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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.08.2015 WB Agenda Packet Special MtgCity of Bakersfield Water Board Special Meeting of April 8, 2015 al Kern River at the Calloway Weir Water Resources File Packet WATER BOARD Harold Hanson, Chair Bob Smith Terry Maxwell CITY OF BAKERSFIELD WATER BOARD SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - 11:00 a.m. Water Resources Building Conference Room 1000 Buena Vista Road, Bakersfield, CA 93311 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS 4. REPORTS A. Kern River & Isabella Reservoir Operations Report - For Board Information 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Emergency Ordinance adding Chapter 14.25 to the Bakersfield Municipal Code relating to Regulations for Urban Water Conservation to Limit Irrigation on Turf and Landscapes - For Board Review and Action. B. Agreement for a Dry Year Water Supply with Kern County Water Agency, Improvement District No. 4 - For Board Review and Action. C. Resolution Setting Domestic Water Availability Fees for service areas of the City of Bakersfield Domestic Water System - For Board Review and Action. 6, WATER BOARD STATEMENTS 7, ADJOURNMENT (1--lL �2/ ART CHIANELLO, P.E. Water Resources Manager POSTED: April 3, 2015 B A K E R S F I E L D WATER BOARD Harold Hanson, Chair Bob Smith Terry Maxwell CITY OF BAKERSFIELD WATER BOARD SPECIAL MEETING Wednesday, April 8, 2015 - 11:00 a.m. Water Resources Building Conference Room 1000 Buena Vista Road, Bakersfield, CA 93311 AGENDA CALL TO ORDER 2. ROLL CALL 3. PUBLIC STATEMENTS 4. REPORTS A. Kern River & Isabella Reservoir Operations Report - For Board Information 5. NEW BUSINESS A. Emergency Ordinance adding Chapter 14.25 to the Bakersfield Municipal Code relating to Regulations for Urban Water Conservation to Limit Irrigation on Turf and Landscapes - For Board Review and Action. B. Agreement for a Dry Year Water Supply with Kern County Water Agency, Improvement District No. 4 - For Board Review and Action. C. Resolution Setting Domestic Water Availability Fees for service areas of the City of Bakersfield Domestic Water System - For Board Review and Action. 6, WATER BOARD STATEMENTS 7, ADJOURNMENT (1--lL �2/ ART CHIANELLO, P.E. Water Resources Manager POSTED: April 3, 2015 BAKE O� CORPORA' 40, ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT IF WATER BOARD MEETING DATE: April 8, 2015 AGENDA SECTION: Reports ITEM: 4.A. TO: Harold Hanson, Chairman Bob Smith, Member Terry Maxwell, Member FROM: Art Chianello, Water Resources Manager DATE: April 1, 2015 APPROVED DEPARTMENT HEAD SUBJECT: Kern River & Isabella Reservoir Operations Report RECOMMENDATION: For Board Information BACKGROUND: Report by John Ryan Hydrographic Supervisor on current Kern River flow and Isabella storage conditions. LL C) Q /O Vd 0 //W� Vd w a �nn �J MU Cl) N ad Q W B O m W nLL lu ul � o N W N 3 O J LL Q Q Ir W Z W Y (SIS043Uaasd Uo UOIJBAG13) 1=10V U9 3OdaO1S o" o� cn O o o- o-- cc O a- c - O LL O LL i O O O LL O z i O O CL O O O N O O m O a O o C! - O m O O O_a O� 00 Oo O r OQ 0(P o a, O� Opp O N O Op 016 4 03 Lo O rn Lo rn O, Lo 0, LL) i. 0 lf) n O n O a Co N LO N Lf) N W N 't N Cl) N Co N N N N r N T N Lf) N 0 ° O O O O O O O O O O co � r 0 O O 0 O O CU LO d' GN003S U3d 133=loisno O O O O O O O CYi N r r CL (D U) LO T 1� LO T LO T f. LO T c C� G LO T L CL Q Lo T c0 2 LO N LL Ln T U T 0 z U O cn I I I � i cc L E N O Z,y cc I 3 o I U 3 Z�� I O U. 'O t m CD O O O O O O O O O O co � r 0 O O 0 O O CU LO d' GN003S U3d 133=loisno O O O O O O O CYi N r r CL (D U) LO T 1� LO T LO T f. LO T c C� G LO T L CL Q Lo T c0 2 LO N LL Ln T U T 0 z U O p�aBA RS 4" ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT cgLIFO WATER BOARD SPECIAL MEETING DATE: April 8, 2015 AGENDA SECTION: New Business ITEM: 5.A. TO: Harold Hanson, Chairman Bob Smith, Member Terry Maxwell, Member FROM: Art Chianello, Water Resources Manager DATE: April 2, 2015 APPROVED DEPARTMENT HEAD FaR SUBJECT: An Emergency Ordinance Adding Chapter 14.25 to the Bakersfield Municipal Code Relating to Regulations for Urban Water Conservation to Limit Irrigation of Turf and Landscapes. RECOMMENDATION: Water Board recommends that the Emergency Ordinance be referred to the City Council for adoption. BACKGROUND: On January 17, 2014, Edmund G. Brown, Governor of California, proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in the State of California due to severe drought conditions, and on April 25, 2014, he signed an Executive Order directing the State Water Board to adopt emergency regulations as it deems necessary, pursuant to California Water Code section 