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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 06 - COUNCIL READING FILE_c_Draft GSP Chapters 1-2Draft Groundwater Sustainability Plan for the San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency Prepared by 8/30/2019 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Table of Contents County of SLO and City of SLO i TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... i List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... iii Tables ........................................................................................................................................................... iv Appendices .................................................................................................................................................... v List of Terms Used ........................................................................................................................................ vi Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1 Introduction to the SLO Basin GSP ....................................................................................................... 2 1.1 Purpose of the Groundwater Sustainability Plan .......................................................................... 2 1.2 Description of SLO Basin ............................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Basin Prioritization ........................................................................................................................ 3 2 Agency Information (§ 354.6) .............................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Agencies Names and Mailing Addresses ....................................................................................... 5 2.2 Agencies Organization and Management Structures ................................................................... 7 2.2.1 County of San Luis Obispo ..................................................................................................... 8 2.2.2 City of San Luis Obispo .......................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3 Other Participating Parties in the MOA ................................................................................ 8 2.2.3.1 Edna Valley Growers Mutual Water Company ............................................................. 8 2.2.3.2 Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company ......................................................................... 8 2.2.3.3 Edna Ranch Mutual Water Company ............................................................................ 8 2.2.3.4 Golden State Water Company ...................................................................................... 8 2.3 Authority of Agencies .................................................................................................................... 8 2.3.1 Groundwater Sustainability Agencies ................................................................................... 8 2.3.1.1 County of San Luis Obispo ............................................................................................. 8 2.3.1.2 City of San Luis Obispo .................................................................................................. 9 2.3.2 Memorandum of Agreement ................................................................................................ 9 2.3.3 Coordination Agreements ..................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Contact information for Plan Manager ......................................................................................... 9 3 References .......................................................................................................................................... 11 4 Appendices ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Appendix A - City of San Luis Obispo Resolution to form GSA ............................................................... 11 Appendix B - County of San Luis Obispo Resolution to form GSA .......................................................... 15 Appendix C - Memorandum of Agreement – Preparation of GSP .......................................................... 20 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Table of Contents County of SLO and City of SLO ii SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan List of Figures County of SLO and City of SLO iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1-1: San Luis Obispo Valley Basin and Surrounding Basins. ............................................................... 4 Figure 2-1: San Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSAs and Participating Parties. .................................................... 6 Figure 2-2: Groundwater Sustainability Commission (GSC) ......................................................................... 7 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Tables County of SLO and City of SLO iv TABLES No table of figures entries found. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO v APPENDICES A. City of San Luis Obispo Resolution to form GSA B. County of San Luis Obispo Resolution to form GSA C. Memorandum of Agreement – Preparation of GSP SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan List of Terms Used County of SLO and City of SLO vi LIST OF TERMS USED Abbreviation Definition AB Assembly Bill ADD Average Day Demand AF Acre Feet AFY Acre Feet per Year Basin Plan Water Quality Control Plan for the Central Coast Basin Cal Poly California Polytechnic State University CASGEM California State Groundwater Elevation Monitoring program CCR California Code of Regulations CCRWQCB Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board CCGC Central Coast Groundwater Coalition CDFM Cumulative departure from the mean CDPH California Department of Public Health CIMIS California Irrigation Management Information System City City of San Luis Obispo County County of San Luis Obispo CPUC California Public Utilities Commission CPWS-52 Cal Poly Weather Station 52 CRWQCB California Regional Water Quality Control Board CWC California Water Code DDW Division of Drinking Water Du/ac Dwelling Units per Acre DWR Department of Water Resources EPA Environmental Protection Agency ERMWC Edna Ranch Mutual Water Company ET0 Evapotranspiration EVGMWC Edna Valley Growers Ranch Mutual Water Company °F Degrees Fahrenheit FAR Floor Area Ratio FY Fiscal Year GAMA Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment program GHG Greenhouse Gas GMP Groundwater Management Plan GPM Gallons per Minute GSA Groundwater Sustainability Agency GSC Groundwater Sustainability Commission GSP Groundwater Sustainability Plan GSWC Golden State Water Company IRWMP San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan kWh Kilowatt-Hour LUCE Land Use and Circulation Element LUFTs Leaky Underground Fuel Tanks MAF Million Acre Feet MCL Maximum Contaminant Level MG Million Gallons SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan List of Terms Used County of SLO and City of SLO vii Abbreviation Definition MGD Million Gallons per Day Mg/L Milligrams per Liter MOA Memorandum of Agreement MOU Memorandum of Understanding MWR Master Water Report NCDC National Climate Data Center NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NWIS National Water Information System RW Recycled Water RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board SB Senate Bill SGMA Sustainable Groundwater Management Act SGMP Sustainable Groundwater Management Planning SGWP Sustainable Groundwater Planning SLO Basin San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin SLOFCWCD San Luis Obispo Flood Control and Water Conservation District SCML Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level SOI Sphere of Influence SNMP Salt and Nutrient Management Plan SWRCB California State Water Resources Control Board TDS Total Dissolved Solids TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load USGS United States Geological Survey USFW United States Fish and Wildlife Service USTs Underground Storage Tanks UWMP Urban Water Management Plan UWMP Act Urban Water Management Planning Act UWMP Guidebook Department of Water Resources 2015 Urban Water Management Plan Guidebook VRMWC Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company WCS Water Code Section WMP Water Master Plan WPA Water Planning Areas WRF Water Reclamation Facility WRCC Western Regional Climate Center WRRF Water Resource Recovery Facility WSA Water Supply Assessment WTP Water Treatment Plant WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Executive Summary County of SLO and City of SLO 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This section to be completed after GSP is complete. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Introduction to the SLO Basin GSP County of SLO and City of SLO 2 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE SLO BASIN GSP 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE GROUNDWATER SUSTAINABILITY PLAN The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), Section 10720, et. al., of the State Water Code, requires sustainable groundwater management in all high and medium priority basins. The San Luis Obispo Valley Groundwater Basin (SLO Basin) was designated as a high priority basin. To comply with and satisfy the requirements of SGMA, the following activities are mandated: • Forming one or more Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) by June 30, 2017 to cover the entire SLO Basin. In May 2017, both the City of San Luis Obispo (City) and the County of San Luis Obispo (County) each formed GSAs within their jurisdictions, resulting in full coverage of the SLO Basin. • Developing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) by the GSAs that covers the entire SLO Basin by January 31, 2022. • Implementing the GSP to achieve quantifiable objectives and sustainability within 20 years by 2042. • Annual reporting of groundwater conditions in the basin to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). • Periodic (every five years) evaluation of the GSP implementation by the GSAs. This document fulfills the GSP development requirement for the SLO Basin. This GSP describes and assesses the groundwater condition of the SLO Basin, develops quantifiable management objectives that account for the interests of the SLO Basin’s beneficial groundwater uses and users, and identifies a group of projects and management actions that will allow the SLO Basin to achieve and maintain sustainability in the future. 