Water bond may come to second Berryessa development

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Thursday, March 15, 2007

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By DAVID RYAN
Register Staff Writer

Lake Berryessa’s other troubled water and sewer district is headed for a day of reckoning.

Residents in the Napa Berryessa Resort Improvement District, a special district covering a group of homes at the south end of Lake Berryessa, will soon consider voting on a $14 million assessment to cover repairs to an aging water and sewer infrastructure that has drawn rebuke from state regulators.

Although it’s uncertain how much money each property owner would pay under the plan — district officials did not return phone calls by press time — the $14 million price tag is likely to be larger than the $15,000 burden facing each property owner in the Lake Berryessa Resort Improvement District — on the north end of the lake — which recently approved a $5.2 million bond to fix sewer problems.

The Napa County Board of Supervisors, which acts as the Napa Berryessa district’s board of directors, could approve the assessment after an April 24 public hearing.

The district’s sewer problems started in 1995, sparking interest from state regulators but annoying residents most when in October 2003 and June 2004 pipeline and mechanical failures caused residents to be without water for several days.

While the pipeline that caused water loss was repaired, other problems were beyond the finances of the district. Last October, the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control District issued an order that, in effect, stopped construction of new homes in the district, causing at least one resident to lose an investment of $160,000.

At an Oct. 28 meeting of the regional board, board members bemoaned the 10-year delay in getting tough with the district, practically demanding that Nate Galambos, Napa Berryessa district principal engineer, come up with a plan to raise rates to cover the cost of the repairs.

Rather than raise rates stratospherically, as happened to frustrating effect for residents in Lake Berryessa Estates, Galambos is pursuing the assessment as a more pocketbook-friendly alternative — and the path that Lake Berryessa Estates ultimately approved.

2 comment(s)

Matt wrote on Mar 15, 2007 9:26 AM:

" The County Supervisor for the area, Diane Dillon, has alienated a lot of folks in her district because of her apparent lack of committment to this issue as well as others. I don't see a bright future for her come election time. Here's an idea: City AND COUNTY residents pay a tax in the name of flood control aimed mostly toward City interests. How 'bout passing a similar tax for this issue that is a fraction of the price if paid for by city and county residents. Supervisor Dillon saw this coming a long time ago and did ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING! Just think, if it's bad now what will be some of the infrastructure problems faced by Berryessa residents and new resort owners when all the old resorts are improved. There are a lot of grand plans for the lake, but no one seemss to have any idea how to reasonably fix the existing problems, or seems to be planning ahead for the inevitable future one's. Good luck in the next election Ms. Dillon. Maybe next time we'll elect someone who is actually interested in his/her constituency! "

Phil Constantino wrote on Mar 16, 2007 1:41 AM:

" I have an idea. How about allowing all of the long term users at the seven resorts an opportunity to stay then with greater numbers the cost to provide water and sewer could be amortized over a broader base. 1,300 more people to share the burden would provide some relief. Oh I know just tax the day users when all the trailers are gone. "

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