1058.5, to ensure that urban water suppliers implement drought response plans to limit outdoor irrigation and other wasteful water practices. California Water Code section 1058.5 grants the State Water Board the authority to adopt emergency regulations during a period when the Governor has issued a proclamation of emergency based upon drought conditions or in response to drought conditions that exist, or are threatened, in a critically dry year immediately preceded by two or more consecutive below normal, dry, or critically dry years. Accordingly, on July 15, 2014, the State Water Board approved an emergency regulation for urban water conservation that required urban water suppliers to implement the stage of its water shortage contingency plan that imposes restrictions on outdoor irrigation, which resulted in the City implementing Stage 3 of its Urban Water Management Plan. As of March 3, 2015, Central and Southern Sierra snowpack is at 20 and 21 percent of average, respectively, and without significant March snowfall, the Sierra snow water content may be the lowest in recorded history. Due to these drought conditions and dry conditions for the past several years, storage in California's reservoirs is also at below average levels. 4/2/2015 j1 + +IIIIIpNO / / / / /i /yi � WIN ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT WATER BOARD On March 17, 2015, The State Water Board found that an emergency still exists due to severe drought conditions and that adoption of additional emergency regulations with specific prohibitions on water uses was necessary to promote water conservation to maintain an adequate supply during the drought emergency. The emergency regulation approved by the State Water Board requires urban water suppliers that don't already impose a limit on the number of days that outdoor watering is allowed to limit outdoor irrigation of turf and ornamental landscapes. The City of Bakersfield currently does not impose a limit on the number of days that outdoor watering is allowed, so the City of Bakersfield must adopt this ordinance limiting the number of days that outdoor watering is allowed. Adoption of this Ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety. The April 2014 Executive Order suspended the requirement for review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for certain activities, including adoption of emergency regulations, and on December 22, 2014, Executive Order B- 28 -14, extended the suspension of CEQA through May 31, 2016. VG:dll $: \WATER \Waterboard \Wafer Emergency Admin.Docx 4/2/2015 ORDINANCE NO. AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE ADDING CHAPTER 14.25 TO THE BAKERSFIELD MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO REGULATIONS FOR URBAN WATER CONSERVATION TO LIMIT IRRIGATION OF TURF AND LANDSCAPES. BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Bakersfield as follows: WHEREAS, on January 17, 2014, Edmund G. Brown, Governor of California, proclaimed a State of Emergency to exist in the State of California due to severe drought conditions; and WHEREAS, on April 25, 2014, the Governor signed an Executive Order directing the State Water Board to adopt emergency regulations as it deems necessary, pursuant to California Water Code section 1058.5, to ensure that urban water suppliers implement drought response plans to limit outdoor irrigation and other wasteful water practices; and WHEREAS, California Water Code section 1058.5 grants the State Water Board the authority to adopt emergency regulations during a period when the Governor has issued a proclamation of emergency based upon drought conditions or in response to drought conditions that exist, or are threatened, in a critically dry year immediately preceded by two or more consecutive below normal, dry, or critically dry years; and WHEREAS, on July 15, 2014, the State Water Board approved an emergency regulation for urban water conservation that required urban water suppliers to implement the stage of its water shortage contingency plan that imposes restrictions on outdoor irrigation, which resulted in the City implementing Stage 3 of its Urban Water Management Plan; and WHEREAS, as of March 3, 2015, Central and Southern Sierra snowpack is at 20 and 21 percent of average, respectively, and without significant March snowfall, the Sierra snow water content may be the lowest in recorded history; and WHEREAS, due to these drought conditions and dry conditions for the past several years, storage in California's reservoirs is also at below average levels; and -- Page 1 of 4 Pages -- WHEREAS, on March 17, 2015, The State Water Board found that an emergency