Board of Supervisors Meeting | 9.6.2023

by | Sep 16, 2023 | Get Involved, Stay Informed, Your Opinion Matters

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This board meeting included several presentations including an update regarding the General Plan and potential Community Plans. The board voted on a number of important matters including the decision to move forward with three new Community Plans and to reconsider the previous decision not to provide snow maintenance for Volunteer Fire Departments.

Here are the notes I took regarding the meeting. Please understand that this is not a comprehensive documentation of discussions and decisions.

PRESENTATIONS

Behavioral Health Services

1.1   Adopt a proclamation that recognizes the month of September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

    • Trinity County’s suicide rate is nearly 4 times the average in California.
    • The board adopted this proclamation and presented to staff.

Clerk of the Board

1.2   Adopt a proclamation which recognizes the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness month.

    • Candlelight Walk – Reintroducing an event to raise awareness and honor survivors. 10.19.2023.
    • The board adopted this proclamation and presented to staff.

1.3   Receive an update from U.S. Forest Service representatives regarding matters of interest in Trinity County.

    • Fire Update – attacks on 18 fires this season. Two that required additional attention are in relatively good shape with containment improving. South Fork – 70% contained.  Deep Fork (North Lake area) is 60% contained. Pack Mules have played a critical role in firefighting efforts.
    • Forest Closures – looking to reduce the footprint of forest closures
    • Hiring Update – 23 new positions for West Side (more than in the previous 5 years combined).
    • Recreation Update – Someone coming in behind Sara (on temporary assignment) until she returns… likely early next year.
    • Fuels Management – estimate 174% of target acreage. $16 million in additional funding was provided for use in our area.  Bobby Miller will start next month (Fish Biologist).  Additional contracts are underway for fuel management.  (9:29 AM)
    • Road Repair – working with RCD to improve roads damaged by fires and efforts to fight the fires.
    • Good Neighbor Authority – efforts continue
    • Public & Stakeholder Engagement – continue efforts to engage and inform.

Planning and Zoning (9:36 AM)

1.4   Receive a presentation from Mintier Harnish regarding the General Plan update and Community Plans mapping.

    • Michel Gibbons | Brent Gibbons
    • How we got here – three main deliverables for this initiative.  General Plan, Environmental Assessment (EIR), Zoning.  Feedback received during the early stages made it clear that updating the five existing community plans and adding 5 additional community plans.
      • 10 public workshops throughout the county – results published on the website
      • July/August – online survey to gather more information – with a focus on community boundaries
    • Today’s Decision – which communities/areas will receive plans
    • Future Decision – specific boundaries for these communities/areas (early November)
    • Community Workshop – in each of the selected communities/areas
    • Community Plans – presented next Spring
    • Five existing plans will be updated.  The boundaries of these communities will not be modified during this process.
    • Two Options were presented for board consideration.  Criteria and results are shared to support the recommendations presented.
      • Option A – designed to cover the county by grouping communities into areas that can be represented by Area Plans… then adding Hyampom as a community plan.
      • Option B – presents the option of selecting four communities for Community Plans and then creating one Area Plan.

PUBLIC COMMENT

    • Post Mountain resident/community leader shared concerns at the lack of public services – Electricity, Snow Removal, etc.

REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS

2.1   I. Report from Department Heads

    • None

I I. Report from County Administrative Officer (9:55 AM)

    • New Human Resource Director is now on board.  Appreciation was offered for the support provided by Liz Hamilton.
    • Courthouse Roof – recent rains have caused problems that require cleanup efforts.  Should be back to normal operations within 7-10 days.
    • Budget – will be released to the public on 9.8.2023.  The board will meet to review the budget in a special Budget Hearing on 9.25.2023.

I I I. Reports from Members of the Board of Supervisors

    • Heidi Carpenter-Harris – field tours, no out-of-county travel
    • Liam Gogan – no out-of-county travel, opioid-focused organization is making progress
    • Ric Leutwyler – travel to Anderson, Redding, and Sacramento for county business.  CSAC
    • Dan Frasier – no out-of-county travel.  Met with residents regarding Post Mountain PUD
    • Jill Cox – no out-of-county travel.  Met with leaders involved in broadband.  First Five – looking for a new executive director.  Met with the Governor’s representative/liaison.

I V. Reports from Ad Hocs:

A. Trinity County Water

    • Meeting tonight regarding winter variable flows – 6:00 PM, Indian Creek Lodge
    • Meeting next week for a two-day TMC meeting.

B. Cannabis Ordinance

    • The staff has shared a draft of proposed ordinance updates for internal review.  Public comments were received via emails.
    • Public workshops will take place in September.

C. Economic Development

    • Met with RCRC Economic Development Director.  He will be introducing us to another economic development leader for CA who will be able to provide additional insight.  Meeting mid-late October.
    • CD/Veterans Hall – publicly supported initiative is being worked through the grant process that would fund all design elements… making this a “shovel ready” project.  Projects that receive the design funds usually receive funding for implementation.

