third phase to serve a limited number of properties along this area, which is referred to as the southern Village of Valley Center (Note: previously the Villages were referred to as “nodes”).
How those properties are treated is the subject of the water district's proposed regulations.
Key Provisions
Key policy points in the proposed regulations include:
Sec. 170.2 states that the important concepts that as an inland discharger, sewer will be limited and so the district must be careful in how it allocates access;
Sec 170.2 (a) Establishes that the provision of sewer will be in response to efforts initiated by property owners wanting service, and not by the district, and that the costs to provide that service will be provided by the proponents, not the District.
Sec 170.2 (b) 1. establishes the link between land-use determinations by the appropriate land-use agencies and where sewer will be provided, and specifically identifies SPA’s and special planning area, i.e. the Villages, as areas where sewer service is anticipated.
Sec 170.2 (b) 2. Discusses parameters to evaluating and determining whether or not sewer service will be extended to properties outside of SPA’s and special planning areas.
The proposed policy will go in the front end of an existing 10-page, 11-section policy which addresses the specific rules and regulations for the provision of sewer services.
Badly Burned
Arant’s district was badly burned in the 1980s when voters forced it by referendum to abandon the Central Valley Sewer, which was largely funded by state and federal grants.
It was singed again in the 1990s when the County initiated a process to create a sewer assessment district.
The district spent a lot of ratepayers’ money on engineering studies, only to have the Board of Supervisors pull the rug out from under the sewer in 1997.
At that time the supervisors said that the solution would be left with the private sector.
That opened the way for various package or “small scale wastewater treatment plants,” as Arant calls them, to be paid for by private developers—but still owned and operated by the VC water district.
Arant doesn’t want to see the water district burned again.
“Where sewer goes will be very dependent on land use planning, he told planners, “We don't want to do it the other way around. Specific Plan Area projects like Woods Valley Ranch, Orchard Run, Live Oak Ranch, are pretty simple, as they have been specifically approved for sewer by the county in the land-use and permitting process. We want land use planning to determine where the sewer goes.”
But that begs the question: Hasn’t the County already made that decision through the General Plan 2020 process? To an extent, but some gaps are there, said Arant.
He pointed to the northern and southern villages.
“While serving the SPAs is pretty straightforward, the areas for which we need to develop an internal policy are the nodes, or the ‘Villages’ as they are now referred to,” said Arant.
“While we have policies and procedures on how to finance and construct wastewater systems, we have little formal policy guidance on how we determine who is going to get sewer,” he said.
VC is limited to how many units can can be sewered by both physical factors and by the laws regulating how and where reclaimed water can be disposed of .
“All the sewage we treat will have to be disposed of with reclamation, either ag, on turf, golf courses, etc,” said Arant.
Reclaimed water systems are required to have 84 days of storage during the winter.
“This last winter was an excellent example of what you would have to deal with,” said Arant. “Until this community has an ocean outfall, we are going to be finitely limited to the amount of sewer we can offer . . . That’s why the water district wants to develop a policy or some kind of guidance on how to allocate a limited resource.”
VCMWD understands that if you draw a line and say that people within that line can have sewer, inevitably people outside of the line will ask, “Why not us?”
Planning group member Keith Simpson asked if GP2020 doesn’t already determine density.
“It does and we’re going to respect and reinforce the land use policies set by the County,” Arant said.
In that case, said planning group Chairman Andy Washburn, “If you are abiding by the densities set by GP2020, what do we care whether they use sewer or septics?”
Arant stressed, “What we are interested in is your guidance in how to address what parameters should be followed in allowing properties to connect.”
Planner Leon Schwartz, who also owns commercial property in the southern village, said people are worried about being forced into a sewer assessment district.
He said he couldn’t get answers as to how much connections will cost. He and others are confused as to what an EDU (equivalent dwelling unit) actually is, he said.
Arant explained that an EDU is a unit of flow, typically 250 gallons per day. The number of EDUs assigned to a specific property can vary, depending on whether you are talking about residences or businesses.
A restaurant or car wash uses more EDUs than a video rental store (Roadrunner’s example).
“What killed the last assessment district is that someone drew a line and not everyone within the line wanted or could afford sewer,” said Arant. “In the future we hope to craft assessment districts that only include those who want to be part of it.”
Arant conceded that one or two parcels in the middle of an assessment district might be included against their will, but stressed, “We are going to work very hard to eliminate people who don't want to be part of the sewer.”
The district had previously sent letters to ascertain the level of interest of property owners in the southern node.
Very soon it will follow this up with letters asking for financial commitments from land owners who want to be in the project.
