The Board of Supervisors has adopted updates to Chapters 7.70 and 7.73 of the County Code. These updated chapters modernize well construction and individual water system management to take into account groundwater sustainability, public trust impacts, drought risk for domestic wells, and drinking water quality concerns. The updated codes need to go to the Coastal Commission for approval before they go into effect, anticipated on July 1, 2025.
Goal and Objectives
The goal of the update is to provide protection against adverse impacts of well construction and use, while not creating an undue burden to applicants.
The updated code meets the following objectives, which were set at the beginning of the update process:
- Follows all applicable laws and regulations.
- Honors the core tenants of the County General Plan which includes recognition of agricultural land as an essential and irreplaceable resource for future generations.
- Is equitable in its consideration of impacts to groundwater users, including the public trust.
- Facilitates communications with Groundwater Sustainability Agencies and recognizes their mandate to sustainably manage their groundwater basins.
- Acknowledges the impact that climate change is having on water resources.
Representative Groups in Code Update Development
In order to ensure that County staff adequately considered the impact to various uses and users of groundwater, the following representatives from various interested parties participated in a Technical Advisory Committee:
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Technical Expertise
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Person
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Small farmers
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Alma Fernandez
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Large working lands/Agriculture (Meetings 1 and 2)
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Dennis Lebow
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Large working lands/Agriculture (Meetings 3 and 4)
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Robert Wall
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Well driller
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Aaron Lingemann
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Well driller
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Dave Landino
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Water Advisory Commission
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Bryan Largay
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Water Advisory Commission
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Nate Gillespie
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Santa Cruz Mid-County and Santa Margarita Groundwater Agencies
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Rob Swartz
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Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency
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Brian Lockwood
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Biotic resources -National Marine Fisheries Service
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Rick Rogers
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Biotic resources -California Department of Fish and Wildlife
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Jessie Maxfield
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Public utilities/Soquel Creek
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Brice Dalhmeier
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Department of Water Resources
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Benjamin Brezing
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TAC Meeting Topics
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Meeting Number
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Meeting Topics (Subject to Change)
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Meeting 1; November 6, 2023
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1) Introductions, ground rules, goal, expectations
2) Intro to well ordinance, reasons for update
3) Code update process
4) Topics for future in-depth discussion
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Meeting 2; December 8, 2023
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Focused meeting on groundwater:
1) Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, GSAs, GSPs
2) Groundwater emergencies
3) Metering of non-de minimus new and replacement wells
5) Areas of declining GW levels/quality and new wells
6) How to include Karst
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Meeting 3; January 29, 2024
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Evaluating surrounding impacts:
1) Discuss where/how wells may impact Public Trust values
2) Review existing protections and what other Counties have done
3) Determine when additional evaluation and/or protections are needed
4) Consider impacts to surrounding wells
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Meeting 4; May 21, 2024
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TAC reviews draft language and assessment of impacts to staffing, permit turnaround time, and fees.
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Public Workshop: August 7
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Water Adviosry Commission
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TBD
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Final review after changes from Planning Commission, Coastal Commission, Board of Sups
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