1.2 DESCRIPTION OF SLO BASIN This GSP covers the entire SLO Basin identified as Basin No. 3-009 in the DWR’s Bulletin 118 (DWR, 2016). The SLO Basin lies in the southern portion of San Luis Obispo County. The SLO Basin is comprised of valleys of gentle flatlands and rolling hills ranging in elevation from approximately 100 to 500 feet above mean sea level, surrounded by larger mountain ranges. A terrain map displaying the SLO Basin boundaries is presented in Figure 1-1, which also displays the watershed areas of the San Luis Obispo Creek and Pismo Creek drainages, faults, and nearby groundwater basins symbolized by the SGMA 2019 Basin Prioritization Phase 1. Average annual precipitation ranges from approximately 18 inches throughout most of the SLO Basin to about 22 inches in relatively higher elevation areas near the City and Cal Poly. The SLO Basin is within the watershed areas of the San Luis Obispo Creek and Pismo Creek drainages, which are bounded on the northeast by the Santa Lucia Range and on the southwest by the formations of the San Luis Range and the Edna Fault. The SLO Basin is commonly referenced as being composed of two distinct valleys, with the San Luis Valley in the northwest and the Edna Valley in the southeast. The San Luis Valley lies within the San Luis Obispo Creek drainage and the Edna Valley lies within the Pismo Creek drainage. There is a bedrock high that underlies between the San Luis Valley and Edna Valley. The watershed divide and the bedrock high divide are not coincident. The sediments of the Edna Valley have significantly greater thickness than those of the San Luis Valley. Precipitation that falls west of the watershed divide ultimately flows to Davenport and San Luis Obispo Creeks, and precipitation that falls SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Introduction to the SLO Basin GSP County of SLO and City of SLO 3 east of that divide flows to Corral de Piedras Creek or the other small tributaries, which ultimately flow to Pismo Creek south of the SLO Basin. San Luis Obispo and Pismo Creeks are the primary surface water features within the SLO Basin. Significant tributaries to the San Luis Obispo Creek within Basin include Prefumo Creek, Stenner Creek, and Davenport Creek. Significant tributaries to Pismo Creek include both East and West branches of the Corral de Piedras Creek. Urban areas within the SLO Basin include the City of San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly, Edna, and Verde. Highway 101 is the most significant north-south highway in the Basin. 1.3 BASIN PRIORITIZATION The DWR prioritized California’s groundwater basins through the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) program and released the results in 2014. With the passage of SGMA, DWR redefined 54 groundwater basins based on requests for basin boundary modifications and classified the basins into four categories; high, medium, low, or very low priority. The SLO Basin was classified as a medium priority basin. The DWR reassessed the priority of the groundwater basins following the 2016 basin boundary modification, as required by the Water Code and documented the results in the SGMA 2019 Basin Prioritization (DWR, 2019). DWR followed the process and methods developed for the CASGEM 2014 Basin Prioritization and incorporated new data, to the extent data was available, and the amended the language of Water Code Section 10933(b)(8) (component 8) included an analysis of adverse impacts on local habitat and local streamflow. DWR prioritized the basins based on the following components specified in Water Code Section 10933(b): 1. The population overlying the basin or sub-basin. 2. The rate of current and projected growth of the population overlying the basin or sub-basin. 3. The number of public supply wells that draw from the basin or sub-basin. 4. The total number of wells that draw from the basin or sub-basin. 5. The irrigated acreage overlying the basin or sub-basin. 6. The degree to which persons overlying the basin or sub-basin rely on groundwater as their primary source of water. 7. Any documented impacts on the groundwater within the basin or sub-basin, including overdraft, subsidence, saline intrusion, and other water quality degradation. 8. Any other information determined to be relevant by the department, including adverse impacts on local habitat and local streamflow. With the addition of component 8, the SLO Basin moved from a medium priority basin to a high priority basin not in critical overdraft and is required to submit a GSP to DWR by January 31, 2022. The change in priority is inconsequential, as medium priority basins are also required to submit a GSP to DWR by January 31, 2022. Additional information about how each of these components were analyzed can be found in the 2019 SGMA Basin Prioritization Process and Results Document (DWR, 2019). DWR is required to provide updates on basin boundaries, basin priority and critically overdrafted basins every 5 years beginning in 2020 as part of the Bulletin 118 updates. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Introduction to the SLO Basin GSP County of SLO and City of SLO 4 Figure 1-1: San Luis Obispo Valley Basin and Surrounding Basins. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Agency Information (§ 354.6) County of SLO and City of SLO 5 2 AGENCY INFORMATION (§ 354.6) On May 16, 2017, the City formed the City of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency (City GSA) for the portion of the SLO Basin that lies within its city boundary. On May 23, 2017, the County formed the San Luis Obispo Valley Basin – County of San Luis Obispo Groundwater Sustainability Agency (County GSA) to cover all otherwise unrepresented areas within the SLO Basin. The County, City, the Edna Valley Growers Mutual Water Company (EVGMWC), the Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company (VRMWC), the Edna Ranch Mutual Water Company (ERMWC) and the Golden State Water Company (GSWC) (each referred to individually as a " Party" and collectively as the "Parties") entered into a Memorandum of Agreement Regarding Preparation of a GSP for the SLO Basin (MOA) effective as of January 25, 2018. The MOA’s purpose is for the City and County, with input from the Participating Parties, to coordinate preparation of a single GSP for the entire SLO Basin pursuant to SGMA and other applicable provisions of law. Figure 2-1 shows the service area boundaries of each of the MOA Parties and the GSA areas. On October 16, 2018, the County GSA gave notice to DWR that it intends to develop a GSP in collaboration with the City GSA for the SLO Basin in accordance with California Water Code (CWC) Section 10727.8 and the Title 23, Section 353.6 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). 