HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 98-22 2019 IRWM Plan Adoption Resolution_v1RESOLUTION NO. 98-22
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA
ADOPTING THE 2019 SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
INTEGRATED REGIONAL WATER MANAGEMENT PLAN AND
FINDING THAT THE PLAN IS EXEMPT FROM SECTION 21000 ET SEQ.
OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE (CEQA)
The City Council
City of Morro Bay, California
WHEREAS, the State of California has established an Integrated Regional Water Management
grant program pursuant to the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Water
Code Section 79700 et seq.) (also known as "Proposition 1 "); and
WHEREAS, a Memorandum of Understanding (Attachment 1"), which has been signed by the
agencies listed in Attachment 2 and who constitute the Regional Water Management Group for the San
Luis Obispo County Region as of the date of this Resolution, designates the San Luis Obispo County
Flood Control and Water Conservation District as the lead agency responsible for plan development and
adoption but also provides for the adoption of the plan by each member of the Regional Water
Management Group; and
WHEREAS, the concepts, direction and approach to water resources management embodied in
the State's Integrated Regional Water Management program guidelines closely match those of the City
of Morro Bay; and
WHEREAS, previous versions of / updates to the San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional
Water Management Plan were developed and adopted by multiple agencies in the County, including the
City of Morro Bay, in coordination with the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation
District, in 2005, 2007 and 2014 prior to development of the version known as 2019 San Luis Obispo
County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan; and
WHEREAS, the updates reflected in the 2019 San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water
Management Plan are needed in order to effectively and efficiently integrate the region's water resources
management planning objectives and implementation strategies in the following five key areas: Water
Supply, Groundwater Monitoring and Management, Flood Management, Ecosystems and Watershed,
and Water Resources Management and Communications; and
WHEREAS, similar to prior versions, the 2019 San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water
Management Plan has been developed in coordination with the Regional Water Management Group and
in accordance with current (2016) State standards; and
WHEREAS, the 2019 San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan
identifies goals, objectives, strategies and projects designed to improve regional water supply reliability,
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water recycling, water conservation, water quality improvement, stormwater capture and management,
flood management, recreation and access, wetland enhancement and creation, and environmental and
habitat protection and improvement; and
WHEREAS, the 2019 San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan is
not subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources
Code Section 21000 et seq.) because it involves only a planning study, as defined in Section 15262 of
the State CEQA Guidelines.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED by the City Council of the City of Morro
Bay, that:
1. The 2019 San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the San Luis
Obispo County Region is hereby adopted, and the Staff, of the City of Morro Bay is hereby
authorized and directed to implement actions consistent with updating the Plan on a five-year
cycle as described within the Plan.
2. Adoption of the 2019 San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for
the San Luis Obispo County Region is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) pursuant to Section 15252 of the State CEQA Guidelines because the Plan consists of a
planning study which identifies potential projects and policies for possible future actions subject
to future approval.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Morro Bay City Council at a regular meeting thereof held on
the 22nd day of November 2022 by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN
RECUSE:
ATTEST:
Headding, Addis, Barton, Ford
None
Heller
None
None
DNSON, City Clerk
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San Luis Obispo County Region
Integrated Regional Water Management Program Participants
Memorandum of Understanding
The undersigned agencies and organizations hereby agree as follows:
L BACKGROUND
The State of California has established an Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) planning and
grant program pursuant to the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and
Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Public Resource Code (PRC) Section 75001 et seq., also known as
Proposition 84). This program is anticipated to be perpetuated and/or modified by future Bond acts. The
IRWM program provides guidance for collaborative efforts to manage all aspects of water resources in a
region by crossing jurisdictional, watershed, and political boundaries to involve multiple agencies,
stakeholders, individuals, and groups in order to address issues and differing perspectives of all entities
involved through mutually beneficial solutions. Regions that develop IRWM plans in accordance with
the guidelines are eligible for certain water resources grant funding opportunities.
In accordance with PRC Section 75001 (et seq.) and State IRWM Program guidelines, a Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) (dated 2009), signed by eleven agencies within San Luis Obispo County,
established a Regional Water Management Group (RWMG) for the San Luis Obispo County IRWM
Region, and the San Luis Obispo County IRWM Region was officially accepted by the State in May
2009.
The San Luis Obispo County IRWM Region water resources stakeholders have determined the need to
update the IRWM MOU in order to meet new State IRWM guidelines, to clarify the governance structure
for IRWM planning in the San Luis Obispo County IRWM Region, and encourage broader participation.
