TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: County Counsel
MEETING DATE: June 22, 2021
DEPARTMENT CONTACT:
Christian M. Curtis
PHONE:
234-6885
ITEM TYPE: Regular Agenda
TIME ALLOCATED FOR ITEM: 1 hr.
AGENDA TITLE:
title
Discussion and Possible Action Including Adoption of an Urgency Ordinance Establishing Water Use Requirements for Discretionary Cannabis and Other Permits During the 2021 Drought Emergency (Sponsor: County Counsel)
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RECOMMENDED ACTION/MOTION:
recommendation
Adopt urgency ordinance establishing water use requirements for discretionary cannabis and other permits during the 2021 drought emergency, and authorize Chair to sign same.
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PREVIOUS BOARD/BOARD COMMITTEE ACTIONS:
The BOS received a presentation on April 12, 2021 about the current drought conditions. On April 20, 2021, the Board of Supervisors adopted a Resolution declaring a local emergency due to drought conditions, which was extended by the Board of Supervisors on June 8, 2021.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
Mendocino County is in the midst of an historic drought with the water levels in our reservoirs and wells at extremely low levels. Subsequent to the Board's adoption of an initial declaration of a local emergency, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to drought conditions in the Russian River watershed, and the State Water Resources Control Board has notified certain junior water rights holders of a need to limit water diversions in order to preserve drinking water availability.
Staff is proposing an urgency ordinance that would require that, prior to the approval of a discretionary cannabis or other types of permits, the entity considering the permit consider the anticipated water use of the proposed development and consider conditions of approval related to limiting or phasing any expansion of water use proposed as part of the project. These additional requirements will provide for more specific review of water usage and allow for implementation of c...
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