20150526 Late CorrespondenceCITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
HONORABLE MAYOR & CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
CITY CLERK
MAY 26, 2015
ADDITIONS/REVISIONS AND AMENDMENTS TO
AGENDA**
Attached are revisions/additions and/or amendments to the agenda material presented
for tonight's meeting:
Item No.
Closed Session
1
Description of Material
Emails from Minas Yerelian
Email from: John Freeman; Akhtar Emon; Justin Skarb;
Frank Glaser
Respectfu~bmitted ..
~/l!~
Carla Morreale
W:\AGENDA\2015 Additions Revisions to agendas\20150526 additions revisions to agenda.doc
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Minas Yerelian <yerelian@gmail.com>
Friday, May 22, 2015 5:50 AM
cc
At Last, Scrutiny for Public-Union Deals -The Wall Street Journal.
Google the title to read this art ...
I thought you would be interested in the following story from The Wall Street Journal.
At Last, Scrutiny for Public-Union Deals
http://www . wsj .com/articles /at-last-s crutiny -for -public-union-deals-143 2249699
Download the Wall Street Journal app here: WSJ .
Sent from my iPad
1
(ltJs~
se-ss10,J
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Good morning
Minas Yerelian <yerelian@gmail.com>
Friday, May 22, 2015 6:06 AM
cc
Union negotiation hearing open to the public.
Are we going to have the negotiation between the union and the the staff open for the public Before it is wrapped up.
Like the city does with Edco.
Thank you
Minas
Sent from my iPad
1
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
John Freeman <jrfree@cox.net>
Sunday, May 24, 2015 1:34 PM
cc
Fire safety vs. Water conservation
Dear Mayor Knight and City Council members:
For years the Fire Department has been telling us that we must maintain Defensible Space Zones
around our homes, including using fire-safe landscaping such as ice-plant, and other ground
covering. In fact, this past year our HOA invited the Fire Department to conduct a fire safety check
and presentation at one of our resident's homes. Among other suggestions, they emphasized the
importance of smart landscaping as a means of protecting our homes.
http://www.readyforwildfire.org/defensible space/
http://www. fire. ca.gov I
Cal Water conducted the community meeting last week which was very informative and
helpful. There was several questions from peninsula residents as to what we should do for those
homes with views over hillsides, rear canyons, and sloping neighborhoods, which are common in
RPV. (Remember, that's why we moved here!) The answer always seemed to be "contact the Cal
Water customer service to initiate an appeal, and home visit review."
There are 42,000+ residents in RPV, plus more in other cities on the hill. If every homeowner that
maintains ice-plant and ground covering on their rear or side facing property calls Cal Water, they will
have to hire lots of reps (and raise our water rates to pay for the thousands of case load).
We all want to and must conserve. Many have already reduced the amount and frequency of their
own sprinklers and landscape irrigation. But the hot dry Santa Ana winds and red alert season
haven't even started. How do we choose between fire safety vs. water reduction penalties?
A 36% reduction goal is good but may not be possible. But if we are able to reduce 20 or 25%
shouldn't that count for something? Are all the golf courses and city parks going to close 36% of their
properties?
On behalf of RPV residents please ask Cal Water to create revised rules for our residents. A target of
36% may be obtainable, but we should get some credit for 10, 20, or 30% reduction if we are trying to
protect our neighborhood.
Thank you. And thank you for representing us in the important public conservation and public safety
matter.
John Freeman, President
Pacific View Homeowners Association
www.palosverdes.com/pacificview
"Working Together for a Better Neighborhood"
1 J
From:
Sent:
To:
Akhtar Emon <alif@cox.net>
Sunday, May 24, 2015 8:18 PM
John Freeman
Cc: Cheryle Ushkow-Kolodny; Mac Chapman; Noel Park; Norbert Nastanski; Sharon Fair;
Tariq Salim; Willie Quan; CC; John Maniatakis CHOA Board; Krista Johnson
Subject:
< kristamjohnson@cox.net>; Jeanne Jeanne Lacombe CHOA Board; Prim Hamilton
CHOA Treasurer; Jeff Richards CHOA Board; Jack Pharris CHOA Board; Jack Pharris
Re: Fire safety vs. Water conservation
To: John Freeman,
President,
Pacific View Homeowners Association,
www.palosverdes.com/pacificview
Cc: RPV City Council
Cc: PVHA & CHOA Board
Dear John,
Thanks for sharing your very convincing letter below
sent to RPV Mayor Knight and City Council members,
for Cal Water to create revised rules for the residents
of P.V Peninsula.
