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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 290-06City of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report 6 TO: FROM: DATE: SUBJECT: HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY MANAGER JULY 10, 2006 APPROVAL OF DEPARTMENT:UTILITIES CMR:290:06 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IN SUPPORT OF THE BAY ?d~EA WATER FORUM RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that the City Council approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Bay Area Water Forum. BACKGROUND The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Executive Board established a CaNed Task Force ha 2000. During 2004, the Task Force was re-structured to form the Bay Area Water Forum (BAWF). The BAWF includes stakeholders in addition to elected officials, such as representatives of Bay Area water agencies and members of non-governmental organizations from around the Bay. One of the main goals of BAWF is to foster regional cooperation between Bay Area agencies and to increase the chances that projects in the area can receive state grant funding under Proposition 50, which encourages integrated regional strate~es of management of water resources. DISCUSSION BAWF is now independent of ABAG. The Chair of BAWF is Marin County Supervisor Cynthia Murray. Co-chairs are Greg Zlotnick, a Director of the Santa Clara Valley Water District and Grant Davis, Executive Director of the Bay Institute. BAWF participants include representatives of local and county governments, special districts, and interest groups. The collaborative efforts of the group have already reaped the benefits of securing state grant fimds for preparing a Bay Area IRWMP. CMR:290:06 Page I of 2 BAWF has finalized a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (Attachment 2) to support the ~vork of BAWF and has completed a work plan for 2006. The work plan (Attachment 3) contemplates four co~mnittees to conduct some of BAWF’s work: 1) Land Use and Water, to focus on the land use and water resource use nexus; 2) Outreach and Communications, to develop commmfications strateNes among BAWF agencies and organizations; 3) Policy, Legislative, and Funding, to monitor leNslative and policy initiatives that could impact Bay Area water resources; and 4) Ecosystem Restoration, to focus on ecosystem restoration efforts. During the past year, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has assisted the BAWF by providing support from the Center for Collaborative Policy, which has provided overall strategic plamfing, facilitation, and coordination of the meetings and agendas. BAWF is looking for broad support of the MOU and plans to use it to support a request of DWR to continue supporting BAWF in the future. If the City of Palo Alto signs the MOU, the City will signal its support for BAWF objectives of regional cooperation on Bay Area water resource issues. RESOURCE IMPACT Palo Alto staff will spend a limited number of staff hours participating at BAWF meetings and reporting to management on issues raised and opportunities discussed at the meetings. POLICY IMPLICATIONS Signing the MOU does not represent a change in existing City policies. BAWF itself does not have any authority and does not derive any authority from participating agencies. As stated in Section VII of the MOU, BAW-F operates "without usurping the responsibilities and authorities of any participating agency or organization." ENVIRONMENTAL RE¥IEW Signing the MOU does not constitute a project under the California Environmental Quality Act; therefore, no environmental assessment is required. ATTACHMENTS 1. Resolution Approving the Memorandum of Understanding in Support of the Bay Area Water Forum 2. Memorandum of Understanding in Support of the Bay Area Water Forum 3. Bay Area Water Forum Work Plan - 2006 PREPARED BY:Jane Ratchye, Senior Resource Planner DEPARTMENT HEAD: ~~/~ ~ ~’ Director of Administrative Services CITY MANAGER APPROVAL.’~"~--~o ~ EM14LY H_X~d~S ON Assistant City Manager CMR:290:06 Page 2 of 2 NOT YET APPROVED Attachment I RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO APPROVING THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING IN SUPPORT OF THE BAY AREA WATER FORUM WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto ("City"), a municipal utility and chartered city, is an urban water supplier providing water to a population over 60,000, a receiver of water from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission through the Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct, the operator of a regional water treatment facility, both a producer and user of recycled water, and a member of and active participant in the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency; and WHEREAS, the Bay Area Water Forum provides a setting for research and discussion of cooperative ways to conserve, safeguard, and deliver water supplies, reduce vulnerability to flood damage, and protect and restore the environment in urban, rural, and open space settings; and WHEREAS, in its programs of public outreach, the study of the relationships among land uses and water resources, and the monitoring of legislative and policy initiatives and funding resources,the Bay Area Water Forum brings together elected officials,public agency officials, representatives of interested non-governmental organizations, and members of the general public to advance our understanding of the problems facing our region and ways in which they may be addressed; and WHEREAS, by participating in the Bay Area Water Forum and signing the attached Memorandum of Understanding, the City engages in valuable work with other members of the forum but does not enter in to a joint powers agreement or partnership of any type, and accepts no liability for any activities taking place at, or in the name of, the Bay Area Water Forum; NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Paio Alto does RESOLVE as follows: SECTION I. The Council hereby approves the Memorandum of Understanding in support of the Bay Area Water Forum. // // 060623 syn 0091674 NOT YET APPROVED SECTION 2. The Council finds and determines that approval of the Memorandum of Understanding is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act,and no environmental assessment if required. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST:APPROVED: City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Senior Asst. City Attorney Mayor City Manager Director of Utilities Director of Administrative Services 060623 syn 0091674 Attachment 2 MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING in support of the Bay Area Water Forum This Memorandum of Understanding is based on the following acknowledgements about the value of participating as a sponsoring partner of the Bay Area Water Forum: I. The water resources of the San Francisco Bay estuary region, including the Delta, represent a precious resource with extensive ecological and economic value, supporting a highly populated, growing region which extends into the Delta and beyond; II. Regional water resources plaming is critical to identifying and achieving water supply, water quality, stormwater management, flood control, public health, envirorLrnental, habitat, land use and related goals for the Bay region; III. Effective regional partnerships are critical to improving and sustaining Bay Area water resources and associated ecosystems; IV. The Bay Area Water Forum (BAWF) provides a venue for all stakeholders in the Bay region including water, wastewater and stormwater agencies, local governments, environmental and business groups, and other conmaunity and civic organizations, to identify, discuss and work cooperatively on key water resources issues in the Bay region; V. The BAWl= does not have policy making or decision making authority; nonetheless, it provides an essential opportunity to build an appreciation of regional water resources issues across differing agencies, interest groups and sub-regions within the Bay area, building on the needs of individual jurisdictions, public agencies and interest groups; VI. With the added emphasis on regional cooperation as the basis for state funding of water resources and infrastructure projects, the BAWF provides a place where new approaches and solutions to regional water resource challenges can be generated in light of existing and potential future funding sources; VII. Since the BAWF is designed to be a resource and advocate for Bay region cooperation, it serves as a vehicle to gain greater leverage for new policy and funding initiatives without usurping the responsibilities and authorities of any participating agency or organization; VIII. As the relationships of those involved in the Forum strengthens, the BAWF can be used as a venue for identifying and discussing the more complex regional issues that must be addressed as the region continues to grow and change; IX. The BAWF can serve as an important, multi-stakeholder forum for discussing issues related to developing, updating and implementing the Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWS~) and which would benefit from regional cooperation and consistency; X. To the extent desired, the BAWF provides an opportunity to explore new challenges, such as global climate change, sea level rise and other heretofore unidentified issues that will require regional cooperation and resources to address effectively. Based on these and emer~ng values associated with enhanced reNonal cooperation on water resources issues, and with the intent that the BAWF become an even more effective venue for promoting regional efforts to protect and enhance water sources in the Bay Region, the following organizations do hereby commit to work together to build and sustain the BAWF as a vehicle for improving trust, coordination and cooperation among - and strengthening the voice of- the many jurisdictions, agencies and organizations responsible for and with a vested interest in the future of Bay ReNon water resources and ecosystems. Partners Supporting the Bay Area Water Forum Attachmenl 3 Bay Area Water Forum Work Plan - 2006 The purpose of this draft work plan is to outline possible activities for the Bay Area Water Forum (BAWF) during 2006. Funding for the Center for Collaborative Policy exists through May 2006. Additional anticipated sources of funding may extend support for the Center into the fal!, although this must be monitored closely. This work plan is predicated on the involvement of the Center to provide strateNc planning and facilitation support, with (as currently envisioned) the State Coastal Conservancy authorized to receive and disburse donations to fund the Center’s support of the BAWF. The BAWF is intended as a venue to encourage regional cooperation and a healthy exchange of ideas through multi-stakeholder participation in discussions, explorations and mutually supportive actions that benefit Bay reNon water resources and the various local, state and federal agencies responsible for their management and sustainability. This Work Plan is a dynamic document that is subject to changing resources, new ideas and newly identified needs. The tasks pla~med for the next six months include: 1.Monthly meetings of the BAWF (including tracking with activities in support of developing the Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP)) 2.Meetings of Committees, as necessary, focusing on the issues identified on Attachment A. 3.Working with the IRWMP Technical Coordinating Committee, serve as a venue for providing broad stakeholder input into the IRWMP Based on the ability to develop consensus on initiatives that address Bay Area water resources needs, and availability of resources, develop and implement actions plans for those initiatives o ° Working with BAWF participants, discuss the critical water resources and land use management issues and initiatives of relevance to the Bay Area, including leNslation, potential bonds,. CaWed, emerNng Delta initiatives, etc. Working with BAWF participants, discuss ongoing issues related to coordinating regiona! and local perspectives on water resources and related issues Provide a networking opportunity for public agencies, environmental, business and other stakeholders to further their interests in collaboration, education and best practices around water-related policies and issues 8.Highlight successful water initiatives, projects, and/or progams in our re,on or other parts of the state to help the BAWF participants stay abreast of emerNng data and trends Strengthen the relationships of the BAWF with state and federal agencies (e.g., enter into an MOU with DWR’s Conjunctive Use/IRWMP pro~’am, etc.) Strengthen relationships among the various goups participating in the BAWF Support workshops and similar initiatives of BAWF participating agencies and organizations (e.g., the IRWMP partners, the Regional Board Stormwater Management Plan, etc.) Attachment A In reviewing the Committee structure that supports the Forum, the following Committee’s are recommended: 1) 4) Land Use and Water Committee - focus on the interface between land use, infrastructure and water resources planning among water and other local government agencies (e.g., address ways in which water and local governme~t agencies can work more closely on water policy initiatives). Co-Chairs: Katy Foulkes and Dena Mossar Outreach and Communications - focus on developing and implementing outreach and communication strategies among Forum members (e.g., Website, creating and managing a Blog, outreach to b~terest gT"oups not represented, etc.). Co-Chairs: (TBD) Policy, Le~slation and Funding - continue to track, coordinate and report on activities related to legislation, policy and funding initiatives that could impact Bay Area water resources interests,’ also, address funding needs of the Forum. Co-Chairs: Greg Zlotnick, Elizabeth Patterson and Andrew Michael Ecosystem Restoration - continue to interact with the San Francisco Estuary Project Implementation Committee, focusing on ecosystem restoration and related efforts affecting the Bay (e.g., provide a venue for input on the ecosystem restoratio~ components of the IRWMP). Co-Chairs: Marcia Brockbank and (TBD)