December 7, 2005 - Top Stories
The county Dept. of Planning & Land Use wants sewer service to VC’s villages to be less restrictive than what the VC planning group would like.
Much less restrictive.
DPLU’s Gary Pryor is recommending that the VC Municipal Water District’s Draft Policy for Provision of Wastewater Services not limit service to parcels within the two “villages.”
This could open up the Valley to “extensive development” says VC planning Chairman Andy Washburn.
A few months ago the water district invited the planning group and the County to comment on its proposed draft. When adopted by the board it will provide the rules VCMWD will apply when providing sewer service in the villages (formerly the “nodes” and before that the “country town.”)
In mid-November the planning group recommended, among other things, that sewer service not be provided outside of the Villages.
Pryor’s letter appears to have knocked that notion into a cocked hat, since it is probably more likely that the water district board will adopt a policy that is more flexible.
Pryor writes: “Areas located outside of the Village nodes may also be appropriate candidates for wastewater treatment services provided that one of the following applies:
“1) The proposed project is a Specific Plan or designated as a Specific Plan Area (SPA) on the General Plan 2020 Valley Center Community Plan Map;
“2) The proposed project implements conservation subdivision principles in its final project design and approval.”
He adds, “Under General Plan 2020, provisions for wastewater treatment services are appropriate to areas outside of those identified in the paragraph above in certain circumstances, but on the condition that the extended service is limited to the appropriate specific areas only. When services are provided outside of these areas, the facilities should be sized to provide only the capacity required for the specific areas in an effort to avoid any growth inducement.”
This is clearly not what the planning group recommended.
Planning Chairman Andy Washburn told The Roadrunner this week: “The VC planning group voted to recommend that sewer service be restricted to the area bounded by the village limit line. The county’s DPLU chose to recommend a much less restrictive boundary on sewer services, allowing them to extend beyond the village boundaries to public facilities, developments where there are conservation subdivisions [clustering] and all the parcels along the extensions.”
Washburn added, “I’m concerned that this may have opened the doors to extensive development in Valley Center that many of the current residents would not approve of.”
To those who might wonder how the County’s DPLU could recommend something that is contrary to the wishes of the planning group, Washburn noted the group’s lack of actual authority.
“They need to understand that we are advisory. And that is why DPLU’s recommendation is likely to be adopted,” said Washburn.
“Private interests often have a better vision than government,” observed VC planning group Chairman Andy Washburn after a report on how a County proposal for a box-like storm culvert for the ALTI Corp. development on VC Road morphed into a drainage system that, while still a ditch, will be a parkway planted with greenery and will blend in with the community.
The report was given at the planning group’s Nov. 14 meeting.
Wayne Hilbig, of ALTI Corp., reported on his company’s efforts to develop 57 acres across the street from the dairy that it bought 25 years ago.
Three years ago, Bill Lewis, a landscape architect, first proposed the idea of the walkable village for Valley Center’s southern node, which also includes land owned by the Bell family.
Almost all of Lewis’s ideas for the Southern Node were embraced by the planning group.
Said Lewis, “They are really going to build it pretty soon.”
He talked about the area that includes Sunday Drive, a private road that looks towards the dairy.
There will be a need to move 250,000 gallons a day, most of it from Moosa Creek, through this area during rainy periods.
Originally the plan, devised by the Dept. of Public Works (DPW), was to channel the run-off under VC Road through five box culverts.
Problem was that it looked like the Los Angeles River, or, for a more local example, the mighty Escondido River.
“We were horrified,” said Lewis. “We wanted to do something about it. What we’ve done is come in, and met with County DPW.”
Brendan McNabb, project manager for DPW, approached their suggestions with an “open mind,” according to Lewis.
They came up with an alternative to concrete box culverts, and, says Lewis, “it was cheaper and better than before.”
The drainage will have grass landscaping up the sides and a shady lane and rustic steel handrails running alongside. It will blend in with the adjacent Woods Valley golf course.
It will have stone and rubble at either end.
“It’s ready to go. We’re excited about it,” said Lewis, who added, “We couldn’t have done this without Brendan and without [supervisor] Bill Horn and his staff, which worked quietly behind the scenes.”
“That’s a way you can help the property owner and the community,” added Hilbig.
They went through a similar process for Bell’s property, except in this case the consultant hired by the County proposed a 1500 ft. box culvert down Valley Center Road, to be built as part of the road widening.
