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About admin

My husband and I have resided in the Temescal Valley for more than 18 years. We purchased our home "brand new" and chose to live here because we could afford it and because it wasn't the city of Corona. We commuted to our Orange County jobs for 15 years. The commute wasn't all that bad because each day we returned home to our wonderful rural neighborhood. Corona never controlled its growth. Why must we suffer because the city ran out of "developable land." Shame on you Corona. Let the Temescal Valley alone.

City filing on LAFCo agenda

The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), at its Thursday, March 28 meeting will officially receive and file the application submitted by the city of Corona to annex its sphere of influence in the Temescal Valley. This is not the major public hearing on the annexation issue that is planned for the Sept. 26 LAFCo meeting.

A group of Temescal Valley residents will attend Thursday’s meeting to introduce themselves to the seven LAFCo commissioners and to let them know that there is opposition to the annexation.

According to Residents for Temescal Valley spokeswoman Jannlee Watson, “We plan on attending all LAFCo meetings between now and September to better educate ourselves on the LAFCo process and to show our determination in defeating the city’s annexation attempt.”

LAFCo meets at 9:30 a.m. the fourth Thursday of each month at the County Administrative Center’s Board of Supervisors Meeting Room, 4080 Lemon St., Riverside.

Learn more about the LAFCo process HERE

 

 

Community Faire set May 18

Save the date! Work has begun on the 13th Annual Temescal Valley Community Faire, to be held Saturday, May 18 at Deleo Regional Sports Park in Sycamore Creek.

The 11 .a.m. to 4 p.m. event will feature games, prizes, jumpers, arts & crafts, live entertainment and all-you-can-eat watermelon — all for free. Fifty-cent hotdogs, cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and sodas also will be available.

The Faire will have row upon row of booths highlighting local businesses as well as county services available to Temescal Valley residents.

Currently, exhibitors are being recruited and the call is out for the more than 80 volunteers needed to assist at the Faire.

Learn more at www.temescalfaire.com or contact Miriam Cardenas, Faire chairman, at 951-277-5112 or mcarden4@wm.com.

 

El Sobrante wins national award

El Sobrante Landfill has been honored with the 2012 Waste Management Excellence in Environmental Performance Award, according to Miriam Cardenas, the landfill’s community relations specialist.

Cardenas, speaking at the March 13 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting, said the national award was created by Waste Management three years ago to acknowledge a single site and its employees for outstanding environmental performance and community service.

El Sobrante captured the award for its green initiatives that include:

  • Powering 6,000 homes through its landfill-gas-to-energy facility
  • Using the first hybrid bulldozer, which reduces certain pollutants by 99 percent
  • Conserving 12,850,000 gallons of clean water
  • Having a strong safety record with its employees
  • Maintaining 688 acres of wildlife habitat to protect 31 plant and animal species

The landfill also was lauded for its outdoor education programs and tours. Since 2007 more than 2,000 students have toured the landfill and its wildlife preserve. Additionally, through a grant secured by El Sobrante, more than 500 volunteers have cleaned up 500,000 pounds of illegally dumped waste during the Temescal Valley annual community cleanups.

Sheriff’s rep explains response times

Lt. Dan Ybarra, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, told residents attending the March 13 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting that he had been able to ascertain how county sheriff response times were changed in data presented by the city of Corona.

At February’s MAC meeting, he told residents he had never seen the response times the city quoted at its February public hearing, and that he would check out where those response times came from and give an updated report at a future meeting. Those times differed from the response times reported by the city in its earlier presentations. (Read related story HERE)

Ybarra said his research showed that data supporting both sets of conflicting response times had been given to the city by the Sheriff’s Department. The reason the response times differed was because, in submitting the information to the city, two different time periods had been used by the county to gather the information.

The lieutenant said that in the last month nine burglaries had been reported in Horsethief Canyon. Thieves were taking game consoles, jewelry and cash, and that a teen-aged girl was being sought as a person of interest.

He also suggested that it might be time for residents who drive ’90s Honda Civics and Accords to trade them in. These autos are car-theft targets because they are easy to break into and steal.

