Nipomo CSD grants water to development despite city protests
October 24, 2014
The Nipomo Community Services District board gave initial approval Wednesday to a request for water service at proposed housing development on the Nipomo Mesa. [Tribune]
The CSD board voted 4-0, with board member Jim Harrison absent, to grant initial approval for water service to more than 270 new homes and hotel rooms expected to be constructed at Blacklake Golf Resort. The vote came at the same meeting in which the board received a letter from the city managers of Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach and Pismo Beach requesting that the CSD stop purveying water to new developments.
Rob Rossi, who purchased the Blacklake resort in 2001, said construction on the development is expected to begin in 2016. The plan includes approximately 96 single-family bungalows, 119 hotel units, 11 timeshare units and 52 retirement village units.
The development proposal calls for offsetting the water usage of the new homes by reducing irrigated land on the resort, improving the existing irrigation system and making use of treated wastewater on the golf course.
In an Oct. 1 letter, the three South County city managers asked that the district, as well as other water purveyors on the mesa, come up with a new source of water rather than approve service to new developments. They also requested that the purveyors provide better public education programs.
Nipomo general manager Michael LeBrun responded by saying that the district has already reduced its groundwater pumping and has conducted extensive public outreach.
The CSD is also nearing completion of $17.5 million pipeline from Santa Maria, which is expect to start providing water to residents next July.
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