County says new water allocation policy will free water credits for qualifying housing permits

Monterey County officials said the Department of Housing and Community Development has adopted a water-allocation policy intended to free constrained water supply for qualifying housing projects.

Director Craig Spencer said the county recently obtained an allocation of water from a water management district through the Pure Water expansion project and has written a policy that, if applicants meet its criteria, allows the county to credit water to planning or building permits. "We did get an allocation of water from water management district, which is a special district ... available through Pure Water expansion project," Spencer said. "We can provide the water for free provided they meet the criteria in this policy."

Spencer framed the policy as removing a barrier for development on vacant lots or for apartment buildings in areas where water availability had previously prevented permits. He described the procedure generally: planning permits can receive an approved credit and building permits can be signed off under the policy’s criteria.

Officials described the policy as an evolving tool; Spencer said the county will continue reviewing and tweaking the policy as needed. The briefing did not provide the policy text, the specific qualifying criteria, or the effective date; Spencer said the allocation was secured "within the last two weeks." The county did not provide supporting documents during the briefing; confirmation of effective dates, eligibility criteria and any required interagency agreements was not included and would require follow-up with county staff.

Next steps: county staff and prospective applicants should consult the department for the official policy text and eligibility requirements before assuming water credits for a specific project.