“We figure that a sewer is important enough that it should be worth $1,000 to show you are interested,” he said.
Schwartz said that such letters should specify how much it will cost to connect.
Land Use Perspective
According to Washburn, “The planning group will be looking at the draft policy from a land use planning perspective. There are other points of view, as well as many sub-issues and details. I’m sure the water district plans to hold public hearings to get citizen input from a broader range of perspectives. Now's the time for the community to get involved.”
Planning Committee
Oliver Smith was appointed to be chairman of the planning group’s ad hoc subcommittee on the water district's proposal.
It has met once and plans to meet again Nov. 8 at 7-9 p.m. Tuesday at VC Community Hall (lower room).
Smith told The Roadrunner, “The primary focus of the meetings is to develop a response to the water district proposal, specifically those areas that are community planning related. Sewer implementation specifics of costs, properties, timing of projects, and so on are generally outside the Planning Group's responsibilities for recommendations.”
Washburn agreed, “It would be inappropriate for the planning group to stray into wastewater treatment facility design, assessment structures, or pricing issues. Our focus is on recommending improvements to the policy that support our GP2020 land use policies. We must also make sure the policy does not subvert our land use planning goals. I know that’s what the planning group wants, what Gary Arant wants, and what the community deserves.”
He added, “I expect they will bring a recommendation to the next planning group meeting.
“Citizens should get involved in this issue. Sewers have been an issue in the past, to understate the well-known. This issue is fraught with opportunities to misunderstand, to question motives, and to look for simplistic explanations. As a community and as a planning group, we need to understand the situation and the proposed policy, then discuss the implications in a rational, factual way, and with long-term view. Only then will we be able to look back in a few years and say we did our best for our community.”
He concluded, “We must remember that at its base level, this issue is about public health and sanitation. As a community and as a planning group, we should strive to protect and improve public health in Valley Center.”
Thirty years ago, Grangetto’s opened its first store in Valley Center, where Krueger Realty is today.
Next door was Hawkin’s Cafe. (Location of the present day Pepperoni's.)
Shortly after Grangetto's opened, Dave Paulino joined the staff, sharing delivery duties with Ed Grangetto, the founder.
In those days Grangetto’s focused completely on the needs of agriculture in the area.
Paulino credits Ed Grangetto with teaching him the value of hard work. He also went back to school while working for Grangetto’s and got his degree in Horticulture from Mira Costa.
Fast forward 30 years— today Grangetto's is located one block off of VC Road at Cole Grade Road & Juba Road at 29219 Juba Road.
The needs of ag in the area are still a major focus of the company and Dave Paulino is still there.
While he has held many positions over the years, he is doing what he loves most now: He is totally focused on helping grove owners, landscapers and other commercial customers.
Many homes have been and continue to be built in the area. Over the years, Grangetto's has expanded its product line and knowledgeable staff to help landscapers, city, county and state public entities and homeowners with landscaping, irrigation and garden needs.
So whether you have no fruit or citrus trees, just a few or a grove, Grangetto's staff can help you.
VC’s store has a new manager, Tim Handel. A native Californian, he grew up working side-by-side with his father on an 1800 acre family farm in Wasco. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy from Fresno State University. He was an independent agricultural consultant for 24 years before accepting a “dare” to become a firefighter in Kern County.
He worked up to Fire Captain. He was on the Hazardous Materials Response Team (HAZMAT) for 13 of those years.
After retiring , Handel and his wife moved to San Diego County to be closer to his children and grandchildren.
After learning about Grangetto’s, he thought it would be a great place to utilize his years of experience and skills.
Handel is very excited about his recent move to the Valley Center store and wants to provide an environment where residents can feel free to come for their agricultural and landscaping needs and get answers to questions. He also looks forward to continuing Grangetto's tradition of community involvement.
Also new to the VC store is Gary Osburn, assistant manager. He has over 35 years of sales experience including ag products. He is a graduate of Indiana University.
Tim, Dave, Gary and the rest of the staff invite you to come by and check out Grangetto's. They are happy to answer any landscaping or gardening questions. They are open Monday-Friday 7 a.m .- 5 p.m. and Saturday, 7a.m.. - 4 p.m. You’ll find more information at www.grangettos.com.
The Maxine Theater will celebrate its premiere Nov. 19, 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Nov. 1. Call 749-7390.
You can also buy them online at http://maxine.vcpusd.net. Tickets will cost $30 apiece and the food will be free.
You can find information on future productions at the same web site. The Roadrunner will also provide a schedule of events each week in the Dining & Entertainment page.
Music will be provided by the Crazy Rhythm Hot Society Orchestra, playing music of the 1920s and 30s.