2.1 AGENCIES NAMES AND MAILING ADDRESSES The following contact information is provided for each groundwater sustainability agency for the SLO Basin pursuant to California Water Code §10723.8. County of San Luis Obispo County Government Center, Room 206 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Attention: John Diodati , Public Works Interim Director City of San Luis Obispo Utilities Department 879 Morro Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-2710 Attention: Aaron Floyd, Utilities Director SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Agency Information (§ 354.6) County of SLO and City of SLO 6 Figure 2-1: San Luis Obispo Valley Basin GSAs and Participating Parties. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Agency Information (§ 354.6) County of SLO and City of SLO 7 2.2 AGENCIES ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES The MOA establishes the Groundwater Sustainability Commission (GSC) as an advisory body to the GSAs and the terms under which the City GSA and County GSA will jointly develop a single GSP, in coordination with the GSC. The GSC consists of representatives of the GSAs and the Participating Parties (i.e., EVGMWC, VRMWC, ERMWC, and GSWC). Each member of the GSC shall be entitled to one vote on any matter under consideration by the GSC. All recommendations submitted by the GSC to the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors shall be supported by a majority of the members, except for the recommendation to adopt the GSP or any amendments which shall be supported by at least four of the members. City and County staff will collaboratively participate in developing a GSP through, among other things, providing guidance to consultant, coordinating with the GSC, and engaging SLO Basin users and stakeholders. Once the GSP is developed, it will be considered for adoption by the GSAs (i.e., City Council and County Board of Supervisors) and subsequently submitted to DWR for approval. The MOA automatically terminates upon approval of the GSP by DWR. The organization and management structures of each of the Parties are described in the following sections. The MOA does not specify the appointment of officer positions. However, Figure 2-2 shows the names of the appointed representative members and alternates and depicts the relationship of the GSAs and the Participating Parties and the overall governance structure for developing the GSP: Figure 2-2: Groundwater Sustainability Commission (GSC) SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Agency Information (§ 354.6) County of SLO and City of SLO 8 2.2.1 County of San Luis Obispo The County is a GSA and Party of the MOA. Members of the County Board of Supervisors sit on the GSC as a member and alternate member. The County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors representing five districts in the County. Board of Supervisor members are elected to staggered four-year terms. 2.2.2 City of San Luis Obispo The City is a GSA and Party of the MOA. A member of the City Council and the Director of Utilities sit on the GSC as a member and alternate member, respectively. The City is an incorporated charter city and operates under the "Council-Mayor-City Manager" form of municipal government. The five-member City Council consists of the directly-elected Mayor and four City Council Members. The Mayor is elected to a two-year term and Council Members are elected to four-year terms. 2.2.3 Other Participating Parties in the MOA 2.2.3.1 Edna Valley Growers Mutual Water Company EVGMWC is a Party of the MOA and its representative is designated as Chair of the GSC. EVGMWC provides water to the residents of unincorporated San Luis Obispo County within the SLO Basin. 2.2.3.2 Varian Ranch Mutual Water Company VRMWC is a Party of the MOA and a member of the GSC. VRMWC provides water to the residents of unincorporated San Luis Obispo County and serves an area within the SLO Basin as shown in Figure 2-1. 2.2.3.3 Edna Ranch Mutual Water Company ERMWC is a Party of the MOA and a member of the GSC. ERMWC provides water to the residents of unincorporated San Luis Obispo County and serves an area within the SLO Basin as shown in Figure 2-1. 2.2.3.4 Golden State Water Company GSWC is a Party of the MOA and its representative is designated as a Vice Chair of the GSC. GSWC is an Investor Owned Utility regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and subject to federal Sarbanes-Oxley requirements that hold companies to the highest levels of transparency. CPUC’s authority to regulate water, electric, natural gas, and other public utilities subject to its jurisdiction derives from the California state constitution. 2.3 AUTHORITY OF AGENCIES The GSAs developing this coordinated GSP were formed in accordance with the requirements of California Water Code §10723 et seq. The resolutions of formation for the GSAs and the Memorandum of Understanding (MOA) are included in Appendices A - C. The specific legal authorities for GSA formation and GSP implementation are summarized below. 2.3.1 Groundwater Sustainability Agencies “Local agency” is defined pursuant to CWC§ 10721 as a local public agency that has water supply, water management, or land use responsibilities within a groundwater basin. 