San Mateo County Farm Bureau Appeals LAFCO’s Approval for Annexation of CSA-11 Water System to Include Pescadero High School and a New Fire Station #59

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DOCUMENT. From the San Mateo County Farm Bureau Appeal document submitted to the San Mateo Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) on October 18th, 2024.

“REQUEST
The Farm Bureau requests that Commission vacate Resolution 1326 and 1327 and deny
the application by the County of San Mateo’s (“County” or Applicant”).
ALTERNATIVE REQUEST
In the alternative, the Farm Bureau requests that the Commission take the following steps:
(1) Vacate Resolutions 1326 and 1327;
(2) Correct errors and omissions contained in the vacated Resolutions;
(3) Notice each CSA 11 customer of a new hearing on corrected Resolutions;
(4) Conduct additional hearings, including authority proceedings, and further studies
as necessary to ensure meaningful engagement and informed decision making; and
(5) Submit any proposed annexation involving new connections to CSA 11 to the vote
of affected stakeholders, including existing CSA 11 users.

  1. Correction: The school property contains prime agricultural land that is currently being
    farmed
  2. Correction: The Resolutions were not passed unanimously.
  3. Omissions: Any additional connections to CSA 11 will hasten depletion of the already
    overdrafted aquifer.
  4. Omission: Groundwater recharge is dependent on an agricultural activity which should
    be preserved.
  5. Omissions: The school’s water supply issue should be solved with further evaluation of
    existing studies and conducting additional studies.
  6. Notice of the September 18 hearing was insufficient under the circumstances.
  7. The Farm Bureau opposes waiver of protest proceedings and supports its right to vote.”

FULL Appeal Document

Including the 2016 San Mateo County Farm Bureau letter to Supervisor Horsely in “opposition of the relocation of the Pescadero Fire Station at the site next to the Pescadero High School. This site, at 350 Butano Cutoff, is prime agricultural land which has been farmed for decades and should remain in production, not paved over for other purposes.” ~ BJ Burns


LAFCO Approves Annexation of CSA-11 Water System to Include Pescadero High School and a New Fire Station #59 after Two PMAC Members and Two Farmers Asked for more Clarification Time;

The County of San Mateo is proposing to construct a new County fire station on an undeveloped portion of Pescadero Middle/High School located at 350-360 Butano Cut Off (APN 087-053-010). As part of this project, the County is requesting the annexation of the parcel to CSA 11 to provide domestic water service to a proposed new fire station, Fire Station 59. A waterline would be extended from the existing CSA 11 boundaries east along Pescadero Road, south on Cloverdale Road, and east on Butano Cut Off. At the request of Cal Fire, seven fire hydrants will be installed along the new water main extension. The pipe alignment is not proposed to be within the annexation area 1.

The annexation would also facilitate domestic water service from CSA 11 to the existing Pescadero Middle/High School buildings. The school had historically relied on a well for domestic water. However due to elevated contaminant levels in the groundwater, the school has relied on bottled water for drinking for several years. The annexation of 350-360 Butano Cut Off into the CSA 11 service area would allow both the proposed fire station and to Pescadero Middle/High School.

LAFCO Commissioner’s Vote to Annex

LAFCO Commissioners Vote
Yes:

  • Ann Draper (public)
  • Tygerjas Bigstyck (City of Pacifica)
  • Harvey Rarback (City of Half Moon Bay)
  • Chair, Kati Martin (San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector Control District)

No: Virginia Chang-Kiraly (San Mateo County Harbor District)

Recused: Ray Mueller (D3 San Mateo County Supervisor)

Absent: Warren Slocum (D4 San Mateo County Supervisor)


More on CSA 11 on Coastside Buzz

Supervisor Mueller Works with the California Coastal Commission to Amend the San Mateo County LUP to Allow Pescadero High School Access to CSA 11 Water after 40 Years of Bottled Water;

After 10 Months California Coastal Commission Staff Deem Firehouse/Water Permit Incomplete, so Supervisor Mueller Drives 8.5 Hours to Show the Board the Yellow Contaminated Water at Pescadero H.S. asking to Agendize the Project; October 19th, 2023

Coastside Buzz
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