3. Background

The development to be served is a 675-acre parcel (known as the Mayacama Project) that includes a private 18-hole "Jack Nicklaus Signature" golf course, clubhouse with restaurant, 50 short-term residential units (casitas), and 31 single-family residential subdivision units (cottages). The Mayacama Project is located between the City of Santa Rosa and the City of Healdsburg. Potable water is supplied to Mayacama by the City of Windsor.

Mayacama entered into a contract with the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) for operation and maintenance of the sewer system (effective March 14, 2001). Under this agreement, SCWA will assign qualified and licensed personnel to perform all operation and maintenance activities associated with the system. The initial yearly management fee is $50,000 for the first three years of the agreement. After the first three years, the yearly management fee will increase to $100,0000. In response, SCWA has entered into an agreement with Russian River Utility (RRU) for operation and maintenance of the facilities. Under this agreement, RRU will be paid on a fee-per-use basis. This agreement was effective from August 8, 2001 to June 3, 2002, and is to be renewed on a yearly basis.

Original planning for the Mayacama Project's antecedents included a 100-lot residential subdivision, equestrian center, saddle club, and a conference center. The project originally encompassed a 2,000-acre parcel of land. In 1994, the project was amended to substitute a golf course and accommodation units for the equestrian center, saddle club, and conference center.

From January 1995 until June 1998, the project was the subject of litigation at both Superior and Appellate Court levels. In 1998 another investor (Forsythe Pacific Investments, Inc., a subsidiary of Wilhelm Family Limited Partnership) purchased the project. In March 1999 another Use Permit amendment was requested which included, among other things, greater clustering of lots and auto-free circulation. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved this amendment in October 1999. At that time, the Board adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) and mitigation monitoring program. Also, in late 1999, Forsythe Pacific Investments, Inc. was dissolved, and the Wilhelm Family Limited Partnership exchanged the 675-acre parcel for 50% ownership in Mayacama.

Applicant provided exhibits showing the design details of the wastewater treatment facility as well as the engineering consultant's workpapers. As noted above, SCWA operates the treatment plant through RRU, whose personnel perform all operation and maintenance activities associated with the plant. The wastewater treatment plant is designed to meet California (Title 22) standards for disinfected tertiary treated recycled water, which will be used to irrigate approximately 11.4 acres of the golf course. Process units include an aerated pond, a micro-filtration system, and a sodium hypochlorite disinfection system. There is at least one scheduled weekly visit for on-site operations. In addition, during operation of the micro-filter and disinfection system, daily visits are made to take samples for effluent total coliform tests. Alarms are relayed to SCWA via autodialer and phone line to a continuously monitored location. Alarms are also relayed to the Mayacama Golf Club Office, which will be staffed at all hours.

Water Division in its report notes that two of the 31 single-family residences (cottages) should be complete by year-end 2003; three of the short-time "casitas" have been completed (with 2004 slated as a build-out date); the clubhouse and the dining facility are in the framing stage; and the infrastructure for the water and the sewer system is in place. Full build-out is expected sometime in 2006.