This MOU, in conjunction with the current IRWM Plan, sets forth the San Luis Obispo County IRWM
Region's governance structure thereby allowing members and other stakeholders to understand how to
participate in the IRWM Plan development and implementation.
2. PURPOSE, GOALS, AND APPROACH
2.1 Purpose. The purpose of this MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) is to
establish the mutual understandings among the San Luis Obispo County Region participants with
respect to their joint efforts to develop and implement an Integrated Regional Water Management
(IRWM) Plan for the San Luis Obispo County Region, including the definition of common
IRWM terms, roles and responsibilities of IRWM Program Participants, and decision -making
processes.
2.2 Goals. The goal of the IRWM program is to provide a reliable, long-term, and high -
quality water supply, and to establish a unified vision among the participants' goals for water
quality improvement, ecosystem preservation, water supply protection and enhancement, ground
water management and flood management, in the context of social justice and climate change
adaptation, while protecting the environment. The adopted IRWM plan will identify major
water -related goals, objectives and conflicts within the region, consider a broad variety of water
management strategies, identify the appropriate mix of water demand and supply management
alternatives, water quality protections, flood management strategies, and environmental
stewardship actions.
2.3 Approach. The San Luis Obispo County Region participants are specifying their shared
intent to coordinate and collaborate on water management issues, giving consideration to
disadvantaged communities and Native American tribes and their water related needs. In order to
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding Page I of 8
enhance participation of stakeholders, it will be necessary to work at a sub -regional level to better
understand the water resources needs and priorities throughout the region. When applying for
grants, the San Luis Obispo County Region will strive to distribute the grant finding request
fairly across the geographic region. The goal is to distribute awarded funding from each grant
cycle equally across the sub -regions (i.e. one quarter of the overall funding to benefit each of the
three sub -regions' projects/programs and one quarter of the overall funding to benefit regional
Projects/programs), to the extent feasible.
3. DEFINITIONS
3.1 Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (Plan). A comprehensive plan for a
defined geographic area which shall satisfy the requirements of California's IRWM Program.
3.2 San Luis Obispo County Region (Region). The geographic area of San Luis Obispo
County, which is coterminous with the San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water
Conservation District (District) boundary.
3.3 Local Agency. Any city, county, city and county, special district, joint powers authority,
or other political subdivision of the state, a public utility as defined in Section 216 of the Public
Utilities Code, or a mutual water company as defined in Section 2725 of the Public Utilities
Code.
3.4 Program Participants. Development and implementation of the Region's Plan is a
collaborative effort undertaken by the Region's participants, as further discussed in Section 4.
The effort is being led by the District, in partnership with the Regional Water Management
Group, Water Resources Advisory Committee, Implementation Affiliates, and Interested
Stakeholders. Only regional projects and programs to be implemented by those agencies which
have adopted the Plan will be eligible for grant applications. The Region categorizes IRWM
Program Participants into the following:
3.4.1 Regional Water Management Group (RWMG). A group in which three or more
local agencies, at least two of which have statutory authority over water supply or water
management, as well as those other persons who may be necessary for the development and
implementation of the Plan, participate by means of this memorandum of understanding, in
accordance with requirements of the California Water Code (CWC § 10539). The Region's
RWMG members are signatories to this MOU, have adopted the current Plan, and may designate
a representative to participate in RWMG activities and its Working Group. The entities must be
either a Local Agency or an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The RWMG has the capacity
to carry out projects (i.e. financial resources, management structure, adequate staffing). The
agencies/organizations that form the RWMG may have planning or implementation projects
eligible for State IRWM grants.
3.4.2 Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC). This is the committee
comprised of water purveyor, resource conservation district, environmental and agricultural, and
other water resources representatives that was originally established in the 1940s to advise the
District Board of Supervisors on water resource issues. The WRAC is a Brown Act committee
that meets monthly, with the exception of July and August. Many participants are actively
engaged in issues relevant to Plan development and implementation, and will represent important
stakeholder groups throughout the program.
3.4.3 RWMG Working Group (Working Group). The Working Group will involve
representatives from the RWMG who have technical expertise and are able to work on the details
associated with IRWM efforts. The Working Group will engage stakeholders at a sub -regional
level in order to better understand the specific water resources needs and priorities of that sub-
region.
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding Page 2 of 8
3.4.4 Implementation Affiliates. These entities will adopt the Plan by resolution, but
would not be signatories of the MOU. The entities must be either a Local Agency or an IRS
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Implementation Affiliates have the capacity to carry out
projects (i.e. financial resources, management structure, adequate staffing). In order to have a
planning or implementation project eligible for State IRWM grants, agencies must be an
Implementation Affiliate if they are not a part of the RWMG.
