Minutes of the Palomar Mountain Planning Organization Meeting
August 19, 2006
The PMPO Board Meeting was convened at 10:10 AM August 19, 2006 at the Palomar Mountain Volunteer Fire Department.
The minutes of the April 1, 2006, Board Meeting and the May 27, 2006, Annual and Board Meetings were distributed with corrections and approval deferred to the next meeting. The Treasurer's report, provided by Tracy Dixon, was approved. Balance carried forward was $38,166.73; donations were $1,978.33, breakfast revenue from meals, T-shirts, and strawberries was $894.75, expenses were $379.20 for newsletter stamps, $913.72 for newsletter printing, $236.66 for breakfast food, and $112.09 for breakfast supplies, total expenses $1,641.67. The ending balance was $39,398.14.
Elizabeth Getzoff said that as far as she knew, the property transfer to the La Jolla Indian Reservation from William Yale had not yet occurred. Rob Hawk said that Mr. Gant, Mr. Yale's project manager, sent the PMPO well-logging data for the period 1998-2006; the depth-to-water of well Y-1, the older of the two wells on Mr. Yale's parcel. John Tainer noted that the data provided indicates the well has not yet recovered to its 1998 levels.
Rob said we should monitor wells on Palomar Mountain to help the La Jolla Indian Reservation accomplish their stated intent that their pumping not affect the mountain's water supplies. Rob will draft a note to property owners willing to have their wells monitored. Elizabeth Getzoff suggested that Mike Probert, the Palomar Mountain Mutual Water Company's operations manager, be asked about doing the monitoring. Tom Burton has data from a non-pumped test well near the Summit; Jack Norvall said Steve Clark has a non-pumped well in Pedley Valley ideal for monitoring; Scott Kardel says the Observatory has three wells but does not know if their monitoring is logged. Rob Hawk will look into prices for automatic monitoring, but the PMPO does have a 1/3 share of a manual well logging device that could be used. Rainfall data would be helpful, and Michael Pique is archiving the data logged by the County's Birch Hill weather station. Rob said that Cedar Creek flow data would also be helpful, but would require measuring stations at the culvert beneath the East Grade Road and about 1000 feet downstream, stations that would need automatic recording and continuing maintenance.
Earl Walls said PMVFD Chief Lucia was working on funding; the joint PMVFD/CCPM committee holds a public meeting about every two weeks. They are doing real-estate background research with Jerry McLees in preparation for a two-phase Major Use Permit application (1. use of the PMVFD house, 2. new building).
Tom Burton said the county is still doing non-Palomar-related activities, largely road issues.
Jack Norvall is telephoning trying to get US Forest Service manager Rich Tobin and surveyor Kent Whittaker to come up for a meeting. Jack wants to show them the stone mound he found about 3 years ago at the southeast corner of Section 14, in the Conifer Road region, and to discuss the progress the PMPO has made in locating key ravines and ridges along the south line of Section 14. However, Mr. Tobin has been busy all summer dealing with fires up in Riverside county and been unable to meet. Jack cautioned that even if the US Government agrees to restore the section 14 boundary to where the PMPO believes it originally was, the section will still be about 200 feet shorter, north to south, than the 1890-era plats show: there just isn't as much land as was thought then.
Bonnie Phelps, Tom Burton, and Michael Pique discussed the possibility of swapping donated land adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest for the 16+ acres needed to restore the boundary and for the 6 acres desirable for the Community Center. Jack said Mr. Tobin indicated that swaps were possible and took 2 or 3 years to accomplish.
Chair Jim Hamerly distributed a draft Conflict of Interest Policy and asked PMPO board members to sign it, indicating any conflict of interest so that the Chair, the Board, and the public would be made aware of such, and members would agree to abstain on any votes that might constitute a conflict of interest. The members were to disregard ownership of homes, non-commercial land, and personal property. Scott Kardel moved to accept the Policy draft, seconded by Tom Burton. After discussion, the motion was tabled for clarification of what constitutes an "interest".
Bonnie Phelps said that many of the parcels on Birch Hill, especially north of the lodge, have only prescriptive access easements, not deeded easements. A new project is underway to draw up and record easement deeds. The PMPO board will discuss the public benefit of endorsing or helping fund this.
Bonnie Phelps noted the Valley Center Roadrunner newspaper's article that it has been one year since the California Highway Patrol announced stronger enforcement on Palomar Mountain against unsafe motorcyclists. The article said that no improvements have been visible. Alan Serry had been leading the ``enforcement encouragement'' effort but we now need a new leader and committee; Chair Jim Hamerly will speak with Alan Serry to see if he would spearhead the group as well as look for volunteers.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 AM.
Michael Pique