STATE WATERSHED PROGRAM FORUM!
February 28, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
San Diego Water Department Employee Development and Training Center, 5510 Kiowa Drive, La Mesa CA 91942
The California Department of Conservation (DOC), the City of San Diego and the San Diego River Park Foundation are hosting a public forum to discuss the needs, opportunities and structure for a new California Watershed Program. Plan on attending this important meeting to help shape the State's Program and discuss local needs and priorities!
Preliminary documents are posted at http://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/wp/Pages/Index.aspx.
Watersheds have proven to be an effective management unit for natural resources, yet no single agency or other entity can effectively manage watersheds. It is in the state's interest to develop and support a statewide watershed program to promote and conduct effective stewardship of natural resources in a watershed context. That stewardship should include local communities and state and federal agencies in an organized Program of collaborative watershed management.
The Resources Agency has asked DOC to take a lead role in developing the new California Watershed Program. This effort will include strong interaction and cooperation with other state, federal and local agencies. The structure and roles developed to guide public and agency involvement in describing the new strategy include a committee of up to 24 non-agency stakeholders who meet regularly to provide liaison between the Watershed Program and the Regions and to help synthesize and organize the ideas and advice received through the regional forums.
Regional Forums: Open meetings are being organized in each major hydrologic region of the state to gather public input and recommendations on Program development and implementation appropriate for the region of focus. These meetings will to provide an avenue to include local interests in setting and tracking Program priorities and implementation actions. For more information, please contact John Lowrie at (916) 324-9013 or by e-mail at john.lowrie@conservation.ca.gov or you may contact Iovanka Todt at (619) 507-0653 or by e-mail at iovanka_todt@floodplain.org
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Low Impact Development Workshop Announced
The County of San Diego, in coordination with Filterra, is providing a free seminar on Low Impact Development (LID). This seminar features Larry Coffman, the pioneer and nationally recognized expert on Bioretention and LID Design Guidelines for new and existing commercial and residential developments. Topics will include:
A comprehensive overview of LID principals and design techniques.
Detailed discussions on LID Guidelines designed for San Diego County and other regions throughout the USA. Design details and project examples using the latest advancements of the Filterra Bioretention Treatment System.
Tuesday, March 25th, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
County Operation Center, Ruffin Annex
DPLU Hearing Room
5201 Ruffin Road, Suite B
San Diego, CA 92123
You must register for this program. Email me if you want the registration form sent to you: elizabeth@surfridersd.org
More info:
http://www.projectcleanwater.org/
A comprehensive overview of LID principals and design techniques.
Detailed discussions on LID Guidelines designed for San Diego County and other regions throughout the USA. Design details and project examples using the latest advancements of the Filterra Bioretention Treatment System.
Tuesday, March 25th, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
County Operation Center, Ruffin Annex
DPLU Hearing Room
5201 Ruffin Road, Suite B
San Diego, CA 92123
You must register for this program. Email me if you want the registration form sent to you: elizabeth@surfridersd.org
More info:
http://www.projectcleanwater.org/
Friday, February 22, 2008
Smoking Ban for State Beaches Proposed
February 21, 2008
Oropeza targets parks, beaches for smoking ban
Sen. Jenny Oropeza has introduced new legislation to further restrict smoking in California. The bill would ban lighting up a cigarette at any of California's state parks or beaches.
Oropeza introduced the legislation on Thursday, after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill she authored in 2007 making it illegal to smoke in a car, if there is a child passenger.
The bill, SB 1418, is not yet in print online, but Oropeza's office reports violating the would-be law could result in a $100 fine. That's the same fine level Schwarzenegger agreed to in signing the 2007 ban on smoking in cars with children.
Oropeza, in a statement announcing the legislation, couched the bill in environmental terms. “Caring for the environment and protecting public health are goals worthy of California’s policymakers,” said the Long Beach Democrat. “Safeguarding state parks and beaches from cigarette butts, protecting fish and helping prevent fires reflect the values of most Californians.
This also shows we are good stewards of our environment.”
Oropeza targets parks, beaches for smoking ban
Sen. Jenny Oropeza has introduced new legislation to further restrict smoking in California. The bill would ban lighting up a cigarette at any of California's state parks or beaches.
Oropeza introduced the legislation on Thursday, after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill she authored in 2007 making it illegal to smoke in a car, if there is a child passenger.
The bill, SB 1418, is not yet in print online, but Oropeza's office reports violating the would-be law could result in a $100 fine. That's the same fine level Schwarzenegger agreed to in signing the 2007 ban on smoking in cars with children.
Oropeza, in a statement announcing the legislation, couched the bill in environmental terms. “Caring for the environment and protecting public health are goals worthy of California’s policymakers,” said the Long Beach Democrat. “Safeguarding state parks and beaches from cigarette butts, protecting fish and helping prevent fires reflect the values of most Californians.
This also shows we are good stewards of our environment.”
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Encinitas City Council Meeting Report 2/13/08
The purpose of my posting our City Monitor reports is to let our members know that we are reviewing matters at a very local level, to determine if projects and decisions will have an impact on our oceans, waves and beaches. Here is a report from Aran Wong, one of our Encinitas City Monitors, on the Encinitas City Council Meeting of 2/13/08:
(1) Smoking Ban Ordinance: The proposed Encinitas Smoking Ban Ordinance was taken off calendar and is set to be heard on February 20, 2008. According to Deputy Mayor Houlihan, the City Council apparently had some minor changes that it wanted to make to the language before voting on it. I will attend the meeting on behalf of Surfrider in support of the ban.
