Looks like no mosquito spraying this year

OROVILLE – After several public hearings and nearly two years of interim ordinances, the Oroville City Council adopted the changes to the Critical Areas Ordinance at their Tuesday, July 2 meeting.

“At the last council meeting I proposed changes to lessen the impact of the prohibitions in the floodplain as long as they have at least 5000 square feet to include in upland property or to designate as open space,” said Chris Branch, director of community development.

Councilman Jon Neal expressed concern about 100 foot setbacks in the riparian areas and said it looked like there was an additional buffer of 25 feet on top of that.

“Did I read that right?” asked Neal.

Branch said that 25 feet of riparian area was required, but not 100 feet from the ordinary high water mark, only 50 feet.

Following these few questions about setbacks in the riparian area Councilman Ed Naillon made the motion to adopt a resolution making the changes, including making a change to reflect a lesser setback requirement. The motion was seconded by Councilman Tony Koepke and passed unanimously.

Rod Noel, superintendent of Public Works, updated the council on mosquito spraying for this year.

“I received a call from the Public Works director of Omak last Friday afternoon and he said they are not going to spray as they neglected to get a spray permit for the Tribal side of the river. That pretty well prices us out of the market. We wouldn’t be able to get the acres required to get the copter guys at a price we could afford.”

Police Chief Clay Warnstaff asked the council if they had seen that the school district had cut down the trees along the elementary school.

“Those trees were city heirlooms,” said Warnstaff, asking if that was city or school property.

“Part of the sidewalk ordinance says that all trees within the city right of way are property of the city, like the sidewalk. The adjacent property owner is responsible for taking care of them, like pruning. I’m not sure that would include chopping them down,” said Branch.

“Those were healthy maple trees,” added Noel.

Warnstaff suggested that the city inventory other trees within the right of way and look at ways to preserve them.

The council was also informed of the final copy of an easement from the state Department of Natural Resources that will allow a water line connection between the city water system and Champerty Shores. The new connections will serve over a dozen homes on the east side of Lake Osoyoos, just south of the Canadian border.