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Home My WebLink AboutItem 8.3 Zone 7 Support SB1337 STAFF REPORT CITY COUNCIL CITY CLERK File #660-40. DATE: May 1, 2012 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers FROM: Joni Pattillo, City ManagercJ~ ~ SUBJECT: Letter of Support for SB 1337 (DeSaulnier) - Zone 7 Water Agency Act Prepared by Christopher L. Foss, Assistant City Manager EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council will consider a letter of support for SB 1337 (DeSaulnier) - the Zone 7 Water Agency Act. SB 1337 would allow the complete separation of Zone 7 from Alameda County as well as adjust the District's boundaries to include the Dougherty Valley. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There would be no financial impact to the City of Dublin. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council consider the proposed letter and take the appropriate action. /,r 1/7 , l {/k--_,: - Submitted By Assistant City Manager DESCRIPTION: The Alameda County Water Conservation and Flood Control District - Zone 7 was created in 1949 as a dependent special district of Alameda County by special legislation and governance of the District was provided through the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. In 1955, the residents of' Zone 7 were authorized to elect their own Board of Directors which had limited powers. Legislation approved in 2003 (AB 1125 - Houston) allowed the Zone 7 Board of Directors to have the sole authority to govern matters affecting Zone 7 without further approval action by Alameda County. The proposed legislation (SB 1337 - DeSaulnier) (Attachment 1), if approved, would result in the complete separation of Zone 7 from Alameda County and at the same time adjust its boundary to include Dougherty Valley. This would enable Dougherty Valley voters to participate in District elections and serve on the Zone 7 Board. It would also allow Zone 7 to charge certain Page 1 of 2 ITEM NO. 8.3 water-service charges directly to properties in the Dougherty Valley eliminating the continued need for the Dougherty Valley Stand-By Charge Assessment District thus creating equity for all beneficiaries of Zone 7 water. Since the Bill would make Zone 7 an independent special district, it would also become subject to LAFCO jurisdiction. The remainder of the Bill mirrors the current Zone 7 Act in terms of the powers it grants to and requirements and limitations it places on Zone 7. The Bill (and Zone 7's independence) would become effective January 1,2013. Staff has prepared a letter of support (Attachment 2) for SB 1337 (DeSaulnier). NOTICING REQUIREMENTS/PUBLIC OUTREACH: None. ATTACHMENTS: 1. SB 1337 Zone 7 Water Agency Fact Sheet 2. Draft Letter re: SB 1337 Page 2 of 2 SB 1337 (DeSaulnier) As Amended - April 18, 2012 ~ONE 7 WATER AGEt'JCY Fact Sheet SUMMARY SB 1337 establishes Zone 7 of the Tri Valley Region as an Independent Special District. BACKGROUND Established in 1957, Zone 7 supplies treated drinking water to retailers serving more than 200,000 people in Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and, through special arrangement with the Dublin San Ramon Services District, to the Dougherty Valley Area. Zone 7 also supplies agricultural water to 3,500 acres, primarily Livermore Valley Vineyards, and provides flood protection for eastern Alameda County. Since 1970, Zone 7 has gradually gained independence from Alameda County to increase the efficiency, safety, and reliability of its services. In 2003, the Governor signed AB 1125, which provided further autonomy to Zone 7 by giving the Board the authority to govern and control all matters that relate to the residence of Zone 7, eliminating the need for dual approvals from the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. However, two important objectives remain to be accomplished. Zone 7 services 15,000 residents in Dougherty Valley, in South San Ramon in Contra Costa County. As long as Zone 7 remains part ofthe Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the residents of Dougherty Valley will be treated as second-class customers, without the right to vote for Zone 7's directors, and subject to indirect, pass-through taxation. Secondly, recruiting and retention has become challenging for Zone 7, a situation that has become more critical as excess Zone 7 staff have been eliminated to reduce operation costs within the current County Civil Service Structure. Based on the history and the need to address the two key objectives left out by AB 1125, SB 1337 will allow Zone 7 to become an Independent Special District, crossing county lines and more equitably serving all of its customers. THIS BILL SB 1337 aligns the scope of authority conferred upon the Zone 7 Board of Directors via AB 1125 with the actual territory served, including the 1500 residents of Dougherty Valley, by enacting a new enabling statute that would clearly establish Zone 7 operations as separate from Alameda County. STATUS April 24th - Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee Hearing April 25th - Senate Governance and Finance Committee Hearing SUPPORT · Zone 7 Water Agency of Eastern Alameda County (sponsor) · Dublin San Ramon Services District OPPOSITION None Received FOR MORE INFORMATION Crystal Araujo Office of Senator Mark DeSaulnier (925) 942-6082 Office of Senator Mark DeSaulnier SB 1337 - Fact Sheet Page 1 D CITY OF UBLIN 100 Civic Plaza Dublin, California 94568 Phone: (925) 833~6650 Fax: (925) 833-6651 City Council (925) 833-6650 City Manager (925) 833-6650 Community Development (925) 833-6610 Economic Development (925) 833-6650 Finance/Admin Services (925) 833-6640 Fire Prevention (925) 833~6606 Human Resources (925) 833-6605 Parks & Community ServIces (925) 556-4500 Pollee (925) 833~6670 Public WOTks/Engineering (925) 833-6630 ~ Dublin bhiftrl _ 'fUr 2011 www.dublin.ca.gov May 2, 2012 The Honorable Fran Pavley Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water California State Senate State Capitol, Room 4035 Sacramento, CA 95814 The Honorable Lois Wolk Chair, Senate Committee on Governance and Finance California State Senate State Capitol, Room'5114 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: Senate Bill 1337 (DeSaulnier) Dear Senator Pavley and Senator Wolk: On behalf of the Dublin City Council, I would like to express the City's support for SB 1337- (DeSaulnier), which would remove Zone 7 from the Alameda . County Flood Control and Water Conservation District and create the Zone 7 Water Agency, with the same specified authorizations, powers, and duties that are currently enjoyed by Zone 7. Zone 7 provides regional flood protection to all 425 square miles of eastern Alameda County and supplies treated drinking water to retailers serving more than 200,000 people in 'Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, and through special agreement with the Dublin San Ramon Services District, to the Dougherty Valley area . within Contra Costa County. Zone 7 also supplies agricultural water to 3,500 acres, primarily s.outh Livermore Valley vineyards. SB 1337 will align the scope of authority conferred upon the Zone 7 Board of Directors via AB 1125 (Chapter 284, Statutes of 2003) with the actual territory served, including the 15,000 xesidentsin Dougherty VaHey, by el1acting a new enabling statute that would clearly establish Zone 7 as an independent special district separate from Alameda County and govern the nature and extent of . . Zone Ts authority to operate. . This act would not only clarify ZOhe 7'sscope of goVernance and operations as all independent special district but also give new residents in the Dougherty Valley in southern Contra Costa County served indirectly by Zone 7 full voting rights to participate in board selection. The Dublin City Council would urge you to support SB so Zone 7 can become an independent special district and, in so doing, more equitably serve its customers. Sincerely, Timothy Sbranti Mayor Senator Pavley and Senator Wolk May 2, 2012 Page 2 cc: Members of the City Council Honorable Mark DeSaulnier Honorable loni Hancock Honorable Joan Buchanan Jill Duerig, Zone 7 Water Agency Joni Pattillo, City Manager