They say it’s important; after all, everyone lives in a watershed.
Last week, representatives appeared before the Cuesta La Honda Guild to discuss the watershed there. And officials from numerous county departments — including County Counsel, Planning and Building, Environmental Health and the Department of Parks — spoke before the Agricultural Advisory Committee on Monday night. They also had plans to speak before the Pescadero Municipal Advisory Council on Tuesday night and the Midcoast Community Council the following night.
 Trash and debri clog the Pilarcitos Creek. |
“They’re telling us essentially that if we don’t, they’re coming,” he said.
Gordon said that the state board issues a permit to the county that will have to be renewed in the next couple of years. Before the board renews that permit, however, it wants to see stronger enforcement regulations in place for protecting watersheds.
A watershed consists of all the ecological and geographical systems from which water flows into one place. The Pilarcitos Creek, for instance, is at the center of the Pilarcitos watershed.
“The impetus really is the fact that we’re going to be impacted by additional state and federal regulations. Part of this is trying to get ahead of that curve,” Gordon said.
Once the county educates the public about watersheds and solicits the public’s response about potential watershed concerns, new laws could follow.
“The result could well be some kind of ordinance that defines certain standards for development — that looks at land-use issues that impact creeks and streams.” Pointing out that water rolls downhill, Gordon added that the county will have to identify clearer ways to control pollutants, insecticides and sediment that flow into creeks and other parts of watersheds.
Currently, the county’s watersheds are subject to a hodgepodge of planning regulations from various levels of government. The California Coastal Commission, for instance, enforces a higher level of regulations on Coastside watersheds than those that are found on the other side of the hill.
Gordon touted the county’s initiative in the matter. He and Supervisor Jerry Hill sit on a Board of Supervisors subcommittee that has been coordinating the meetings.
“Candidly, this is a pretty unique step for government,” Gordon said. “More often than not, someone sits in an office in Sacramento and says, ‘Here are the new rules. Love it or leave it.’”
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