REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a resolution approving the Water Supply Assessment for the Tasman East Specific Plan
Report
BACKGROUND
California Water Code Section 10910 and Section 15155(b) of the Guidelines to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) require a water utility to prepare a Water Supply Assessment (“Assessment”) for any development project that, among other criteria, includes more than 500 dwelling units, 500,000 square feet of retail space, 250,000 square feet of office space, employs more than 1,000 people, or would demand an amount of water equivalent to, or greater than, the amount of water required by a 500 dwelling unit project. The proponent of the Tasman East Specific Plan (“Applicant”) requested an Assessment which proposes to construct new buildings consisting of 4,500 residential units, 106,000 gross square feet (gsf) of retail space, a 200,000 gsf school for 600 students, and 430,000 gsf of irrigable landscaping. Therefore, this Assessment is required to be brought to Council for the Council’s approval, denial, or other direction.
The Assessment requires an analysis of the utility’s current and future water supplies as well as the current and projected water demands in the utility’s service area. The Assessment must include a determination as to whether additional water supplies are necessary or if sufficient water supplies exist for the proposed development. The law also requires that the water utility’s governing body approve water supply assessments. The City Council is the governing body for the City’s Water Utility.
DISCUSSION
City staff has prepared an Assessment for the Tasman East Specific Plan. The Assessment provides a detailed analysis of the amount of water necessary to meet the needs of the proposed development and the City’s ability to supply that amount of water based on the projections identified in the City’s Urban Water Management Plan as well as water supply assessments prepared after the City’s most recent Urban Water Management Plan was approved in 2016. The Assessment found that the City’s water utility has sufficient water supplies to meet the projected water demand of this development during normal, single dry year, and multiple dry year scenarios. However, this Specific Plan adds significant projected water demand when combined with the City’s 2015 UWMP projected growth water demands. Therefore, projects within this Specific Plan area may be subject to water supply or capacity fees, additional water efficiency standards, or use of alternative water supplies such as recycled water or other water supplies (potable and/or non-potable) may need to be developed as deemed necessary.
Council’s approval of the Assessment is necessary for the development to be approved. However, Council’s approval, denial, conditional approval or any act on the Assessment does not guarantee that Tasman East Specific Plan will be approved, and does not obligate the City to approve, deny, conditionally approve, take any action on, or make any decision on the associated Project application.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
A Revised Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (“EIR”) for the Tasman East Specific Plan was distributed on July 7, 2017, a Draft EIR was circulated for public review and comment from July 30, 2018 to September 13, 2018, and the drafting of the Final EIR is underway. The preparation of a water supply assessment is a part of the environmental review process for the Project, and is a prerequisite to the adoption of an EIR under Section 15155(b) of the CEQA Guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACT
The acceptance or rejection of this Assessment does not have a fiscal impact on the City. However, the approval of this Assessment is a required part of the development process. The development will have an economic/fiscal impact on the City. That impact is not analyzed as part of this report.
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and Community Development.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt a resolution approving the Water Supply Assessment for the Tasman East Specific Plan.
Staff
Reviewed by: Gary Welling, Director, Water and Sewer Utilities
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Resolution
2. Tasman East Specific Plan Water Supply Assessment