Santa Cruz County Grand Jury • 2004-2005

Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District Report Synopsis

10 pages

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⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.

Findings and Recommendations 24 findings

There are many applications for federal and state grant money. For example, the California Department of Fish and Game alone receives about 400 proposals for projects each year. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. Santa Cruz County - 41

No recommendations for this finding

Santa Cruz County funds the RCD with approximately $40,000 annually to cover miscellaneous expenses. Response: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors DISAGREES. While it is true that the County has provided funding to RCD over the years, the amount for the current year is $29,000. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

Related Recommendations (1)

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors should continue to fund this valuable agency. Response: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors AGREES. The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors should continue to fund this valuable agency.

The district brings in grant money for projects worth millions of dollars. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

The SCCRCD operates with a staff of two full-time and six part-time employees. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

The district’s charter establishes it as a non-regulatory agency. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

Proposals must be available for assessment, enhancement and implementation of a project before a grant application can be submitted. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. The SCCRCD responds to requests for proposals.

No recommendations for this finding

Grants are awarded for various purposes: for studies, designs, plans and reports as well as for implementation. Grant funds can be used for the stated purpose only. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

Each granting authority has stringent auditing requirements for both labor charges and report contents. Labor hours are audited on each submittal. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

Permits currently can take up to two years to process. A single stream project may require as many as five separate permits from different agencies before it can proceed. They include the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Department of Fish and Game, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the Army Corps of Engineers, the National Marine Fisheries Services and several county agencies. - 42 Santa Cruz County Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

F10

Landowners and the SCCRCD see the permit process as a daunting problem. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

Related Recommendations (1)

Funding should be found to continue the SCCRCD’s role as a permit coordinator. Response: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors CANNOT RESPOND. Implementation of this recommendation requires further analysis and should be deferred until such time that the RCD’s permit coordination program has been fully defined and implemented to the satisfaction of both the County and RCD. At this stage, there are many issues yet to be resolved before this program can be declared a success. If that program proves successful, the County would then explore whether there are fiscal options available to fund RCD for this purpose. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. Has not yet been implemented, but will be implemented in the future. The SCCRCD is actively trying to identify funding for a permit coordinator. The Natural Resources Conservation Service has dedicated part time staff support for the program. Santa Cruz County - 47

F11

The SCCRCD has many years’ experience in dealing with these agencies and understands the permit process. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

F12

The SCCRCD received a $4.5 million grant from the California Coastal Conservancy to take on a new role of coordinating projects through their design and permit phases. The Coastal Conservancy gave the following reasons for selecting the SCCRCD: It is a non-regulatory agency and thus not threatening to property owners nor conflicting with other regulatory agencies. The non-regulatory requirement eliminated many other potential choices. • The SCCRCD’s jurisdiction is the unincorporated area of the county. In addition, the City of Capitola is included in the SCCRCD’s jurisdiction • The SCCRCD already successfully completed several watershed projects and is “considered to be a great grant manager.”3 Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

F13

SCCRCD recommends contractors and consultants from an approved list of specialists. Final selection is with the user. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District PARTIALLY AGREES. The list contains names of Certified Professional Erosion and Sediment Control Specialists (CPESC).

No recommendations for this finding

F14

The California Department of Fish and Game has worked with SCCRCD for more than 20 years. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. California Coastal Conservancy. Santa Cruz County - 43

No recommendations for this finding

F15

The Natural Resources Conservation Service has worked with SCCRCD for 63 years. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

No recommendations for this finding

F16

The SCCRCD publicizes its resources through brochures, handouts, press releases, newspaper articles, radio, word of mouth, e-mail list servers, direct mailing or personal recommendations. The SCCRCD uses its own newsletters or it may be included in other newsletters as a technical resource. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

Related Recommendations (1)

The Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District should work to expand public awareness of its services. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. The SCCRCD has developed a website, newsletter and specific program press releases. There is a contact form posted on the [email protected] website.

