BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
Government Code ? 84308 Applies: Yes ? No ?
(If "YES" Complete Attachment A - Gov. Code ? 84308)
SUBJECT: Title
Consider the June 23, 2025, Water Supply and Demand Management Committee Meeting Recommendation to Send a Letter to Cities in Santa Clara County Encouraging Participation in the Model Water Efficient New Development Ordinance.
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RECOMMENDATION: Recommendation
Consider recommendations resulting from the June 23, 2025, Water Supply and Demand Management Committee meeting to:
A. Direct staff to send a letter to cities in Santa Clara County encouraging participation in water conservation programs and promoting water use efficiency; and
B. Provide feedback and recommendations on the draft letters to staff as necessary.
Body
SUMMARY:
At the June 23, 2025, Water Supply and Demand Management Committee (Committee) meeting, the Committee approved a recommendation to the Board to send a letter to cities in Santa Clara County encouraging participation in the Model Water Efficient New Development Ordinance (MWENDO). Since that time, the Committee received an update at its August meeting on the status of the State budget trailer bills and the impact of the new laws on MWENDO adoption and implementation.
Assembly Bill (AB) 130 and Senate Bill (SB) 131 enact significant reforms to the California Environmental Quality Act. The reforms are intended to accelerate new housing development by streamlining the environmental review process. While AB 130 and SB 131 aim to benefit housing production, the laws impose a moratorium on local governments to adopt or amend residential building standards through 2031 and pose a challenge to local water conservation policies like MWENDO. As a result, further adoption of MWENDO is restricted during this moratorium unless the ordinance is determined to be an emergency health and safety measure in response to a declared drought emergency.
Given the temporary moratorium on local adoption of MWEND...
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