January 17, 2008 Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting

Short Summary

The January 17, 2008 Citizens Advisory Committee Meeting was attended by 21 Citizens Advisory Committee members and approximately 27 members of the public.  The meeting started with Director of Development Services Tim Snellings providing a meeting overview and introducing Paul Gosselin, Director of the Butte County Department of Water Resource and Conservation. Mr. Gosselin’s information-packed presentation included discussion on the topics of: Groundwater Conservation Ordinance (Chapter 33), Well Spacing Ordinance (Chapter 23B), Basin Management Objectives Ordinance (Chapter 33A), Creation of the Department of Water and Resource Conservation, Butte County Integrated Water Resource Plan, State Water Project Allocation, and the Basin Management Objectives.

Dan McManus, Senior Engineering Geologist with the Department of Water Resources, presented detailed information on ground and surface water resources in Butte County.  Mr. McManus covered the topics of Butte County water purveyors, sources of water resources, water supply and demand, geology, alluvial aquifers, and groundwater.

Jon Mulder, Associate Engineering Geologist with the Department of Water Resources discussed potential aquifer recharge zones within Butte County and provided detailed spatial data and methodology used in determining these areas.

Dan Breedon, Principal Planner with the Butte County Department of Development Services, briefly discussed the Butte Regional Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) and its use in the General Plan 2030 process.  Mr. Breedon addressed how biological resource data from the HCP is being used, as well as how baseline data is being collected in areas of Butte County that are not covered by the HCP (such as the mountain areas of the County). 

Jon Clark, Director with the Butte County Association of Governments (BCAG), provided an overview of BCAG’s functions and the role of BCAG in the HCP process.  Chris Devine, Planning Manager with BCAG, defined the HCP process, discussed covered species, stakeholders involved, public involvement and the relationship of the HCP with the Butte County General Plan 2030 process.

Paul Cylinder of Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) discussed the biological constraints mapping that has been generated by the HCP process.  SAIC is the consultant firm handling the HCP process for BCAG.

Citizen Advisory Committee members had numerous questions for all of the presenters and staff. Several questions were also taken from members of the public.

In closing, Tim Snellings announced the date of the next Citizens Advisory Committee meeting, to be held on February 28, 2008 at the Butte College Cafeteria from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

All of the PowerPoint presentations from this meeting are available on the General Plan website, www.buttegeneralplan.net.  In addition, a video of the entire meeting is available for downloading at the website.  A more detailed meeting summary will be posted to the website soon.

To keep current with Butte County General Plan 2030, please visit us at http://www.buttegeneralplan.net .  A more detailed summary of this meeting will be available in 1 week.