HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018-08-28 - RESOLUTIONS - JPA BY AND AMOUNG MEMBERS OF THE SCV GROUNDWATER S (2)RESOLUTION NO. 18-62
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, TO
APPROVE THE JOINT EXERCISE OF POWERS AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG
THE MEMBERS OF THE SANTA CLARITA VALLEY GROUNDWATER
SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY
WHEREAS, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014, California Water
Code section 10720 et. seq. (SGMA), went into effect on January 1, 2015, and various clarifying
amendments to SGMA, including Senate Bills 13 and 226 and Assembly Bills 617 and 939, were
signed in 2015 and became effective on January 1, 2016; and
WHEREAS, the legislative intent of SGMA is to provide for the sustainable management
of California's groundwater basins, to enhance local management of groundwater, to establish
minimum standards for sustainable groundwater management, and to provide local agencies with
the authority and the technical and financial assistance necessary to sustainably manage
groundwater; and
WHEREAS, the Santa Clarita Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (SCV-GSA)
was formed pursuant to the Sustainable Groundwater Act to be the Groundwater Sustainability
Agency (GSA) for the Santa Clara River Valley East Subbasin, groundwater basin number 4-
4.07 (Basin), per the State of California, Department of Water Resource (DWR) Groundwater
Bulletin 118; and
WHEREAS, the members are all local public agencies with water supply, water
management, and/or land use responsibilities in at least some portion of the Basin and as a result,
each has the statutory authority to participate in the GSA for the Basin; and
WHEREAS, the basin, identified and designated by the Department of Water Resources
Bulletin 118 as Subbasin No. 4-4.07, is a high priority basin and therefore, is subject to the
requirements of SGMA; and
WHEREAS, SGMA Section 10735.2 required the formation of one or more GSAs to
manage the Basin by June 30, 2017. SGMA Section 10723.6 authorizes multiple local agencies
in a basin to form a GSA by way of memorandum of agreement or other legal agreement; and
water supply, water management, or land use responsibilities within a groundwater basin may
decide to become a GSA over that basin (California Water Code Sections 10721 and 10723); and
WHEREAS, SGMA provides that a combination of local agencies may form a GSA by a
Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement (JPA), a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), or other
legal agreement (Water Code Section 10723.6); and
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita overlies a portion of the Santa Clara River Valley
East Subbasin, groundwater basin number 4-4.07 per the State of California, Department of
Water Resources (DWR) Groundwater Bulletin 118, which has been designated by the State of
California as a high priority basin; and
Page 1 of 4
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita has land use responsibilities within the Santa Clara
River Valley East Subbasin; and
WHEREAS, it is beneficial to the health, safety, and water supply reliability of the Santa
Clarita Valley to retain local jurisdiction and control over groundwater resources within the
Santa Clara River Valley East Subbasin; and
WHEREAS, Castaic Lake Water Agency, Newhall County Water District, Los Angeles
County Waterworks District No. 36, Val Verde, the Santa Clarita Water Division, the City of
Santa Clarita, and the County of Los Angeles formed the SCV-GSA by the MOU dated May 24,
2017. The parties to the MOU set forth their intention and reserved the right to prepare a JPA to
assume the role of the SCV-GSA; and
WHEREAS, Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is the successor to Castaic
Lake Water Agency, the Santa Clarita Water Division, and Newhall County Water District,
which were dissolved, pursuant to Senate Bill 634, Chapter 833 (SB 634). In addition, SB 634
required SCV Water to dissolve Valencia Water Company, a large private retail water provider
in the area whose stock was owned by SCV Water, and transfer its assets into SCV Water. This
transfer was accomplished in January 2018 and as a result, the Valencia Water Division is
operated as a retail service division and is part of the public agency, SCV Water; and
WHEREAS, under SGMA and pursuant to Government Code Section 6500, et seq., a
combination of local agencies may form a GSA through a JPA; and
WHEREAS, the members have determined that the sustainable management of the Basin
pursuant to SGMA may best be achieved through the cooperation of the members operating
through a JPA; and
WHEREAS, the Joint Exercise of Powers Act of 2000 ("Act") authorizes the members to
create a joint powers authority and to jointly exercise any power common to the members and to
exercise additional powers granted under the Act; and
WHEREAS, based on the foregoing legal authority, as well as the authority granted in
SGMA, the members desire to create a joint powers authority for the purpose of taking all
actions deemed necessary by the joint powers authority to ensure sustainable management of the
Basin as required by SGMA; and
WHEREAS, the governing board of each member has determined it to be in the
member's and public's best interest that this agreement be executed; and
WHEREAS, this JPA supersedes and terminates the previously executed MOU and the
joint powers authority created herein herby assumes the role of the SCV-GSA.
Page 2 of 4
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita,
California, does hereby:
SECTION 1. Elect that the City of Santa Clarita will participate as a member of the SCV-
GSA to manage groundwater within its statutory boundaries of the Basin pursuant to the JPA by
and among the members of the SCV-GSA.
SECTION 2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute the JPA by and
among the members of the SCV-GSA.
SECTION 3. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to coordinate with the other
members of the SCV-GSA to provide a copy of this resolution and all other necessary
documentation to the DWR within 30 days and to otherwise comply with the requirements of
Water Code Section 10723.8.
SECTION 4. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to coordinate with the other
members of the SCV-GSA to maintain a list of interested parties regarding the SCV-GSA
pursuant to Water Code Section 10723.4.
SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 28`t' day of August 2018.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
DATE: Z f -5 / y-
Page
3 of 4
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA )
I, Mary Cusick, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do herby certify that the
foregoing Resolution No. 18-62 was duly passed and adopted by the City Council of Santa
Clarita at a regular meeting, thereof, held on the 28`" day of August 2018, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Kellar, McLean, Miranda, Smyth, Weste
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
CITY CLERK
Page 4 of 4
1