3.4.5 Interested Stakeholders. These individuals, organizations, and nonprofits
(including those that are not IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations) who are interested in the
IRWM program. The Interested Stakeholders may sign a letter of support for the Plan, or
otherwise provide input to the RWMG, but would not be eligible for directly receiving State
IRWM grant funds.
3.5 Sub -regions. The Region's IRWM program seeks to engage stakeholders and
understand the water resources needs of the Region. To adequately ensure this balanced access
and opportunity for participation in the IRWM program, the RWMG will utilize a sub -regional
geographic structure, allowing more focused planning and local outreach efforts that are later
brought into the context of the overall IRWM Region. These sub -regions have been deliberately
defined in terms of logical planning and watershed/ hydrogeologic unit boundaries. These "sub-
regions" include the North Coast, North County, and South County (see Attachment 1).
3.6 Regional Projects or Programs. Projects or programs to be implemented by the
RWMG and/or Implementation Affiliates are identified in the Plan and are based upon the State's
IRWM Guidelines under which the current Plan was adopted, which includes but is not limited
to: reducing water demand through agricultural and urban water use efficiency, increasing water
supplies for any beneficial use, improving operational efficiency and water supply reliability,
improving water quality, improving resource stewardship, and improving flood management.
3.7 Integration. Assembling into one document the water -related management strategies,
projects, programs, and plans of the Region. The development and implementation of the Plan
should demonstrate the RWMG is forming, coordinating and integrating separate efforts in order
to function as a unified effort in a collaborative manner that balances interests and engages a
variety of stakeholders and seeks to efficiently integrate regional resources. The Plan
development will identify water management strategies for the Region and the priority projects
and programs that demonstrate how these strategies work together to meet goals identified in
Section 2. It will also identify regional benefits of linkages between projects and plans that
address different primary water -related objectives (for example, identifying regional benefits of
linkages between a water supply project and a flood management project in the same watershed).
4. IRWM PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
4.1 Program Participant Structure. Elements of the Plan will be developed and
implemented by the Program Participants. The RWMG, including the District as the Lead
Agency, and the Implementation Affiliates are responsible for Plan development and
implementation.
4.2 Plan Development and Implementation. The Region's Plan that was adopted by the
District, developed in coordination with and approved by stakeholders in 2005, and updated in
2007, will be the basis for subsequent adopted Plans for the Region. The Working Group will
propose changes to the previous versions of the Plan to comply with new State guidelines and
incorporate new information and projects. Since a key element of the IRWM Program is
integration, the RWMG will work with Program Participants to identify water management
strategies for the Region and sub -regions and the priority projects that demonstrate how these
strategies work together to meet the purpose and goals in Section 2. How each Program
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding Page 3 of 8
Participant contributes and participates in Plan development and implementation is described
below:
4.2.1 Lead Agency. The District will act as the lead agency for Plan development, will
execute this MOU, and will adopt the Plan in accordance with 4.3 and 4.4 below. The District
will ultimately be responsible for the final production of the Region's Plan, hiring consultant(s) to
develop the Plan, and presentations to stakeholders, submittal of IRWM grant applications, and
execution and administration of grant agreements with the State. As the Lead Agency, the
District will execute and administer agreements with RWMG members and Implementation
Affiliates responsible for the implementation of projects that are awarded grants, including data
collection relevant to grant agreements, project reporting, etc. Efforts described in Section 4.2.1
are subject to the availability of funding.
4.2.2 RWMG. Members will execute this MOU and adopt the Plan in accordance with
4.3 and 4.4 below. RWMG members will designate a representative with clear authority to
represent the agency or organization, provide expertise, provide information in a timely manner,
participate in meetings, review and approve technical documents as needed, and will provide the
District with their designated representative's contact information. This representative will be
eligible to participate on the Working Group. All RWMG members, whether or not their
representative is participating in the Working Group, hereby agree to provide information
sufficient to meet State guidelines for their regional projects and programs to be included in the
Plan and participate in the review of the Plan. RWMG members will consider integrating
projects and programs with other agencies when possible, especially with disadvantaged
communities and Native American tribes, in accordance with State IRWM Guidelines. RWMG
members responsible for the implementation of regional projects and programs awarded grant
funding will be responsible, through contract with the District, for complying with the provisions
of the District's grant agreement with the State. The RWMG will provide updates to the WRAC
and seek WRAC support of recommendations at key decision points.
