Skip to main content

AgendaQuick™

View Agenda Item

Back to View Meetings Back to Minutes
Previous Item Next Item
Regular-Community Services   # 34.
Board of Supervisors
Environmental Health
Meeting Date:
10/21/2025
Brief Title
Well Ordinance Update
From:
Adam Fieseler, Director, Department of Community Services
Staff Contact:
April Meneghetti, Director, Environmental Health Divsion, Department of Community Services, x8597
Supervisorial District Impact:
Countywide

Subject

Introduce by title only, waive first reading, and receive public comment on the following entitled ordinance: "An Ordinance of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors amending Title 6, Chapter 8 of the Yolo County Code of Ordinances Regarding Well Permits;" continue the item to the November 4, 2025, Board of Supervisors meeting for a second reading and adoption; and introduce by title only and waive further reading of an Urgency Ordinance entitled, "An Urgency Ordinance of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors Extending Urgency Ordinance No. 1569 regarding Irrigation/Agricultural Well Permits Through December 9, 2025," which will continue certain well permitting requirements until the effective date of the new ordinance to ensure no lapse in application of these permanent well permit procedures; determine adoption of the urgency ordinance extending Ordinance No. 1569 is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Sections 15060(c)(2), 15061(b)(3), and 15307 and 15308 (Class 7 and 8). (No general fund impact) (4/5 vote required) (Fieseler/Meneghetti) (Est. Staff Presentation: 10 min)

Recommended Action

  1. Introduce by title only, waive first reading, and receive public comment on the proposed ordinance changes to Chapter 8, Articles 8 and 10 of Title 6 of the Yolo County Code (Att. A);
     
  2. Continue the item to the November 4, 2025 Board of Supervisors meeting for a second reading and adoption; 
     
  3. Introduce by title only and waive further reading of an Urgency Ordinance extending Urgency Ordinance No. 1569 to continue those well permitting requirements until the effective date of the new ordinance to ensure no lapse in application of these permanent well permit procedures (Att.B); and
     
  4. Determine adoption of the urgency ordinance extending Ordinance No. 1569 is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Sections 15060(c)(2), 15061(b)(3), and 15307 and 15308 (Class  7 and 8) (Att. C).

Strategic Plan Goal(s)

Thriving Residents
Collaborative Community
Sustainable Environment
Flourishing Agriculture

Reason for Recommended Action/Background

Urgency Ordinance No. 1569, will expire on October 31, 2025, without further action of the Board of Supervisors.  Urgency Ordinance No. 1569 was approved by the Board on October 22, 2024, to continue the well permitting requirements that Yolo County Environmental Health (YCEH) and Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency (YSGA) adopted to meet the requirements of Executive Orders (EO) N-7-22 and N-3-23, pending completion of long-term well ordinance updates (see Att. D).  These continued requirements have proven to be important to groundwater sustainability efforts, ensuring further coordination between the County and YSGA to consider groundwater sustainability concerns.  While further concerns are prompting the moratorium in the Focus Areas, staff is recommending moving forward with codification of Urgency Ordinance No. 1569’s well permit procedures into the well permit ordinance to help move the process forward and bring more certainty and clarity on the well application process for those well permit applicants outside the Focus Areas.

Staff anticipate returning to the Board for second reading and adoption on November 4, 2025.  The ordinance would then take effect 30 days thereafter on December 4, 2025.  Because Urgency Ordinance No. 1569 expires on October 31, 2025, staff will recommend extending Urgency Ordinance No. 1569 until the effective date of the new ordinance to ensure there is no lapse in application of these permanent well permit procedures to new agricultural well applications. 

In addition to incorporating Urgency Ordinance No. 1569, staff have identified additional minor recommended changes to make at this time. 
  1. Permit Term.  Updating the Well Ordinance’s permit term (currently 120 days) to match what is currently in practice under the Urgency Ordinance (2 years).  The 120-day time period to commence drilling an approved well proved difficult over the years for property owners depending on well driller availability, particularly during droughts.  Two years has proven to be a reasonable period for most permittees to commence and complete construction of a new well.
  2. Application Term. Adding a time period for which applications are valid.  The application term will be one (1) year with an option to extend the period for an additional 180 days. The intent of this change is to facilitate more timely review and avoid having numerous open well applications years after permit applications are initially submitted.
  3. Appeal Process.  Changing the appeal process such that a permit appeal will first go to the Planning Commission to be heard rather than the Board of Supervisors.  The Planning Commission’s decision can then be appealed to the Board of Supervisors.  This will track the appeal process used for other types of permit and Planning approvals.
  4. Pumping Capacity Verification.  Adding a requirement that new agricultural wells within the Focus Areas must provide a written report to YCEH stating the pumping capacity of the well after the pump is installed prior to final approval.

More changes will be identified once the Department of Water Resources (DWR) completes its updates to Bulletin 74, which was last updated in 1991.  The updated Bulletin 74 will be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board for adoption into a Statewide Model Ordinance.  The County’s last communication with DWR indicates that the final standards will be published in Summer of 2026. YCEH staff will be working with Luhdorff & Scalmanini Consulting Engineers (LSCE) over the next year to make these recommended changes to the ordinance. 

More information regarding Urgency Ordinance No. 1569 and the history of the EO well permitting procedures can be found in the October 22, 2024, minute order packet. (Att. D)

Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies)

Staff has collaborated with the Yolo Subbasin Groundwater Agency, the Office of County Counsel, and the County Administrator’s Office.

Fiscal Impact

No Fiscal Impact

Fiscal Impact (Expenditure)

Total cost of recommended action:
$    0
Amount budgeted for expenditure:
$    0
Additional expenditure authority needed:
$    0
On-going commitment (annual cost):
$   

Source of Funds for this Expenditure

General Fund
$0

Attachments

Form Review

Inbox Reviewed By Date
Kimberly Hood Kimberly Hood 10/10/2025 04:58 PM
Stephanie Cormier Stephanie Cormier 10/10/2025 05:15 PM
Adam Fieseler Adam Fieseler 10/13/2025 08:51 AM
County Counsel Hope Welton 10/13/2025 09:17 AM
Berenice Espitia Berenice Espitia 10/13/2025 02:28 PM
Form Started By:
April Meneghetti
Started On:
10/07/2025 03:47 PM
Final Approval Date:
10/13/2025