[Vision2020] The GWPZ Hearing--water use differences

[Donovan Arnold]

Mr. Curley,

I thank you for your response to my email. I will do
my best to better clarify my statements. In order to
do so I will break it down into three parts.

First, the golf course issue. While it does use gray
water, it also uses fresh water on some of the
courses. It will be using fresh water in use of their
facilities, buildings, and construction as well.

Second, the city ordinance limiting water use is
inconsistent with the rest of the city policy. In 2005
the city issued more building permits than at any
other time in history while at the same time saying we
do not even have enough water to water our current
houses. If we do not have enough water as it is, why
are we building more houses, 5 bedroom, 3 bedroom, or
1 bedroom? I would think at minimum we should require
these new houses to have both a gray water and fresh
water hook-ups, one for outside and one for inside
usage. It is my understanding that all these new
houses are not even limited in how large their yards
are. 

Finally, it is just awful that the government is
preventing people from gardening while building more
houses when we cannot water the ones we have. 
You are correct that people can water at night.
However, it is hard to see outside at night and
watering at night leads to disease and infection of
grass and plants.

In Moscow, if you manage to be able to pay taxes on
your home after you retire you still cannot garden.
Yet, if you are rich guy that wants a new giant home
and a new golf course, you happen to be in luck. 

Our policies favor the new and rich while hindering
the poorer and long term residents of Moscow.

Donovan J Arnold



 



--- Michael Curley <curley at turbonet.com> wrote:

> Donovan:
> Briefly, and without trying to answer every question
> you asked or 
> that will arise from this comment, there are several
> factors that 
> create the perceived discrepancies you mention.  As
> I understand it 
> from prior posts, golf courses would only be allowed
> to use "gray" 
> water.  That is not available to most housing
> developments and it is 
> probably good policy to keep it "out of the hands of
> children" (among 
> other reasons).  Government (local and otherwise)
> has some 
> restrictions on what it can mandate.  It can, for
> example, limit the 
> number of bedrooms in a certain area (perhaps), but
> cannot, without 
> some true and declared emergency, totally eliminate
> the possibility 
> of building a 5 bedroom house.  
> 
> I might also add that your comment seems (although
> you may truly not 
> have intended it) to suggest that a two-bedroom and
> a three-bedroom 
> home would, jointly, be more water conserving than a
> single 5-bedroom 
> home--a proposition that I suspect would not (dare I
> say) hold water 
> if put to a research study (which have no doubt been
> done and some 
> other reader will send us to the data).  Even if
> true, the city 
> probably cannot legally get into discriminating
> against families that 
> need 5 bedrooms and those that need only 3--except
> when the extras 
> are used long-term by non-family members (such as
> boarders).
> 
> I have been out of town for some time, so I'm not
> aware that the City 
> has said we can't water our lawns or gardens.  The
> water conservation 
> ordinance simply restricts the hours during which
> the watering can 
> occur--and by the way, grants an exemption for those
> who have a gray 
> water system.
> 
> I will note that the ordinance rather strangely
> includes "soaker 
> hoses" and "drip irrigation systems" in the
> definition of restricted 
> uses and then immediately thereafter says they may
> be used "at any 
> time. . ."  
> 
> The ordinance also gives the City Engineer authority
> to grant 
> variances in appropriate circumstances.  If there is
> good reason for 
> you to water your organic garden between 10am and
> 6pm, you can apply 
> for a variance--and, of course, appeal up the line
> to City Council if 
> you are not happy with the answer you get.
> 
> Sorry to not have time to be more thorough.  I do
> have a suggestion 
> for you if you will allow.  You are a bright guy who
> asks really good 
> questions from time to time.  If you think the city
> is messed up on 
> this issue, I invite you to research the ordinances
> that apply and 
> consider any inconsistencies from one section to
> another.  Then, 
> suggest a solution--how should the ordinances be
> changed.  I'll even 
> discuss them with you offlist if you'd like and
> you/we can then offer 
> the suggestions to the list before taking them to
> the city.  Maybe 
> you could make a positive change.  I know it happens
> because a friend 
> and client of mine pointed out an error one week and
> the change was 
> on Council's agenda the next.  
> 
> Mike Curley
> 
> 
> On 12 Aug 2005 at 17:27, Donovan Arnold wrote:
> 
> > Diane,
> > 
> > I thank you for informing us about the working
> > conditions of the committee members and that you
> do
> > not play golf.
> > 
> > However, you did not address any of the content of
> my
> > email.
> > 
> > What I asked was why we are telling people they
> cannot
> > water their lawns and gardens because we have a
> > massive water shortage and yet at the same time
> allow
> > for the construction of large homes and golf
> courses.
> > 
> > Having a policy that allows for the construction
> of
> > large homes and new golf courses when we do not
> have
> > the water to support the ones we currently have is
> > irresponsible governance because future resource
> needs
> > of Moscow residents will not be meet.
> > 
> > Assuming we do not have a shortage, or it is not
> that
> > drastic of a shortage, why are we allowing the
> > construction of huge homes and golf courses before
> > allowing current home owners to be able to water
> their
> > lawns and gardens?
> > 
> > Golfers are given three golf courses before
> gardens
> > can have one organic garden on their own property?
> > That is not a fair and just policy.
> > 
> > If someone would like to address these policy
> flaws,
> > not the working conditions of the members, their
> > personalities, or what they think about golf,
> please
> > do so. 
> > 
> > Donovan J Arnold 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >
> ____________________________________________________
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> > 
> > 
> >
>
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> 
> 
>
_____________________________________________________
>  List services made available by First Step
> Internet, 
>  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. 
>  
>                http://www.fsr.net                   
>    
>           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
>
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