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November 21, 2023 Honorable Maria Hernandez, Presiding Judge Page 4 <br /> <br />SANTA ANA CITY COUNCIL <br /> <br />Valerie Amezcua <br />Mayor <br />vamezcua@santa-ana.org <br />Jessie Lopez <br />Mayor Pro Tem, Ward 3 <br />jessielopez@santa-ana.org <br />Thai Viet Phan <br />Ward 1 <br />tphan@santa-ana.org <br />Benjamin Vazquez <br />Ward 2 <br />bvazquez@santa-ana.org <br /> <br />Phil Bacerra <br />Ward 4 <br />pbacerra@santa-ana.org <br />Johnathan Ryan Hernandez <br />Ward 5 <br />jryanhernandez@santa-ana.org <br /> <br />David Penaloza <br />Ward 6 <br />dpenaloza@santa-ana.org <br /> <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATIONS <br /> <br />R1 – The County of Orange Board of Supervisors should take leadership role by the end of calendar <br />year 2023 to explore the establishment of a “Climate Resiliency District” or Joint Powers Authority to <br />fund and expedite implementation of a drought-resistant source of water (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, <br />F8, F9, F12). <br /> <br />RESPONSE NOT REQUESTED <br />The Orange County Grand Jury did not request a response from the City regarding this <br />recommendation. <br /> <br />R2 – Orange County Water agencies should expedite the planning, development, and construction of <br />desalination plants over the next five years to insure a sustainable and reliable drought-resistant source <br />of water (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F11, F12). <br /> <br />RESPONSE: The recommendation requires further analysis <br />The City agrees partially with the recommendation and it requires further analysis. The City supports <br />the development of desalination plants depending upon the water supply circumstances, needs, and <br />resources of individual water agencies and cities. Other water supply alternatives may prove to be <br />beneficial and cost-effective as well, but ultimately, the responsibility for expediting desalination <br />primarily falls in the domain of State and Federal authorities. <br /> <br />R3 – The County of Orange and all Orange County cities should formulate an emergency development <br />moratorium plan in anticipation of the Colorado River water supply being constrained. The emergency <br />moratorium plan should be developed by the end of the calendar year 2023 (F1, F2, F3, F4, F5, F6, F7, <br />F8, F9, F11, F12). <br /> <br />RESPONSE: The recommendation will not be implemented <br />The City disagrees and will not be implementing this recommendation. A Colorado River shortage <br />would affect various Orange County cities differently and a moratorium on development would likely <br />have more adverse impacts than the theoretical shortage. Moratoriums placed on development could <br />have significant negative impacts on housing needs, employment, and local economy. <br /> <br />R4 – Orange County water agencies should update their public communication strategies, by calendar <br />year end 2023, to inform the public of lifestyle changes if additional water sources are not developed <br />(F10, F11, 12). <br /> <br />RESPONSE: The recommendation requires further analysis <br />It is not known if lifestyle changes will be necessary within Orange County if additional water sources <br />are not developed. The City will continue to actively monitor the availability of imported and local <br />water supplies, and other issues to determine if additional water supplies are needed in the future. The <br />City will continue to update communications with the public for conservation through educational and <br />outreach purposes. <br /> <br /> <br />