Your letter eloquently highlights the competing demands
of "Fire safety vs. Water conservation".
Both criteria being equally important, yet pulling us residents
in the opposite directions.
Thanks again for taking the initiative on our behalf.
Regards,
Akhtar H. Emon
PVHA Board Member
CHOA Board Member
Sent from my iPad
On May 24, 2015, at 1:36 PM, John Freeman <jrfree@cox.net> wrote:
FYI, I sent the email below to the City Council. If you wish to send your own comment,
note that their email address changed and is now cc@rpvca.gov. The council meeting
regarding this is Tuesday, June 2.
1 I
John Freeman
From: John Freeman [mailto:jrfree@cox.net]
Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2015 1:34 PM
To: 'cc@rpvca.gov'
Subject: Fire safety vs. Water conservation
Dear Mayor Knight and City Council members:
For years the Fire Department has been telling us that we must maintain Defensible
Space Zones around our homes, including using fire-safe landscaping such as ice-
plant, and other ground covering. In fact, this past year our HOA invited the Fire
Department to conduct a fire safety check and presentation at one of our resident's
homes. Among other suggestions, they emphasized the importance of smart
landscaping as a means of protecting our homes.
http://www.readyforwildfire.org/defensible space/
http://www.fire.ca.gov/
Cal Water conducted the community meeting last week which was very informative and
helpful. There was several questions from peninsula residents as to what we should do
for those homes with views over hillsides, rear canyons, and sloping neighborhoods,
which are common in RPV. (Remember, that's why we moved here!) The answer
always seemed to be "contact the Cal Water customer service to initiate an appeal, and
home visit review."
There are 42,000+ residents in RPV, plus more in other cities on the hill. If every
homeowner that maintains ice-plant and ground covering on their rear or side facing
property calls Cal Water, they will have to hire lots of reps (and raise our water rates to
pay for the thousands of case load).
We all want to and must conserve. Many have already reduced the amount and
frequency of their own sprinklers and landscape irrigation. But the hot dry Santa Ana
winds and red alert season haven't even started. How do we choose between fire
safety vs. water reduction penalties?
A 36% reduction goal is good but may not be possible. But if we are able to reduce 20
or 25% shouldn't that count for something? Are all the golf courses and city parks going
to close 36% of their properties?
On behalf of RPV residents please ask Cal Water to create revised rules for our
residents. A target of 36% may be obtainable. but we should get some credit for 10, 20,
or 30% reduction if we are trying to protect our neighborhood.
Thank you. And thank you for representing us in the important public conservation and
public safety matter.
John Freeman, President
Pacific View Homeowners Association
2
www.palosverdes.com/pacificview
"Working Together for a Better Neighborhood"
3
From:
Sent:
To:
Cc:
Subject:
Attachments:
Importance:
Skarb, Justin <jskarb@calwater.com>
Monday, May 25, 2015 4:15 PM
Doug Willmore; CityManager; Jim Knight; Susan Brooks; Brian Campbell; Jerry Duhovic;
Anthony Misetich
Kit Fox; Carolynn Petru; Teresa Takaoka; Carla Morreale; Jenkins, Ken; Trejo, Daniel;
Alexander, Patrick; Cordone, Susan
5/26 RPV Council Meeting -Cal Water's Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Drought -Cal Water -Palos Verdes -Comments to RPV Council -2015-5-25.pdf
High
Members of the Council and Mr. Willmore,
I hope this email finds you well and that you are having a fantastic Memorial Day.
Please find attached to this email California Water Service's (Cal Water) comments on the City staff's recommendation
that the Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) Council authorize the submittal "of a letter protesting Cal Water's proposed Water
Shortage Contingency Plan" to the California Public Utilities Commission (Commission).
