REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: BROCK D. BUCHE, PE, PLS, Director
Department of Public Utilities
BY: CHERYL BURNS, MPA, Senior Management Analyst
Department of Public Utilities - Administration
SUBJECT
Title
BILL (for introduction) - Amending Section 6-520 of the Fresno Municipal Code, relating to regulations for urban water conservation
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council approve a bill for introduction amending Section 6-520 of the Fresno Municipal Code relating to regulations for urban water conservation. If approved by the City Council, the revisions to the FMC will become effective 31 days after final passage.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The State Water Board approved Resolution 2022-0018 which adopted regulations to reduce water demand and improve water conservation, which went into effect on June 10, 2022. These regulations include a prohibition on the use of potable water for the irrigation of non-functional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) sites. The emergency regulation makes the irrigation of CII non-functional turf an infraction and any entity such as a water supplier or local government already authorized to enforce infractions, including the City of Fresno, is expected to enforce violations of the regulation.
The Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) authorizes the enforcement of specific water conservation regulations but does not include the authority to enforce additional emergency regulations imposed by the State Water Board or other regulatory entities. For the City to enforce the prohibition on non-functional turf at CII sites, as required by the State, the FMC must be updated to incorporate the authority to enforce such emergency regulations not specifically identified in Section 6-520 of the FMC.
BACKGROUND
On April 21, May 10, July 8, and October 19, 2021, Governor Newsom issued proclamations that a state of emergency exists statewide due to severe drought conditions. Further, on October ...
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