COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

DATE:

June 27, 2005

BOARD MEETING DATE:

July 12, 2005

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

SUBJECT:

Agreement to allow two priority water connections to be used for properties with failed wells in Half Moon Bay.

RECOMMENDATION

Adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board of Supervisors to execute an agreement between the County of San Mateo, the City of Half Moon Bay, and the Coastside County Water District (CCWD) to allow two priority water connections that are reserved under the County’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) for residences with failed wells in the unincorporated area to be used to serve two residences with failed wells in Half Moon Bay under certain conditions.

VISION ALIGNMENT

Commitment: Leaders work together across boundaries to preserve and enhance our quality of life.

Goal 23: Leaders throughout the County provide the impetus for broader regional solutions in land use, housing, childcare, education, health and transportation.

BACKGROUND

Water wells have failed on four residential properties in the City of Half Moon Bay. These properties have applied for connections to the Coastside County Water District. At this time, the District has no available connections for residential properties in Half Moon Bay. These properties are considered as non-priority land uses in the City’s Local Coastal Program (LCP). However, the District has unused capacity to serve priority land uses. In order for the City to convert unused priority capacity to non-priority land uses, the City will submit an LCP amendment to the Coastal Commission, a time-consuming process.

In the meantime, the City itself owns priority water connections that it can provide to two of the properties. For the other properties, the City has asked the County to allow two of the priority water allocations set aside for failed wells in the unincorporated area under the County’s LCP.

The City Council of Half Moon Bay and the Board of Directors of the Coastside County Water District have approved this agreement.

DISCUSSION

KEY ISSUES

1.

County staff recommends approval of this agreement under certain conditions. These conditions state that when the Coastal Commission approves Half Moon Bay’s LCP amendment, CCWD is authorized to transfer two priority water connections from the City to the County’s failed well allocation. If, however, the County needs one or both of the connections for failed wells before the LCP amendment is approved, the District will be authorized to transfer one or two City-owned connections to the County.

2.

If the LCP amendment is not certified by the Coastal Commission, CCWD is authorized to provide two City-owned connections to the County’s allocation.

3.

All parties will continue to work together to develop a long-term solution to address well failures.

FISCAL IMPACT

None to the County.

ATTACHMENTS

A.

Resolution

B.

Agreement