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Council opens public hearing on 2020 urban water management plan; hearing continued and to be renoticed
Summary
Council heard staff presentation and public comment on adopting the city's overdue 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), debated whether to delay for further GSA coordination, then voted to rescind the adoption vote and continue/renotice the hearing to the next meeting.
City staff presented the city’s overdue 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) during the Feb. 18 public hearing, explaining the document is intended to document water supplies, conservation and drought response and to enable grant applications.
Staff said the city is behind on the five‑year UWMP cycle and wants to adopt the 2020 plan now so it can begin grant applications and proceed with the 2025 UWMP. "It is highly beneficial for us to start grant hunting. We cannot grant hunt until this has been pushed forward," staff said.
Why it matters: The city’s UWMP is foundational for grant eligibility and regional coordination on groundwater and conservation. Council members questioned the timing and asked whether the city should delay to coordinate more with the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) and Kings River Conservation District (KRCD). One council member — who serves on the GSA board — urged a delay for additional coordination.
Public comment split. Private‑citizen commenters encouraged adoption to preserve grant eligibility; others urged fuller GSA coordination. Alex Walker, a resident, argued in favor of adoption to preserve grant opportunities, saying GSA comments were better addressed in the 2025 plan.
Action taken: Council initially voted to hold the public hearing and approve the UWMP resolution; later in the meeting staff and the city attorney noted the public‑hearing notice had timing issues. The council subsequently voted to rescind that approval, continue the public hearing to the next council meeting and re‑notice the hearing so the UWMP finalization can proceed with correct public‑notice procedures.
Next steps: Staff said revised materials, including GSA comments and related adjustments, will be returned on the consent calendar at the next meeting after the required re‑notice. Council emphasized coordination with GSA and KRCD would be included in the 2025 UWMP work.
