In the coastal town of Grover Beach, something as essential as water may soon become a bit pricier, and that’s causing ripples of concern among residents.
“I’m concerned not only for me but people who have less than me,” said Grover Beach resident Kenneth Lehmann.
The city announced its intention back in mid-September, emphasizing the urgent need to raise rates to build a nearly $100 million advanced water treatment facility at at an undeveloped property in Grover Beach. The City of Grover Beach is responsible for $16.7 million of that project’s funding.
“We can't base the community's well-being and future success on one miracle winter," said Matt Bronson, Grover Beach City Manager. "Central Coast Blue and the water supply it would provide gives us an ongoing water supply, a drought buffer, and also helps to protect our groundwater basin from seawater intrusion.”
But what the city failed to do under Proposition 218, seven weeks ago, was to notify all property owners in the area about their proposed plan. It's a requirement under state law that says they should be made aware at least 45 days in advance of a public hearing.
One city council meeting and $8,000 later, Grover Beach is restarting the process, sending notices to all property owners. City officials attribute this hiccup, which they say has never happened before, to an internal error.
“Once we discovered the error, we fixed it immediately and took steps to make sure that doesn't happen again, and we restarted the process with council's action last night [October 23],” Bronson said.
Now, it’s up to Grover Beach residents to voice their concerns.
“Things are already too expensive, and I don't see a reason to do that," said resident Greg Spina.
Other locals, including former Grover Beach mayor and long-time resident Debbie Peterson, say they have never seen a proposal of this scale.
Peterson says she's also concerned about how two years of construction will affect local businesses.
“It has impacts to the businesses that are right over here. You have Station Grill, you have Pono, and the parking lot behind them is going to be impacted for a very long time,” she said.
City officials point out that there are subsidy programs for water and wastewater utilities in place with an annual budget of $50,000 to assist low-income residents. They’re also planning to inject additional money into the program, providing some relief for those feeling the pinch.
The city is planning to hold a public hearing on December 11. It will be the last day people in the community can protest the proposed increases. If there is a majority of 50%+1 of protests received, the city council will not take action on the plans, which city officials say will greatly imperil water resources.
