Consent-Community Services # 8.
Board of Supervisors
Environmental Heatlh
- Meeting Date:
- 11/04/2025
- Brief Title
- Well Ordinance Update
From:
Adam Fieseler, Director, Department of Community Services
Staff Contact:
April Meneghetti, Director, Environmental Health Division, Department of Community Services, x8597
Supervisorial District Impact:
Countywide
Subject
Waive second reading and adopt an ordinance entitled: "An Ordinance of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors amending Title 6, Chapter 8 of the Yolo County Code of Ordinances Regarding Well Permits;" and determine adoption of the ordinance 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) (Fieseler/Meneghetti)
Recommended Action
- Waive second reading and adopt an ordinance entitled: "An Ordinance of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors amending Title 6, Chapter 8 of the Yolo County Code of Ordinances Regarding Well Permits;" (Att. A) and
- Determine adoption of the ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Sections 15060(c)(2), 15061(b)(3), and 15307 and 15308 (Class 7 and 8) (Att.B).
Strategic Plan Goal(s)
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Thriving Residents |
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Collaborative Community |
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Sustainable Environment |
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Flourishing Agriculture |
Reason for Recommended Action/Background
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors introduced the proposed ordinance changes regarding well permits on October 21, 2025, and continued the item to November 4, 2025, for second reading and adoption.
Background:
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. These continued requirements have proven to be important to local 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.
In addition to incorporating Urgency Ordinance No. 1569, staff have identified additional minor recommended changes to make at this time.
- 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.
- 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 and/or incomplete well applications years after permit applications are initially submitted.
- 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 permitting approvals.
- 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 to the well permit ordinance 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 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. (See Att. D to the October 21, 2025, agenda packet)
Minor corrections were made to correct typographical and clerical errors in the code changes to the proposed changes introduced on October 21st, such as corrections to the subsection letter designations in Section 6-8.804.
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 | 10/23/2025 02:22 PM |
| Stephanie Cormier | Stephanie Cormier | 10/23/2025 04:53 PM |
| Adam Fieseler | Adam Fieseler | 10/24/2025 02:12 PM |
| County Counsel | Hope Welton | 10/24/2025 04:22 PM |
| Cindy Perez | Cindy Perez | 10/27/2025 11:25 AM |
- Form Started By:
- April Meneghetti
- Started On:
- 10/10/2025 08:02 AM
- Final Approval Date:
- 10/27/2025