Angels Council to look at wells

An application earlier this year to drill a well on the Lightner Mine property above Utica Park in Angels Camp has put well policy on the City Council’s agenda Tuesday.

When the request came before the council Sept 1, the city’s planning director was asked to revisit the city’s ordinance. The resulting rewrite, which more tightly restricts the conditions under which a well can be drilled, awaits approval.
  

The council also will consider, in a followup to an October vote to assume responsibility for maintaining all Greenhorn Creek roads that are of public benefit, an engineer’s finding that all of the subdivision’s roads fall into that category.

Also on the agenda is a letter of support for a redwood tree and three dozen oak trees scheduled to be cut down to make way for remodeling of the Altaville Cal Fire Station.

The current city ordinance governing well drilling focuses on wells used for drinking water — which have long been denied for those who can hook up to city water — not for agriculture or fire protection.

City Planning Director David Hanham’s revisions would fold in provisions for the other categories, allowing the council to regulate the construction of agricultural wells under a number of circumstances.

Under the proposed ordinance, applications would be up for denial if the parcel was under two acres or located in a residential zone and if the water was intended for domestic or commercial use.

“It will allow the city to regulate the construction of ag wells within the city limits,” wrote Hanham of the changes.

Not that it is a widespread issue, according to Hanham. There are at most three agricultural wells and a “couple” wells used for drinking water in the city, according to his report.

But that scarcity might be short-lived.

“With the rising costs of water, commercial and residential customers are looking for other sources of cheaper water,” Hanham said.