As you are aware, the California State Water Resources Control Board has adopted regulations that require a 36-percent
reduction in water use be achieved in Cal Water's Palos Verdes service area. Meeting the mandatory water use
reduction targets will require a concerted, community-wide effort. In light of the task at hand, we respectfully urge the
Council to avoid sending its residents a signal that further water conservation efforts are unnecessary by opposing Cal
Water's plan. Instead, we ask that the Council join with other cities across the state that are supporting Cal Water's plan
and are exploring various ways to coordinate with us to ensure our customers have a reliable supply of water for years
to come.
Justin
Justin Skarb
Comm Affairs & Gov Rel Mgr
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
310-257-1485
LJ
Quality. Service. Value.
calwater.com
This e-mail and any of its attachments may contain California Water Service Group proprietary information and
is confidential. This e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. If
you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, please notify the sender immediately by replying to this e-mail
and then deleting it from your system.
1 /,
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
I Government Relations 2632 West 237th Street
Torrance, CA 90505 Tel: (310) 257-1485
May 25, 2015
Mr. Doug Willmore
City Manager, City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
RE: Cal Water's Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Mr. Willmore:
Thank you for providing California Water Service (Cal Water) with the opportunity to
submit comments on the City staff's recommendation that the Rancho Palos Verdes
(RPV) Council authorize the submittal "of a letter protesting Cal Water's proposed
Water Shortage Contingency Plan" to the California Public Utilities Commission
(Commission).
As you know, California is in the fourth year of an unprecedented drought. On April 1,
2015 Governor Brown ordered the State Water Resources Control Board (Board) to
adopt regulations to achieve a statewide 25-percent reduction in potable, urban water
use, as compared to 2013. On May 5, the Board adopted a sweeping set of regulations
that require a 36-percent reduction in water use be achieved in Cal Water's Palos
Verdes water system. The Board's regulations further authorize it to impose fines of up
to $10,000 per day on utilities that fail to comply with the Board's mandates.
I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with the details of the
comprehensive Drought Response Plan (Plan) that Cal Water is implementing to assist
our customers in using water efficiently and meeting the reduction targets mandated by
the State. In short, we have adopted a customer-first approach to the drought that is
focused on not only achieving a short-term reduction in water use necessary to comply
with the State's mandates, but also longer-term changes in water use patterns to help
ensure our customers have a reliable supply of water for years to come.
Quality. Service. Value.
caiwater.com
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
In the proposed letter to the Commission, the City rightfully seeks credit for the
conservation efforts it and RPV residents have undertaken. We commend all of our
customers who have done an outstanding job of using water wisely. Initiatives like
those highlighted by the City serve as a model for the rest of Cal Water's customers.
Unfortunately, those efforts did not translate into significant reductions in water use in
2014. Despite statewide calls for a 20-percent reduction, Cal Water's customers in RPV
actually increased their water use in 2014. In 2013, our customers in RPV used, on
average, 673 gallons of water per day. In 2014, our customers in RPV used, on average,
685 gallons of water per day.
In response to these factors, the Governor's Executive Order, and in anticipation of the
Board adopting mandatory water use reductions, Cal Water was the first water utility
regulated by the Commission to submit for consideration a Water Shortage Contingency
Plan with staged mandatory reductions and drought surcharges. The Water Shortage
Contingency Plan consists of four separate components, broken into four escalating
stages.
First, each stage establishes certain prohibited uses of water. Cal Water has requested
that the Commission allow us to move directly into Stage 2, which would prohibit the
following uses of potable water:
• Using potable water to wash sidewalks and driveways
• Allowing runoff when irrigating with potable water
• Using hoses with no shutoff nozzles to wash vehicles
• Using potable water in decorative water features that do not recirculate the
water
• Irrigating outdoors during and within 48 hours following measureable rainfall
• Restaurants from serving water to their customers unless the customer
requests it
• Irrigating ornamental turf on public street medians with potable water
• Irrigating with potable water outside of newly constructed homes and
buildings not in accordance with emergency regulations or other
requirements established in the California Building Standards
In addition, hotels and motels must offer their guests the option to not have their linens
and towels laundered daily, and prominently display this option in each guest room.
