Friday Update for June 16 2017
All,
A couple insights:
- This weeks City Council Meeting includes a contract for a revised Storm Drain Master Plan, Sound Permit for the Friends of the Library Concert Series, award of bid for the Walnut/Grant roundabout, the final Public Hearing on Weed Abatement and the Public Hearing on trash rates. Also on the agenda will be appointments to the Planning Commission.
- The Main/Grant Traffic signal is now in full swing. We are trying to work through restrictions put on the project as far as work hours (7:00-2:00). This has put a burden on the entire team (contractor, inspectors and engineering). The goal is to get the majority of the work wrapped up by the end of July (before school begins).
- This weeks Planning Commission included approval of an affordable housing plan for the Olive Grove subdivision on Hemenway and a revised development agreement for the Creekside Estates subdivision on Grant Ave.
- Kudo’s and thanks to Kate Frazier on her last meeting as Chair of the Planning Commission. Kate has been an extremely valuable member of the PC and deserves a thanks for her community service over the last four years!
- Lot’s of smoke in the air with Winters Fire doing training burns in the north area of the City. Looks for more in the coming weeks, with a pretty good burn near the Wastewater Ponds.
- Staff is receiving a ton of calls from the marijuana industry who seem to be canvassing the entire State. I have taken three calls this week. My response is pretty simple… we are watching what the State is doing in relation to Prop 64; we have a moratorium on dispensaries in town; and if they can come into the industrially zoned area and solve the flood zone issue, we might be willing to talk (they usually hang up right after I explain the flood zone issue). Bottom line, we have a few issues related to marijuana (residential outdoor cultivation) and we intend to deal with that, but otherwise, we are going to look to the State for guidance in relation to recreational use, sales, etc.
- Building Permits are IMPORTANT!!! A running joke amongst many is the idea that anything done on a weekend or holiday does not require a building permit. That line was given to me by a Winters resident I ran into coming out of one of the big box hardware stores with a water heater one Saturday morning! A couple things people need to consider:
- An unpermitted improvement which causes damage to your home is most likely not covered by your homeowners insurance and zero’s out warranties for the item installed. When that water line blows and floods a home, it could be an issue! Remember, insurance companies send inspectors out to “assess” the damage and they know the codes pretty well and can spot issues.
- If/When a home is sold, it is the law that you disclose any and all improvements made to the home without the value of a permit. If you disclose or fail to disclose something during the escrow process, you can be assured that it will require inspection, permit and a correction.
- If you get caught doing an improvement, the fees charged can be either double or triple. In the case of walls, the inspector will most likely require that the walls be opened up to view any electrical and plumbing which may be hidden.
- A licensed contractor doing an improvement without a permit will be turned into the State Contractors License Board and can lose or have an action taken against their license.
- Finally, while that uncle or the friend of a friend seems like a good person and tells you they can help save you a couple bucks, 100% of the responsibility is on the homeowner and they know that! Lack of a permit and life/safety issues all fall to the homeowner.
- If someone is doing a project, come by City Hall and just ask what you need to do to make it all legal.
- At the library…………Summer Reading Program runs until August 29. All ages are welcome to participate, everyone receives an a gift at sign-up. There are also fun programs every week at the library. Students who read over the summer on average increase their reading level by about half a grade, while students that don’t read slide back in their reading skills.
- Guitarfest is next weekend (June 23-24). Concerts, displays and sales. For the schedule and ticket information, click
- Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar Curry will be buying everyone a cup of coffee at Steady Eddies in Downtown Winters from 10:00 to Noon on Friday, June 16. Come visit with Winters most accessible State Legislator to both share concerns and learn about what is happening under the dome in our State Capitol.
Finally, those Capitol Police Officers who were providing the security detail for the congressional representatives who were fired upon while practicing softball are genuine hero’s. They put themselves in the line of fire and battled at close range with someone who had superior firearms capacity in the name of saving the lives of many. Those officers, some of whom were wounded, placed themselves in harms way with incredible bravery and courage. Light a candle for those wounded in this attack and give thanks every day to the men and women of our nations law enforcement who protect our security every day!
Have a nice weekend.
John