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ITEM: |
DISCUSSION ITEM |
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2. |
DISCUSS AMENDMENTS TO
RULES REGARDING EXTENSION OF WATER USE CREDITS FOR ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED
STATES |
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Meeting Date: |
November 5, 2020 |
Budgeted: |
N/A |
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From: |
David Stoldt |
Program/ |
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General Manager |
Line Item No.: |
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Prepared By: |
Stephanie Locke |
Cost Estimate: |
N/A |
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General Counsel Review: N/A |
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Committee Recommendation: N/A |
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CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as
defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15301 |
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SUMMARY: Staff has long been aware of the significant amount of time it often takes for federally funded projects to receive appropriations to begin construction. Recent conversations with representatives of both the Presidio of Monterey and the Naval Postgraduate School resulted in requests for a future Allocation of water and consideration of extending the length of time a Water Use Credit is available on these installations. Both facilities are located in the City of Monterey, which has no water available for military projects.
Separate water Allocations for the Presidio and the Naval Postgraduate School (including its housing area and recreation facility) make sense when new water supply is available. However, in the interim, one or both entities may need water for projects, many of which have been planned and approved, but have not received funding. The Presidio undertook a number of retrofit projects in the early 2000’s in anticipation of receiving funding, and those credits have expired. They are currently about to lose the remaining credits when they expire in 2021.
The shortage of space at the Presidio often results in the untimely demolition of buildings after construction of new ones, resulting in a post-project credit that can’t be applied to a previous project. Staff, faculty, and students must wait for construction of the new building before vacating the old one for demolition. No demolition, no water credit, no water credit, no construction, no demolition…etc. The opposite is also true where buildings are demolished to make space for new construction that is dependent on federal funding that may not come through.
The success of the Presidio’s mission to train military linguists depends on their ability to modernize and expand their training facilities. In order to do this, the Presidio needs to have sufficient water available to offset their projects so that they can comply with District law when a project moves forward. Until the moratorium is lifted, one concept to address this is to extend Water Use Credits at the Presidio and the Naval Postgraduate School Sites for an additional ten years, making the credit available for a total of 20 years.
A similar consideration was given to Redevelopment Agency Sites when the Board adopted Ordinance No. 121 on August 15, 2005, to extend credit for Redevelopment Projects for up to 20 years. Staff’s preliminary estimate of an extension to the two military Sites would extend/reinstate up to 40 acre-feet of Water Use Credits.
RECOMMENDATION: The Water Demand Committee should discuss this item and provide direction to staff.
EXHIBITS
None
U:\staff\Board_Committees\WaterDemand\2020\20201105\02\Item-2.docx