FINDINGS OF APPROVAL
CONSIDER REQUEST FOR VARIANCE FROM DISTRICT RULE
23-A
REQUIRING INDIVIDUAL USER WATER METERS
SOUTH COUNTY HOUSING CORPORATION
650 JEWELL AVENUE, PACIFIC GROVE
OCTOBER 21, 2002
1. FINDING: South County Housing
Corp., as co-owner of an affordable housing project for the City of Pacific
Grove, is requesting Board approval of a variance to allow a single water
connection to provide service to 49 low-income housing units at 650 Jewell
Avenue, Pacific Grove.
EVIDENCE: Application
for Variance attached as Exhibit 1.
2. FINDING: District Rule 23-A does not allow
staff to issue a water permit "which results in the installation of a new
water meter which shall serve water to one or more users" except in
situations where there are special circumstances or undue hardship.
EVIDENCE: District
Rule 23-A(3):
"In the absence of special circumstances or
undue hardship, the District shall not issue an expansion/extension permit
which results in the installation of a new water meter which shall serve water
to more than one user. Multiple users
shall apply for separate permits pursuant to this rule..."
3. FINDING: Requiring individual water meters
would cause an undue hardship by increasing the project costs and increasing
the cost to the low-income tenants.
EVIDENCE: Application
for Variance attached as Exhibit 1.
4. FINDING: Installing
individual water meters for each unit increases the project construction costs.
EVIDENCE: Application
for Variance attached as Exhibit 1.
5. FINDING: The project will be built with in-line
meters installed to monitor water use in each apartment, providing a method for
individual accountability of water use and encouraging conservation.
EVIDENCE: Application
for Variance attached as Exhibit 1
and condition of approval.
6. FINDING: There have been four similar
circumstances where variances were granted for in-line meters: The Pacific Meadows senior housing project in
Carmel Valley, new educational and public works buildings at the Naval Postgraduate
School, a new dorm with faculty apartments at Santa Catalina School, and a 30
low to moderate housing units in the City of Monterey.
EVIDENCE: Records
of variance proceedings on file in District office.
7. FINDING: Exterior water use
will be tracked with a separate Cal-Am water meter.
EVIDENCE: Condition
of approval.
8. FINDING: Granting a variance
from the separate water meter requirement for the proposed affordable housing
project will not defeat the purpose of Rule 23-A, which is to encourage individual
accountability for water use. Granting
this variance will not compromise water conservation at this site.
EVIDENCE: South
County Housing Corporation will promote individual accountability for water use
at 650 Jewell Avenue, Pacific Grove, by installing an in-line meters to each
unit. In-line meters will provide South
County Housing with the information necessary to promote water conservation in
the event of water rationing.
9. FINDING: Approval of a variance to allow a master meter for South
County Housing Corporation shall be limited to one year. Within the year, South County Housing
Corporation must obtain both water and
building permits for this project.
EVIDENCE: Condition
of approval approved by the Board during the public hearing on October 21,
2002.
10. FINDING: South County Housing Corporation shall
report annual individual water meter readings to the District for all meters
(Cal-Am and non-Cal-AM inline meters).
EVIDENCE: Condition
of approval approved by the Board during the public hearing on October 21,
2002.
11. FINDING: South County Housing Corporation
Project shall be set-aside for the use of very-low-income seniors for the
maximum time period of 80 years, in accordance with conditions required by the
State of California and the City of Pacific Grove combined.
EVIDENCE: Condition
of approval approved by the Board during the public hearing on October 21,
2002.
UU:\staff\word\boardpacket\2003\2003boardpacket\20030818\ConsentCalendar\3\item3_exh3b.doc