still exists due to severe drought conditions and that adoption of additional emergency regulations with specific prohibitions on water uses was necessary to promote water conservation to maintain an adequate supply during the drought emergency; and WHEREAS, the emergency regulation approved by the State Water Board requires urban water suppliers that don't already impose a limit on the number of days that outdoor watering is allowed to limit outdoor irrigation of turf and ornamental landscapes; and WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield currently does not impose a limit on the number of days that outdoor watering is allowed, so the City of Bakersfield must adopt this ordinance limiting the number of days that outdoor watering is allowed; and WHEREAS, the April 2014 Executive Order suspended the requirement for review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for certain activities, including adoption of emergency regulations, and on December 22, 2014, Executive Order B- 28 -14, extended the suspension of CEQA through May 31, 2016; and WHEREAS, this Ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Bakersfield as follows: or 1. The above recitals are true and correct. 2. Section 25 of Chapter 14 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code is hereby added to read as follows: 14.25 Water Use Regulations A. Allowable Watering Days - April 23, 2015 through January 18, 2016 1. Outside irrigation of ornamental landscapes or turf with potable water is allowed by City residents no more than a maximum of three days per week. City residents may choose which days per week that outdoor irrigation will occur at their address. 2, Outside irrigation is advised in the early morning and evening hours to reduce evaporation. -- Page 2 of 4 Pages -- 3. Commercial, industrial, and institutional properties, such as campuses, golf courses, and cemeteries, shall immediately implement water efficiency measures to reduce potable water usage in an amount consistent with the reduction targets of the State Water Resources Control Board. B. Failure to comply with these regulations shall be punishable as an infraction or misdemeanor pursuant to Bakersfield Municipal Code Section 1.40.010. 3. Pursuant to Section 23 of the Charter, this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after April 23, 2015. -- Page 3 of 4 Pages -- HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Ordinance was first read at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City on the day of , 2015, and was passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on the day of 2015, by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSTAI N ABSENT: APPROVED COUNCIL MEMBER RIVERA, MAXWELL, WEIR, SMITH, HANSON, SULLIVAN, PARLIER COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL MEMBER_ HARVEY L. HALL Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney ZO- VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney RI:dII S:\ COUNCIL \Ords \14 -15 \Water Emergency Limlts.Docx ROBERTA GAFFORD, CMC CITY CLERK AND EX OFFICIO of the Council of the City of Bakersfield -- Page 4 of 4 Pages -- BAKE Q�`a�pBPORAT� S ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT c9i`P WATER BOARD MEETING DATE: April 8, 2015 AGENDA SECTION: New Business ITEM: 5.13. TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT Harold Hanson, Chairman Bob Smith, Member Terry Maxwell, Member Art Chianello, Water Resources Manager April 1, 2015 APPROVED DEPARTMENT HEAD aC Agreement for Dry Year Water Supply between City and Kern County Water Agency Improvement District No. 4 (not to exceed $400,000). RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Water Board refer agreement to City Council for approval. BACKGROUND: On September 21, 2005, the City entered into a Water Supply Agreement with Improvement District No. 4 (ID4) to receive treated State Water Project (SWP) water from the Henry C. Garnett Water Treatment Plant. This 2005 Agreement anticipated that the source of water would originate as surface water from the SWP. During an average water year the City receives up to 6,500 acre -feet of treated SWP surface water in annual entitlement from ID4. Due to the extreme, ongoing drought conditions, this 6,500 acre -feet of SWP surface water is not available this year. Typically, the SWP surface water is used to supply residences and businesses within the City's Domestic Water Service area in Northwest Bakersfield. Absent the annual entitlement of SWP surface water or an alternate, adequate source, customers may experience potential service related issues during the peak of the hot summer months - including