City Council Meeting April 11, 2021 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NUMBER ____________(CCS)
(CITY COUNCIL SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPOINT THE
CITY’S ALTERNATE REPRESENTATIVE TO SERVE ON THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SANTA MONICA BASIN
GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY
WHEREAS, on September 16, 2014, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (“SGMA”) (Water Code sections 10720 et seq.) was signed into law by the Governor to provide sustainable management of groundwater by providing local groundwater agencies with the authority to sustainably manage groundwater through the adoption of Groundwater Sustainability Plans; and WHEREAS, Water Code Section 10723(a) authorizes local agencies with water supply, water management or land use responsibilities overlying a groundwater basin to elect to become a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (“GSA”) to manage groundwater within the basin; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Monica Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency (“SMBGSA”) was formed in 2017 by the City of Santa Monica (“City”), the City of Los Angeles acting through its Department of Water and Power (“LADWP”), the City of Beverly Hills (“Beverly Hills”), the City of Culver City (“Culver City”), and Los Angeles County (each, “a Party,” and collectively, the “Parties”) as local agencies qualified to become a GSA as agencies that either supplies water, manages water,
or has land use responsibilities over a portion of the Santa Monica Groundwater Basin (Basin Number 4-11.01 DWR Bulletin 118) (“Basin”), a DWR-designated medium-priority basin; and
WHEREAS, the Parties formed the SMBGSA through a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”), effective October 17, 2017, to manage the Santa Monica Groundwater Basin (“Basin”); and
WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 4.1 of the MOU, each Party shall appoint one representative (“Party Representative”) to participate in the SMBGSA on its behalf; and
WHEREAS, each Party may appoint an alternate representative (“Alternate Representative”) in case of the Party Representative's absence or inability to act; and
WHEREAS, and each Party may replace its Party Representative or Alternate Representative at any time upon providing notice to the other Parties; and
WHEREAS, the SMBGSA shall be represented by a five-member Board of Directors (the “Board”), and each board member shall be appointed in accordance with Section 4.1 of the MOU; and
WHEREAS, the Board will have both decision-making and advisory responsibilities pertaining to groundwater management in SMBGSA, which DWR has designated as a medium priority basin under SGMA; and
WHEREAS, SGMA requires that the Basin be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) by January 31, 2022; and
WHEREAS, the City Council authorized either the Party Representative (City Manager) or the Alternate Representative (Water Resources Manager) on December 7, 2021, acting in the capacity of Board member, to approve the GSP, subject to any minor amendments approved by the GSA Board, and act on behalf of the City in the GSA; and
WHEREAS, Council has determined that it would be prudent to designate a second Alternate Representative in the event that the Water Resources Manager is either unable to attend a SMBGSA meeting or called upon to provide technical advice in the event of any current or future litigation involving the SMBGSA.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA
MONICA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are true and correct.
SECTION 2. The City of Santa Monica City Manager is able to designate a second Alternate Representative in the event that the Water Resources Manager is not available or called upon to provide technical advice in the event of any current or future litigation involving the SMBGSA.
SECTION 3. Either the Party Representative or an Alternative Representative, acting in the capacity of Board member, is authorized to represent the City in the SMBGSA.
SECTION 4. The Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
__________________
DOUGLAS SLOAN
City Attorney