CONSIDER APPROVAL OF WATER USE CREDIT TRANSFER REQUEST - ROBLES DEL RIO LODGE, LLC TO MONTEREY COUNTY
 

MEETING DATE: OCTOBER 26, 2000

SUMMARY: Robles del Rio Lodge, LLC, successor in interest to Ron Gurries Family partnership in the ownership of a motel in Carmel Valley, has applied under District Rule 28-B to transfer 7.827 acre-feet of water use credits from the property to the County of Monterey. In addition to the water use credits that are proposed for transfer, the District will retain 1.381 acre-feet of the annual water use that was calculated for the site to meet its long-term water conservation goals. The water use credit was established in June 1998, following a permanent disconnection from the California-American Water Company system. The reduction in use occurred on May 22, 1998, and is valid until May 22, 2003, unless extended for an additional 60 months at that time. The motel and related facilities uses continue to operate on the site utilizing a private water system. The transfer application is included as Exhibit 1.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the transfer of 7.827 acre-feet of water use credits to the County of Monterey. The application meets the specific requirements of Rule 28-B to qualify for a property-to-jurisdiction transfer. The Monterey County Board of Supervisors took action to approve this transfer request by adoption of Resolution No. 00.373 on October 3, 2000. A copy of the resolution is included as part of Exhibit 1.

Staff further recommends that approval of the transfer be conditioned upon the property owner's consent to allow the District to record a deed restriction (Exhibit 2) confirming that the transfer of water credit is irrevocable. The deed restriction will also acknowledge that any intensification of water use through a water distribution system on the subject property, as defined by District Rule 11, will require prior written authorization from the County of Monterey and prior written authorization and permits from the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, in accord with then applicable provisions of law.

BACKGROUND: The District Board considered the proposed Robles del Rio Lodge water credit transfer request at its June 29, 2000 meeting. At that time, the Board received public comment of the proposed transfer, closed the public hearing, and continued its consideration of the transfer request until after the Monterey County Board of Supervisors had granted final approval of the transfer from Robles del Rio Lodge to Monterey County.

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