low pressure. Although surface water from the SWP is not available for City use again this year, there is banked SWP water available for the city, which would require pumping to access. Because the 2005 agreement did not address banked SWP water and the associated pumping costs, the City must enter into a separate agreement to obtain the water. The proposed agreement includes an incremental cost of $80 per acre -foot to pump the banked SWP water, which is necessary to cover the extra electrical costs associated with operation of the pumps. Under the proposed agreement, it is estimated that approximately 5,000 acre -feet will be available as pumped SWP water, with the balance of the necessary 6,500 acre -feet being supplied by extra pumping of City domestic water wells. Staff is recommending that the term of the agreement run through December 31, 2015. If other City supplies become available during the term of the proposed agreement, the City will prioritize the use of those supplies over the use of the pumped SWP water. It is anticipated that this agreement would provide for an alternate, adequate water source which would prevent any service related issues to customers. BAKE O� �conrax�repRs� ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT SAIF WATER BOARD It should be noted the City is currently undertaking projects which are anticipated to alleviate the need for a future similar Dry Year Agreement by increasing redundancy and supply to the impacted area. The planned installation of a water main as part of the Rosedale Highway Widening Project and bringing existing wells back online after installing water quality well head treatment is expected to provide for a long -term solution for these customers. As always, City staff is continually monitoring the Kern River runoff situation. Unfortunately, current data shows that we could experience one of the driest year on record for the Kern River watershed. Funds are available in the 2014/2015 fiscal year Water Resources operating budget. No General Fund monies will be used. Staff is recommending approval of the agreement. S: \2015 Water Board \4.08.15 Special Water Board \Dry Year Agreement Between City and ID4 for 2015.docx AGREEMENT NO. AGREEMENT FOR A DRY YEAR WATER SUPPLY BETWEEN IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT NO. 4 AND THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD This agreement entered this day of , 2015 between the Kern County Water Agency ( "Agency "), individually and on behalf of Improvement District No. 4 ( "ID4 "), and CITY OF BAKERSFIELD ( "Customer "). RECITALS WHEREAS, the Agency has previously entered into long term water supply agreements with the Customer dated September 21, 2005 ( "Water Supply Agreement No. 05- 325 "), a model of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A; WHEREAS, the Water Supply Agreement provides, pursuant to Article 12(A), that the Agency may use ID4 groundwater banking projects or in- district wells for reducing shortages subject to a separate agreement between the Agency and the Customer; WHEREAS, ID4 staff has investigated the recovery capacity of the ID4 groundwater banking projects and in- district wells to provide dry year supplies to reduce shortages to the Customer in years when treated water requests of the Customer for New Entitlement cannot be met by ID4's surface water supplies; WHEREAS, ID4 staff has provided the Customer with analyses showing the estimated costs of utilizing the recharge and recovery capacity of the ID4 groundwater banking projects and in- district wells to provide such dry year supplies; WHEREAS, the Customer desires to utilize the recovery capacity of the ID4 groundwater banking projects and in- district wells to receive a dry year water supply from ID4 to reduce shortages as provided for in the Water Supply Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Agency and Customer agree as follows: Incorporation of Water Supply Agreement. The provisions of the Wafer Supply Agreement, including but not limited to those that define the terms used in this agreement and those that describe the obligation and method of payments, are hereby incorporated by reference into this agreement. 