4.2.3 WRAC. The WRAC will provide a forum for public meetings/ workshops
related to Plan development and implementation at key decision points. The WRAC will review
and comment on the RWMG recommendations to the District's Board of Supervisors at key
decision points.
4.2.4 Working Group. Representatives of the Working Group will be designated by
the RWMG member and will have clear authority to represent the agency or organization,
provide expertise, provide information in a timely manner, participate in meetings, review and
approve technical documents as needed, and will provide the District with their designated
representative's contact information. The District will provide materials with sufficient lead time
for RWMG member and Working Group engagement. The Working Group will develop
information, draft documents and recommendations pertaining to the Plan update consistent with
current State IRWM Guidelines during Plan development. Efforts are anticipated to include
stakeholder outreach, collection and incorporation of updated data, etc. The Working Group will
develop information and recommendations for IRWM program planning and implementation,
stakeholder outreach, and pursuit of funding opportunities. All RWMG members will participate
in the process to select the Region's IRWM projects and programs for grant applications by way
of the Working Group, who will conduct project/program solicitations and evaluations, and will
make recommendations on grant funding allocations. The Working Group will need to conduct
sub -regional public meetings during Plan development and implementation to facilitate
stakeholder participation.
4.2.5 Implementation Affiliates. Implementation Affiliates shall adopt the Plan in
accordance with Section 4.3. Implementation Affiliates will designate a representative with clear
authority to represent the agency or organization, provide expertise, provide information in a
timely manner, participate in meetings, review and approve technical documents as needed, and
will provide the District with their designated representative's contact information. All
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding Page 4 of 8
Implementation Affiliates will provide information sufficient to meet State guidelines for their
regional projects and programs to be included in the Plan and participate in the review of the Plan
and for implementation activities, such as project status updates, project reporting, data
collection, etc. Implementation Affiliates will consider integrating projects and programs with
neighboring agencies when possible, especially with disadvantaged communities and Native
American tribes, in accordance with State IRWM Guidelines. Implementation Affiliates
responsible for the implementation of regional projects and programs awarded grant funding will
be responsible, through contract with the District, for complying with the provisions of the
District's grant agreement with the State.
4.2.6 Interested Stakeholders. Interested Stakeholders may participate in the Plan
development and implementation process by way of participation at WRAC and/or RWMG
meetings. Interested Stakeholders that are not WRAC members will be notified when an IRWM
program item will be reviewed by the WRAC if they request inclusion on the IRWM contact list
(Section 5.6). Sub -regional meetings will be required to ensure Interested Stakeholders,
including disadvantaged communities, who may not necessarily be able to attend WRAC
meetings, can participate in Plan development and implementation.
4.3 IRWM Plan Adoption. Plan approval and adoption will be required of the governing
bodies of RWMG members and Implementation Affiliates. Plan updates to meet new State
guidelines, add new RWMG Members, add or remove and evaluate regional projects and
programs, or other updates to information do not require Plan re -adoption. Significant changes to
the Plan, including revised goals and objectives, revised methodologies (such as methodology for
evaluating, ranking, and prioritizing projects and programs), revised regional boundaries, or other
changes deemed significant by the RWMG and the Lead Agency, will require Plan re -adoption
via the decision -making process described in Section 4.5.
4.4 Personnel and Financial Resources. It is expected that Program Participants will
contribute the resources necessary to fulfill the responsibilities listed within Section 4 of this
MOU. Program Participants that receive implementation grant funding, shall contribute a
proportionate share of non -project costs associated with the grant agreement, based on awarded
implementation funding (for example, contributing toward the cost of updating the Plan, should
that be a condition of grant award)..
4.5 Decision Malting. The RWMG shall develop IRWM program materials and will make
recommendations to the Lead Agency at key decision points of the IRWM program. Written
input will be sought between the representatives of RWMG members in the event the need for a
decision arises that cannot be brought forth to the RWMG before a decision needs to be made.
The District, by way of its Public Works Department, shall notify the RWMG agencies of
recommendations being taken to the District's Board of Supervisors for action. The District's
Board of Supervisors may approve, alter, or return any said recommendation of the RWMG.
Furthermore, if the District's Board of Supervisors intends to alter an item or proposition
approved by the RWMG, the District's Board of Supervisors shall set forth in writing its findings,
after which the Board will hold a public hearing. The RWMG agencies shall have the right to
appear and address the District's Board of Supervisors.
