Tonight in Menlo Park: Golf course well outreach Menlo Park, posted by Editor, The Almanac Online, on Mar 22, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Menlo Park hosts a community outreach meeting Thursday night to discuss putting a well in Jack Lyle Park to irrigate a private golf course and potentially four public facilities.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Thursday, March 22, 2012, 9:08 AM
Posted by Adina Levin, a resident of the Menlo Park: Central Menlo Park neighborhood, on Mar 22, 2012 at 4:19 pm
A clarification to this story,
As described accurately in the Almanac's earlier story on the subject "the Environmental Quality Commission unanimously recommended on Feb. 3 that the council not pursue any specific proposals regarding ground water use, including cost, siting, and other considerations, until developing a city gray water plan and clarifying long-term ground water rights with the county."
Avoiding construction in a park zoned open space was mentioned as a consideration by commissioners, but the primary consideration in the EQC's recommendation was to refrain from allocating large amounts of aquifer resources until there are strategies in progress to better manage the local water supply.
Discloser: I serve on the Environmental Quality Commission
Posted by Roxie Rorapaugh, a resident of the Menlo Park: University Heights neighborhood, on Mar 23, 2012 at 2:29 pm
thank you commissioner Levin for this clarification. I think the Almanac is ignoring the main thrust of the Environmental Quality Commission's recommendation, to not continue with a project like the well for the country club, until vital decisions and rules about how aquifer water should be used and protected have been made, as well as waiting for decisions to be made about a recycled or grey water system which could be used for purposes such as golf course irrigation.
Instead, the Almanac's article implied that both commissions approve of looking at Lyle park for this project -- which is just ridiculous. It appears that this project would be a rip off of public water with the intent of saving money for a private country club that wants to irrigate a golf course but not pay the price.
Some may see this issue differently, however, the story printed by the Almanac was grossly misleading. The Almanac's editor should look more closely at the issue and be somewhat more responsible in the stories they print.
[You might want to read the following: Web Link Ed.]