Rather than gaining ground on the disconnect between residents and the Town Council over Chino Valley's proposed water conservation ordinance, Thursday's council meeting showed the sides remain far apart.
Although the proposed 88-page double-spaced water conservation and sustainability ordinance wasn't even on Thursday's agenda, that didn't keep residents from speaking out in opposition.
"We can't win," Councilwoman Gloria Moore said. "The ordinance is big. We will come back with small bites and deal with each issue so people can digest it easier."
Ken Lain, owner of Watters Design & Garden Center, favors a committee in which all the interested parties could hash out the issues. "We need to put it together so all can rally behind it. That is the way to calm down the sentiment in the community and gain its support."
Mayor Jim Bunker said the council plans to have five or six study sessions on the proposed ordinance starting early next year.
Richard Butler of the Paulden Area Community Organization wants the council to look at the impact any importation from Paulden to Chino Valley will have on Paulden-area wells. In response, Bunker assured him that Paulden's residents would have an opportunity to give comments on the proposed ordinance, which many residents feel is too restrictive on their rights.
"It is hard to believe residents can't have evaporative coolers," said Randy Carpenter, who has lived in Chino Valley since 1969. "I feel some provisions of this proposed ordinance should be in the building code."
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
T Lira
This compilation of laws (of which I have completely read) is too extreme and would place a “stay away” stigma on the face of Chino Valley and deter growth within our town limits. As a realtor, I am concerned that no one will want to buy properties in our area.
I am also a property owner within the town limits and will find it difficult to continue the rural lifestyle that my family has so endeared over the last 14 years. This does not include “wasting” our precious water resources! We are very aware that conservation of water by all is a must, but this proposed ordinance goes too far.
Chino Valley has been so known for the rural lifestyle. If this strict water ordinance becomes law, I believe growth will come to an end except in the county areas that don’t fall under these laws. I, myself will not want to stay here. Of course, property values will drop in the town limits even further than they have in this down economy, so it will be next to impossible to sell our homes if we want to leave.
This ordinance will give the “power” to an appointed “water manager” who will be able to stop all landscape watering as he/she determines it necessary. Do the residents of Chino Valley need to plan on letting all trees and shrubs die along with every patch of lawn? How will we all pay to clean up the dead debris in our yards? Gravel landscaping is expensive and I cannot afford it. Are we to let our places depreciate with dead landscaping and nothing but weeds to encompass our homes unless we can come up with money to put in a rain recapture system? That will hurt property values even further.
I can anticipate any new developments to have to require that no live plants or grass be allowed outside the home. Developers will be forced to put in a storm recapture system for any plants people would water outside, but with the rainfall amounts we receive in Chino Valley, how long do you think that water will last? Do you think developers are going to force people to pay your required HOA fees to live on a lot with absolutely no trees or plants of any kind? This is what I see as the outcome of passing this terrible ordinance.
Please do not pass this ordinance. There are many provisions that are so extreme; we will be in the headlines on CNN for passing such a heavy fisted law! It will hurt our town and shut down practically all growth. Why not educate our residents on water conservation to give merit to a “volunteer” program first?
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Robert Vastine - Nature West
Tom Atkins, well put. Just to let folks know, we've been doing just that for a long time. Native/drought tolerant plants, passive/active rainwater harvesting, drip-irrigation you name it, we do it. Not a new concept, hopefully you're right and our business will continue to flourish!
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Annie J
Some people just refuse to get it. Native plants cannot live off nothing but the very, very, rare rainfall the area gets. Take a look around at the native vegatation. All the hills and valleys are brown folks, not green. Even the weeds and native grasses are brown nearly year round. Native trees and shrubs are dying at an alarming rate. Even native plants cannot survive season after season with the meager amount of rain that falls every few months. We are in a drought. You just can't plant new trees and shubs and expect them to thrive with virtually no water. Most importantly if water is so horribly scarce and the water situation is so dire why oh why do area leaders keep insisting on large scale high density development? If we don't even have enough water to use outside we certainly cannot afford to keep giving it away to massive new development. Area leaders need to get realistic and seriously consider passing a building moratorium.
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
MIKE B.
A SHORT QUESTION - WHAT KIND OF A NEGATIVE EFFECT WILL THIS HAVE ON PROPERTY VALUES?
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Long-Time Chino Valley Resident
Just for the record, Ken Lain opposes water restrictions of any kind because he wants to sell you water loving plants that are not well adapted to our area. He has no appreciation for native plants and has no desire to help the residents of Chino Valley. He looks at all of this as a marketing opportunity. He acts concerned for the citizens of Chino Valley, when in reality he is merely concerned for his pocketbook. In short... thanks Ken, but we really need people who's intentions are sincere. Go back to your nursery and if we need to waste our money p we'll come see you.
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Gloria: mabey they dont want to digest it! you are not suppose to win, you are there to do the peoples work, period!
Posted: Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Tom Atkins
If Ken Lain and the other owners of various landscaping and garden businesses would look to a sustainable future, get out their little calculators and fire up their spread sheets they would find that there is a lot more money to be made in conservation of water than wasting water. They should consider helping folks who are stuck with expensive-to-water, unsustainable, water-gulping exotic landscapes convert to water sipping, drip irrigated, rain catchment supplied, lush with native plants, sustainable, xeriscaped landscape. I predict that the landscapers / garden centers that get into the "sustainability" business in our area will survive and thrive, the same ol, same ol “put in a huge lawn and water gulping wet-loving flora” will go the way of the dinosaurs, they are not keeping up with changing times / changing environment. Putting in evaporative, water wasting broadcast sprinklers on big lawns is something that people are able to do back in the wet East, even we could here before the population explosion back in the 50’s and 60’s, but those days are long over. In our current over-grown population, each has a much smaller piece of the water pie compared to “the old days”. We would hope that these landscape businesses would show a bit more creativity and look at what kinds of landscapes that are really possible in the high desert, and drought conditions that we all are currently experiencing. The water commons is unsustainable at the current population using water at the current rate. Your Water Resource Manager, Mr. Mark Holmes has had the courage and brains to put together a real water plan that will not lead Chino Valley into a dead water end. The City of Prescott is pumping huge amounts of water out from under Chino Valley. The water table around these wells are going down at a very scary rate. This is not sustainable. Prescott and Prescott Valley do not have the vision that you in Chino Valley have, they all need to take a lesson from Mark and come up with a plan much like yours. That would greatly take the strain off of all of our aquifers. You Chino Valley folks are the leaders in water conservation. Get behind Mark and show every one else how to do it! More about our water situation.... www.prescottslastoasis.com