5. MUTUAL UNDERSTANDINGS
5.1 Need for the Region's IRWM Plan
5.1.1 To improve communication and cooperation between public and private agencies
and minimize conflict -generated solutions.
5.1.2 To enhance our existing water management efforts by increasing stakeholder
awareness of important issues, providing more opportunities for collaborative efforts and
improving efficiencies in government and water management.
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding Page 5 of 8
5.1.3 To qualify for state grants and other funding opportunities only available to those
regions which have developed IRWM plans.
5.2 Subject matter scope of the IRWM Plan. The Plan focuses on water supply, water
quality protection and improvement, ecosystem preservation and restoration, groundwater
monitoring and management, and flood management as these are the most prevalent water
resource issues facing the Region.
5.3 Geographical scope of the IRWM Program. The Region for this memorandum is
coterminous with the boundary of San Luis Obispo County. This is an appropriate geographic
region for integrated regional water management planning because it encompasses all aspects of
water management generally within the same physical, political, environmental, social, and
economic boundaries. The Region may engage stakeholders within the three sub -regions in order
to better understand the specific water resources needs and priorities of that sub -region, which
would then be incorporated into the context of the greater IRWM Region planning and
implementation.
The Region is bordered by the Greater Monterey County IRWM region to the north, the
Santa Barbara County and Watersheds Coalition of Ventura County IRWM regions to the south,
and the Kern County IRWM region to the east.
Water resources issues that overlap neighboring regional boundaries are either covered
by existing cooperative water management plans (i.e. Nacitone Watershed Management Plan),
adjudication (i.e. Santa Maria Groundwater Basin), and operational agreements (i.e. Nacimiento
Reservoir), or have no defining water resource management issue. All of these items are to be
included in the Region's Plan consistent with the plans of neighboring regions. The RWMG will
continue to coordinate with neighboring regions to address additional water resources issues and
possible integrated water management strategies in our respective IRWM plans.
5.4 Non -binding nature. This document and participation in the IRWM program efforts are
nonbinding, and in no way suggest that a RWMG member or Implementation Affiliate may not
continue its own planning and undertake efforts to secure project funding from any source. An
agency/ organization may withdraw from participation in accordance with Section 5.7.
5.5 Other on -going regional efforts. Development of the Plan is separate from efforts of
other organizations to develop water -related plans on a regional basis. As the Plan is developed,
work products can be shared with these separate efforts to provide them with current information.
5.6 Reports and communications. The WRAC, an IRWM contact list, and the District's
website will serve as the forum for updates and correspondence relating to the IRWM program
and Plan development.
5.7 Termination. Because the Plan will require periodic review and updating for use into
the future, it is envisioned that the joint efforts of those involved will be ongoing in maintaining a
living document. Thus this MOU will remain as a reflection of the understandings of the RWMG
Members. As indicated, parties to this MOU may terminate their involvement at any time, but
must provide all RWMG agencies with 30 days' advance notice of intent to terminate.
5.8 Superseded Prior MOU. This MOU supersedes the MOU dated April 21, 2009 (2009
MOU).
5.9 Counterparts. This MOU may be executed in counterparts and has the same force and
effect as if all the signatures were obtained in one document.
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding Page 6 of 8
6. SIGNATORIES TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
We, the undersigned representatives of our respective agencies or organizations, acknowledge the
above as our understanding of how the San Luis Integrated Regional Water Management Plan
will be developed.
941 2: signature
Rob Livick, PE/PLS
City of Morro Bay
October 12.2012
IRWM Memorandum of Understanding
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agency
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Attachment 2
Memorandum of Understanding Signatories for
San Luis Obispo County Region IRWM Participants
Agency or Organization
San Luis Obispo County Flood Control and Water Conservation
District
County of San Luis Obispo
Avila Beach Community Services District
California Men's Colony
Cambria Community Services District
Central Coast Salmon Enhancement
City of Arroyo Grande
City of Grover Beach
City of Morro Bay
City of Paso Robles
City of Pismo Beach
City of San Luis Obispo
Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District
Estrella -El Pomar-Creston Water District
Heritage Ranch Community Services District
The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County
Los Osos Community Services District
Morro Bay National Estuary Program
Nipomo Community Services District
Oceano Community Services District
Templeton Community Services District
San Miguel Community Services District
San Miguelito Mutual Water Company
Cor%Aroc nictrirt
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Shandon-San Juan Water District
South San Luis Obispo County Sanitation District
S&T Mutual Water Company
Upper Salinas - Las Tablas Resource Conservation District
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