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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12111990 - WC.3 WC-3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - Cryot . f c' FROM: WATER COMMITTEE <� '' \✓Wl� SUPERVISOR SUNNE WRIGHT MCPEAK � SUPERVISOR TOM TORLAKSON DATE: DECEMBER 5, 1990 SUBJECT: BAY-DELTA PROTECTION LEGISLATION; PUBLIC ACCESS ALONG DELTA WATERWAYS; FERAL PIG POLICY; AND BIG BREAK WETLANDS SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Authorize Chair to sign a letter to Assemblyman Campbell encouraging the reintroduction of Bay-Delta Protection Legislation as amended by Assemblyman Peace. 2 . Accept the following recommendation from Fish and Wildlife Committee, as amended by the Water Committee regarding public access along Delta levees; where public funds are used for levee maintenance, public access should be maximized wherever possible, provided that access does not contribute to deterioration of the reconstructed levees, damage to environmentally sensitive areas, or constitute a threat to drinking water supply. 3 . Authorize chair to sign a letter stating that the County does not endorse Santa Cruz County's request for support of a Fish and Game Commission relaxation of regulations regarding feral pig depredation permits. 4. Direct the Community Development Department to review the Corps of Engineers wetlands permit for the Big Break area to . determine whether a drainage outfall constitutes a violation of permit provisions. FISCAL IMPACT None. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT:, xx YES SIGNATURE RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S Supervisor Sunne Wright McPeak Supervisor Tor1akson>9V1\_. ACTION OF BOARD ONDt n00�_ APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER _ The Board approved Recommendations 1, 3 and 4. The Board referred Recommendation 2 ' elative' to public -access along, Delta levees back to the Mater Committee for further review. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN `AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Orig: Community Development Department ATTESTED DEC11 159 cc: County Administrator Office PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF County Counsel THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County Legislative Delegation vi'a CDD COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY , DEPUTY RG/ wa:BayDelta.bo Bay-Delta Protection Legislation Continued - Page Two BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS 1. On May 16, 1989 Assemblyman Campbell introduced legislation for protection of the Bay-Delta Estuary. The legislation underwent some revision, and died in Committee in January, 1991. This bill defined, as State policy, the protection and preservation of all beneficial uses of the Bay-Delta Estuary and its tributaries, and specified operation of the State Water Project (SWP) , in a manner to mitigate negative impacts to the estuary from the SWP. Under this legislation, the Department of Water Resources, in determinations of water available for export must ensure that the project is operated in a manner to protect all reasonable and beneficial uses. 2 . The Public Access issue was the subject of legislation (AB 3202) introduced by Assemblyman Tanner in February of 1990. This legislation, killed in committee during the year, would prohibit a public agency from unreasonable restriction, or the denying of 'public access to roads, levees, or other land adjacent to waters open to public fishing. This is applicable to land which the public agency owns or controls, and would require plans to be submitted for non-project levee public access. Supervisor Torlakson requested that the Fish and Wildlife Committee provide a recommended position regarding this issue. The Water Committee concurs with the above-mentioned position provided public access does not contribute to the deterioration of reconstructed levees, would not impact environmentally sensitive areas, or constitute a threat to drinking water supply. 3 . In January of 1990, a letter was sent to the Board of Supervisors from Santa Cruz County requesting our aid in persuading the California Department of Fish and Game to relax wild pig depredation permit regulations. Santa Cruz County holds wild pigs responsible for much damage to that area. However, the Fish and Wildlife Committee, with concurrence from the Water Committee feel that a 'shoot and leave policy' is not an appropriate method to deal with this issue. The recommended policy suggested by Santa Cruz County is not endorsed for the following reasons; first, there is insufficient data to substantiate the alleged problem. Second, Santa Cruz County has since resolved the issue of depredation permits with the Department of Fish and Game. And third, the County should not condone the wanton waste of any game species in the State of California. 4 . A drainage outfall has been constructed through a wetlands area at Big Break, in Oakley. The Fish and Wildlife Committee has. previously been involved with efforts to maintain this area as a viable wetland, and has worked with the Corps in the past on permit actions in order to prohibit filling of this area. The Water Committee recommends investigation of the matter by the Community Development Department in order to determine whether the drainage outfall is consistent with the permit. RG/ wa:BayDelta.bo • CoDeon Feral COUNTY OF .-SANTA CRU Z Pigig Depredation � 1. LENORO L GRAFT.JR. AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION94 0111aCT01t.WeIGMT;a MEASL"tts BOARD OF SUPERVISORS January 180 1990, Alameda County Contra Costa County Marin County RE�r1 Y ED Mendocino County 1 1J Napa County San Benito County ,JAN 2 2 1990 San Francisco', County San Luis Obispo County Pw..)6ATCHEICC San Mateo County cL€RtzoAa awACO. Santa Clara County s - De Sonoma County Re. : Proposed Changes in Fish & Game Regulations on Wild Pigs We need your help in persuading the California Fish & Game Commission to change its wild pig depredation regulations. In Santa Cruz County wild pigs cause considerable damage to water sources , pasture, and cropland. This damage can be reduced if the Fish & Game Commission eases the regulations governing the issuance and exerci�se 'of pig depredation permits . If wild pigs cause economic or environmental damage in your county, let us work together to bring this damage under control . In 1988 the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors established an official committee 11 charged with studying the county's depredating wild pigs and makin'''g recommendations for their control . Some advances have been Made , e.g. , ( 1 ) the Agricultural Commissioner appointed a biologist who coordinates our pig control program, and ( 2 ) negotiations with the Fish & Game Department made the issuance of depredation permits a little more efficient . However , much remains to be done. We are still assessing the extent and nature of the damage caused by the county's wild pigs and evaluating the best tools for controlling damage. Changes in Fish & Game Commission regulations governing the Iq issuance and exercise of depredation permits would go a long way toward reducing wild pigs in areas where .they are causing problems . Discussion has raised the possibility of asking the legislature to change the status of the ;gild pig in some counties from game animal to 'inon-game animal . However , such a change 3n the pig ' s legal status is not immediately needed to achieve our goals . r Calif. Native Plant Soc . (Santa Cruz Chapter ) Calif. State University, San Luis Obispo Calif. Dept. Parks be Rec Santa Cruz Co. Resource Cons. Area Niscene Marks State Park Advisor- Comm. Santa Cruz Counts Farm Bureau University of Calif. , Santa Cruz , Waddell Creek Assn. Senator Henry Melo Assemblyman Sam Farr cc : Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors Senator Henry 'dello Assemblyman Sam Farr