Quality. Service. Value.
ca!water.com
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
Second, each stage establishes restrictions on outdoor irrigation. In Stage 2, irrigating
ornamental landscapes with potable water is limited to no more than three days per
week, using a staggered schedule based on a customer's address.
Third, each stage establishes waste of water penalties that can be imposed upon
customers who violate the prohibited uses of water or outdoor irrigation restrictions.
While the Water Shortage Contingency Plan provides us with the authority to impose
monetary penalties on customers ($50 for a second violation and $100 for a third
violation in Stage 2), it also allows us the flexibility to provide incentives to customers
that will result in greater water savings than simply stopping a customer from violating
any of the prohibited uses. For example, the Water Shortage Contingency Plan allows
us to waive the monetary penalty if the customer participates in one of our Home Water
Use Evaluations and/or installs a high-efficiency irrigation system.
Finally, beginning in Stage 2, water budgets will be established for each of our
customers. The water budgets will be customer-specific and based on the amount of
water that customer used in same month in 2013, reduced by the conservation target
mandated by the State. For instance, if a customer used 25 units of water (18, 700
gallons) in July 2013, that customer's water budget would be 17 units of water (12, 716
gallons) in July 2015. Customers who exceed their water budget in a given month will
receive a drought surcharge on their water bill. In Stage 2, the per-unit charge will be
$9.54, which is twice the highest per-unit quantity charge the Commission has approved
for our Palos Verdes water system.
In its proposed letter to the Commission, the City raises an important point that drought
conditions may increase the threat of wildfires and that Cal Water's Plan will "diminish
the semi-rural qualify of life that characterizes a large portion of Rancho Palos Verdes"
However, Cal Water has not asked any of its customers to stop outdoor irrigation.
Likewise, Cal Water's proposed customer-specific water budgets do not prevent a
customer from continuing to irrigate their landscapes without exceeding their
respective monthly water budgets. In 2013, the average customer in RPV used
approximately 27 units (measured in Ccf) of water each month. Even with the state-
imposed 36-percent reduction requirements, that customer would be able to use about
18 units of water per month. 18 Ccf is the equivalent of 13,464 gallons of water per
month, or 449 gallons per day.
Quality. Service. Value.
calwater.com
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
In short, no portion of Cal Water's proposal will force its customers to allow vegetation
to die. Quite the opposite is true; Cal Water's various conservation programs will assist
its customers achieve water savings without, necessarily, sacrificing their lawns and
gardens. Further, it should be noted that the California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection (Cal Fire) "is highly recommending residents landscape their yards with
drought tolerant and fire resistant plants."1 To that end, Cal Water will be launching a
turf replacement rebate program that will assist customers convert to drought-tolerant
landscaping which, according to Cal Fire, serves as a superior barrier to fires.
We strongly believe that the customer-first approach we have used to establish
individualized water budgets based on past water use does the most to account for the
unique situations that many customers find themselves in. As the City of Rolling Hills
recognized in its communications with the Board, no two communities are identical and
should not be treated as such. The same holds true for each of our customers. Some
have very large families, while others only have one or two people living in a house.
Some have very large lots, while others have very small lots. The customer-specific
water budgets we are implementing account for these differences. For example,
customers who use more water today because they have large lots would, logically,
have also used more water in 2013, the year water budgets are being based upon.
Our customer-first approach dictates that we recognize that some of our customers
have already done an outstanding job of reducing their water use and others will not be
able to achieve significant reductions due to their unique circumstances. Under our
approach, customers who reduced their water use in 2014 as compared to 2013 will get
credit for their efforts and will not have as much of a reduction to achieve in 2015 as
compared to 2014 than a customer who did not make any changes in 2014.
Furthermore, we are establishing an appeals process under which customers will be
able to request an increase to their monthly water budgets, and we plan to
accommodate those customers who achieved substantial reductions in water use prior
to 2013 and those who have low water use relative to the district average. Cal Water is
also including in its appeals process a means by which customers will be able to request
an increase to the minimum monthly water budget both to meet the needs of larger
than average families, but also to meet the needs of horses and other farm animals. In
1 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, "2015 'Wildfire Awareness Week' Declared in
California For May 3-9," May 4, 2015, Available at:
http://calfire.ca.gov/communications/ downloads/newsreleases/2015/2015 _WA W. pdf.