2.3.1.1 County of San Luis Obispo The County was created as described in Government Code Section 460 which states that the state is divided into counties, the names, boundaries and territorial subdivisions of SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Agency Information (§ 354.6) County of SLO and City of SLO 9 which are declared in Title 3 of the Government Code. The County has land use authority over the unincorporated areas of the county, including areas overlying the SLO Basin. The County is therefore a local agency under CWC§ 10721(n) with the authority to establish itself as a GSA. Upon establishing itself as a GSA, the County retains all the rights and authorities provided to GSAs under CWC§ 10725 et seq. The City and the County shall each be responsible for adopting the GSP and implementing the GSP within their respective service areas. 2.3.1.2 City of San Luis Obispo The City is incorporated under the laws of the State of California. The City provides water supply and land use planning services to its residents. The City is therefore a local agency under CWC§ 10721(n) with the authority to establish itself as a GSA. Upon establishing itself as a party of the GSA, San Luis Obispo retains all the rights and authorities provided to GSAs under CWC§ 10725 et seq. The City and the County shall each be responsible for adopting the GSP and implementing the GSP within their respective service areas. 2.3.2 Memorandum of Agreement The MOA Parties entered into the MOA effective as of January 25, 2018. The MOA establishes the GSC as an advisory body to the GSAs and the terms under which the City GSA and County GSA will jointly develop a single GSP, in coordination with the GSC pursuant to SGMA and other applicable provisions of law. The GSC members consists of representatives of the GSAs and the Participating Parties (i.e., EVGMWC, VRMWC, ERMWC, and GSWC). City and County staff will collaboratively participate in developing a GSP through, among other things, providing guidance to the consultant, coordinating with the GSC, and engaging SLO Basin users and stakeholders. Each GSC member has one vote on the GSC. The County Board of Supervisors and the City Council may approve or reject any advisory opinion submitted by the GSC provided that in every case that the County Board of Supervisors or City Council rejects an advisory opinion of the GSC related to the contents or adoption of the GSP it shall do so only after holding a public hearing, at which time the members of the GSC shall have the right to appear and address the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors. The MOA automatically terminates upon approval of the GSP by DWR. A copy of the MOA is included in Appendix B. 2.3.3 Coordination Agreements Only a single GSP is developed by the City and County GSAs to cover the entire SLO Basin. Therefore, no coordination agreements with other GSAs are necessary because there is no multiple GSPs. 2.4 CONTACT INFORMATION FOR PLAN MANAGER The plan manager is to be determined. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan References County of SLO and City of SLO 10 3 REFERENCES Carollo. 2012. San Luis Obispo County Master Water Report. 2012. City of San Luis Obispo. 2016. 2015 Urban Water Management Plan. 2016. County of San Luis Obispo. 2014. San Luis Obispo County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). 2014. Cuesta Engineering Corporation. 2007. San Luis Obispo Creek Watershed Calibration Study. 2007. DWR. 2016. California's Groundwater: Bulletin 118 - Interim Update 2016, Working Towards Sustainability. 2016. —. 2003. California's Groundwater: Bulletin 118 - Update 2003, Groundwater Basin Descriptions. 2003. —. 2019. Sustainable Groundwater Management Act 2019 Basin Prioritization - Process and Results Document. 2019. GSI Water Solutions. 2018. San Luis Obispo Valley Basin Characterization and Monitoring Well Installation. 2018. WSC. 2018. Salinas and Whale Rock Reserviors Safe Annual Yield TM. 2018. SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 11 4 APPENDICES APPENDIX A - CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO RESOLUTION TO FORM GSA SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 12 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 13 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 14 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 15 APPENDIX B - COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO RESOLUTION TO FORM GSA SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 16 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 17 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 18 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 19 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 20 APPENDIX C - MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT – PREPARATION OF GSP SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 21 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 22 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 23 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 24 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 25 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 26 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 27 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 28 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 29 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 30 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 31 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 32 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 33 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 34 SLO Basin Groundwater Sustainability Plan Appendices County of SLO and City of SLO 35