Ripon City Council
Special Meeting Minutes
THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2022
SPECIAL MEETING
1:00 PM
The Special Meeting was called to order by Mayor Dean Uecker at 1:03 PM.
ROLL CALL:
Attendee Name Title Status Arrived
Dean Uecker Mayor Present
Michael Restuccia Vice Mayor Present
Leo Zuber Council Member Present
Daniel de Graaf Council Member Present
Gary Barton Council Member Present
OTHERS PRESENT: City Administrator Kevin Werner, City Attorney Tom Terpstra, Planning Director Ken Zuidervaart, Director of Public Works James Pease, City Clerk Lisa Roos, Planning Secretary Shelby DeHaven, Information Systems Technician Hunter Crosby.
PUBLIC DISCUSSION:
No one from the public wished to speak at this time.
1. RESOLUTIONS
A. RESOLUTION NO. 22-16
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIPON
ORDERING MANDATORY WATER
CONSERVATIONS MEASURES
City Council to consider approving a
resolution that would enact the emergency
water conservation measures called for
through Executive Order N-7-22 by
Governor Gavin Newsom and adopted by
the State Water Resources Control Board
on May 24, 2022.
Director of Public Works Pease said the resolution in front of Council will update the City’s Mandatory Water Conservation Measures Resolution to be in compliance with the State’s new mandates. Pease read the Governor’s executive order and measures that are required to be adopted by all cities in California by June 10, 2022.
Pease explained that the City’s Urban Water Management Plan was last updated in 2018 and at that time, the outdoor watering days from March to October were regulated to three days a week and from November to February, one day of outdoor watering a week.
City Council Page 2 June 9, 2022
Pease said there are three major impacts the new State mandates will have on Ripon. These changes will include all outdoor watering only be allowed only two days a week between March and October with no change to the winter schedule of one day per week. Water use for decorative water features and fountains is prohibited, except for ponds that support aquatic life. Also, potable water use for “Non-Functional Turf” at Commercial, Industrial and Institutional sites is prohibited. The State describes “Non-Functional Turf” as grass that is solely ornamental and not regularly used for human recreational purposes or for civic or community events. It does not prohibit the use of potable water necessary to ensure the health of trees and other perennial no-turf plantings.
Vice Mayor Restuccia asked if we already went through this during the beginning of the drought.
Pease said yes, in 2016, the City added outdoor watering regulations and Council elected to keep them and that the new mandate only adds three things we are not currently doing.
Mayor Uecker asked how this would affect Mistlin Fountain for residents even though the water is recycled.
Pease said the regulations state we are supposed to limit the use regardless of whether or not the water is recycled.
Council Member de Graaf said he would like to continue to run the Mistlin Fountain for the residents, because he views it like a playground versus a fountain.
Pease said the direct impact to City facilities is minimal because most City irrigation comes from non-potable sources, which is excluded from regulations. There are few City facilities that use potable water for irrigation. Pease said the two well sites currently on potable irrigation landscape could also be changed and the Ripon Animal shelter could be hooked up to non-potable water.
Council discussed the location of non-potable water lines and which businesses might be able to connect into it to help meet the State’s water conservation goal and be compliant with the new regulations.
Restuccia said he is not happy with this resolution because it should have been recognized 40 years ago that a drought would be bad. He would like to meet with League of Cities to see how we can stop the State from putting a band-aid on a problem because we need a solution. de Graaf sited the Groundwater Management Act of 2014 and said Ripon is not far from being able to reach the goal of maintaining our groundwater.
Council Member Zuber said the last time the State imposed these regulations, Governor Jerry Brown did it the right way by not telling us how to fix the problem but instead set a goal, and cities had the choice to either meet the goal or have their State funding pulled.
Council Member Barton said the State needs water storage and they have drained New Melones and now it has the lowest percentage of water of any major storage facility in the City Council Page 3 June 9, 2022
State. He said it is in danger of never returning.
de Graaf asked if there is an alternative to approving the resolution. City Attorney Terpstra said the State has expressed they can dictate the regulations.
Zuber said it is a good place to start, but we want the ability to adjust and change it. Terpstra stated adoption does not mean Council has signed up for any future State programs.
Zuber said he does not have a problem with less watering, but wants to be fair to people and businesses. He said we need to find solutions and look into this more.
City Administrator Werner stated that staff agrees with all that was discussed, but looking long term, nonresidential usages turning to non-potable could be beneficial and should be explored. He said if time is put into this program now, we will set ourselves up better for the future.
Barton asked if we have any discretion to waive any penalties for businesses that do not have the option to connect to non-potable. Werner said staff could look into options.
Zuber said this is a good overview but the details hurt and he would like more information.
Zuber said Council could adopt the resolution with requirement that staff enter into a period of education and communication with the public and then come back to Council with more information. All the City needs to enforce now is outdoor watering two days a week. de Graaf asked how we are monitoring water usage. Pease said there is patrol and residents call in water wasters.
Restuccia asked if we will change the “watering day” signs throughout the City. Pease said yes.
de Graaf asked for no penalties to be incurred until the July meeting. Zuber agreed except for two days a week outdoor watering regulation.
Motion to approve Resolution 22-16 ordering Mandatory Water Conservation Measures with the condition that staff come back to Council with more information and not enforce the penalties of this resolution, except for the two days a week of outdoor watering regulation.
RESULT: ADOPTED [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Leo Zuber, Council Member
SECONDER: Michael Restuccia, Vice Mayor
AYES: Uecker, Restuccia, Zuber, de Graaf, Barton
City Council Page 4 June 9, 2022
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 1:50 PM. (Signed) Dean Uecker
Mayor
ATTEST:
(Signed) Lisa Roos
City Clerk