Quality. Service. Value.
calwater.com
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
addition, we have established a minimum water budget, beyond which we will not ask
customers to reduce their usage, to ensure each customer has a sufficient budget to
accommodate essential indoor use. Finally, customers will be able to bank any unused
portion of their water budget in one month for use in future months.
In addition to the procedural elements outlined in our Water Shortage Contingency Plan,
we are taking a number of additional steps to assist our customers in meeting the
State's mandates. By June 1, we will have established a Drought Call Center, staffed
with some of our best Customer Service Representatives. The team at the Drought Call
Center will assist customers with questions about the drought, their individual water
budgets, and Cal Water's conservation programs, and representatives will help walk
customers through our appeals process.
Additionally, we are in the process of transitioning a number of our employees into
Drought Conservation Coordinator positions. The Drought Conservation Coordinators
will be working directly with our customers to educate them about the water use
restrictions that are in place and helping them identify ways to use water wisely. The
Drought Conservation Coordinators will, initially, be proactively focusing their attention
on providing assistance to our customers with the highest water use to ensure that they
are able to achieve the largest water use reductions possible.
Perhaps most importantly, we are building upon our industry-leading water
conservation program. As you know, we currently offer our customers a range of
programs to help them use water wisely, including:
• Rebates for high-efficiency toilets
• Rebates for high-efficiency urinals
• Rebates for high-efficiency clothes washers
• Rebates for smart irrigation controllers
• Vouchers for high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles
• Rebates for high-efficiency commercial irrigation systems
• Water use evaluations
• Conservation kits (high-efficiency showerheads, faucet aerators, hose
nozzles)
• Large landscape water use reports
• Fact sheets on the drought and water conservation
Quality. Service. Value.
calwater.com
CALIFORNIA WATER SERVICE
In the coming months, we will be rolling out several new programs, including:
• Monthly water use reports
• Rebates for replacing turf with drought-tolerant landscaping
• High-efficiency toilet delivery
Additionally, we are finalizing plans to provide customers with the ability to purchase
and have installed real-time water use measurement devices that will allow them to
more closely monitor their daily water use.
Finally, we will be ramping up our outreach to customers to help ensure they are aware
of the restrictions that are in place and the ways Cal Water can help them reduce their
water use. Our outreach will include bill messages, bill inserts, public meetings and
workshops, direct mail pieces, social media campaigns, and advertising. We would hope
to be able to work with the City on these initiatives.
Meeting the mandatory water use reduction targets established by the Board will
require a concerted, community-wide effort. Given the short amount of time we were
given by the Governor and the Board, we are incredibly proud of the comprehensive,
customer-first Drought Response Plan we have developed. In light of the task at hand,
we respectfully urge the Council to avoid sending its residents a signal that further
water conservation efforts are unnecessary by opposing Cal Water's plan. Instead, we
ask that the Council join with other cities across the state that are supporting Cal
Water's plan and are exploring various ways to coordinate with us to ensure our
customers have a reliable supply of water for years to come.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any additional questions about
our Plan.
p2~
Justin Skarb
Government & Community Relations Manager
Quality. Service. Value.
calwater.com
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
City council,
Frank G <glaserfl@gmail.com>
Tuesday, May 26, 2015 9:47 AM
Teresa Takaoka
Water conservation
The new drought water conservation requirements are going to go into effect on June 1. Discussions with California
water service indicate that final reduced water conservation requirements have not been solidified as of this moment.
As it is important that we we know what the requirements are and specifically the penalties if we don't meet these
requirements I would like to request that the city Council and/or the water company issue a document to each one of
the RTV households indicating what water conservation requirements (and the penalties) that must be a met in order to
attain the 36% reduction that has been mandated.
The penalties may include fines, added water meters that record daily usage and more.
They tell me that the baseline will be in the summer of 2013.
Thanks,
Frank Glaser
30184 Via Rivera
310 5418522
Sent from my new iPad Air
1 I