To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma, Sonoma Water
Staff Name and Phone Number: Scott Orr (707) 565-1754, Marcus Trotta (707) 547-1978, Robert Pennington (707) 565-1352
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Amendments to Joint Powers Agreements for Groundwater Sustainability Agencies
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency to sign and execute an updated Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the Petaluma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
B) Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency to sign and execute an updated Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
C) Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency to sign and execute an updated Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
end
Executive Summary:
There are three groundwater sustainability agencies (GSA) in Sonoma County, including:
1. Petaluma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency;
2. Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency; and
3. Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency.
Each GSA is a joint powers authority that was formed in 2017 to manage groundwater sustainably within their respective groundwater basin or subbasin, as required by state law. The County of Sonoma and Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) are both founding members of each of the GSAs. The GSA Boards for each subbasin have approved Amended and Restated Joint Exercise of Powers Agreements (Updated JPAs) and requested approval from each member agency’s governing body.
Discussion:
The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) established a framework for the sustainable management of California’s groundwater resources. Among other requirements, SGMA directed local agencies with water-supply, water management, or land use authority in medium- and high-priority groundwater basins to form Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs). There are three basins or subbasins classified as medium or high priority within Sonoma County, including the Petaluma Valley basin, the Santa Rosa Plain subbasin, and the Sonoma Valley subbasin.
The Santa Rosa Plain GSA (SRPGSA), the Petaluma Valley GSA (PVGSA), and the Sonoma Valley GSA (SVGSA) are each joint powers authorities formed to manage groundwater sustainably within each respective groundwater basin or subbasin in accordance with SGMA. The County of Sonoma and Sonoma Water are both member agencies of each of the three GSAs, and both authorized the execution of a Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for each of the three GSAs on April 25, 2017. Member agencies for each GSA are indicated by an “X” in the table below.
|
Member Agencies |
Petaluma Valley GSA |
Santa Rosa Plain GSA |
Sonoma Valley GSA |
|
County of Sonoma |
X |
X |
X |
|
Sonoma Water |
X |
X |
X |
|
Sonoma Resource Conservation District |
X |
X |
X |
|
Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District |
|
X |
|
|
Independent Water Systems |
|
X |
|
|
Valley of the Moon Water District |
|
|
X |
|
City of Cotati |
|
X |
|
|
City of Petaluma |
X |
|
|
|
City of Rohnert Park |
|
X |
|
|
City of Santa Rosa |
|
X |
|
|
City of Sebastopol |
|
X |
|
|
City of Sonoma |
|
|
X |
|
Town of Windsor |
|
X |
|
Each GSA in Sonoma County is governed by its own Board of Directors and is advised by an Advisory Committee. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors appoints a member of the Board of Supervisors to serve as its Primary Director on each GSA Board. Similarly, the Sonoma Water Board of Directors appoints a member of the Board of Directors to serve as its Primary Director on each GSA’s Board. Alternate Directors are appointed in similar fashion. Current appointments are listed below.
|
GSA |
County of Sonoma Director |
Sonoma Water Director |
Alternate (for both seats) |
|
Petaluma Valley |
David Rabbitt |
Rebecca Hermosillo |
James Gore |
|
Santa Rosa Plain |
Chris Coursey |
Lynda Hopkins |
Rebecca Hermosillo |
|
Sonoma Valley |
Rebecca Hermosillo |
David Rabbitt |
James Gore |
In coordination with GSA member agencies, including the County of Sonoma and Sonoma Water, GSA staff and legal counsel identified and proposed certain updates to the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreements (Updated JPAs) to improve efficiency and clarity for the governance and administration of the GSAs.
The PVGSA Board of Directors approved the proposed amendments to their JPA on June 25, 2026. The SRPGSA Board of Directors approved the proposed amendments to their JPA on June 11, 2026. The SVGSA Board of Directors approved the proposed amendments to their JPA on June 22, 2026. Final execution of the Updated JPAs is subject to approval by the governing bodies of all member agencies for each GSA. The existing JPAs require amendments to be approved unanimously by all the member agencies’ governing bodies.
Analysis
Changes for each GSA’s JPA are summarized in separate sections below. Changes are largely consistent across the three GSAs; however, there are some minor differences.
Petaluma Valley GSA Updated JPA
Following a review of the PVGSA JPA, GSA staff proposed amendments intended to clarify governance provisions, improve administrative efficiency, and provide greater operational and procedural flexibility as the GSA has evolved since its formation in 2017. Below is a summary of the proposed changes to the JPA:
1. Section 6.02 - Directors and Alternates: Allow each member to appoint a Second Alternate Director who may exercise the rights and duties of the Primary Director when both the Primary Director and Alternate Director are absent or recused. A Second Alternate Director would be limited to attending no more than two GSA Board meetings during a calendar year.
2. Section 6.04: Appointment of Officers of the Board: Move from annual to biennial elections of officers. This change will also provide continuity in leadership of the agency over the course of multiple years.
