Montecito Water District

The key discussions and actions taken during the meeting included the approval of the consent calendar items, which covered the minutes of prior meetings, payment of bills, investment reports, and financial reports for late 2025. Operationally, the Board received an informational review of the Highline Preliminary Design Report Methodology. A primary action item involved the consideration and approval of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the Montecito Water District, Montecito Sanitary District, and Summerland Sanitary District regarding district reorganization. The Board also adopted the 2026 Employee Handbook. Legal matters reviewed included updates on the Ralph M. Brown Act and multiple closed sessions concerning pending litigation, labor negotiations, and real property negotiations regarding State Water Project assets. Committee reports covered strategic plan revisions, updates from the Central Coast Water Authority regarding funding requests for subsidence issues, and operational updates from the Cachuma Operation and Maintenance Board, including water supply status and infrastructure maintenance.

The special meeting commenced with a roll call and the pledge of allegiance. The board proceeded to legal matters, which required entering closed session to discuss items. Upon returning to open session, the board voted 5 to 0 to initiate litigation and provided direction to staff and counsel. The complaint document is stated to be available upon filing pursuant to government code requirements. No other matters were on the agenda for the meeting.

The agenda for the meeting included a public forum and a consent calendar covering the approval of previous meeting minutes from January 27, 2026, and the ratification of District Bills for January 2026, along with investment and financial statements. Key operational discussions involved the adoption of a resolution concurring in a nomination to the California Water Insurance Fund Board. Legal matters included reviews of recent and pending legal cases, with closed sessions scheduled to discuss initiation of litigation, existing litigation (Montecito Water District v. Miradero LLC, Sheba Lux v. Montecito Water District), anticipated litigation, and real property negotiations concerning State Water Project assets with the Solomon Hills Developer. Director and Committee Reports covered updates on various water authorities and ongoing projects, including the Financial Strategy for the ASADRA Reservoir Seismic Retrofit.

The joint strategic planning committee meeting agenda included a Call to Order and Determination of Quorum, followed by a Public Forum for any matter within the committees' jurisdiction not listed on the agenda. The primary item for committee consideration was a continued discussion regarding Special District Reorganization, specifically focusing on the Memorandum of Understanding between the Montecito Water District (MWD), Montecito Sanitary District (MSD), and Summerland Sanitary District (SSD). The agenda also allocated time for items for a future agenda.

The 2025 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) for Montecito Water District is a state-mandated long-range plan designed to ensure reliable water supply for the next 20 years. It focuses on identifying and quantifying current and future water reliability, describing conservation programs, and forming the basis for the District's Water Shortage Contingency Plan and Drought Risk Assessment. The plan evaluates water demands and supply options, conducts supply modeling, adjusts future water demand projections, and analyzes supply availability under normal and single dry year conditions, with the aim of maintaining eligibility for state funding and grants.