 

CONSENT CALENDAR

    • Items 3.5 and 3.8 were removed for discussion
    • All other items on the consent calendar were approved as submitted.

3.5   Appoint Angenett Taft to the Trinity County Waterworks District #1 Board of Directors are to serve a 4-year term expiring December 31, 2026.

    • Liam Gogan asked that this matter be pulled so that both openings can be addressed by the BOS at the same time.
    • The Waterworks Board would like to move forward with the motion as presented.  They are moving forward with advertising/nominating the other vacancy.
    • Public Comment – shared concerns that qualified individuals on the list have been bypassed on multiple occasions without an understanding as to why they were not selected.
    • The board approved this motion as presented

3.8   Approve the regular meeting minutes of  February 7 and 22, 2023, and the special meeting minutes of February 15, 2023, as submitted by the clerk.

    • Need to change the name of the Chair – system limitations caused a delay.
    • The board approved this motion with the revised signature line

COUNTY MATTERS

Auditor/Controller (12:15 PM)

4.1   Approve a budget adjustment for FY 22/23 for Auditor/Court Remittance – Increase in General Fund appropriations for $16,362; current Contingency balance is $125,392.

    • The board approved this matter as presented.

Board of Supervisors

4.2   Waive the provisions of the Governance Manual and bring back for consideration at a future meeting the resolution regarding snow removal for volunteer fire department driveways. This requires a 2/3 vote.

    • This vote was required to allow the board to reconsider this matter at our next meeting.
    • The board approved this matter as presented.

County Administrative Office

4.3   Discuss and/or provide direction regarding the selection of specific community plan locations and/or designated area plan areas within the General Plan. Discuss and provide direction on selecting the specific General Plan community plan locations and/or area plan designated areas based upon the General Plan presentation.

    • Public Workshops to gather further input for community plans are scheduled for 11.6-10.23.
    • Option A – “Catch all” approach… using four area plans to represent as many communities as possible.  Also includes a community plan for Hyampom.
    • Option B – focused on four new community plans and one area plan – for Down River communities.
    • Lake County used the “area plan” approach – with an opportunity for communities within the area to share unique characteristics/expectations, etc.
    • Merced County has standalone community plans… all the rest are covered by the overall county general plan
    • Public Comment
      • Post Mountain representatives shared concerns regarding solid waste being dumped throughout the area.  Private roads are in such bad shape that it is health, safety, and environmental concerns.
      • Opinion shared that the Trinity Pines subdivision map shows that the county owns the roads in the area.  ???
      • Concerns were raised that better fact-checking on public input on boundaries did not take place.  Urged the board to provide Trinity Center with its community plan.  Shared that the CSD for the area would make good boundaries for the community plan.  Noted that Trinity Center and Coffee Creek have separate schools and volunteer fire departments.
      • Encouragement was offered for creating a community plan for the Post Mountain area.  Shared desire for more/better services (school, water, fire, etc.).
      • Concern that Post Mountain should not be “left out” of the General Plan.  Noted that conditions worsen in the winter due to lack of services.
    • The board approved moving forward with three additional community plans – Hyampom, Post Mountain, and Trinity Center.  The decision was reached just before 12:15 PM.

Human Resources

4.4   Modify the departmental allocation list for the Department of Transportation to replace a technician role with a planning role. No impact on the General Fund; these allocations remain within the Department of Transportation.

    • The board approved this motion as presented.

Planning and Zoning

4.5   Introduce and waive the reading of an ordinance amending Trinity County Code Section 17.18.060 about Multi-Family (R-3) Zoning Height Limits.

    • Public Comment
      • VFD representative shared concerns regarding this motion.  Noted that this was not presented to the fire chief’s association.  Shared that Weaverville is the only fire department that has the equipment to effectively address a structure fire in a building of 45’.
      • Concerns shared that the 45’ limit may allow for a roof structure above the 45’ level.
    • Overall height is measured to the top of the roof.
    • The board considered a motion to deny this motion and a motion to approve it within the Weaverville Fire District only.
    • The board approved the motion with the added restriction to only the area covered by the Weaverville Fire District.

CLOSED SESSION

5.1   Government Code Section 54954.5(c) – Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation. Number of cases: one Carlson, et al. v. County of Trinity, et al. (Trinity County Superior Court Case No. 20CV136).

 

BOARD AGENDA & MINUTES – Click here to access current and past agendas and minutes.  Note – Work is underway to get current with the formal approval and publishing of minutes from board meetings.

BOARD VIDEO RECORDINGS – Click here to access video recordings of board meetings.

I hope you find these updates of value.  Please feel free to reach out if you have questions, concerns, or suggestions.

 

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