3. Section 7.06 - Supermajority Voting Requirements: Clarify that a supermajority vote is required to change the total number of Advisory Committee seats but is not required for individual member agency appointments.
4. Section 10.06 - Budget: Allow the annual budget to be approved at any time before the beginning of the applicable fiscal year.
5. Section 12.02 - Amendments: Allow amendments that do not concern specified substantive matters to be approved by a two-thirds supermajority vote of the GSA Board. Amendments concerning the Agency’s powers, Board composition, voting requirements, liabilities and indemnification, termination and withdrawal provisions, elimination of the Advisory Committee, and other matters expressly identified in the Agreement would continue to require unanimous approval by the governing bodies of all member agencies.
6. Other Revisions: Make other minor revisions throughout the JPA for clarity and remove provisions that are no longer applicable.
Santa Rosa Plain GSA Updated JPA
Following a review of the SRPGSA JPA, GSA staff proposed amendments intended to clarify governance provisions, improve administrative efficiency, and provide greater operational and procedural flexibility as the GSA has evolved since its formation in 2017. Below is a summary of the proposed changes to the JPA:
1. Section 6.02 - Directors and Alternates: Allow each member to appoint a Second Alternate Director who may exercise the rights and duties of the Primary Director when both the Primary Director and Alternate Director are absent or recused. A Second Alternate Director would be limited to attending no more than two GSA Board meetings during a calendar year.
2. Section 7.06 - Supermajority Voting Requirements: Clarify that a vote is required to change the total number of Advisory Committee seats but is not required for individual member agency appointments.
3. Section 9.03 - Employees and Management: Remove the supermajority-vote requirement for contracts with member agencies for technical and outreach services.
4. Section 10.06 - Budget: Allow the annual budget to be approved at any time before the beginning of the applicable fiscal year.
5. Section 12.02 - Amendments: Allow amendments that do not concern specified substantive matters to be approved by a three-fourths supermajority vote of the GSA Board. Amendments concerning the Agency’s powers, Board composition, voting requirements, liabilities and indemnification, termination and withdrawal provisions, elimination of the Advisory Committee, and other matters expressly identified in the Agreement would continue to require unanimous approval by the governing bodies of all member agencies.
6. Other Revisions: Make other minor revisions throughout the Agreement for clarity and remove provisions that are no longer applicable.
Sonoma Valley GSA Updated JPA
Following a review of the SVGSA JPA, GSA staff proposed amendments intended to clarify governance provisions, improve administrative efficiency, and provide greater operational and procedural flexibility as the GSA has evolved since its formation in 2017. Below is a summary of the proposed changes to the JPA:
1. Section 6.02 - Directors and Alternates: Allow each member to appoint a Second Alternate Director who may exercise the rights and duties of the Primary Director when both the Primary Director and Alternate Director are absent or recused. A Second Alternate Director would be limited to attending no more than two GSA Board meetings during a calendar year.
2. Section 6.04: Appointment of Officers of the Board: Move from annual to biennial elections of officers. This change will also provide continuity in leadership of the agency over the course of multiple years.
3. Section 7.06 - Supermajority Voting Requirements: Clarify that a supermajority vote is required to change the total number of Advisory Committee seats but is not required for individual member agency appointments.
4. Section 10.06 - Budget: Allow the annual budget to be approved at any time before the beginning of the applicable fiscal year.
5. Section 12.02 - Amendments: Allow amendments that do not concern specified substantive matters to be approved by a two-thirds supermajority vote of the GSA Board. Amendments concerning the Agency’s powers, Board composition, voting requirements, liabilities and indemnification, termination and withdrawal provisions, elimination of the Advisory Committee, and other matters expressly identified in the Agreement would continue to require unanimous approval by the governing bodies of all member agencies.
6. Other Revisions: Make other minor revisions throughout the Agreement for clarity and remove provisions that are no longer applicable.
Staff recommend that the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the Sonoma Water Board of Directors approve the proposed updated JPAs for the PVGSA, SRPGSA, and SVGSA.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
4/25/2017 - Authorized the Chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Water Agency to sign and execute Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the PVGSA, SRPGSA, and SVGSA.
3/28/2017 - Receive an update on the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and appoint initial representatives to the Groundwater Sustainability Agency Board.
3/15/2016 - Approve the charter of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act ad hoc committee and authorize the chair to submit comments to the Department of Water Resources on Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan Emergency Regulations.
1/5/2016 - Creation of Ad Hoc Committee for implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.
10/13/2015 - Receive an update on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and approve principles for developing sustainable groundwater agency governance options, recommended groundwater sustainability agency structure, and communication and outreach plan.
3/17/2015 - Receive a report on the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and the recommended strategy for initial implementation in Sonoma County.
Fiscal Summary
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
None
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the Petaluma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Redline)
Attachment 2 - Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the Petaluma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Attachment 3 - Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Redline)
Attachment 4 - Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Attachment 5 - Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (Redline)
Attachment 6 - Amended and Restated Joint Powers Agreement of the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None