RULES AND REGULATIONS REVIEW COMMITTEE
ITEM:		ACTION ITEMS
2.	REVEW AND DEVELOP A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD ON THE FIRST READING VERSION OF AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE DISTRICT ENFORCES ITS RULES & REGULATIONS
Meeting Date:			October 4, 2007	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David C. Laredo, General Counsel	Program/ Line Item No.	N/A
Reviewed By:			Rick Dickhaut, Acting General Manager	Cost Estimate:	N/A

SUMMARY: The Committee will review and comment on the draft first reading version of an ordinance to enforce District Rules and Regulations through an Administrative Citation and Administrative Hearing Process. This ordinance is presently set for first reading at the October 15, 2007 Board meeting. The draft ordinance was prepared in accord with a Strategic objective approved by the Board at its May 21, 2007 meeting, and is in accord with the concept draft considered by the Board at its September, 2007 meeting. The administrative enforcement process would facilitate improved and more consistent rule compliance, reduce obstacles and time delays that result from criminal or civil enforcement, and result in more uniform application of the District’s rules and procedures.

RECOMMENDATION: The Committee should review the proposed ordinance (attached as Exhibit 2-A.), provide comments to staff on recommended revisions, and decide if the ordinance should be referred to the Board for action at the October 15, 2007 meeting.

BACKGROUND: The District, by ordinance, has enacted rules that require occasional enforcement. Examples of enforcement situations include but are not limited to District regulation activities involving Water Conservation (Regulation (XIV); Expanded Water Conservation and Standby Rationing (Regulation XV), and “water waste” violations in particular; the Carmel River (Carmel River Management (Regulation XII); compliance with the Operational Water Supply Budgets (Regulation X – Rules 101 and 102); and permit activities (Regulation II). At this time, violations of District Rules and Regulations and ordinances can be enforced by civil court action, or in the alternative, constitute a misdemeanor subject to the provisions of the Penal Code, Section 17(d). This is a criminal prosecution that requires initiation by the District Attorney, and MPWMD efforts to seek such action would compete for limited prosecutorial resources with felonies and other misdemeanor violations. Misdemeanors may be charged as an infraction.

State law provides that infractions may be punishable by (1) a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100) for a first violation; (2) a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200) for a second violation of the same ordinance within one year; and (3) a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) for each additional violation of the same ordinance within one year. For violations declared to be a nuisance, the District may provide for the summary abatement of the nuisance, and may provide for the initiation of civil proceedings to abate the nuisance. The person committing the nuisance shall be liable for the costs incurred by the district to abate the nuisance including, but not limited to, the costs of investigation, costs of time and materials expended to eliminate or mitigate the nuisance, court costs, attorneys’ fees, and costs of monitoring compliance. Civil penalties may be assessed by a court against persons found to have committed a nuisance.

As a Strategic Objective, the Board directed staff and counsel to explore options available to the District to enforce its Rules and Regulations and other provisions of law. Criminal prosecutions or civil court enforcement entail lengthy and expensive processes, both for the District and affected individuals. Criminal enforcement is inapt for many water conservation circumstances, yet limits imposed by law require adherence.

The attached draft sets forth an Administration Citation and Administrative Order enforcement process as allowed by Government Code Section 53069.4. The draft allows administrative enforcement of District rules before an administrative hearing officer. A de novo court review would take place for any administrative decision if a person challenges the action. The draft provides that penalty fines shall be set by the Board by resolution. Separate action shall be needed to effectuate the fine schedule.

Administrative Citations generally address violations that are minor or transient in nature. For example, and not by exclusion, Administrative Citations may be used to enforce water waste, water rationing, permit condition and minor or non-recurring violations of the District’s Rules and Regulations. Whenever the General Manager determines that a violation of the Rules and Regulations has occurred, the General Manager may issue an Administrative Citation to any Person responsible for the violation.

Administrative Compliance Orders are used for violations that are not suitable for the Administrative Citation process. Administrative Compliance Orders are used for serious, continuing or recurring violations, or similar matters. The General Manager may issue a written compliance order to any Person responsible for the violation. It shall set forth a description of the observed violation(s), a description of what the Responsible Party is required to do to bring the water use or property into compliance, and the date by which compliance must be achieved. The Compliance Order provides notice as to administrative penalties that shall accrue if compliance with the Order is not achieved by the date listed on the Compliance Order. The Administrative Compliance Order may be contested through an administrative hearing process. The decision may contain an order to correct any violations determined to exist, together with an order to pay administrative penalties and costs.

The District’s enabling legislation (Statutes of 1977, Chapter 527, as amended (found at West’s California Water Code Appendix, Chapters 118-1 to 118-901) includes a finding that in order to serve the people of the Monterey Peninsula efficiently, enactment of this special law is necessary “for the public welfare and for the protection of the environmental quality and the health and property of the residents therein.” The District law grants the District the power to adopt and enforce regulations.

District enforcement issues have become increasingly varied and complex over the years. The draft enforcement process would modify the manner in which the District enforces its and Rules and Regulations. District resources would be conserved and better utilized by adoption of streamlined enforcement. Administrative enforcement will facilitate improved and more consistent rule compliance, reduce obstacles and time delays that result from criminal or civil enforcement, and result in more uniform application of the District’s rules and procedures.

EXHIBITS

2-A Draft Ordinance

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