Preserve our heritage and culture

By Richard Lyle Shown

I want to work for the citizens of Sonoma to preserve and enhance our rich heritage and culture.

The supply of and demand for water in Sonoma will be the central issue of my campaign. All other issues such as general plan, urban growth constraints, traffic, a veterans cemetery and even the "chickens in the Plaza" will be secondary to water. The solution of our water needs will help to solve the problems of urban growth and traffic.

Sonoma's water concerns are real.

The City's water supply is almost completely dependent upon imported water, supplied by the Sonoma County Water Agency, for our summer needs. The present allocation of 3.3 million gallons per day for Sonoma may not be dependable in the future.

The legal battle over Eel River and Russian River allocations will likely continue for years. The water agency wants to commit the county to a $140 million expansion program before it knows, for sure, where the additional water will come from, or, for that matter, how much there will be. At the same time, the state's Department of Health Services has warned of a possible "new connections" moratorium if regional water systems are not expanded to meet current demands.

With the fierce competitive demands of Santa Rosa, Windsor and Rohnert Park/Novato, our proportionate, future allocation will probably be reduced. Future growth will be adversely affected, even if we restrict ourselves to an "infill" growth belt-tightener.

Sonoma's existing wells are uncertain and untested for supply in a fire emergency. They are not capable of being supplemental to the imported drinking water, and are only fit, if at all, for emergency services.

With regard to demand, simple but effective community measures to curb the wasting of water could provide savings of up to 25 percent of summer-time daily use. The consciousness of the public needs to be raised to a new and demonstrative level.

The City of Sonoma does not bill its 3,500 water customers at the full cost of distributing the water, which it has purchased from the Sonoma County Water Agency, but instead subsidizes water users to an unknown amount.

The City's water distribution system is old and poorly engineered for the unusual demands placed on it. Leaks are everywhere. The City pumps more water through its distribution system than ever gets billed at the rate-payer's water meter.

The emergency-ready supply of fire-protection water has been doubtful under these conditions. The water pressure at various city hydrants is highly variable - the city has taken to color-coding the 300-odd hydrants, according to expected water pressure available at each hydrant.

Urban Growth Boundary:

It is dangerous public policy for the general electorate to be asked to set growth limits 20 years into the future. The urban growth boundary is bound to be arbitrary and impractical if it is set that far into the future, without legislative oversight. There are more pragmatic programs available. if only the city council would consider them.

Rural Heritage Initiative:

We have the successful example of Napa County when it comes to conserving prime agricultural land.

We should follow this very sound land-planning principle by adopting a series of agricultural preserve zoning districts for Sonoma County.

After a period of years of successful operation of the agricultural preserve zoning district, then such a measure as the Rural Heritage Initiative, may be re-introduced as a re-affirmation of the sound land-decision by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.

If you feel as strongly about correcting these problems as I do, I would ask for your support, both financially and in the voting booth on Nov. 7.