2. Schedule for Dry Year Supplies. (a) By December 1, 2014, the Agency provided the Customer with a preliminary estimate of 04's recovery capacity for dry year supplies for the succeeding year. (b) By March 1, 2015, the Customer will provide the Agency with its preliminary dry year water supply request and delivery schedule for that year. (c) By May 1, 2015, the Customer will provide ID4 with its final dry year water supply request and delivery schedule for that year. (d) After May 1, 2015, the Customer may propose to amend its dry year water supply request and delivery schedule for that year. The Agency shall review any proposed amendments and provide an updated delivery schedule within two weeks of the request. (e) Agency shall endeavor to at all times keep the Customer apprised of State Water Supply anticipated allocations so that the Customer may make informed decisions about dry year supply needs. 3. Costs and Payments for Dry Year Supplies. (a) By December 1, 2014, the Agency provided the Customer with a preliminary estimate and detailed breakdown of the costs for dry year supplies, including any ID4 administrative costs, for the succeeding year. (b) By May 1, 2015, the Customer shall pay 25% of the dry year water supply charges due to ID4 for that year that are attributable to such Customer's preliminary dry year water supply request and delivery schedule. The remaining 75% of I the dry year water supply charges due to ID4 for that year will be collected in equal installments on a monthly basis in those months for which the Customer has requested delivery of any dry year water supplies. (c) ID4 will reconcile all dry year water supply costs when final costs for the recovery of such supplies are available and by substituting actual deliveries for the requested deliveries made pursuant to 2(c) and 2(d). The Customer will be charged a melded rate for recovery over all ID4 groundwater banking projects and in- district wells used to meet dry year water supply requests. (d) The Customer may, upon reasonable notice, reduce its dry year water supply request and delivery schedule, and shall not be obligated to make payments for dry year water supplies that are not delivered to Customer pursuant to such reduction. 4. Term of Agreement This agreement shall terminate on December 31, 2015. The parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed the day specified below by the following duly authorized representatives of the contracting parties. "CUSTOMER" CITY OF BAKERSFIELD HARVEY L. HALL Mayor Date: "AGENCY" KERN COUNTY WATER AGENCY Improvement District 4 By: Print Name: Title: Date: More signatures on the following page 3 APPROVED AS TO CONTENT: WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT as ART R. CHIANELLO, P. E. Water Resources Manager APPROVED AS TO FORM: VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney Insurance COUNTERSIGNED: NELSON SMITH Finance Director O�BAKE ��ORPOq�f� �51� ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT �9L WATER BOARD MEETING DATE: April 8, 2015 AGENDA SECTION: New Business ITEM: 5.C. TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT Harold Hanson, Chairman Bob Smith, Member Terry Maxwell, Member Art Chianello, Water Resources Manager April 1, 2015 //APPROVED DEPARTMENT HEAD UCC Resolution setting Domestic Water Availability Fee for service areas of the City of Bakersfield Domestic Water system. RECOMMENDATION: Water Board recommends the resolution be forwarded to the full City Council for adoption at the public hearing scheduled on June 3, 2015. BACKGROUND: California Government Code Section 66016 requires that increases in existing fees and charges be adopted by ordinance or resolution following a public hearing. It also requires a local agency to hold at least one open and public meeting regarding the increase. A public hearing to accept testimony regarding the fee increase is scheduled to be held before the Council of the City of Bakersfield on Wednesday, June 3, 2015. The current Water Availability Fee charged to ensure water will be available for new development (cost of funding water well construction, water mainline extensions etc.) is $5,938 per acre. The per acre fee is approximately equivalent to an increase in the one -time charge of $33.10 on a single family dwelling. The new Water Availability Fee is to be set at $6,054 per acre to offset increased cost over last year in accordance with the construction cost index as defined in the Bakersfield Municipal Code. The new fee will increase 1.96% and is proposed to be effective July 1, 2015. The fee has not been adjusted since July 1, 2014. S: \2015 Water Board \4.08.15 Special Water Board \WB ADMIN RPT Reso Domestic Water Avail Fees.dot RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD SETTING DOMESTIC WATER AVAILABILITY FEES. WHEREAS, the City is slated with the responsibility of ensuring that all proposed development in the City's Domestic Water Service area will have a viable high quality water supply and pressures or such development cannot proceed; and WHEREAS, in order to ensure that current and future