Board recommends City Council grant easements for Sonoma Water well activation at Brown Farm

Staff from Real Estate Services and Environmental Services presented a recommendation that City Council grant two permanent easements to Sonoma County Water Agency over portions of city property at Brown Farm (2200 Yano Road / 0 Sebastopol Road) to support Sonoma Water’s emergency Sebastopol Road well activation and aquifer storage and recovery operations.

Sean McNeil, Deputy Director of Environmental Services, and Stephanie Volkovic, Associate Real Property Agent, said Sonoma Water had previously installed a temporary pipeline and improvements under a revocable license to connect a groundwater well to the city’s pipeline as part of an emergency activation project that added aquifer storage and recovery capability. Sonoma Water has been awarded a grant that requires a permanent easement for ongoing operation. Staff proposed a 730 square‑foot waterline easement and a 3,504 square‑foot access easement and said the parties agreed to grant easements without monetary consideration to facilitate mutual projects.

McNeil said the permanent easements would allow Sonoma Water to store treated drinking water in the groundwater (winter capture) and withdraw water in drought years to improve overall regional resiliency; the discharge into the city recycled water line would remain governed by the existing cooperative agreement and staff said the easement would not impair city operations.

Board Member Mullen moved and Board Member DeWitt seconded a motion recommending City Council grant the easements and authorize the assistant city manager to execute documents; the motion passed by roll call with six votes in favor and one member absent. Staff said the easement is a grant condition of the awarded grant to Sonoma Water and offered to forward the approved recommendation to City Council for final action.