Ybarra also noted a rash of copper wire thefts in the area. MAC chairman Eric Werner said he could attest to those thefts as he witnessed suspects on Temescal Canyon Road at 8:30 a.m. (Werner added, “that’s broad daylight”), stealing copper wire. He confronted the thieves and, according to Werner, “they took off at high speed down Temescal Canyon Road.”

County code enforcement officer Mano Molina said the illegal dumping site at Lake Street and Temescal Canyon Road will soon be cleared. He said that illegal dumping in Temescal Valley is decreasing, as the department now only has two active cases.

Werner praised county code enforcement relating that there was a time you couldn’t drive Temescal Canyon Road without viewing discarded rubbish everywhere.

Fire chief: ‘… Close Station 64’

County Fire Chief John Hawkins told Temescal Valley residents that if annexation occurs and county revenue decreases, he will recommend closing County Fire Station 64 in Sycamore Creek.

Hawkins, speaking at the March 13 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting, has always been adamant in praising his department and the quality of service it provides to the majority of Temescal Valley residents. The county contracts with the city of Corona to provide fire service to a small portion of northern Temescal Valley.

His recommendation to close the fire station reiterated a Feb. 22 email sent by county Battalion Chief Geoff Pemberton to a Temescal Valley resident questioning whether Station 64 would be closed if annexation happens.
Read the email HERE

Other fire announcements at the MAC meeting included:

  • Chief Tony Meachem from the Cal Fire Norco station said that Station 64 firefighter/paramedic Kevin Hansen had obtained 130 pet resuscitation masks that are being distributed to county fire stations.
  • Even though every county engine runs with a paramedic on board, the county is beginning a review of its paramedic/EMS services.
  • Cal Fire is looking to April to bring on its seasonal staff and will reopen nine state fire seasonal stations.
  • With wildfire season approaching, it’s time for residents to clear brush from around their homes and for HOAs to begin weed abatement behind homes that border forest areas.

Lee Lake OKs no-compete with Corona

Despite our request to postpone its decision on entering into a no-compete agreement with the city of Corona, the Lee Lake Water District Board of Directors voted unanimously at its Feb. 26 meeting to approve the covenant.

We felt the agreement might signal to LAFCO that our local water district favored the annexation. Because we only recently learned about the proposed covenant, we asked the district to postpone its decision, giving us additional time to review the document and research the implications, ramifications and impact it could have on Lee Lake customers and the anti-annexation effort.

The covenant was approved by the Corona City Council at its Feb. 20 meeting as a consent calendar item and with no public discussion by council members or city staff.

Three water districts service the Temescal Valley — Lee Lake, Corona Water and Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District — and while each has its own service area, the three are very competitive, don’t always agree and wish the other two would go away. And, if the city’s attempt to annex us is successful, Lee Lake could be in danger of being taken over by the city either through the annexation process or by eminent domain.

Here’s what we learned at the district’s board meeting this morning. Jeff Pape, Lee Lake’s general manager, said the district initiated the covenant after hearing city staff say in several of its presentations that Corona would not attempt to take over Lee Lake if the annexation occurred. The city apparently thought the non-compete agreement was a good idea — Lee Lake and Corona Water people negotiated, attorneys from both agencies had their input and the covenant was created.

The agreement is perpetual, meaning in perpetuity, meaning forever. But, at the end of 20 years, if one party wants to dissolve the agreement, it can do so with a year’s notice and a majority ruling decided by a committee comprised of two city council members, two Lee Lake board members and the executive director of LAFCO.

The city and district will determine which agency will serve the customers in areas that overlap, i.e. the Weirick Road neighborhood.

In answer to our question about how the LAFCO board will view the agreement, district board member Paul Rodriguez suggested that the district send a letter to LAFCO stating that in no way should the covenant be viewed as the district either favoring or opposing the annexation. The rest of the board agreed and the letter will be sent to LAFCO.

Other questions asked and the answers:

1.  If the city’s annexation attempt is unsuccessful, will the covenant still be in place? Yes, according to the district’s attorney.

2.  Will the district take a position on annexation? After the city files its annexation application, residents can request an annexation position be placed on the district’s agenda. A public hearing would be held and then the district board would vote on the position — whether to favor or oppose annexation.

3.  Why can’t you postpone your decision for one month? We must act on this agreement immediately.

Other questions asked but not answered:

1.  Why didn’t you at least let the Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council board know that you were working on this agreement with Corona?

