TUD Approves Phoenix Lake Environmental Document: Changes Meeting Schedule

Sonora, CA — The Tuolumne Utilities District Board of Directors unanimously approved a draft mitigated negative declaration in relation the CEQA process required for the planned $6.1 million restoration of Phoenix Lake.

The project itself is slated to begin next spring and will take the lake out of commission, from a recreational standpoint, for two years. The project will increase water storage in the reservoir, by 1/3, bringing it to 850 acre ft., and also improve the quality. The vote was unanimous, 5-0. Click here to view an earlier detailed story about the project.

In addition, the board voted 5-0 to move all of its meetings to 2pm, moving forward. The board currently holds one meeting a month at 2pm and the other at 5:30pm. The board started having one meeting at 5:30pm out of concerns that it was more difficult for the public to attend a 2pm meeting. Board member Jim Grinnell noted that the attendance at the 5:30pm meetings has actually been lighter than the 2pm meetings, so he asked the board to consider moving all meetings back to 2pm.  The idea was approved 5-0. It was noted that board meetings could still be moved to the evening hours if there is an issue of high community interest.