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Council Approves Water Conservation Measures

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

In accordance with local and statewide entities acting to combat a drought emergency, San Clemente City Council last week introduced an update to the city’s Water Conservation Ordinance (WCO) and adopted a resolution declaring a Water Shortage Level 2 Water Alert.

With the unanimous vote at the June 7 meeting, councilmembers also directed staff to expand the city’s public information campaign, implement surcharges on potable water, limit landscape irrigation around the city, and increase water waste patrols.

Under these new measures, San Clemente’s water customers can expect to see a monthly increase of about $4 to their bills, accounting for an additional variable rate surcharge of $0.30 per cubic centric foot and a fixed rate surcharge of $0.74 per meter equivalent.

The ordinance, which looks to repeal and replace the current WCO, is intended to achieve consistency with the 2020 Water Shortage Contingency Plan the council adopted in June 2021, and to include additional permanent water waste restrictions adopted in January by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), according to Water Conservation analyst Niki Beach.

Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s statewide drought emergency declaration last October, and the SWRCB adopting emergency conservation regulations on May 24, San Clemente was required to implement demand-reduction actions. However, the city’s report did not identify a potential water shortage in Fiscal Year 2022-2023.

The potential changes to the WCO would shorten the irrigation period, limiting the time residents could water their yards, from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m., and would prohibit watering within 48 hours of measurable rain. If passed, it would also require home and property owners to repair water leaks within five calendar days, regardless of shortage conditions, and bar watering on turf on medians with potable water, among other changes.

“(The changes) do mostly revolve around those permanent water waste restrictions that are valid year-round regardless of shortage level,” Beach said during her presentation to the council. “Some of them are just to be more consistent with other local water agencies.”

Adjusting the time frame for repairing leaks was meant to help water customers, as they previously had only 72 hours to do repairs.

According to the staff report, the city expects these actions, including a public information campaign, to contribute in various ways to reducing the water shortage. The rate modifications, which could do the most to reduce the shortage, are intended to offset revenue and incentivize conservation.

Those at even-numbered residential addresses must irrigate on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from March through November and on Mondays in the winter. For those residing on odd-number addresses, they must irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and Saturdays in the winter.

As for commercial and irrigation accounts, they’ll irrigate on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and on Thursdays in the winter.

“Our customers may remember these days from the last drought when we last were in the Level 2 Water Alert,” said Beach. “We kept them the same to keep it consistent for our customers and also because they did such a great job during the last drought, helping us cut back by really honing in on their irrigation and using an appropriate amount of water throughout the week.”

When asked by Mayor Gene James to clarify the number of days San Clemente would have enough water to survive in case the city was cut off because of a natural disaster or similar event, Dave Rebensdorf, utilities director, answered with roughly 23 at the current rate of consumption.

“If our customers are reducing their water rate use, then that’s extended out, but in the summertime our customers are going to be using more water than they would under just an average scenario,” said Rebensdorf.

Customers are advised to limit landscape irrigation however possible, but Beach also confirmed that the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s turf removal program is ongoing.

Regarding water options, Rebensdorf said the city has an “aggressive program,” given that more than 50% of customer demand on irrigation comes from recycled water, and that the utilities department is looking to expand. An additional 10% of customers could be converted to recycled water soon.

City staff will also research the possibility of joining the South Coast Water District in developing a desalination plant near Doheny State Beach through a feasibility study and other methods.

Positives the Doheny plant would potentially present in comparison to the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, according to Rebensdorf, include a more environmental process and lower cost of water.

The city’s efforts to reduce water usage will not apply to non-customers, however.

“The customers that live within South Coast Water District and Santa Margarita Water District service areas, they will follow whatever requirements are in level to those water districts,” said Rebensdorf.

City Manager Erik Sund said the city will soon include flyers in water bills going forward to notify customers of the changes.

The ordinance will next move to a second reading for formal adoption, likely to occur at the council’s June 21 meeting.

Jesus Pelayo, the course superintendent at Shorecliffs Golf Club in San Clemente back in 2015, waters a green. Photo: File/Eric Heinz

Voters to Decide Whether City Clerk, Treasurer Should be Elected or Council-Appointed

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

San Clemente residents voting in the General Election this November will notice two ballot measures for which they will choose how candidates can assume the offices of City Clerk and City Treasurer.

