CCWD to Sell Surplus Land in Copperopolis – CPC Keeps a Watchful Eye

CPC Member Ralph Copeland provided public comment to CCWD regarding a number of actions they are pursuing.

On March 8, 2021, I received an email from CPC member Colleen Platt.

She wrote:

“you may be interested in the March 10 Calaveras County Water District Board meeting, agenda item 4b. :4b Discussion/Action on a Declaration of Surplus for a Portion of APN 055-051-008 This is the CCWD parcel with water/sewer treatment plants adjacent to Saddle Creek (aka Copper Valley) and Tuscany Hills. If the 91+ acre portion of the larger CCWD parcel is split and sold off as excess property..” 

This one water district agenda item, innocent as it may seem, exposes the rural gentrification of Copperopolis. Gentrification defined is a process of changing the character of a neighborhood  through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses . These 92 CCWD surplus acres will give local developers access to a future Tuscany Hills development and access to Copper Valley development. 

Let’s peel back the CCWD onion. 

Jan 30, 2019 – Copper Valley developer Tom Hix addressed a Copper Valley residents meeting: “We’re not here for the short term.” And here we are with Copper Valley and a future project called Tuscany Hills . 

Sept 10, 2020 – Copper Valley Development had 800 units formalized. The Calaveras County Planning Commission approved the “2019-006 CEQA Exemption, Findings, and Tentative Subdivision Tract Map (TSTM) for the Saddle Creek Development”. Page 7 (of link below) CCWD states that sufficient water supply exists to serve this project and planned future uses within the Copper Cove service area. This includes fire and sewer services. Please note though called Copper Cove Water service area, the service area is all of Copperopolis. 

CCWD’s Saddle Creek Subdivision report can be found on the link below pages 21-58.

https://ccwd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/CCWD-May-29-2019-Agenda-Package.pdf 

CCWD explains on page 22, first paragraph. “The District has determined the Project water demand was included as part of the District’s most recently adopted 2015 Urban Water Management Plan Update (UWMP) and the District’s 2018 Copper Cove Water System Master Plan. The District has also determined that the total water supplies available to the District during normal, single dry, and multiple-dry years within a 20 year projection provide sufficient water supply will meet the projected water demand of the project in addition to the demand of existing and other planned future uses including, but not limited to, agricultural and industrial uses.”

I went to review the “..District’s most recently adopted 2015 Urban Water Management Plan Update (UWMP). In this 2015 UMWP there was no mention of “Expected Future Water Supply Projects or Programs” in Copperopolis. (DWR Table 6-17) (see link below page 104) 

https://ccwd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/CCWD-UWMP-2015-Final-Draft.pdf

The “District’s 2018 Copper Cove Water System Master Plan” does have “Expected Future Water Supply Projects or Programs”. 

The Copper Cove water system plan is a 5 year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).

This 5 year CIP is basically 2 phases. Phase 1 will have a 2 mile 20” transmission water main servicing Saddle Creek from the water tanks to the treatment plant. Two replacement pump stations will also be installed. 

Installing $10 million worth of new pipeline to service Copper Valley and future subdivisions is unacceptable while long existing neighborhoods and ratepayers are exposed to low hydrant pressures and mainline breakage under Lake Tulloch. These two phases should have their projects reversed. 

And so we circle back to March 10, 2021, (see pages 48-53) Mr. Hix’s Tuscany Hills development and Copper Valley expansion inched closer to fruition with CCWD declaring 92 acres as surplus. As Colleen said in her email, this is the beginning of an internal process which concludes with the sale of the land. The proposed CCWD property is located on the west side of Little John Rd at Flint Creek. 

CCWD has declared these 92 acres as surplus property. It was casually presented with a very soft sell to the CCWD Board of Directors. I attended the March 24, 2021 meeting and spoke to the Board. I had asked the Board for better transparency. That it was their right to sell the land, but they must know the value. It is also important the sale proceeds stay “in” Copperopolis and fund any portion of the aforementioned local CIP projects. 

Before the meeting began, I had a good conversation with GM Minkler. He told me yes there had been previous conversations with those interested in purchasing the 92 surplus acres. He added CCWD was going to ask for mitigation from developers in the construction of the Saddle Creek Transmission main.

This is why we need a Copperopolis Community Plan. A community needs continuity. They need their way of life described to those who develop. It’s the business of a developer to reach out to various municipality entities. It’s their job to speak with Public Works, to the Planning Commission, Board of Supervisors, and our utility operators like CCWD. These departments, directors, supervisors, and managers will have to use our Copperopolis Community Plan as a foundation to their decision making. This creates community continuity.

CPC Member Ralph Copeland