“We took a look at this and our concern was immediate,” said Lewis. “It would be too expensive. It would run over $100 a foot. We came back to the county and said ‘There’s no way of doing this.’ ”
They showed that a pre-cast culvert would save $1.5 million in the cost of the road. The road widening’s Phase 2 will cost $6 million more than was originally budgeted, so saving $1.5 million does not erase that deficit. But it helps.
Hilbig said that they had made that report to emphasize three things to the community.
1) “We have some private people that are protecting their property and also helping the community. They are putting their money where their mouth is.
2) “When good information is given, good decisions are made.
3) “This floated by when no one was looking. It wasn’t brought before your group. It was only by chance that we saw it first. My point is that you shouldn’t be shortchanged. Valley Center has a tremendous opportunity and you shouldn’t be putting in an LA River Project.”
As a result of Horn’s office and McNabb’s willingness to work with the ALTI property owners, DPW is putting in the suggested changes.
After the presentation, planner Lael Montgomery observed, “This sort of thing has happened again and again with the design of Valley Center Road. It’s like, ‘We don’t have time so let’s screw it up.’ It’s infuriating.”
There will be a discussion and possible vote at Monday’s VC Planning Group meeting on recommendations to the County Dept. of Public Works (DPW) regarding a possible Cole Grade Road Improvement project.
At the Dec. 1 meeting of the Circulation Subcommittee, Brendan McNabb and Dr. Mandayam Rajan of DPW made a presentation regarding the possible improvement project for Cole Grade Road.
The subcommittee members discussed the subject, sought input from the community, and voted on the following proposed recommendations from the VCCPG:
1. Integrate the GP2020 Road Network Planning traffic modeling work being done by Bob Citrano of DPLU with the DPW traffic counts being done for Dr. Rajan into the design for Cole Grade Road. (Camp/Hofler).
2. That all utilities along Cole Grade Road be placed underground. (Hofler / Coulombe) Passed 10-0-0.
3. That a Type-D Special Pathway be included on the west side of Cold Grade Road. (Hofler/Glavinic) Passed 10-0-0.
4. That the narrowest lanes possible be incorporated into the design of Cole Grade Road. (Hofler/Washburn) Passed 10-0-0.
5. That the design of Cole Grade Road includes appropriately intermittent landscaped medians with left and right pocketed turn lanes set at intersections and at driveways where feasible. (Washburn / Glavinic) Passed 10-0-0.
6. That the design of Cole Grade Road includes two lanes in each direction. (Glavinic / Coulombe) Failed 5-5-0.
Also on Monday’s meeting agenda:
Oliver Smith, Chairman of the Sundance Ranch Subcommittee, will update the planning group members on the current status of the project and recent subcommittee activities.
Sundance Ranch is a proposed development of 79 homes on 260 acres east of the east end of Miller Road, south and west of Villa Sierra Road and north of Paso Robles Road.
You may not be interested in Medicare Part D, the federal government’s new prescription drug program for seniors.
But, if you are 65 or older, Medicare Part D is interested in YOU.
The program is available to Medicare patients with Medicare Parts A or B or both. Income, age and preexisting illness does not matter.
If you are not covered by a drug program now, the new plan could save from 35-50% on your prescription drugs. Some estimate that the average Medicare patient (if there is such a person) will save over $1100 a year.
If you don’t pick a drug plan by the May 2006 deadline, you could end up paying penalties that will grow faster than a maturing parking ticket and could eventually double or triple your monthly premium.
You’ll also miss out on coverage if you delay picking a program beyond January 1, 2006.
People who are on MediCal are automatically enrolled in a program and need do nothing. However, you may not like the plan that MediCal picks for you, in which case you need to decide soon which one to choose.
You are penalized for not choosing a plan, but not if you pick one and later change your mind. You can change plans once a year if you like.
The federal government wants as many seniors on board and paying into the system as early as possible. If only sick people join, the program will go broke.
Since it is voluntary, you can choose not to participate. And, as Penelope Bauman of the Escondido Social Security Administration office explained to a roomful of seniors recently, “that is a rational choice, if you don’t take prescription drugs and don’t think you will ever have to.”
Note: Social Security doesn’t run the drug plan, but it does offer some financial assistance to pay the premiums for those who make $20,000 a year or less.
