AgdaPkt 2004-01-26 - Laserfiche WebLink

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5.\t-lo SB 221 is similar in many respects to SB 610. However, it applies only to residential projects of 500 units or more and requires the land use planning agency to include as a condition of approval of a tentative map, parcel map or development agreement a requirement that "sufficient water supply" be available. Proof of a sufficient water supply must be based on a written verification from the public water system that will serve the development. Thus, the WSA required by SB 610 is to be prepared sufficiently early in the development review f'rocess that it can be incorporated in the CEOA evaluation and documentation of the project. In the case of a project which will require an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), the WSA should be available before the Draft EIR is released for public comment. SB 221, by contrast, becomes operative at the point that the city is considering approval of a tentative . subdivision map. The City's Roles and Responsibilities Under S8 610 Both SB 610 and SB 221 are drafted on the assumption that the land use planning agency (Le., the city or county) is not the water supplier for the proposed project. They thus impose distinct duties on the city/county and on the water supplier - which is assumed to be an entirely separate agency. In the case of Redwood City this assumption is incorrect since the City performs both roles. However, the statute's terminology, while awkward, can be adapted to our situation relatively easily. The "City," as that term is used in the statute, means the components of city government that have responsibilities for the land use decision process. At the staff level, this is the Community Development Services Department, Planning and Redevelopment Division. The "water supplier:' for SB 610 purposes, can be understood to mean the Public Works Services Department, which is responsible for the City's Water Enterprise Fund. The "governing body," as used in SB 610, refers to the City Council, which is required to approve the WSA at a regular or special meeting. Use of the WSA The WSA, including the information regarding plans for acquiring additional supplies, shall be included in the environmental document prepared for the project. In the case of Bayside Gardens, it will be included in the draft EIR, currently in preparation. At the stage of project approval/disapproval, the City "shall determine based on the entire record, whether projected water supplies will be sufficient to satisfy the demands of the project. in addition to existing and planned future uses." If the City determines at that point that water supplies will not be sufficient, it must include that determination in its findings for the project. Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) The City of Redwood City has adopted an Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) pursuant to the State of California 1984 Urban Water Management Planning Act. The UWMP was last amended via Resolution No. 14530 of the City Council on June 2, 2003, and duly forwarded to the State of California Department of Water Resources, Office of Water Use Efficiency on July 30, 2003. Page 3 of 8