EXHIBIT 2-F
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
FOR PROPOSED WATER USE FEES
Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
Overview of Public Hearing
Notice is hereby given that a
public hearing will be conducted to discuss the District’s proposed annual
water use fee. This notice has been sent
to all record owners of real property within the District’s boundaries who
currently receive water service from California American Water (CAW), with the
exception of certain sub-areas. The
District is proposing to charge a fee for the primary purpose of developing
water supply projects.
At the following time and
place, the District’s Board of Directors will hold a public hearing regarding
the proposed annual water use fee:
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Grand Ballroom
1 Old Golf Course Road, Monterey
June 12, 2012 at 7:00pm
The Reason for the Proposed Fees
The District intends to enter
into agreement with Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (“MRWPCA”)
and CAW for a Groundwater Replenishment (GWR) project enabling the advanced
treatment of wastewater from the MRWPCA regional facility for injection into
the Seaside Groundwater Basin through MRWPCA wells to be developed. In addition, the District owns and jointly
operates with CAW an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project that diverts
excess flows from the Carmel River through the CAW Water Distribution System
for injection into the Seaside Groundwater Basin through the District’s ASR
wells. Both ASR and GWR, collectively the “Projects,” allow subsequent recovery
of the injected water by CAW for delivery to its customers.
The Projects are necessary to
protect District water resources, satisfy water quantity and water quality
requirements, meet existing commitments for water demand, and provide sufficient
water for present beneficial use. The
District has determined that the Projects are needed to address and mitigate
potential adverse effects that may result from overproduction from the Seaside
Groundwater Basin and will also increase water available to the CAW system and
assist CAW in offsetting its reduction in production of water from the Carmel
River as mandated by State Order No. 95-10.
Existing District financial
resources are not sufficient to build, maintain, repair, and facilitate the Projects. In addition to direct capital costs of the
Projects, proceeds of the water use fee may also be allocated to meet other
water supply related expenses that confer benefit and/or service to existing
CAW Water Distribution System water users, including water supply management, water
demand management, water augmentation program expenses such as planning for,
acquiring and/or reserving augmented water supply capacity, including engineering,
hydrologic, legal, geologic, financial, and property acquisition.
The Proposed Water Use Fee
Based on reasonable and fair investigation, the
District Board of Directors has determined that this annual water use fee will
fund District activities for water supply facilities and other related water
supply expenditures. Total proceeds of
the water use fee would be approximately $3,700,000 annually.
The amount of the annual water use fee for each
parcel of real property would be calculated based on the use of the
parcel. A complete table of proposed
fees is provided on the reverse side of this notice. This
fee structure was developed for the District by an independent consulting firm
in order to ensure that each parcel funds only its allocable portion of the
District’s costs of serving that parcel.
The consulting firm’s report is available at the District offices or
posted on the District’s website at www.MPWMD.net
The annual water use fee will be due July 1 of
each year, but may be collected periodically during the fiscal year. The method of billing and collection of the
water use fee shall be determined by the District’s Board and enacted through
Resolution at the District’s June 12, 2012 meeting. The Board will consider whether to collect
the annual water use fee through installments (bi-monthly, quarterly, or
semi-annually) by direct billing, or as an item on the
County Assessor’s property tax bill (semi-annually.)
Your
Opportunity to Get Involved
The District invites you to
provide oral or written testimony to the Board at the June 12 public hearing.
Owners of record of parcels
within the District boundaries served by California American Water that would
be subject to the proposed water use fee may also submit a formal written
protest against the proposed water use fee.
Protests must be received by
the District no later than the close of the public hearing. The protests may be submitted at the hearing,
by mail, or in person to the District Secretary at Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District offices, 5 Harris Court, Building G, PO
Box 85, Monterey, CA 93942-8500. Protests
will be accepted and tabulated pursuant to procedures adopted by the District
on April 16, 2012 a copy of which are posted on the District’s website at www.MPWMD.net
and which may be reviewed at the main District office. If written protests are received with respect
to a majority of the affected parcels, the water use fee will not be imposed. A written protest must include: (i) A statement that it is a protest against the
proposed fee which is the subject of the hearing, (ii) Name of the record owner
who is submitting the protest, (iii) Identity, by street address, of the parcel
with respect to which the protest is made, and (iv) Original signature and
legibly printed name of the record owner who is submitting the protest. If the party signing the protest is not shown
on the last equalized assessment roll of Monterey County as the owner of the
parcel(s), the protest must contain, or be accompanied by, written evidence
that such party is the owner. Only one
protest per property will be counted.
If you have any questions
regarding the annual water use fee or believe you have been sent this notice in
error, please contact the District’s Administrative Services Division Manager at
831-658-5600
U:\staff\Board_Committees\WSP\2012\20120409\02\item2_exh2f.docx