The City Council voted, 3-1, on June 7 to add the measures that will ask whether the positions should be appointed by the council or elected by the public. Additionally, Mayor Pro Tem Chris Duncan and Councilmember Kathy Ward will form a new subcommittee tasked with drafting arguments in favor of the council appointing the positions.

Councilmember Laura Ferguson was absent from the meeting.

The vote comes months after the council initially opted not to add the ballot measures to the upcoming election, and follows the early-May meeting in which the council formally called for the General Municipal Election in November.

Councilmember Steve Knoblock, the lone vote against the resolutions that established the ballot measures, had asked the rest of the council late last month to take up a discussion regarding a concern of his—whether the position of the city clerk operating under the city manager’s authority posed a potential conflict of interest.

According to the city’s organizational chart, the city clerk, currently an elected position, works under the city manager.

Knoblock claimed that position structure was “an inherent conflict,” and questioned whether it promoted loyalty to the citizens or “the man who pays the paycheck.”

“I agendized that issue; the mayor suggested that he could support talking about that issue if we also talked about the possibility of potentially having an election to decide what we’re going to do,” said Knoblock, who added that he felt blindsided by the ballot measure proposals before the council.

Regarding the ballot measures, Ward cited concerns over possibly removing the voters’ ability to choose the city clerk and treasurer positions, as well as removing the clerk’s office from underneath the city manager’s control. She also pointed to San Clemente using the city manager model since its founding in 1928 as a sign of the model’s efficacy.

“How can we get a good city clerk if … the people vote for it to come to us?” asked Ward. “If we separate the position … and take it out of (the city manager model), our city clerk would only be making, I think it’s $500 a month.”

After receiving confirmation on the pay from City Clerk Joanne Baade, Ward referenced conversations she had with other city clerks who gave the consensus opinion that the city would not find a

Local Republican Women’s Group Raises Money, Donates Goods to Expectant Mothers

BY HAYZE LAW

The San Clemente Area Republican Women (SCARW) last month provided support to expectant mothers by raising money and donating goods to the Pregnancy Resource Center, as well as holding its annual Operation Baby Shower.

During the Baby Shower at Camp Pendleton on May 26, SCARW presented more than $3,000 worth of club-donated items to expectant mothers, who each received layettes that included crib blankets, baby wash, baby lotion, baby wipes, hooded towels, onesies, toys and bottles, among other items.

The annual party is for expectant mothers and offers a meal, mixer games and several prize items. Traditionally, the event hosts up to 25 expectant mothers, and this year, spouses and other children joined as well.

“The mixer games enabled mothers to interact with each other and make new friends,” said Publicity Chairperson Sue Pieczentkowski.

Winners of the games received special prizes. They also received door prizes, such as a box of diapers or specialty items, and small “mommy bags” with personal goods.

The donations came from SCARW members and friends of the club, including Bible study groups, and a class of first-graders whose teacher allowed the students to bring items as part of a community service project.

“Operation Baby Shower was the perfect opportunity to thank our military personally for their invaluable service to our country,” said Pieczentkowski.

Members of the San Clemente Area Republican Women deliver layettes and other donated baby items for expectant mothers at the Pregnancy Resource Center in San Clemente on May 31. Photo: Courtesy of SCARW

As part of its Community Outreach Program, the club last month also supported the Pregnancy Resource Center by donating layettes. Club members also helped raise $855 for the center by participating in the annual Walk for Life in Dana Point, which the center sponsored.

Three club members visited the Pregnancy Resource Center on May 31 to deliver the four layettes containing numerous baby items, as well as three boxes of cloth-like baby wipes and a twin-size comforter set.

Annual Ohana Festival Announces Lineup for 2022 Encore Weekend

BY HAYZE LAW

As popularity grows for the Ohana Festival, the annual weekend event at Doheny State Park this September is set to return a second set of performances known as Ohana Encore.

Eddie Vedder, the festival’s founder and lead singer of Pearl Jam, will return once again to headline, along with music icons The Black Keys, Alanis Morissette, The Roots and Haim.

