Schneider in conflict on water board

Someone other than Councilwoman Elizabeth Schneider, who sits on state Regional Water Quality Control Board-San Diego Region, will have to represent the City Council’s opposition to some provisions in the proposed new regional permit.

Schneider, appointed to the board by Gov. Schwarzenegger, is banned from voting at the board hearings on the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit because she is an elected official for an area that is impacted.

“I can’t vote there, so I feel I can vote here [at council],” Schneider told the council at the April 17 meeting.

“At the last meeting, the only thing I could vote on was the new chair because the whole rest of the meeting was about the new permit.”

Led by Schneider, the council voted to advise the board of its opposition to specific provisions and to make arrangements to have the city represented at hearings.

“Their current language will have a negative impact on the SUPER Project to enhance water quality in Aliso Creek,” Schneider said.

The proposed permit does not support filtration systems or treatment at watershed outfalls nor diversion measures in watersheds — measures Schneider supports in the county’s proposed, but as yet unfunded, Stabilization, Utility Protection and Environmental Restoration creek project.

“How do you stop coyotes from pooping?” Schneider said.

The proposed permit also requires each permittee to develop a business plan for long-term funding. County and city representatives at the last board meeting were reluctant to bind the future, Schneider said.

Other permit requirements call for vacuumed street sweeping based on traffic counts — think Coast Highway — and taking outfall samples in wet weather as well as dry.

Schneider described both requirements as costly and the outfall sampling as of little practical value.

The council unanimously directed City Manager Ken Frank to advise the board of the council’s opposition and to ensure the city has representation at the board meetings.