infrastructure and distribution of water supplies will be available for current and new users, the City must take all necessary steps to procure and capture water resources, including, but not limited to, acquiring real property for the drilling of water wells, installation of transmission water mains and water treatment facilities; and WHEREAS, the cost of procuring and maintaining the water supply is an expense which is funded from the various fees established for the use of such water supplies; and WHEREAS, the Availability Fee charged to ensure water will be accessible for new development (cost of funding new water well construction, purchase of land for recharge facilities, etc.) is currently $5,938.00 per acre and has not been adjusted since July 1, 2014; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Government Code Section 66016, the City noticed a hearing for June 3, 2015 regarding the setting of the availability fee; and WHEREAS, pursuant to the calculations set forth in Exhibit "A ", attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference, the new availability fee needs to be set at $6,054.00 per acre effective July 1, 2015 to offset these increased costs, pursuant to Bakersfield Municipal Code Section 14.04.120(B) in accordance with the Construction Cost Index as defined in the Bakersfield Municipal Code Section 15.84.030(D). Page 1 of 3 NOW, THEREFORE, BE ff RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Bakersfield MIMI= 1. The above recitals are true and correct and incorporated herein by reference; 2. The City Council hereby adopts a new water availability fee of $6,054.00 ----------- �011 .; HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on , by the following vote: AYES: COUNCIL MEMBER NOES: COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBER APPROVED By HARVEY L. HALL Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney M VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney Page 3 of 3 ROBERTA A. GAFFORD, CMC CITY CLERK AND EX OFFICIO Clerk of the Council of the City of Bakersfield ENR AVAILABILITY FEE Construction Cost Index 125,455.41 123,044.62 Divided by 12 10,454.62 10,253.72 Computation of change in CCI: 2013 10,454.62 2012 10,253.72 Change ($) 200.90 Change ( %) 1.96% Current Availability Fee - July 1, 2014 $5,938 Change ( %) Construction Cost Index 1.96% EXHIBIT "A" 2013 2012 January 10,276.68 10,091.80 February 10,284.93 10,091.80 March 10,283.93 10,283.55 April 10,289.18 10,285.30 May 10,298.93 10,300.05 June 10,304.68 10,299.55 July 10,306.93 10,295.55 August 10,304.18 10,280.55 September 10,305.43 10,280.18 October 11, 320.93 10,283.18 November 10,740.93 10,282.18 December 10, 738.68 10, 270.93 125,455.41 123,044.62 Divided by 12 10,454.62 10,253.72 Computation of change in CCI: 2013 10,454.62 2012 10,253.72 Change ($) 200.90 Change ( %) 1.96% Current Availability Fee - July 1, 2014 $5,938 Change ( %) Construction Cost Index 1.96% EXHIBIT "A" 1-4-40101-A' NUNN- NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a protest hearing accepting testimony will be held before the Council of the City of Bakersfield on Wednesday June 3, 2015 at 5:15 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, in the Council Chambers of City Hall South, 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. The purpose of the hearing is to receive and consider input regarding setting of the Domestic Water Availability Fee pursuant to Section 14.04.120(8) of the Bakersfield Municipal Code. The current Availability Fee charged to ensure water will be accessible for new development (cost of funding water well construction, water main extensions, etc.) is $5,933 per acre. The new Availability Fee needs to be set at $6,054 per acre to offset increased cost in accordance with the construction cost index as defined in the Bakersfield Municipal Code. The increase is proposed to be effective July 1, 2015. If you need additional information on the water services provided by the City or on the proposed Water Availability Fee, please contact the Water Resources Department at (661) 3263715. WRITTEN PROTESTS may be filed with the City Clerk at any time prior to the conclusion of the hearing at 1600 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93301. If you challenge the action taken on this proposal in court, you may be limited to addressing only those issues raised at the public hearing, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Clerk of the City of Bakersfield prior to the close of the hearing. Dated: May 1, 2015 ROBERTA GAFFORD, CMC City Clerk and Ex Officio Clerk of the Council of the City of Bakersfield Please Conserve Water!