However, she also pointed out that if, at some time, you need to start taking an expensive drug, you may not be able to sign onto a program for a year, and the premiums may be much higher than if you join at the beginning.
Medicare Part D is a confusing morass of regulations, with a bewildering set of choices that goes into effect January 6, 2006.
However, you can make intelligent choices and find a plan that fits most of your needs.
The most important things to know :
• If you put off picking a plan, you will pay a larger premium to join. It will go up 1% per month for every month you delay. You will pay the penalty for as long as you have a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
• Your decision on what plan to pick should be based on these factors: 1) What drugs you take; 2) What premium you can afford to pay and 3) what deductible you can afford to pay.
• If you’re a senior on an Medicare Advantage plan, which is an HMO, do not sign for a stand alone drug prescription plan, because your HMO will drop you.
Choices will be many, but only a few will be right for you.
Many plans
There are 42 unique plans. When Congress created the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernizat-ion Act of 2003 (MMA) it opened coverage to the marketplace.
It wanted to address needs of the average senior, and seniors with high drug costs.
According to Rick Restivo of Valley Center Insurance Agency “They developed a standard for the plan and gave it to insurers. They said, in effect, ‘We think if you charge $32 month you can make money and we won’t have to build a layer of bureaucracy.’ There are financial advantages in letting the insurance companies run each program, because they are trying to outdo each other.”
The insurers then began to release their versions of the plan. In California there are 14 different insurance companies, each with an average of three plans.
Some companies figured out that if they charged a $38 premium (or other amount), that they could cover “the donut hole.”
There are even minimal plans that charge about $5 a month.
Some have low premiums and high co-pays. Others have high premiums and low co-pays.
Every plan has a unique “formulary,” listing which drugs and generics are covered. Seniors need to make sure the plan supports the medicines they take.
Restivo observes, “I have not run across a plan that has not benefited a senior. You can save as much as 60% if you take a lot of drugs, or 20% if you don’t take so many.”
Common Standards
Standards are common to all:
Coverage comes in five layers.
1) The patient pays a premium, typically around $32.
2) The first $250 of drug costs is the deductible, i.e. the patient pays it.
3) For the next $2,000 in drug costs (up to $2,250) the plan will cover 75% of the cost.
4) For costs from $2,250-$5,100 (charmingly called the “donut hole”) the patient pays 100%.
5) Catastrophic coverage includes all drug costs above $5,100. In this layer the patient pays 5% of the cost of the drug.
One way in which competition is working is how some insurers
Things to consider
In picking a plan, says Restivo, “Consider cost, coverage and convenience. The cost of the plan is the premium vs. co-pay.”
The “coverage” refers refers to the formularies. Some medications are not in the a formulary.
“Convenience” includes factors such as whether you can get your medications by mail order and whether your local pharmacy is on the plan.
Says Restivo, “I have found that the average co-pay for a prescription is about $5 for generic, and for a brand, $15-$20.”
How to Find Out More
You may already have what you need in your possession in the form of the Medicare and You 2006 handbook which was mailed in October to eligible seniors.
This handbook includes a list of plans available in California.
Important Dates
Enrollment in Part D programs began Nov. 15 and continues through May 15, 2006.
Beneficiaries must enroll by December 31, 2005 for coverage to begin on January 1, 2006
After January 1, 2006 the beneficiary’s effective date will always be the first of the month following their enrollment.
Resources
For more information visit www.medicare.gov. Here you can find a Medicare prescription drug plan, compare health plan options, find a doctor, find out if you are eligible for Medicare, find out what Medicare covers.
Or call 1-800-Medicare.
Another resource is Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program: HICAP 800-424-0222.
Rick Restivo of Valley Center Insurance Agency will do a presentation on Medicare Part B, Dec. 9, 2 p.m. at VC Library, in the seminar room. He is an independent agent, who sells plans from five different companies. You can contact him at 749-0622.
Most major insurers will have a calculator on their web site. To research the plans yourself get a list of all the companies, find their web sites, request their formularies, and then figure out which ones will serve you best.
Gail Lamb was celebrated as Volunteer of the Year on Friday at the VC Library for the voluminous amount of work that she has done over the years for the library and VC History Museum. The surprise award was made at the yearly volunteer luncheon.
The Valley Roadrunner
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Tel. 760.749.1112 Fax 760.749.1688
Website: www.valleycenter.com
Email: editor@valleycenter.com
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