Letter: CCWD director Larimer plays the blame game

Several interesting philosophical questions have come out of discussions at CCWD and Jim Larimer’s recent postings on the Review’s website.

At the CCWD discussions on our third recent water rate increase, part of the "Blame" for the increase was put on the higher cost for the El Granada pipeline. As expected, the "Blame" for this increase was placed at the feet of those "No-growth environmentalists".

Let’s examine this premise.

Larimer’s argument on this and other projects is, in essence, "here is a perfect, community supported, beneficial, smart growth project. It is being appealed and delayed by the no-growthers.  All delays and extra costs are therefore their fault."

Did I get that right, Jim?

What Jim leaves out is that the projects he backs (Wavecrest, the El Granada pipeline, etc.) always have a fatal flaw. These projects do not conform to California laws.  Jim Larimer does not recognize the necessity to adhere to all California laws in planning a successful and beneficial project.

The Pipeline project had such a fatal flaw.  The larger pipe that was proposed without connection limits was considered by the Coastal Commission to be growth-inducing. The CCWD members of the time, including Ken Coverdell, were apprised of that. They chose to ignore the Coastal Commission and press forward anyway.  And then, of course, everything just stopped.

Four years later, after the Coastal Commission stepped in and took over the appeal, Jim Larimer was elected to the CCWD Board. The Board, as one must remember, has the sole power to propose or modify projects. The public can give opinions; only the Board decides. Upon taking office, Jim made clear his opinion of the Coastal Commission and its laws. He fought the CCC by refusing to answer their questions, and refusing to make the project compliant.  He even posted a letter in the Review attacking those who proposed the simple solution of putting connection limits on the bigger pipe. They were "putting the community in danger". When asked what danger he was talking about, he refused to clarify the remark.
After two more years of delays under Larimer’s watch, the CCC finally overrode him and imposed the connection limits he and the original project proposers had refused to accept. Six years were wasted by the original Board’s refusal to submit a conforming project.  Now Jim blames the watchdog group for pointing out that the project was poorly planned and contained fatal flaws that led to the delays.

What our community needs are well-planned projects that conform to California law and can be approved by the Coastal Commission.  How much easier life would be for the community if Jim and the CCWD Board would simply do the right thing up front. We know it’s not done out of ignorance of the law; it’s simply done out of disrespect for the law.  Jim’s experience has illustrated for us all the importance of following the law and the CCC’s recommendations.

Ric Lohman