2. Will this be viewed by the Elsinore Valley district as a possible hostile take over by Lee Lake and Corona, and could that district legally try to overturn the covenant?

3.  Why does the covenant state that it must be executed prior to the city filling its annexation application?

4.  As the district/city reviews boundaries to decide which entity will serve which areas, will customers have input? Will there be public hearings?

Other unanswered questions:

1.  If the city is successful in its annexation attempt, what is the impact of this agreement on Lee Lake Water Distinct customers?

2.  If water supplies to Lee Lake are reduced/limited or stopped due to an emergency situation, will the city take over and provide water services to Temescal Valley residents if it succeeds or doesn’t succeed in its annexation attempt?

3.  If annexation occurs what influence will the city have on Lee Lake Water District in matters such as: how business is conducted; water pricing; bond obligations; non-potable water projects; cost-saving water programs?

BOTTOM LINE: There’s no doubt that this no-compete agreement is a very good thing for Lee Lake Water District. We only hope that it will not be viewed as an endorsement in favor of annexation nor become a situation where “we’ve thrown the baby out with the bathwater.”

City, Lee Lake view no-compete covenant

Surprise! At its Feb. 20 meeting, the Corona City Council voted on a “covenant” that amounts to an agreement not to compete with Lee Lake Water District. In essence the city is saying, “If we successfully annex the Temescal Valley, we won’t try to do away with Lee Lake Water District.” The covenant is good until 2033, sort of assuring the city will keep it hands off Lee Lake water for a good, long time.

We just learned about the covenant. It was approved by the City Council at its Feb. 20 meeting as a consent calendar item, with no public discussion by council members or city staff. So if you tuned in to watch the council meeting on TV without the benefit of an agenda, you would have never known this was approved.

Here’s what’s bothersome. It’s on the Lee Lake Water District’s agenda for the Tuesday, Feb. 26 board of directors meeting (Yep — this coming Tuesday! — 8:30 a.m.)

We’re asking the Lee Lake board to postpone a decision on the no-compete agreement until we can research the “who,” “whys” and “wherefores” of this egregious piece of legislation. Who instigated it?  Was it Lee Lake to protect itself and does the covenant mean Lee Lake favors annexation? Was it the city, who’s dangling the covenant as a carrot to keep Lee Lake from opposing the annexation? And, where does Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District play into the scheme? Stay tuned.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED:
ATTEND THE LEE LAKE BOARD MEETING
8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26
22646 Temescal Canyon Road
GET DIRECTIONS HERE

EMAIL JEFF PAPE, district general manager at jeffp@llwd.org
Ask him to postpone the No Compete Covenant item on Tuesday’s agenda

 

Feb. 13 MAC meeting highlights

The crowd was on the light side at the Feb. 13 Temescal Valley Municipal Advisory Council meeting — about 25 to 30 people. Chairman Eric Werner announced that the MAC will now meet on the second Wednesday of the month, freeing up the first Wednesday for folks who want to attend Corona City Council meetings.

Additionally, the March 13, April 10 and May 8 meetings will be at Trilogy — in the Sequoia Room at The Lake Center, 24477 The Lodge Drive. The MAC board believes that rotating meeting locations will provide a better opportunity for more people to attend and become acquainted with the council and the work it does in providing us with the latest news from our county service providers.

We have a new sheriff’s liaison — he’s Lt. Dan Ybarra and works out of the Elsinore station. He can be reached at 951-245-3300. or email: dybarra@riversidesheriff.org. Lt. Ybarra told those at the meeting that he has no idea where the city of Corona came up with the sheriff’s response times that have been flaunted at several city presentations. He said he had never seen those response times before and was working to find out where they originated.

Tony Meacham, from the Cal Fire Norco station, said the county recently renegotiated the area serviced by Corona fire in the city/county contract. Meacham said that in reviewing response times and calls, County Station 64 in Sycamore Creek is capable of being the first responder in some of the area that was being serviced by Corona fire. He said the city’s responsibility area now stops about mid-Wildrose. An interesting fact — while the city’s service area has decreased, what the county pays the city hasn’t. It’s still $619,000 a year.

