Memorandum
Date: May 9, 2023
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Michael S. Green, District 4 Supervisor
Subject: Consideration of Scotts Valley Community Advisory Council project requests and prior allocation of discretionary cannabis tax funds
Executive Summary:
Acting upon the request of the Scotts Valley Community Advisory Council (SVCAC), former Supervisor Tina Scott directed administrative staff to allocate $165,000 in District 4 discretionary cannabis tax revenues for a project to clear brush and sediment from a 3-mile stretch of Scotts Creek. As requested, the funds were transferred to Water Resources - Flood Zone #4, budget unit 8104, on or about July 29, 2022, shortly before Ms. Scott's resignation date of July 31, 2022. However, no formal work plan has been submitted for review and approval by your board to date.
Early scoping work by Water Resources staff and additional inquiries by the current District 4 supervisor disclosed several areas of concern with the project as it was originally proposed, including cost, efficacy and potential expenditure of public funds for private landowner benefit. On April 24, 2023, the SVCAC met and considered several project alternatives suggested by Water Resources. The council then voted to request the project alternatives be presented to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration and possible direction to staff to develop a work plan.
In brief, the project alternatives include:
* Hydrological survey of surface water movements.
* Aerial electromagnetic (AEM) groundwater survey.
* Establishment or enhancement of stream flow and water level monitors.
All of the project alternatives benefit the Scotts Valley community as a whole and fit well with the existing goals and programs of Water Resources. Additional details are provided below.
Hydrological survey
Water Resources has previously applied for grant funding to assess surface flow patterns of Scotts Creek and its tributaries dur...
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