Remarks by Joan Hartmann
126 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 3 of 6
“So just to follow up a bit, so in agriculture is it mainly water pumps or what, where would you get the most savings in energy use?”
“Let's see. The first is one of the promises of 3CE and CCAs generally was to bring more governance and more resources locally rather than off to, officers and shareholders of the investor-owned utilities. And I think that 3CE is realizing that promise where you showed the kinds of programs that you're reinvesting in here. I wonder if you would first mention your new office and describe where that is and who's working there. And then would you talk more about virtual power plants and how that has an opportunity to realize some of our shared goals?”
“Yeah, just one final question, given we have your expertise here. You showed a chart that mainly we're getting our daytime energy from renewable sources. So the real key is storage, how we get energy in the hours in the early evening. And I wonder if you could talk about battery innovation, both what 3CE is doing and just more generally.”
“So we need to expedite ADU permits, but we do have to look at public health and safety, right? And I assume that the flood control issues and the fire issues deal with health and safety.”
“So I guess I'm wondering if an applicant refuses to provide the information, can you just deny the permit within the timeframes and be done with it?”
“on the project if someone just refuses to provide the information yes we can just take that action and deny so this is my first experience i believe both on the planning commission and now on the board where we have an appeal of an incomplete determination and it's an it's a bit of a puzzle”
“State law does favor expediting permitting of new housing, particularly ADUs, but it does have additional requirements for public safety. It seems like a fairly straightforward thing. So what's really at issue here?”
“So you object to filling out a checklist about whether there's a turnaround where the hydrant is, where the flood control?”
“Yes. There are those items that were on slide five about why your application is incomplete. And it's simply a checklist. And I guess my question is, what's the big deal? I mean, why not just fill this out?”
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
“Well, it seems like the appellant may be mixing up two different parts of the law and pre-application deemed complete and then once it's deemed complete. I think that that has cost everybody a lot of time and even the appellant a lot of money. And I'm sort of puzzled about why we're here, but we have a motion and a second and I intend to support it.”
“Yeah, that raises a question for me and something I think I heard in the comments. I mean, is it your duty, P&D, to fill out the application? I mean, please comment on that.”
“So that begs the further question, can you assist or would we have information that could help somebody get through this?”
“That's correct. Because that's a record that you rely on in the future. That's correct.”
“Sorry, I'm still trying to understand this. So she also had a husband who was retired?”
“So, I missed your relationship to the LLC?”
“And if I understood you correctly, you're saying that the IRS has some flexibility or forgiveness and so you thought you would inquire here if that were possible.”
“And does this create a financial hardship? It is. So I don't see evidence of that. Not that we have that as a factor that we can consider, but I'm not sure you've made that case.”
“Yeah. What are the implications for the family, the LLC, if they have to pay this penalty?”
“Yeah, it sounds like the problem isn't cash, but cash flow. And so I think the Treasurer's Office has been somewhat accommodating and would encourage however you can help within the parameters you have to work within, so.”
“I did meet with the RAFs in person in my office. I don't have the date. It was maybe 10 days ago.”
“uh... so you are very much involved in the development of the ag enterprise ordinance and during that period uh... the county allowed home stays and short term rentals on ag one and other properties but ag two properties were not allowed that right uh... and you started I guess what I, did you know about TOT or how, explain, because we get, you know, these ordinances were drafted for hotels, people who are in this business. Help us understand your knowledge at the time, where you were coming from.”
“Thank you. And I'd like you to elaborate a little bit more financially. You mentioned the federal money you got and what that means now that it's not there. And just elaborate what this penalty would mean for you. I mean, you'd have to either shrink your operations or stop farming and get outside jobs. But help me just understand the numbers a little more.”
“I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear or understand.”
“yes and i've kind of prepared some things to say um dare to dream is an ag 2 100 zone operates as a working agricultural enterprise so it's not an absentee owned vacation rental or an urban investment property or a lodging operation unrelated to what's happening on the land And I think for us in government who understand, oh yeah, the treasurer tax collector, TOT, that's here, planning and development and your permits are there and you gotta do them both. I think for people outside government and people who are, you know, working really hard on the land, that distinction is a really hard one.…”