Item 27 - Ordinance Amending the Santa Ana Municipal Code

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Public Works Agency www.santa-ana.org/pw Item # 27 City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report March 15, 2022 TOPIC: Ordinance Amending the Santa Ana Municipal Code AGENDA TITLE Public Hearing - Consider an Ordinance Amending Chapter 39 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code Related to the Water Shortage Contingency Plan RECOMMENDED ACTION Approve first reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 39 of the Municipal Code related to the Water Shortage Contingency Plan. DISCUSSION On May 19, 2015, the City adopted Ordinance No. NS-2877 (Exhibit 1) in response to the severe drought conditions affecting the state. The ordinance outlines water conservation measures for City water customers based on the water supply shortage level declared by the City Council. In 2018, the California Legislature modified the Urban Water Management Plan Act to include additional water shortage planning requirements. The California Water Code has also received significant updates since 2015, specifically to Code Section 10632.1 (2018) and Section 10632.5 (2018). These sections now mandate new elements to Urban Water Management and Water Shortage Contingency Plans, including an annual drought risk assessment and statewide water use prohibitions. The City's 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and 2020 Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP), both adopted on June 1, 2021, incorporated these updates. To align with current state legislation and be consistent with the California Water Code, as well as the City's 2020 UWMP and 2020 WSCP, the Public Works Agency recommends amending the Santa Ana Municipal Code Chapter 39 Article VI (Exhibit 2). The proposed ordinance incorporates the requirements mentioned above and further defines water shortage levels and allowable uses associated with each level. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT There is no environmental impact is associated with the action.