Hybrid - See Agenda for  
Participation Information  
City Council Chamber  
100 Santa Rosa Avenue  
City of Santa Rosa  
Board of Public Utilities  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Thursday, October 7, 2021  
1:30 PM  
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL  
Chair Galvin called the meeting to order at approximately 1:30 p.m.  
5 -  
Present  
Chair Daniel Galvin III, Board Member Lisa Badenfort, Board Member  
Mark Walsh, Board Member Mary Watts, and Board Member Glen  
Wright  
2 - Vice Chair William Arnone Jr., and Board Member Christopher Grabill  
Absent  
2. STATEMENTS OF ABSTENTION BY BOARD MEMBERS  
NONE.  
3. STUDY SESSION  
3.1  
WATER DEMAND OFFSET (WDO) POLICY AND WDO FEE STUDY  
The City of Santa Rosa is required by California State Law to prepare an Urban  
Water Management Plan (UWMP) and Water Shortage Contingency Plan  
(Shortage Plan) every five years to assess the adequacy and reliability of water  
supplies for current and future needs as well as plan for and detail how the City will  
respond to various levels of water supply shortage. Staff will present an  
informational session on the proposed Water Demand Offset (WDO) Policy and  
WDO Fee Study, which have been developed to implement the City’s Shortage  
Plan requirement that new construction must offset water demand during water  
shortage emergencies that require water allocations (water rationing).  
It is recommended by Santa Rosa Water that the Board of Public Utilities hold a  
Study Session to receive information, ask questions, discuss, and provide  
feedback regarding the proposed Water Demand Offset (WDO) Policy and WDO  
Fee Study.  
Staff Report  
Attachments:  
Attachment 1_Draft WDO Policy  
Attachment 2_Draft Fee Study  
Presentation  
Revised Presentation (added 10/6/21)  
Presenters: Colin Close, Senior Water Resources Planner and Mark  
Hildebrand, Hildebrand Consulting  
4. MINUTES APPROVAL  
September 16, 2021 - Regular Meeting Minutes.  
4.1  
September 16, 2021 - Regular Meeting Minutes (added 10/6/21)  
Attachments:  
The minutes for September 16, 2021 were received and accepted  
as submitted.  
5. STAFF BRIEFINGS  
5.1  
WATER AND RECYCLED WATER SUPPLY UPDATE  
Staff will update the Board on water and recycled water supply issues. The Board  
may discuss this item and give direction to staff.  
Presentation (added 10/6/21)  
Attachments:  
Presenters: Peter Martin, Deputy Director - Water Resources and  
Emma Walton, Deputy Director - Water Reuse  
6. CONSENT ITEMS - NONE.  
7. REPORT ITEMS - NONE.  
8. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS  
NONE.  
9. REFERRALS - NONE.  
10. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (AND POSSIBLE BOARD DISCUSSION) - NONE.  
11. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS  
Chair Galvin reported the City Council/BPU Liaison Committee met  
on October 5. The committee reviewed the proposed Water  
Demand Offset Policy and Fee Study that was presented at today's  
Study Session. The committee also received an update on the use  
of the property near the Laguna Treatment Plant to support a  
regional organics processing facility. Renewable Sonoma ended  
negotiations with Zero Waste Sonoma and the City in May 2021.  
Staff will work with the BPU to issue a Request for Proposals to  
evaluate potential opportunities for Santa Rosa Water to utilize the  
site for operational purposes and forego offering the site as a  
potential regional organics processing facility.  
12. BOARD MEMBER REPORTS  
NONE.  
13. DIRECTORS REPORTS  
Jennifer Burke, Director, provided an update on the ability for public  
boards to continue to meet in a virtual or hybrid setting. The  
Governor's Executive Orders modifying several requirements of the  
Brown Act sunset on September 30. The Legislature passed AB  
361 which allows local agencies to continue to meet virtually during a  
proclaimed state of emergency and modifies Brown Act  
requirements. The City Council will consider making findings at the  
October 12 meeting to allow continued virtual or hybrid meetings  
and the findings will cover any board or subcommittee.  
Director Burke provided information on an urgent project at the  
Laguna Treatment Plant to temporarily bypass the 42-inch  
underground piping that supplies air to the aeration tanks which is  
severely leaking. The piping is 15-feet deep, cannot be repaired and  
is scheduled for replacement early next year.  
Director Burke reported Santa Rosa Water has been selected to  
receive a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation FY 2020/21 Small Scale  
Water Efficiency Project grant. The maximum award amount of  
$75,000 will be utilized to further increase the Cash for Grass rebate  
funding for commercial customers.  
Director Burke announced this is California's 5th annual Water  
Professionals Appreciation Week. She thanked the Santa Rosa  
Water team who are responsible for and carefully manage our  
community's water resources, infrastructure and the environment for  
their service - especially during dual emergencies of drought and  
pandemic.  
14. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING  
Chair Galvin adjourned the meeting at 2:56 p.m. The next regular  
meeting of the Board of Public Utilities is scheduled for October 21,  
2021.  
Approved on: October 21, 2021  
________/S/______________  
Roberta Atha, Recording Secretary