Government at all levels is subject to widespread public criticism. At the risk of hearing from some of those critics, I want to pay tribute to Water District 19, a branch of local government that is performing its mission on budget. Thanks to some great effort by General Manager Jeff Lakin and the staff of the district, we’re seeing great progress where we saw imminent crises just a few short years ago.
Last week I wrote of the Oberlin Project in Ohio and the lessons it might teach the planners of the new high school and the proposed performing arts center.
The Oberlin Project is a planned $300 million redevelopment of rust-belt Oberlin that Dave describes as a “working model of sustainability that integrates economic revitalization, green-building, education, agriculture, forestry, public policy, renewable energy and finance into a system in which the parts reinforce the vitality and resilience of the larger whole.”
The board of commissioners of Water District 19 is considering a policy change that would allow a few residential customers to supply both their main residence and an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) with one water service unit (share) if certain water-saving requirements are met. Presently a customer needs two water service units — one for the principal residence and one for the ADU (sometimes referred to as a mother-in-law or granny suite).