The encore weekend will take place on Oct. 8-9, at the state park following the initial festivities slated for Sept. 30 through Oct 2, which already include a star-studded set.

After last year’s festival, Variety wrote, “Not only did Ohana roar back to life with two headlining sets by Vedder and another by Pearl Jam, it actually grew into a second ‘encore’ weekend headlined by Pearl Jam, setting the stage for further expansion in the future.”

Vedder and Morissette will kick off the first night, along with The Roots, Julieta Venegas, The Front Bottoms, Amos Lee and Marcus King, among others.

On the second night, the lineup will include Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Afghan Whigs, Amyl and The Sniffers, Iceage and others ahead of the headlining acts Haim and The Black Keys.

“Beyond Ohana continuing its expansion, it is defining its future with its diverse and inclusive lineups,” an Ohana Festival statement said.

A portion of the proceeds will go toward the San Onofre Parks Foundation

(Cont. from page 4) good candidate to fill the position, especially given the litany of duties the clerk performs.

Ward expressed concerns for the future of the clerk’s office, although she, Duncan, and Baade acknowledged that the council was only deciding whether to add on the measures.

Knoblock asserted his position that no elected official should be employed by the city manager.

Mayor Gene James said that the city has been fortunate to have someone like Baade as the city clerk, and that residents have recognized Baade’s proficiency by electing her for years.

However, James said he agreed with Knoblock in that it was awkward having an elected official reporting to the city manager.

“I don’t think in the current scenario, it’s a problem,” he clarified. “But, it’s a problem of perception.”

James added that the city clerk position has much more power than councilmembers, which could spell trouble if the wrong person got elected. He said it was right to give the decision of authority to the people, and initially made the motion to approve adding the measures, with Ward seconding it.

Knoblock jumped in to ask Ward whether a conflict of interest would exist if the city manager hired an active councilmember, such as he or Duncan, to be a legislative consultant, to which she responded that such an occurrence had never been an issue.

Ward then wanted to ask Baade whether a city manager had ever tried to influence her, and described Knoblock as “looking for a solution in search of a problem.”

Duncan said Knoblock had raised a fair point, although he was in favor of the council appointing the positions going forward.

“If that’s not what the voters want, then I think we’ve got to go back and look at what Steve’s talking about, and if you’re elected, you can’t also be working for the city,” said Duncan.

Knoblock asked if it would be appropriate for them to adopt a policy stipulating that no elected official should work under the city manager, council, or any other official.

“I think that throws the baby out with the bathwater right now, because I don’t think we have a good plan going forward,” James responded. “I totally understand what you’re saying, but … I would rather hold off and see what those voters say in November.”

To the motion, Knoblock voted no, because he held that complete independence for the clerk and treasurer positions meant being elected and operating away from the city’s purview, although James and Ward said the ballot measures were the first step in getting what Knoblock wanted.

Regarding the direct arguments, the subcommittee of Duncan and Ward would write it on behalf of the council before it goes to print in a voter information guide. The council also voted to include an impartial analysis, written by City Attorney Scott Smith, and to allow for rebuttals to be submitted and printed.

Baade said she will post a notice inviting arguments from the public, translated into Spanish as well as English, by late next week or early on during the week of June 20.

Citizens will be able to find the process to file an argument by visiting the city’s website and the links to election information, by viewing the city’s bulletin board, or by calling the city clerk’s office at 949.361.8200.

COMMUNITY MEETINGS

TUESDAY, JUNE 21 City Council 5 p.m. The San Clemente City Council will conduct its regularly scheduled meeting in person at the San Clemente Community Center, as well as virtually. The meeting will be livestreamed on the city’s YouTube channel. 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente. 949.361.8200. san-clemente.org.

Because I Love You (BILY) 6:30-8:30 p.m. The organization Because I Love You (BILY), which helps parents navigate through whatever parenting challenges they may be facing (e.g., failure to launch, drug abuse, disrespect), will continue conducting its weekly meetings on Tuesdays via Zoom video conference. For detailed instructions on how to participate, email bilysanclemente@gmail.com.

and the Doheny State Beach Foundation, among other charities.