F17

The SCCRCD receives numerous contacts from road associations, landowners and land managers who have learned about it from the various ways the agency publicizes itself. The Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau Newsletter’s monthly article, written by the SCCRCD or the Natural Resources Conservation Service, often refers growers and landowners to the SCCRCD. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES.

Related Recommendations (1)

F18

Landowners are often referred to the SCCRCD by agencies or community groups or other landowners as a source of technical assistance and information. The SCCRCD recently created a Web site and has an intern making it more user- friendly. The district has noticed that other groups have links to its Web site as well. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES

Related Recommendations (1)

F19

Critics say the money spent on reports would be better spent on projects.4 Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District PARTIALLY AGREES. The SCCRCD helps people protect, conserve and restore natural resources through information, education, and technical assistance programs. The development of Watershed Assessment and Enhancement Project Plans was necessary to secure implementation funding for projects.

No recommendations for this finding

F20

The district cannot use grant money specified for reports to implement projects. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. Valley Press, 28 October – 4 November 2003. - 44 Santa Cruz County

No recommendations for this finding

F21

Critics say that the SCCRCD makes decisions without public input. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District PARTIALLY AGREES. The SCCRCD Board Meetings are posted and open to the public. There is time scheduled on each agenda to receive public input. Individual projects are between the SCCRCD and individual landowners. The SCCRCD has developed a website and newsletter outlining programs and regularly solicits public participation and input through press releases, workshops, public meetings and through direct constituent communication.

Related Recommendations (1)

The Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District should allow as much public input as possible. Even if grantors do not require it, this helps enhance the project itself, builds good community relations and publicizes the work of the SCCRCD. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. The mission of the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District is to help - 46 Santa Cruz County people protect, conserve, and restore natural resources through information, education, and technical assistance programs. The SCCRCD agrees with this recommendation and is developing a website, speaking at public meetings and schools, participating in the County Fair, developing a regular newsletter, conducting more outreach for SCCRCD sponsored events and partnering with water districts and community groups on outreach events.

F22

Public input is not required by most granting authorities dealing with the district. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District PARTIALLY AGREES. There are components within most of the grant programs that include public meetings, press releases, workshops and tours for public participation.

Related Recommendations (1)

F23

Critics allege that some landowners have illegally diverted water or otherwise violated water and environmental resource law. These critics say that the SCCRCD should release the names of these landowners. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District DISAGREES. The District’s non-regulatory status does not allow it to become involved in enforcing the law. There are existing regulatory agencies with that jurisdiction.

No recommendations for this finding

F24

The district’s non-regulatory status does not allow it to become involved in enforcing the law. Response: Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District AGREES. Conclusions

No recommendations for this finding

Additional Recommendations 1

These recommendations are not explicitly linked to specific findings.

R1

The Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District should be praised for the fine work it is doing. Response: Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors AGREES. The Board shares the Grand Jury’s appreciation of the work of the Resource Conservation District.

Conclusions 7

CL1 Page 7

Money spent on proposals, studies and plans is not wasted because agencies that grant funds for projects require such reports to be written before they consider applications. Santa Cruz County Page 6 - 45 3. The public has grown accustomed to commenting on projects. Such comments now seem inevitable and desirable. However, the RCD cannot be faulted for adhering to grant standards that do not require such input.
CL2 Page 7

A key to the SCCRCD’s success is to use its non-regulatory status to build trust and to provide help as needed. Policing its clients would both violate its charter and impede its work.
CL3 Page 8

The public has grown accustomed to commenting on projects. Such comments now seem inevitable and desirable. However, the RCD cannot be faulted for adhering to grant standards that do not require such input.
CL4 Page 8

Public awareness is one key to the agency’s success.
CL5 Page 8

With a small amount of local tax dollars, the SCCRCD performs a valuable service in bringing millions of dollars worth of state and federal funds to the county for local projects.
CL6 Page 8

Helping homeowners negotiate the permit process is an important addition to the SCCRCD’s mission.
CL7 Page 8

Critics of the SCCRCD appear to lack a basic understanding of the agency’s rules of operation.

No Responses Found 2

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.

Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County Conservation District

Santa Cruz County County