Meacham also discussed the county’s response time and how those times are calculated. Instead of a “one formula fits all plan,” the county realistically looks at areas — whether urban, rural or outlying, and the population within each of those areas to determine realistic response times. Here’s another interesting fact — county fire has a faster response time than Corona fire. And, while the city doesn’t mention this in its presentations, it is included in the service plan the city will be filing with LAFCO along with the annexation application.

Becky Mitchell, from the county’s Economic Development Agency, gave an update on the Clean Money Fundraising Program available to Temescal Valley and El Cerrito youth groups. It’s a great program. Approved youth groups, and school clubs and organizations providing a minimum of 10 kids between the ages of 11 and 17 can earn up to $500 for volunteering three hours on a Saturday to clean up our rural areas that have been used for illegal dumping. To learn more, contact her at 951-830-0330 or email: blmitchell@rivcoeda.org.

The rest of the meeting was devoted to annexation discussion. Most everyone had attended the city’s Feb. 6 public hearing and most everyone had an opinion.

If you haven’t already thanked Corona Councilman Stan Skipworth for his no vote on the annexation, please take a minute and do it now — SSkipworth@ci.corona.ca.us.

We won’t detail everything that was said or the updates discussed because you can find most of that elsewhere on this website. But — everyone agreed — we must keep “annexation news” in front of folks — keep talking about it and keep getting opposition letters signed.

Suggestions included posting annexation information on all the Temescal Valley community Facebook pages and send letters to the editor. Letters can be no more than 200 words, and must include your name, address and phone number. Your address and phone number will not be published. Letters can be emailed to: letters@pe.com.

City says it will file application in March

It was a great turnout at the Corona public hearing last Wednesday — about 300 Temescal Valley residents showed up in support of the anti-annexation effort. About 30 — maybe a little more or less — chose to speak. The comments were heartfelt and not too repetitive.

About four hours after the hearing began, the City Council voted 4-1 to go foward with its attempt to annex the Temescal Valley. It’s pretty much what many of us had expected. We knew the City Council had already made up its mind — deja vu from the Planning Commission public hearing — just another rubber-stamping to send the annexation attempt to the next level — LAFCO.

The big surprise came with Councilman Stan Skipworth’s vote to oppose the annexation. “I have to respect what you have in your community. When 30 out of 32 people say they don’t want to be a part of the municipality, that tells me something.”

Thank you to all who took time on a work-week night to come out and fill a seat in the audience. Speakers were important — you all did a great job — but sometimes numbers speak louder than words.

Bottom line: We have a lengthy process in front of us — and to quote a famous American — “We have yet begun to fight.” We all must be more proactive. If we do not win this fight, it’s only because our apathy defeated us.

UPDATE: Corona public hearing scheduled Feb. 6

It’s T-minus two days and counting! The city of Corona annexation public hearing is at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Corona City Hall, 400 S. Vicentia Ave.

We must have a good turnout. The 100 or so Temescal Valley residents that attended the Planning Commission public hearing in December weren’t enough to leave an impression on the city. We must do better this time — our goal is 1,000 residents.

After signing up to speak, anyone can take three minutes to tell the City Council why they oppose the annexation. Please arrive a little prior to the 6:30 p.m. start time to sign the speakers’ sheet.

Here is the official public hearing notice.

The City Council will be voting on five issues associated with the annexation. Four are “housekeeping matters” involving zoning and adding acreage to the city’s sphere of influence to facilitate the annexation, the fifth — ANNEX 114 is the resolution that allows the city to file its application with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), the boundary-setting agency for the county. It appears that each agenda item has its own public hearing, but the one we really care about is ANNEX 114, which appears fourth on the public hearings agenda.

You can access the meeting agenda HERE. Scroll down to public hearings. If you have a little time on your hands (this one takes a while to download!) and want to see the agenda with all of the background and staff reports associated with each of the five agenda items, CLICK HERE. Scroll down to public hearings, and then click on each of the five agenda items listed under public hearings.

If you have opposition to any of the five agenda items, you may take up to three minutes to state your concerns. It might be helpful to write down what you want to say and hand a written copy to the city clerk prior to speaking.

Tell everyone you know about the public hearing — maybe even set up carpools with your neighbors. And, it isn’t necessary to speak. Just being a “body in the room” speaks for itself!