City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 11, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.D
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Water Resources Subject: Adoption of Resolution Designating Alternate Representative for the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to appoint a second Alternate Representative, acting in the capacity of Board Member, to serve on the Board for the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency;
2. Adopt the Resolution authorizing the City Manager to appoint a second Alternate Representative to represent the City on the Board for the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency; and
3. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica is one of five member agencies of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SMBGSA). The SMBGSA’s formation was mandated by the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014, which was enacted by the State of California to ensure that groundwater across the state is managed sustainably. In compliance with SGMA, the SMBGSA prepared and submitted the Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), approved by the City Council on December 7, 2021, and adopted by the SMBGSA on January 13, 2022, to the California Department of Water Resources before the January 31, 2022 deadline. At the December 7, 2021 City Council meeting, City Council also designated the City Manager (Party Representative) or the Water Resources Manager (Alternate Representative) to represent the City on the SMBGSA Board. No additional compensation is provided by 2 of 4
the City to staff that serves on the SMBGSA Board. Staff is requesting the City Council to authorize the City Manager to appoint a second Alternate Representative in the event that the City Manager and Water Resources Manager are not available for the SMBGSA Board Meeting as all actions by the SMBGSA require a unanimous vote.
Discussion
The Cities of Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, and Culver City, and the County of Los Angeles entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in 2017 to form the SMBGSA and cooperatively manage the Santa Monica Basin in a responsible and sustainable manner, which includes the preparation of a GSP and implementing sustainable management actions and projects outlined in the GSP. The SMBGSA comprises of local government agencies that are fully or partially overlying the Basin as defined by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
The SMBGSA members have designated the City of Santa Monica as the administrative coordinating entity for the SMBGSA. As part of GSP development, SGMA requires the SMBGSA to understand the basin context, basin conditions, hydrogeological conceptual model, and the basin water budget, as well as provide a description of the sustainable management criteria for the basin, conduct stakeholder engagement, monitor network planning, and identify project and management plans.
The GSP submitted to the DWR on January 2022 outlined five sustainable management actions and five projects for the Santa Monica Basin to maintain the sustainable criteria established to ensure the long-term health and availability of groundwater resources (e.g., maintain sufficient groundwater in storage for continued groundwater production for the City’s drinking water supply, prevent seawater intrusion, and sustain groundwater production rates as to not adversely impact the groundwater aquifer and groundwater dependent ecosystems) for current and future stakeholders through ongoing, proactive stewardship. The SMBGSA Board meets quarterly to carry out the sustainable management actions and projects identified in the GSP. 3 of 4
The City’s Water Resources Manager was designated by the City Council as the City’s alternate representative to the SMBGSA on December 7, 2021. The City Attorney’s Office has advised that it would be prudent to have the City appoint a second alternate SMBGSA representative in the event that the City’s Water Resources Manager is either unavailable to attend the quarterly SMBGSA meeting or called upon to provide technical advice for any current or future legal actions involving the SMBGSA.
Environmental Review
The appointment of a second representative on the SMBGSA Board is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. The appointment is covered by the common sense exemption which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The appointment of a second alternate representative would ensure that a City representative is present in the event that the City Manager and Water Resources Manager are not available.
Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the appointment would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is categorically exempt from CEQA.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
5/9/2017
(Attachment A)
Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Memorandum of Understanding
12/7/2021
(Attachment B)
Approval of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of recommended action.
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Prepared By: Sunny Wang, Water Resources Manager
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency Memorandum of Understanding (Web Link)
B. Approval of the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (Web Link) C. GSA Alternate Representative Resolution
D. Written Comment