Water Policy Committee (3-15-2022) - Westlands Water District

Notice

Notice is hereby given that a regular meeting of the Water Policy Committee of the Board of Directors of Westlands Water District will be held on March 15, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., at the District’s Five Points Shop and Field Office, 23050 W. Mt Whitney, Five Points, CA 93624.

Any member of the public may participate in the meeting through Zoom

Join the meeting from a computer, tablet or smartphone:

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Meeting ID: 843 3948 2447

Passcode: 3130

Dial-In Number: (253) 215-8782

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If you have problems using the Zoom, please contact the District’s IT staff at 559-224-1523 or itstaff@wwd.ca.gov. Requests for assistance made during the meeting may not be responded to timely.

Public Comment – Any member of the public may address the Committee concerning any matter on the agenda before or during its consideration of that matter. Public comment is limited to three minutes per person and no more than fifteen minutes per topic. For good cause, the Committee Chair may waive these limitations.

Committee Members

Vacant, Chair
Jim Anderson
Ryan Ferguson
Ceil W. Howe, III

Agenda

Call to Order
Committee to Consider Corrections or Additions to the Agenda of Items, as authorized by Government Code Section 54950 et seq.
Committee to Consider Approval of the Minutes of the Regular Meeting of February 15, 2022.
Committee to Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Adopts Resolution No. 110-22, Considering the Environmental Impact Report No. 7230 (State Clearinghouse No. 2018091022) and Adopting Findings of Fact as a Responsible Agency Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act for the Scarlet Solar Energy Project.
Committee to Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Adopts Resolution No. 111-22, Approving the Scarlet Solar Energy Project in and Authorizing the General Manager to Execute a Limited Access Easement on District owned Land to Fresno County, in Section 25 in Township 15S. Range 14E., M.D.B.&M.
Committee to Receive Report on Past, Present, and Projected Water Supply and Use and Central Valley Project/State Water Project Operations.
Committee to Consider Board of Directors March 15, 2022 Agenda Items:
1. Item 10a- Consider Adopting Resolution No. 108-22, Considering the Environmental Impact Report No. 7257 (State Clearinghouse No. 2017091038) and Adopting Findings of Fact, a Statement of Overriding Considerations, and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Plan as a Responsible Agency Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act for the Fifth Standard Solar Complex Project.
2. Consider Adopting Resolution No. 109-22, Approving and Adopting the Fifth Standard Solar Complex Project and Designating Specified Parcels as Eligible Cropland Pursuant to Appendix A to Article 2 of the Westlands Water District Rules and Regulations.
3. Item 10c- Consider Adopting Resolution No. 110-22, Considering the Environmental Impact Report No. 7230 (State Clearinghouse No. 2018091022) and Adopting Findings of Fact as a Responsible Agency Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act for the Scarlet Solar Energy Project.
4. Item 10d- Consider Adopting Resolution No. 111-22, Approving the Scarlet Solar Energy Project, and Authorizing the General Manager to Execute an Utility Easement on District owned Land to Fresno County, in Section 25 in Township 15S. Range 14E., M.D.B.&M.
5. Item 17- Consider Authorizing Execution of an Abandonment for a District Pipeline Easement, in Section 23, T.16.S., R.14E., M.D.B.&M.
Public Comment – Any member of the public may address the Committee concerning any matter not on the agenda but within the Committee’s jurisdiction. Public comment is limited to three minutes per person and no more than fifteen minutes per topic. For good cause, the Committee Chairperson may waive these limitations.
Closed Session – The Committee will meet in closed session pursuant to the Government Code section noted to discuss the following:
1. Conference with Real Property Negotiators (Pursuant to Cal. Gov. Code section 54956.8)
  1. Property: Water Supply
    Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
    Negotiating Parties: To Be Determined
    Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
  2. Property: 3,750 Square Feet of District owned land, described as follows:
    1. NE ¼ of Section 23, T.16.S., R.14E., M.D.B.&M
      Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
      Negotiating Parties: Touchstone Pistachios
      Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
  3. Property: Approximately 1,915 acres of land consisting of the following:
    1. Sections 3, 7, 9, and 11 T.15S., R.12E., M.D.B.&M.; and
    2. Sections 33, 32 and 31 T.14S., R.12E., M.D.B.&M.
      Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
      Negotiating Parties: Mike Sagardia and Bert Sagardia
      Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
  4. Property: Approximately 834 acres land consisting of the following Fresno County APNs:
    1. 006-150-15S, 28, 29, 30; and
    2. 006-160-17S, 25S, and 26S
      Agency Negotiator: General Manager or designee
      Negotiating Parties: Widren, LLC
      Under Negotiation: Price and terms of payment
Report from Closed Session, if any, Required by Government Code Section 54957.1.
Committee to Consider Recommendation that the Board of Directors Authorizes Execution of an Abandonment for a District Pipeline Easement, in Section 23, T.16.S., R.14E., M.D.B.&M
Adjournment

Order of Business

The order of business reflected in this Notice and Agenda is subject to change.

Remote Participation by Members of the Public

At this time, the District permits any member of the public to participate in meetings of its Board and Committees from any location by telephone or video, or both. Remote participation by members of the public from any location is offered as a courtesy and is not required by law. Telephone and internet access and reliability varies widely, and District staff may not be able to assist members of the public with technical difficulties. To avoid issues that may arise from participating remotely by phone or video, members of the public who wish to provide public comment are encouraged to attend in person at a noticed location.

At the appropriate time to provide the comment, members of the public wishing to comment will be acknowledged by the Chair of the meeting. Members of the public participating by video should use the “Raise Hand” tool located in Zoom meeting link when seeking to provide public comment on an item.

Accessibility

A person with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 may request the District provide a disability-related modification or accommodation in order to facilitate that person’s participation in any public meeting of the District. Such assistance includes appropriate alternative formats for the agendas and agenda packets used for any public meetings of the District. Requests for such assistance may be made in person at the District’s Fresno office, which is located at 3130 N. Fresno St., Fresno, California, by telephone (559-224-1523), facsimile (559-241-6277), or written correspondence addressed to Westlands Water District, Attn: Karen Clark, P.O. Box 6056, Fresno, California 93703. Notifications of at least 48 hours prior to the meeting will assist staff in assuring that reasonable arrangements can be made.

Document Availability

Written material related to an item on this agenda that is distributed less than 72 hours prior to this meeting to at least a majority of the members of the legislative body will be available for inspection during normal business hours at the District’s Fresno office, which is located at 3130 N. Fresno St., Fresno, California.

Written material distributed during a public meeting will be available for public inspection at the meeting, if prepared by the local agency or a member of its legislative body, or after the meeting if prepared by some other person.

Written materials related to an item on this agenda to be considered in open session that are public records and that are distributed less than 24 hours prior to the meeting will be made available for public inspection, (1) when distributed if said materials were prepared by the District or a member of the Board of Directors or (2) after the meeting if said materials were prepared by others, at the District’s Fresno office, 3130 N. Fresno St., Fresno, California during normal business hours.