Supervisors waive first reading on repeal of underground hazardous-substance ordinance; second reading set for July 22

Yolo County environmental health staff on July 8 asked the Board of Supervisors to waive the first reading of a proposed ordinance that would repeal Chapter 11 of Title 6 of the Yolo County Code, the county’s 1984 ordinance regulating underground storage of hazardous substances.

April Meneghetti, director of Environmental Health, said state statutes and regulations (California Health and Safety Code and California Code of Regulations) have evolved since the county code was last updated in 1989 and make the local ordinance inconsistent with current state requirements. Meneghetti said the county already enforces state requirements through the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) process and that the state evaluation recommended either updating the local ordinance or repealing it; staff recommended repeal and a second reading and adoption on July 22.

Supervisor questions focused on whether repealing the local ordinance carries any financial implications. Meneghetti said there is no direct financial support expected from repeal; instead, the action is an administrative cleanup to align local code with state law. When the discussion returned to the Oakdale proclamation, Meneghetti clarified that adoption of the proclamation is a separate matter.

The board voted to waive the first reading of the ordinance repeal and to continue the item to July 22 for a second reading and formal adoption.

Why it matters: Repealing the obsolete local ordinance would remove inconsistent local code language and align the county’s regulatory framework with current state statutes and CUPA practices; staff said the county continues to enforce state underground storage regulations.

Next steps: The board scheduled the ordinance for a second reading and potential adoption at the July 22 meeting.