WATER DEMAND COMMITTEE
2.	UPDATE ON WATER FOR REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS REQUEST TO DISTRICT TAC (TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE)
Meeting Date:		June 4, 2020	Budgeted:	N/A
From:		David J. Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
		General Manager	Line Item No.: N/A
Prepared By:		Stephanie Locke	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378

SUMMARY: In February 2020, staff provided the following information to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The purpose of the Technical Advisory Committee is to review, discuss and if necessary, vote on potential agenda items related to the technical aspects associated with the operation of the District. Recent calls for water for housing, and the impact lack of water has on the ability to meet local housing needs, prompted the action.

The desalination component of the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project is expected to require 30 months to construct and start-up following issuance of a permit from the California Coastal Commission (CCC). The hearing on the appeal for a Coastal Development Permit is scheduled for August 12-14, 2020. Additionally, it is unclear whether the State Water Board will lift the Cease and Desist Order (CDO) immediately upon operations or require the project to demonstrate a year of operations first. Hence, it could be 3 or 4 years before the CDO is lifted, and there is always the specter of additional delays.

In order for local jurisdictions to meet their desire for housing starts in the interim period, the District is considering measures to make water available to the jurisdictions. As a predicate to this, the District requested information from each jurisdiction as to its immediate short-term water needs for housing. The TAC members were asked to:

1. Determine the realistic number of units that can be permitted and built in the next 4-year period;

2. Determine the amount of water needed using the District’s factors for each type of unit;

3. Determine the total amount of water needed for housing during interim 4-year period.

4. Send a letter to the District stating that if the District can make an allocation of water supply available, the jurisdiction would like XX acre-feet for use on housing during the next 4-year period. The request should include an attachment with the breakdown of anticipated units and water required.

The District was specific that this request should only include water needed for housing projects that would be under construction within 3-4 years (between now and the lifting of the CDO) if water becomes available. Any water allocated for housing needs would be subject to the water meter moratorium, which excludes vacant parcels. Jurisdictions with access to an Entitlement may not have an immediate need for an additional Cal-Am allocation. The deadline for submittal was May 1, 2020.

Responses received by the District from the cities of Carmel, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Sand City, and Seaside are provided in the exhibits. Responses were not received from Del Rey Oaks and Monterey County.

RECOMMENDATION: The Water Demand Committee should review the responses and direct staff on next steps.

EXHIBITS

2-A Response from City of Carmel

2-B Response from City of Monterey

2-C Response from City of Pacific Grove

2-D Response from City of Sand City

2-E Response from City of Seaside

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