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DESCRIPTION:Tuesday’s Meeting on September 23rd promises some weighty issues that the 
 Council could use your input on.\n\nWestern Drive:\n\nThe Public Works 
 staff wants to remove parking on one side of the steep part of Western 
 Drive so as to make room for a bike lane.  Neighbors appealed the decision 
 and the Public Works Commission sided with the bike lane (with Commissioner 
 Richelle Noroyan dissenting in favor of the parking). The issue is now 
 headed to City Council. If you have an opinion about whether to prioritize 
 a bike lane or car parking on this segment of Western, go to the agenda for 
 September 23rd at cityofsantacruz.com, then send an email to 
 citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com or come to the meeting at 3PM, 809 Center 
 Street. You can also get more information at the People Power website: 
 peoplepowersc.org.\n\nMoving a Crematorium?\n\nThe next item is way more 
 complicated but at least as important. The Cemetery on Ocean Street 
 Extension wants to move its crematorium across the street. The crematorium 
 emits a small amount of mercury when the fillings are burned. They want to 
 move it because they want to sell land near the current crematorium for a 
 condominium complex and there is a concern that the mercury emissions would 
 be unhealthy for the future condominium residents. Neighbors are concerned 
 that these emissions are already dangerous and disagree with the Air 
 District’s projections. With the help of a friend who is a mercury 
 expert, it looks to me like the City and the Air District have done some 
 good modeling that make it unlikely the current emissions are dangerous to 
 the area. On the other hand, computer models do not portray specific local 
 data and I understand that a qualified study of the specific effects of 
 this specific crematorium could be undertaken without undue cost. This 
 local business owner has already been through a lengthy process to try to 
 build these condos. Should we require a more specific study of these 
 emissions? As part of a full Environmental Impact Report?? To weigh in, 
 brush up on your airborne chemistry classes, read the studies in the 
 Council agenda, then contact citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com\n\nWater Rates 
 to Go Up?  Public Hearing at 7PM, September 23rd.\n\nOur City Water 
 Department is having a “good problem”. Under their leadership, we have 
 reduced our water consumption by something like 25% over the last 3 years 
 of drought. The problem is that most of the costs of our water system are 
 fixed and don’t go down when we use less water, so we need to raise the 
 rates. The simplest way to raise the rates is to just add to add a flat fee 
 to our water bills. It  is also not the best way to conserve water. 
 Research shows that tying water rates to usage is an excellent way to 
 encourage conservation. It also has the potential to create a circular 
 budget projection. If we adjust rates so as to encourage water conservation 
 we will, to some degree, decrease the money available to run the Water 
 Department. While this is clearly an algebra problem that can be worked 
 out, our overworked staff at the Water Department do not want to take it on 
 right now in the middle of the worst drought in 50 years. A compromise 
 between fiscal certainty and best billing practices is being suggested by 
 staff at our 7PM hearing this Tuesday. In the proposal, water rates would 
 go up in a simple, flat way based on a five year schedule but, prior to 
 June 2016, the Department would come back to Council with options for a 
 progressive (pun intended) rate structure.  Is that enough to satisfy you 
 as a water customer? If the Council doesn’t support the increase, how do 
 we continue to pay for needed maintenance and improvements to our existing 
 water system? To weigh in, come to the hearing and or read the report for 
 the 7PM hearing at cityofsantacruz.com, then send an email to 
 citycouncil@cityofsantacruz.com.\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/09/30/18762256.php
SUMMARY:Santa Cruz City Council: Bike lane, mercury, and water rates
LOCATION:Santa Cruz City Hall\nChurch and Center
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2014/09/30/18762256.php
DTSTART:20141001T020000Z
DTEND:20141001T040000Z
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