The orchestra will perform first inside the theater and then, weather permitting, take the music outside for dancing.
The premiere will offer the opportunity to honor the donors and the theater’s design team.
The two-year anniversary of the Cedar and Paradise fires last week brought home grave realities to many Valley Center residents. Some lost houses. Some lost pets. Some lost family. The passage of time is said to heal old wounds but a battle with the insurance company will drag out any return to a normal life.
Of the 200 plus homes destroyed in Valley Center, only 40 have been rebuilt. Over 40 homeowners have taken no action because of under-insurance and settlement issues.
The unincorporated areas seem to have taken the brunt of the fire compared to the City of San Diego where 94% rebuilt.
Terry Van Koughnett, a volunteer who with his wife Mimi have been key in providing temporary housing for many VC residents after the firestorms, saw how the insurance battles took their toll months after the tragedy.
“A lot of people were bitter after the fires and they just didn’t want to fight with the insurance company, so they ended up paying out of pocket,” said Van Koughnett. “A few families rebuilt because they found a contractor who would not subcontract out so they got a lower bid. That was a very few though.
“The FEMA trailers are still present in Valley Center and Habitat for Humanity is still out at San Pasqual. They are just running way, way behind,” he said.
Citizens burned out by the fires were not the only ones affected.
Dale Waters’s homeowner’s insurance has been cancelled five times in the past two years. He maintains the 200-foot brush clearance rule for his current insurance. But even with his diligence, he has had a hard time getting one company to stick around.
“We had a devil of a time with local insurance people,” said Waters. “They kept trying and trying and then they finally found someone to stay with us. But it was twice as expensive. Or over the phone they would say yes but then they would cancel. So we have always been covered. We have just always been cancelled too.”
Barbara McMurdo had a similar experience with her insurance company. “When we came up for renewal, it was just cancelled. No claims or anything. So I asked if they cancelled because of the fires but they won’t tell you. This is the second time this has happened. The first was after the fire in Oakland in the late 1980s and we were cancelled in Valley Center because of risk.”
Insurance companies charge differently based on Insurance Services Office (ISO) ratings in fire districts. Ten years ago Valley Center earned a rating of six and nine, which it still has. Everything within five miles of a fire station and which had fire hydrants within 1000 feet was a six. Inside five miles but without a hydrant is a nine. Outside five miles is a ten. This is considered unserved and probably uninsurable.
For pricing purposes, a nine or ten is about double what is paid for a six.
“After the fires in 2003, you could definitely say it was harder to get insured,” said Erik Jensen of Valley Center Insurance. “Most agents weren’t allowed to write anyone in the 92082 area code. It didn’t matter if the house was in the middle of a golf course or up a dirt road. But the overreaction is starting to lessen and things are opening up now.”
Rates and rules will vary depending on the insurance company, the location of the house and how well the property is cared for. VC Insurance will insure with 150 feet of brush clearance around the house. Allstate says 500 feet and some larger companies ask for 1000.
Another factor besides brush is slope. If there is brush 100 feet in front of a house that is on a slope, it is considered much riskier than at the back of the house at 50 feet because fire moves up much faster than down.
Farmer’s Insurance in Valley Center works off of individual assessments. “We have been able to be more liberal in insuring homes in these areas because we are proactive in presenting opportunities on an individual basis rather than a fire line. Because we can go out and inspect the properties, we can provide high quality coverage,” said Jeremy Klem of Farmer’s.
Brush clearing is a solid improvement in both the look of the land and the safety.
Robin Schultz of Allstate said, “The 200-foot brush expectation really works. We didn’t lose a single house in the fires because it works. And we will burn again and when we do, it will be the brush that you clear that will save you, not the fire department.”
Another option for the uninsured is the California Fair Plan. Started in 1968, it stands for Fair Access to Insurance Require-ments and is for those who have already been declined by a few insurance companies. The California Fair Plan is a joint venture of property insurance companies within the state aimed at owners who have trouble obtaining property insurance in the normal market.
Factors that qualify a homeowner for the California Fair Plan include being declined by other companies, living in an area with an ISO rating of a nine or ten, or living in an urban area with high crime.
Klem who was appointed to write for the California Fair Plan a few years ago said, “This should only be open to high risk, uninsurable places. The point was not to [write people] because other companies were more expensive. This isn’t less expensive. Also they really only cover the structure, not loss of use, not liability. It’s building coverage only.”
For more information on the California Fair Plan visit http://www.fairplanonly.com/.
The Valley Roadrunner
P.O.B. 1529, Valley Center, CA 92082
Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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