Ventura LAFCO adopts Fox Canyon groundwater service review, leaves agency sphere unchanged

Ventura LAFCO on Wednesday accepted a Municipal Service Review for the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency and voted to keep the agency—s sphere of influence unchanged, after receiving staff presentations and questions from commissioners.

LAFCO staff member Andrea Ozzy described the MSR process and findings, telling the commission that "the MSR is a document prepared by LAFCO that covers seven specific topics related to the function of a local agency," including growth projections, capacity of public facilities, and financial ability to provide services. Arne Anselm, interim executive officer for Fox Canyon, also answered commission questions about staffing and recent work the agency has taken on.

The MSR notes Fox Canyon was formed by state legislation in 1982 to preserve and manage groundwater resources and that the agency levies extraction charges, adopts ordinances to limit extraction, and is implementing groundwater sustainability plans required under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). The report covers Fox Canyon—s jurisdiction, which includes lands overlying multiple groundwater basins and portions of the cities of Oxnard and Port Hueneme and parts of Ventura, Camarillo and Moorpark; the report cites a served population of about 350,000.

Commissioners asked about the agency—s finances and staffing. Anselm said Fox Canyon has undertaken substantially more responsibilities in the last five years—including work as a water master after an adjudication and SGMA implementation—and is conducting a study to determine appropriate staffing levels and whether the agency should be staffed directly by the county or continue contracting for staffing. On finances, staff noted expenditures exceeded revenues in the most recent budget year but that Fox Canyon has a fund balance and reserves that covered higher costs, including a roughly $5,000,000 monitoring‑well drilling project undertaken the prior year.

After discussion, a commissioner moved adoption of staff—s recommendation to accept the MSR, authorize the executive officer to make nonsubstantive edits, and direct staff to distribute the final MSR to affected agencies. The motion passed.

The commission then considered the agency—s sphere of influence. Staff said the sphere reflects Fox Canyon—s current and probable service area and recommended no change. Commissioners raised map‑boundary questions about a small projection near Santa Rosa Road; staff explained that the district boundaries were established by the legislature in 1982 and reflected geological understanding of the aquifer at that time. The motion to adopt the sphere determination carried.

Actions taken by the commission direct staff to finalize and distribute the MSR and leave the Fox Canyon sphere unchanged; the actions do not change Fox Canyon—s ordinances, fees or operational authorities.