ITEM:		GENERAL MANAGER REPORTS
11.	STATUS REPORT REGARDING DISTRICT’S PROPOSED “SUMMIT” MEETING” ON LONG-TERM WATER SUPPLY SOLUTIONS
Meeting Date:			January 27, 2005	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David A. Berger,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Same	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: The Board’s 2004-05 Strategic Plan approved last October contains an objective that involves convening a public “Water Summit” meeting this month or next to review the status of, and District’s potential role in, a regional water supply project that would resolve the Monterey Peninsula’s long-term need. The purpose of this report is to update the Board on the status of staff’s preliminary planning for this Water Summit, and to provide a context for Board discussion and direction. For several reasons described below, staff is proposing to delay the Water Summit, and suggesting a status update be provided at the March regular meeting on the various long-term water supply alternatives being pursued.

RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that: 1) the District’s Strategic Plan objective target for holding a Water Summit meeting be adjusted to April or May, 2005; and 2) the Board receive an update at its March 15 regular meeting on the status of the county-initiated Regional Urban Water Supply Project and the other long-term water supply projects contained the alternatives “matrix” District staff prepared for the September 29, 2004 Strategic Planning workshop.

BACKGROUND: The Water Supply section of the District’s 2004-05 Strategic Plan includes objective that calls for convening a Water Summit meeting following Monterey County’s expected initiation of a publicly-owned, regional desalination facility (or alternative project) to solve the long-term water supply needs of the Monterey Peninsula and other urbanized regions of the county (see Exhibit 11-A) A decision-making process to create a Regional Urban Water Supply project was launched last month by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, to be conducted in collaboration with effected cities, water agencies and interested citizens in North County, the Northern Salinas Valley and on the Monterey Peninsula. Attached is a copy of the County Water Agency General Manager’s report on this subject approved by the Board of Supervisors (see Exhibit 11-B). Only preliminary and informal meetings on this subject attended by some representatives of the effected entities have occurred to date. In the most recent of those informal discussions, city and water agency managers discussed and support the importance of coordinating planning for the District’s proposed Water Summit with a community outreach component of the regional urban supply project decision-making process. However, the managers felt that it is premature to begin to structure the content and format for a Water Summit, given that the process has just begun and insufficient information is expected to be developed to provide for a productive meeting in the near term. Second, in checking your calendars, there does not appear to be a date that all Directors are available in February or March for even a half-day Water Summit meeting. Finally, general plan build-out projections are not expected from all of the Peninsula cities until the end of January. It’s anticipated that the TAC, PAC and Water Demand Committee will need until May to develop a report and recommendation for Board consideration related to water demand “factors” for use in forecasting future residential and commercial water need based on the land use elements of the jurisdictions’ general plans.

For all of the reasons recited above, staff believes that the District Board should defer discussion and consideration of the desired structure of the Water Summit to your March meeting, and tentatively schedule it for a special meeting date in April or May. In the interim, staff suggests placing an item on the March 15 regular Board agenda to receive an update from the proponents of various long-term, urban water supply projects currently being pursued that are summarized in the September 29 alternatives matrix.

EXHIBITS

11-A Water Supply Objective in District’s updated Strategic Plan (adopted 10/18/04)

11-B County Water Resource Agency General Manager, Curtis Weeks’ 11/30/04 report to Board of Supervisors

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