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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGSA Reso 2025-05 - Setting Groundwater Sustainability Fees for FY 25-26 - signedRESOLUTION NO. 2025-05 RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE UKIAH VALLEY BASIN GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY AGENCY (UVBGSA/GSA) SETTING GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY FEES FOR FY25-26. WHEREAS, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014 provides groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs) with the authority to impose and collect fees on all applicable properties to fund regulatory activities within the GSAs' jurisdictional boundaries; and WHEREAS, the Ukiah Valley Basin GSA is the exclusive GSA over the Ukiah Valley Basin and developed a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) covering the entire basin, which the Department of Water Resources approved on July 27, 2023; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Ukiah Valley Basin GSA approved a groundwater sustainability fee on June 18, 2024, as authorized by Water Code section 10730 to fund the costs of a groundwater sustainability program, including implementation of the Ukiah Valley Basin GSP; and WHEREAS, the fee resolution (No. 005-2024) authorized the Board of Directors to adjust the maximum fee rate to be levied in future fiscal years based on the annual change in the West Region Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers ("CPI" or "CPI-U"), measured each March of the preceding calendar year, with an annual adjustment not to exceed 4% per year based on increased cost projections for each upcoming fiscal year; and WHEREAS, the prepared annual budget for the agency includes increased costs due to inflation; and WHEREAS, the West Region Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers ("CPI" or "CPI-U") from March 2024 to March 2025 was 2.24%; and WHEREAS, a 2.24 % increase of the groundwater sustainability fee would result in the rates set forth in Attachment A; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors reviewed and considered the UVBGSA's Annual Budget for the period July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, attached hereto, and has determined that a 2.24% increase to the Groundwater Sustainability Fee is necessary to account for inflationary cost increases in the upcoming fiscal year. NOW, THEREFORE, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF UKIAH VALLEY BASIN GSA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: 1.The Groundwater Sustainability Fee for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is set at the rates identified in Attachment A on the terms and conditions set in Resolution No. 005-2024; and Page 1 of 3 Page 2 of 3 2. The Agency Administrator is hereby authorized and directed to file a certified copy of this resolution with the Auditor-Controller of the County of Mendocino. Upon such filing, the County Auditor-Controller shall enter on the County assessment roll opposite each lot or parcel of land the amount of fee thereupon as shown in the levy roll. The fees shall continue to be collected at the same time and in the same manner as County taxes are collected and all the laws providing for collection and enforcement shall apply to the collection and enforcement of the assessments. After collection by the County, the net amount of the assessments, after deduction of any compensation due the County for collection, shall be paid to the Agency; and 3. The Agency General Manager is hereby authorized and directed to cause the direct billing of the fee for entities that do not receive a tax bill; and 4. The Agency General Manager and Agency Counsel are hereby authorized and directed to take such other and further steps as may be necessary or appropriate to implement the intent and purpose of this resolution. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Directors of Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency, this 12th day of June 2025, by the following vote: AYES: Directors Gaska, Bailey, Crane, and Chair Cline NOES: None ABSENT: Directors McNerlin and Nevarez ABSTAIN: None Madeline Cline, UVBGSA Chair ATTEST: Kristine Lawler, UVBGSA Clerk Madeline Cline (Jun 23, 2025 15:58 PDT) Madeline Cline Kristine Lawler (Jun 23, 2025 16:14 PDT) Kristine Lawler Page 3 of 3 ATTACHMENT A Fee Component FY 2025 Fee FY 2026 Fee PART 1 FEE: BASE FEE 4.07 4.16 Per Acre in GSA Boundary Every parcel is charged the base fee plus the group fee for the group the parcel is classified as [1] PART 2 FEES GROUP 1 PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS $0.1352 $0.1382 Per 1,000 gallons extracted GROUP 2 CROP LAND $32.75 $33.48 Per Cropped Acre [2] GROUP 3 IMPROVED PROPERTIES [4] $34.67 $35.44 Per Acre of Entire Parcel [3] GROUP 4 ALL OTHER $0.00 $0.00 1] Federal properties and tribal properties held in trust by the Federal government are exempt. 2] Properties classified group 2 because of a medium, large, or nursery cannabis license capped at 1.0 acre. 3] Residential group 3 properties capped at 0.5 acres. 4] Improved properties not in groups 1 or 2. Note: The fee is automatically increased by the March to March change in the West Region Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, as shown below. Mar-24 332.202 Mar-25 339.627 Change 7.425 Percentage Change 2.24%