South Truckee Meadows General Improvement District
South Truckee Meadows General Improvement District
South Truckee Meadows General Improvement District
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Minutes of the Washoe County Well Mitigation Hearing Board, March 16,2006 Page 2 of 12<br />
BUSINESS OF TIIE DAY<br />
1. Review and possible approval of revised criteria and procedure for determining what<br />
constitutes a reasonable lowering of the water level, and what constitutes an unreasonable affect<br />
on a domestic well caused by municipal uses, and possible direction to staff.<br />
Chairman Jacobson reported that this item had been postponed until Mr. Carlson could be present. John<br />
Rhodes distributed handouts. He apologized for not providing the documents in advance and summarized<br />
the details. He refened to the "Role of the Well Mitigation Hearing Board" and explained it was created<br />
as a result of the workshop held during the October meeting with Hugh Ricci, State Engineer. The three<br />
main points of the Board's role are:<br />
r To hear and consider evidence regarding whether there are unreasonable adverse affects on a<br />
domestic well caused by municipal pumping<br />
o To determine the portion of the total lowering of the static water level caused by municipal<br />
pumping that is reasonable and if applicable, to consider what portion is considered<br />
unreasonable considering what portions of the total are due to drought, other domestic wells,<br />
other permitted pumping and other causes<br />
o To make findings and provide recommendations to the water purveyor as to the percentage of<br />
unreasonable adverse affects beyond a reasonable lowering of the static water level that is<br />
attributable to municipal pumping<br />
Mr. Rhodes next referred to the "Factors to Consider", which he explained are factors determined by this<br />
Board in organizational meetings as items to be reviewed in terms of evidence. He next referred to<br />
"Analysis", *tti"tt he prepared as requested by this Board to provide assistance with defrning what is<br />
"reasonable". The next document is entitled, "Forms of Motions" that could be used by the Board' Mr.<br />
Rhodes explained that it is a revised document that the Board has not yet seen.<br />
Mr. Rhodes referred to the handout on motions and explained the changes that were made. He explained<br />
that the Role of the Board is the document that needs approval; the remaining documents are to provide<br />
informational assistance. Mr. Morros stated he would be comfOrtable adopting the document as a<br />
gUideline rather than being locked into it. Mr. Rhodes clarified that the document had been approved by<br />
this Board previously; however, the document was revised based on the workshop with the State<br />
Engineer. He added that the document could be adopted as a guideline if desired and the name could be<br />
changed to "Guidelines of the Well Mitigation Hearing Board". Chairman Jacobson stated he thought the<br />
document was a good modification.<br />
Mr. Morros stated he would never be comfortable with identiffing speoifically by number the<br />
unreasonable lowering of the water table. Mr. Moros made a motion to adopt the guidelines as general<br />
guidelines while allowing the Board to make independent judgments on each case. Mr. Carlson seconded<br />
the motion.<br />
Theresa Shannon stated she is speaking as a member of the public and added that in the past she<br />
represented domestic well owners through a group called the Mt. Rose Well and Water Protection. She<br />
reported that she is an applicant on tonight's agenda. She stated she is not uncomfortable with the<br />
language; however, she was concerned that the policies of this Board (even though it was approved well<br />
orrt u y"* ago) are still in the process of being defined on the very night that a decision would be made<br />
on her particular issue. She stated she hoped there would be some consistency and added that if you read<br />
through the minutes, it appears that the policies regarding mitigation have changed almost monthly. She<br />
went on to say that she hopes if this document is adopted, that the Board finds medium ground and is able<br />
to use the guidelines consistently on a case-by-case basis.<br />
ftem S<br />
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