Pre-sale tickets for Ohana Encore will be available at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 16. All remaining tickets will be available to the general public the following day. Included in ticketing options are single-day general admission, single-day VIP, weekend general admission, weekend VIP and ultimate VIP.

Weekend admission passes start at $280, while single-day passes start at $159.

Ticketing and other information can be found at ohanafest.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MEMORIAL DAY

MAUREEN SHEA, San Clemente

I attended San Clemente’s 2022 Memorial Day Observance. Keene Sherburne’s keynote was incredibly moving.

Todd Spitzer shared a few words. Tim Brown, Master of Ceremonies, presented a gift from the City of San Clemente. I found it curious Tim did not audibly mention what the “gift” was.

Then he gave a similar gift to Gene James, saying something to the effect of “Gene, you need an ammo box, too.”

An ammunition box was the City of San Clemente’s gift to Todd and Gene, the same week of the senseless shooting in Uvalde.

Stop and let that sink in.

‘SOME’

RAYMOND A. CHAVEZ, San Clemente

Some went Saturday to buy groceries in Buffalo, NY

Some went Sunday to church service in Laguna Woods, CA

Some went Tuesday to elementary school in Uvalde, TX

Some shared a hug, a kiss, a wave goodbye

Some families forever changed by high velocity gunfire

Some family trees’ tender branches will never blossom

Some fear their peaceful town will be next

Some surrender to reality no one is safe

Some scream enough is enough

Some plead, pray for the shooting to stop in America

Some wonder if that day will come Some

GRADUATION

MIKE VAKIKI, San Clemente

Congratulation to all the graduates from CUSD high schools.

My special recognition goes to Kiara Harris from San Juan Hills High School for her talent in poetry and the poem she wrote in SC Times about her four years of high school life.

Her poem resonates with the graduates of 2022 and beyond.

Photo: Courtesy of Adobe Stock

WHERE’S THE ENFORCEMENT?

CHERYL KELLY, San Clemente

Probably no one was happier than I when the City Council finally voted to ban e-bikes from the Beach Trail.

For the first couple of weeks, those signs at the beginning of every trailhead warning of $100 fines if caught on the trail with an e-bike seemed to be working.

But, with no enforcement to be found anywhere, the word has apparently gotten out to the scofflaws. I was out of town for about a month, and when I returned to the Beach Trail, I’ve seen e-bikes, and no one is stopping them.

Just last week, there was an older man and a younger guy riding e-bikes on the trail, but under pedal power. I thought no e-bikes meant no e-bikes, period.

Then a couple of days later, a younger man on the trail near North Beach was going full motor power.

But it gets better.

The same day on the Mariposa footbridge, I heard a speeding e-bike coming up behind me and stepped out of the way, as did two women walking on the opposite side of the bridge. Screaming past us was a purple-haired young woman not even attempting to slow down. And bikes are supposed to be walked on the bridge.

With no enforcement, school is out, and this is just the beginning of summer, so it is just going to get worse.

What good is putting a law in place if no one is there enforcing it?

THANKS TO THE CITY COUNCIL SAN CLEMENTE OCEAN FESTIVAL

The San Clemente Ocean Festival thanks our City Council for approving our five-year extension!

This has been a year of challenges with the loss of some of our board after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, but we will continue the hard work ahead to produce “The Greatest Show on Surf” on July 16-17 for everyone to enjoy.

Moving forward, we will continue to implement new ways to improve and enhance the event with the help and support of our incredible volunteer board, dedicated and supportive sponsors, participants and partners in the community.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

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San Clemente Times, Vol. 17, Issue 24. The SC Times (sanclementetimes.com ) is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, publishers of the Dana Point Times (danapointtimes.com) and The Capistrano Dispatch (thecapistranodispatch.com). Copyright: No articles, illustrations, photographs or other editorial matter or advertisements herein may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher. The publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, art, photos or negatives. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. San Clemente Times is published weekly by Picket Fence Media, 34932 Calle Del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at San Clemente, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: San Clemente Times, 34932 Calle Del Sol, Suite B, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624.

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