Water policy changes spark debate over irrigation restrictions

During a recent government meeting, the board unanimously approved the closure of three earth removal permits associated with Costello Dismantling and River Rock. The decision followed a thorough review by Chris, who confirmed that significant work had been completed on the first two permits, while the third was deemed adequately finished after inspection. The board also addressed a request from Trish regarding the filing of a Notice of Intent (NOI) due to the expiration of order conditions, but no further public comments were made.

In a separate discussion, the board moved to approve a new Water System Connection and Application Policy aimed at revising application fees and connection assessments for new customers. This policy is designed to ensure that new customers contribute fairly to the costs of system upgrades previously borne by existing customers. However, concerns were raised regarding the inclusion of residential irrigation systems in the policy. One board member highlighted that allowing such systems could jeopardize compliance with the Water Management Act, suggesting that a fine of $1,000 should be imposed on any residential property found to have an irrigation system installed after a specified date. The board ultimately decided to reconsider the irrigation provisions before finalizing the policy.