CHINO VALLEY - After more than a year of contention surrounding the issue, the City of Prescott this week may agree to complete a Conditional Use Permit with the Town of Chino Valley before installing arsenic treatment equipment on six of its Chino wells.
During a Friday afternoon meeting at Prescott City Hall, both municipalities' mayors and attorneys, among other higher-ups, worked to iron out their differences with the permit, one with which Chino Valley has asked Prescott to comply.
"We expect to go forward with a Conditional Use Permit," Prescott Mayor Jack Wilson said late Friday.
In addition, the two sides discussed a proposed Intergovernmental Agreement in which Prescott would cut a license for the Safeway loop off Highway 89 and Road 2 North. The license would allow new commercial businesses added onto the north and south of the Safeway grocery store on 1031 N. Highway 89 to begin receiving water service from Prescott's wells.
"That's going to be on our council agenda Tuesday for a discussion and vote by council," Wilson said Friday evening. "It's contingent upon the sale of our water operations out in Chino Valley."
At an appraised cost of $3.2 million, Chino Valley in the future wants to buy Prescott's water service area and its accompanying Chino Valley Irrigation District lands in phases. This move would allow the town to expand the Prescott system's lines and provide necessary fire flow to the aforementioned new businesses, something Prescott can't currently provide.
Chino Valley could also begin hooking up Prescott's customers into its own water and sewer system.
"We've still got a couple steps to accomplish (before the sale), and we would like to complete the negotiations by the end of this year," Wilson said. "That's going to be part of the Intergovernmental Agreement."
Chino Valley Town Manager Bill Pupo said he thinks both municipalities will come to an agreement about the town's connection into the Prescott water system, whereby Prescott relinquishes service for the Safeway sites.
"Everything worked out reasonably well," Pupo said.
Prescott owns six well sites in Chino Valley that supply water to both municipalities, including 642 paying customers in Chino. Before the city modifies the well sites with arsenic treatment equipment, Chino Valley is demanding Prescott complete a Conditional Use Permit.
Per the town's code, this permit requires Prescott to pay for landscaping and other upgrades at the sites.
For more than a year, Prescott and Chino Valley have failed to come to terms on the permit.
"Prescott is having trouble with the stipulations that were put on by the (Chino Valley) Planning and Zoning Commission related to paving the surface, under-grounding electrical utilities, landscaping, shielding block walls, and those kind of things," Pupo said. "They thought they were excessive, and we simply disagree."
Chino Valley Water Resources Director Mark Holmes said a misunderstanding exists between both parties.
"Prescott is saying we're delaying their arsenic treatment," Holmes said. "And we're not."
Wilson said site improvements, including fencing, blocks and landscaping, would cost Prescott $120,000, but he thinks other costs are associated with the project.
"I don't have any estimates on that yet," Wilson said. "I expect to have that by Tuesday's council meeting where it will be discussed."
