An Ordinance Further Amending Articles 4 and 6 of An Ordinance To Establish An Allocation System For The Oxnard and Pleasant Valley Groundwater Basins
Summary
SCH Number
2026060664
Public Agency
Fox Canyon Groundwater Management
Document Title
An Ordinance Further Amending Articles 4 and 6 of An Ordinance To Establish An Allocation System For The Oxnard and Pleasant Valley Groundwater Basins
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/15/2026
Document Description
Adoption of ordinance to amend the “Ordinance to Establish an Allocation System for the Oxnard and Pleasant Valley Groundwater Basins” (OPV Ordinance) to comply with the decisions and orders by the Los Angeles County Superior Court in City of Oxnard v Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency, Los Angeles County Sup. Ct. Case No. 20STCP00929, by amending certain OPV Ordinance provisions regulating, limiting, or otherwise establishing groundwater extraction allocations within the Oxnard and Pleasant Valley Groundwater Basins (Basins) consistent with the OPV Ordinance’s original purpose of facilitating the adoption and implementation of groundwater sustainability plans for each of the basins and to ensure that the basins are operated within their sustainable yield in accordance with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, Water Code 10720 et seq. (SGMA), and FCGMA’s enabling legislation. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, is being adopted for the benefit of all water users within the Basins.
Contact Information
Name
John Demers
Agency Name
Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency
Job Title
Executive Officer
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Camarillo, Moorpark, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura
Counties
Ventura
Regions
Countywide
Other Location Info
The Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency (FCGMA) manages and protects both confined and unconfined aquifers within several groundwater basins underlying the southern portion of Ventura County, California. All lands lying above the deep Fox Canyon aquifer account for more than half of the water needs for 450,000 residents in the cities of Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, and Moorpark, plus the unincorporated communities of Saticoy, El Rio, Somis, Moorpark Home Acres, Nyeland Acres, Leisure Village, Point Mugu and Montalvo. The FCGMA boundary encompasses 183 square miles and includes land from the Oxnard coastline to Happy Camp Canyon east of Moorpark. Within this boundary are all, or parts of, five (5) incorporated cities, including Moorpark, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, and Ventura.
Other Information
The FCGMA is an independent special district, separate from the County of Ventura or any city government. It was created by California Legislature to oversee Ventura County’s vital groundwater resources, per the adoption of Assembly Bill No. 2995 Chapter 1023, which was approved by the Governor and filed with the Secretary of State in September 1982. The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) identified the Agency as the exclusive Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) for the basins within its jurisdiction. The Agency also acts as watermaster for the Las Posas Valley Basin.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15307, 15308
Reasons for Exemption
The adoption of this ordinance is necessary to amend and conform those parts of the OPV Ordinance found by the Los Angeles County Superior Court to violate FCGMA’s enabling statutes with the remainder of the OPV Ordinance. It does not change the original purpose, or otherwise substantially alter the provisions regulating, limiting, or establishing groundwater extraction allocations, of the OPV Ordinance. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, is an action taken pursuant to FCGMA’s authority to adopt ordinances for the purpose of regulating, conserving, managing, and controlling the use and extraction of groundwater in the Basins. As an extension of the OPV Ordinance, it is further taken pursuant to authority under SGMA and FCGMA’s enabling legislation to establish an operator’s extraction allocation for each extraction facility located within the Basins. It was further adopted to facilitate adoption and implementation of groundwater sustainability plans for each of the Basins, and following careful consideration of all comments submitted in writing and at the hearing regarding the proposed action. This ordinance was enacted consistent with the OPV Ordinance’s purpose of improving, and protecting the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies, preventing worsening of existing conditions, allowing time to implement a long-term solution to achieve groundwater sustainability and to bring extractions in the Basin into balance with recharge. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, will enhance groundwater resources within the Basins and protect environmentally beneficial uses of groundwater. As determined by the Superior Court with regard to the OPV Ordinance, there is no reasonable possibility that this ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Water Code 10728.6
Reasons for Exemption
The adoption of this ordinance is necessary to amend and conform those parts of the OPV Ordinance found by the Los Angeles County Superior Court to violate FCGMA’s enabling statutes with the remainder of the OPV Ordinance. It does not change the original purpose, or otherwise substantially alter the provisions regulating, limiting, or establishing groundwater extraction allocations, of the OPV Ordinance. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, is an action taken pursuant to FCGMA’s authority to adopt ordinances for the purpose of regulating, conserving, managing, and controlling the use and extraction of groundwater in the Basins. As an extension of the OPV Ordinance, it is further taken pursuant to authority under SGMA and FCGMA’s enabling legislation to establish an operator’s extraction allocation for each extraction facility located within the Basins. It was further adopted to facilitate adoption and implementation of groundwater sustainability plans for each of the Basins, and following careful consideration of all comments submitted in writing and at the hearing regarding the proposed action. This ordinance was enacted consistent with the OPV Ordinance’s purpose of improving, and protecting the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies, preventing worsening of existing conditions, allowing time to implement a long-term solution to achieve groundwater sustainability and to bring extractions in the Basin into balance with recharge. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, will enhance groundwater resources within the Basins and protect environmentally beneficial uses of groundwater. As determined by the Superior Court with regard to the OPV Ordinance, there is no reasonable possibility that this ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The adoption of this ordinance is necessary to amend and conform those parts of the OPV Ordinance found by the Los Angeles County Superior Court to violate FCGMA’s enabling statutes with the remainder of the OPV Ordinance. It does not change the original purpose, or otherwise substantially alter the provisions regulating, limiting, or establishing groundwater extraction allocations, of the OPV Ordinance. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, is an action taken pursuant to FCGMA’s authority to adopt ordinances for the purpose of regulating, conserving, managing, and controlling the use and extraction of groundwater in the Basins. As an extension of the OPV Ordinance, it is further taken pursuant to authority under SGMA and FCGMA’s enabling legislation to establish an operator’s extraction allocation for each extraction facility located within the Basins. It was further adopted to facilitate adoption and implementation of groundwater sustainability plans for each of the Basins, and following careful consideration of all comments submitted in writing and at the hearing regarding the proposed action. This ordinance was enacted consistent with the OPV Ordinance’s purpose of improving, and protecting the quantity and quality of groundwater supplies, preventing worsening of existing conditions, allowing time to implement a long-term solution to achieve groundwater sustainability and to bring extractions in the Basin into balance with recharge. This ordinance, like the OPV Ordinance, will enhance groundwater resources within the Basins and protect environmentally beneficial uses of groundwater. As determined by the Superior Court with regard to the OPV Ordinance, there is no reasonable possibility that this ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances.
County Clerk
Ventura
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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