(2) Applications for the Environmental Committee: The City Council heard applicants for the Environmental Committee explain their qualifications and interests in serving on the commission/committee. There were several qualified “green” applicants, and it will be interesting to see who the City Council chooses.
(3) Informational Presentation of the Streetscape Project: Various speakers discussed their visions for the North Coast Highway 101 Streetscape Project. No decisions were made regarding the project.
(1) Smoking Ban Ordinance: The proposed Encinitas Smoking Ban Ordinance was taken off calendar and is set to be heard on February 20, 2008. According to Deputy Mayor Houlihan, the City Council apparently had some minor changes that it wanted to make to the language before voting on it. I will attend the meeting on behalf of Surfrider in support of the ban.
(2) Applications for the Environmental Committee: The City Council heard applicants for the Environmental Committee explain their qualifications and interests in serving on the commission/committee. There were several qualified “green” applicants, and it will be interesting to see who the City Council chooses.
(3) Informational Presentation of the Streetscape Project: Various speakers discussed their visions for the North Coast Highway 101 Streetscape Project. No decisions were made regarding the project.
Next Policy Meeting is April 8
The next meeting of the Policy Subcommittee will be April 8 at 6:30 p.m. Location to be determined. If you plan to attend, please email me at elizabeth@surfridersd.org and let me know from what part of town you will be coming. Thanks!
Mayors Initiative to Combat Global Warming
Seven Mayors in the San Diego area have signed an agreement promising to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets, but few have concrete plans of how they will achieve those reductions in their communities. Urge your Mayor to sign The U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. If they have already done so, encourage them to fulfill the promise.
More information can be found at
http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/
Or email Julia for more information julia@surfridersd.org
Cities that have already signed the initiative:
Chula Vista, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, San Diego, Solana Beach, and Vista
link to relevant article http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2008/01/11/environment/904warming011008.txt
More information can be found at
http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/
Or email Julia for more information julia@surfridersd.org
Cities that have already signed the initiative:
Chula Vista, Del Mar, Imperial Beach, La Mesa, San Diego, Solana Beach, and Vista
link to relevant article http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/articles/2008/01/11/environment/904warming011008.txt
Friday, February 15, 2008
Thank You Coastal Commissioners!!!
Here is a link to an online "THANK YOU" to the California Coastal Commission. Stefanie Sekich will personally had over the thank yous from this online petition to the Commissioners at their next meeting. Please check it out and and join in our giving thanks!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/406462345
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/petition/406462345
Hearing on Robertson's Cement Plant in O'side
THE RE-HEARING ON ROBERTSON'S CONCRETE PLANT IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 19 AT 5 PM IN CITY HALL CHAMBERS (300 COAST HIGHWAY).
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE AND PLAN TO ATTEND, SIGN LETTERS IN OPPOSITION, AND EMAIL THE COUNCIL.
More information coming soon. If you would like to circulate letters for signatures, please e-mail Nadia at nadia550@sbcglobal.net.
PLEASE SAVE THE DATE AND PLAN TO ATTEND, SIGN LETTERS IN OPPOSITION, AND EMAIL THE COUNCIL.
More information coming soon. If you would like to circulate letters for signatures, please e-mail Nadia at nadia550@sbcglobal.net.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Solana Beach Report from Jim Jaffee
Here is my Solana Beach update.
1) The Coastal Commission staff has returned comment on the draft
LUP/LCP. They are pretty extensive. I am going to meet with the city on the
26th to try to establish a response to the comments.
Some highlights:
-They want to see how we will utilize the mitigation fees collected
from seawalls and other such structures.
-They are concerned the LCP does not have enough policies in areas
other thatn the shoreline like the lagoons etc...
-They want the prohibition in the CONDOTELS added to the LCP. This is
good.
-They have concerns about allowing a minimum house inside the setbacks.
I agree but the property owners will have issues with this.
-They rejected the safety improvement argument associated with
seawalls. This is very good. The property owners want a credit on fees for
mitigation because they are improving the safety with seawalls. They also
want to waive certain review on this basis.
2) Sand replenishment - SANDAG is proposing a comprehensive sand
replenishment program. It will be more than just Solana Beach. The entire
coast will be affected. Solana Beach approved funding for the program
studies and construction matching funds. The major issue is they really do
not detail the after replenishment conditions.
3) Army Corps Project - Encinitas Solana Beach - The first project was
rejected. They are bringing back a second project with less sand but
still advocating federally funded seawalls or notch fills. We are concerned there has been no formal response to comments in the DEIS from 2005.
1) The Coastal Commission staff has returned comment on the draft
LUP/LCP. They are pretty extensive. I am going to meet with the city on the
26th to try to establish a response to the comments.
Some highlights:
-They want to see how we will utilize the mitigation fees collected
from seawalls and other such structures.
-They are concerned the LCP does not have enough policies in areas
other thatn the shoreline like the lagoons etc...
-They want the prohibition in the CONDOTELS added to the LCP. This is
good.
-They have concerns about allowing a minimum house inside the setbacks.
I agree but the property owners will have issues with this.
-They rejected the safety improvement argument associated with
seawalls. This is very good. The property owners want a credit on fees for
mitigation because they are improving the safety with seawalls. They also
want to waive certain review on this basis.
2) Sand replenishment - SANDAG is proposing a comprehensive sand
replenishment program. It will be more than just Solana Beach. The entire
coast will be affected. Solana Beach approved funding for the program
studies and construction matching funds. The major issue is they really do
not detail the after replenishment conditions.
3) Army Corps Project - Encinitas Solana Beach - The first project was
rejected. They are bringing back a second project with less sand but
still advocating federally funded seawalls or notch fills. We are concerned there has been no formal response to comments in the DEIS from 2005.
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