Citizens' Advisory Committee
Water Subcommittee

May 28, 2008

1155 Market Street, San Francisco
4th Floor Conference Room
5:00- 7:00pm

Members

Jennifer Clary – Chair	Richard Hansen
Tim Colen	Lurilla Harris
David Dawdy	Robert Varni
Art Jensen

Staff: Amy Sinclair

Agenda

Disability Access
The CAC Water Subcommittee meeting will be held in the Conference Room on the 4th Floor of the SFPUC Offices located at 1155 Market Street. (between 7th & 8th Streets) The Conference Room is wheelchair accessible. The nearest accessible BART station is the Civic Center Station at United Nations Plaza and Market Street. Wheelchair accessible Muni bus lines serving this location are: 5, 6, 7, 9, 21, 66, and 71. Metro Lines are F, J, K, L, M and N. For information about accessible Muni services call (415) 923-6142.
 
The following services are available on request 48 hours prior to the meeting; except for Monday meetings, for which the deadline shall be 4:00 p.m. of the last business day of the preceding week: For American sign language interpreters or the use of a reader during a meeting, a sound enhancement system, and/or alternative formats of the agenda and minutes, please contact Betsy L. Rhodes at (415) 554-3240 or our TTY at (415) 554-3488 to make arrangements for the accommodation. Late requests will be honored, if possible.

In order to assist the City's efforts to accommodate persons with severe allergies, environmental illnesses, multiple chemical sensitivity or related disabilities, attendees at public meetings are reminded that other attendees may be sensitive to various chemical based products. Please help the City accommodate these individuals. Individuals with chemical sensitivity or related disabilities should call our accessibility hotline at (415) 554-6060.
 
Lobbyist Registration and Reporting Requirements

Individuals and entities that influence or attempt to influence local legislative or administrative action may be required by the San Francisco Lobbyist Ordinance [SF Campaign & Governmental Conduct Code §2.100] to register and report lobbying activity. For more information about the Lobbyist Ordinance, please contact the San Francisco Ethics Commission at 25 Van Ness Avenue, STE 220, San Francisco, CA 94102 Phone: 415-252-3100 Fax: 415-252-3112; web site at www.sfgov.org/ethics Email: ethics.commission@sfgov.org.
 
Know your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco Administrative Code) 

Government’s duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, boards, councils, and other agencies of the City and County exist to conduct the people’s business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people’s review. For more information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance or to report a violation of the ordinance, contact the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, by mail to Adele Destro, Interim Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 244 San Francisco, CA 94102-4683 at Phone No.: (415) 554-7724; Fax No.: (415) 554-7854; e-mail: sotf@sfgov.org.
 
The ringing of and use of cell phones, pagers and similar sound-producing electronic devices are prohibited at this meeting. Please be advised that the Chair may order the removal from the meeting room of any person(s) responsible for the ringing or use of a cell phone, pager, or other similar sound-producing electronic devices.

1. Call to order

2. Approval of minutes of April 23, 2008 meeting. (See attached minutes)

3. Announcements by members and reports on other meetings

4. Public comment-matters within Subcommittee’s scope, not on today’s agenda

5. Staff Presentation: Management of SFPUC properties in the City of San Francisco, Gary Dowd, Real Estate Services, Kevin Barry, City Distribution Division, Tim Ramirez, Natural Resources Division.

a. Issue: SFPUC owns a considerable amount of property in San Francisco, some in active use for distribution, collection, treatment and disposal of water, some surplus.  Community members have has some questions about management of property in SF, including concerns from environmentalists about actions that impact local flora and fauna, and questions from Russian Hill neighbors about the fate of property they consider open space and the SFPUC considers surplus.

b. Result: A better understanding of SFPUC property management and a discussion about potential actions that the CAC can take to improve communications and ensure the highest and best use of these public lands.

c. Action: Request a presentation from SFPUC property management regarding status of SF property; how property is targeted for environmental stewardship activities; the fate of public properties declared surplus; and how the public is informed of and encouraged to participate in decisions regarding SF properties.

6. Staff Presentation and possible action to support this bill: SB 1258 (Lowenthal).  This is a bill strongly supported by SFPUC to require state agencies to establish standards for potential uses of gray water, Ellen Levin, Water Enterprise.

a. Issue - Currently the State of California has standards for subsurface irrigation with gray water, but not for other uses.  This creates additional regulatory hurdles for local governments trying to expand the use of gray water, as planning and building professionals are often reluctant to issue permits for systems without some guidance.

b. Desired result – passage of this bill

c. Action – adopt resolution in support of this bill - communicate support to Commission, Supervisors.

7.  Staff Presentation: Development of WSIP Branding Campaign: Seeking Subcommittee input on Water System Improvement Program Graphics.  The Water System Improvement Program (WSIP) is planning on updating its graphics program to enhance outreach efforts, including updating the WSIP website pages.  

a.  Issue  - WSIP outreach materials need to be updated and utilize a consistent design – or brand – to enhance public outreach.

b. Desired result – creation of consistent and effective WSIP outreach graphics

c. Action – Comment on recent steps taken by staff in development of WSIP graphics. 

8.  Discussion and possible action regarding making a change to the Subcommittee’s resolution to support the City’s recycled water program.

a. Issue – Recycled Water resolution did not gain passage at May CAC meeting. The point of dissension appeared to be uncertainty about specifically endorsing the current program, and uncertainty about the cost and where the $$$ would come from.

b. Desired result – a statement by the CAC that they support recycled water, even if some details need to be worked out

c. Proposed Action – Consider amending first resolved clause "Therefore be it resolved that the SFPUC Water Subcommittee supports the development of recycled water projects in San Francisco" to expand the term "development".

9. Discussion about future agenda items, including budget items that the Water Subcommittee would like to monitor and acquire more information about at future meetings

• Application of “Show me the water” legislation in SF

• Water Quality presentation

• Purple piping regulations in San Francisco

• Follow up on Best Practices for Capital Reserve Funds

• Drought supply reliability.

10. Adjournment
 
Additional materials not listed as explanatory documents on this agenda, if any, that are distributed to the SFPUC Citizens’ Advisory Committee (CAC) Water Subcommittee prior to or during the meeting in connection with any agenda item will be available to the public for inspection and copying in accordance with Government Code Section 54954.1 and Sunshine Ordinance §§ 67.9, 67.28 (b) & 67.28 (d).