Source: The Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Ariz.)
The Flagstaff City Council will consider changing a water conservation ordinance this week to close loopholes that have previously allowed a local private golf course to buy 2 million gallons of drinking water to top off its ponds.
Pine Canyon Golf Course was allowed to purchase the water in late May to fill ponds that were low due to an equipment malfunction. Golf course managers asked to buy extra reclaimed water, but the city's water department had no extra reclaimed water to sell at the time. The golf course has an ongoing contract with the city to purchase reclaimed water for irrigation. The golf course paid the going potable water rate, which came to approximately $ 10,000, said Utilities Department Director Ron Doba.
The ordinance, while specifically stating potable water is not to be used for golf course irrigation, does currently allow the city manager to allow exceptions by suspending water availability strategies.
The council will be considering adding a provision that requires the city manager to notify the city council before changes are made in water availability strategies and flat out forbids using drinking water to irrigate golf courses.
The City Council also will consider how the city and the Flagstaff Family YMCA can work together with upcoming projects. City officials are still planning for the Aquatic Center approved by voters last May while the YMCA still plans its 26,605 square-foot facility at Switzer Canyon and Turquoise drives.
A city staff report seems to suggest, however, that the city's aquatic center could possibly go on the YMCA's site.
"Rather, the recommendation is to allow the city to conduct its site selection process, identifying to the public the current YMCA land will be considered an alternative site, and simultaneously conduct collaboration discussion," the report states.
A draft letter itself points to potential cost-sharing measures, such as joint-ownership and combined operation and maintenance responsibilities. The letter has no legally binding effect, but instead simply details the intentions of both parties. The city's public site-selection process is expected to be completed by June 2005, the letter states.
The YMCA 8.3-acre site valued at $ 1.2 million was donated by developer Stan Ritland in April 2003.
