Ord 1848 - Urgency Ordinance Declaring the Existence of a Condition of Drought and Providing for Mandatory Reduction in and Specified Prohibitions of Water Use and Repealing Ordiance No. 1819ORDINANCE 1848
URGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
DECLARING THE EXISTENCE OF A CONDITION OF
DROUGHT AND PROVIDING FOR MANDATORY REDUCTIONS IN
AND SPECIFIED PROHIBITIONS OF WATER USE
AND REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 1819
THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS DOES HEREBY
ORDAIN:
SECTION I
The Council finds and determines that a state of drought and water shortage exists
throughout the Santa Clara Valley. Water conservation measures are necessary and water
consumption must be reduced by 25 percent. Failure to reduce water consumption would
contribute to water table depletion and further land surface subsidence. To preserve the
health and safety of the people of Los Gatos, the following measures are necessary to be
and are hereby placed in effect.
SECTION II
The following uses of water would be classified as "nonessential or unauthorized and
as such would be prohibited:
1. Any water use in excess of your stated allocations.
2. Use of water through any meter five (5) working days after receipt by the
customer of written notice from the San Jose Company to repair broken or
defective plumbing, sprinklers, water or irrigation systems and the customer
has failed to effect such repair.
3. Use of water which result in flooding or runoff in gutters or streets.
4. Use of water through a hose for washing cars, buses, boats, trailers or other
vehicles without a positive automatic shut -off valve on the outlet end of the
hose.
5. Use of water through a hose for washing buildings, structures, sidewalks,
walkways, driveways, patios, parking lots, tennis courts, or other hand surfaced
areas without shut -off valve.
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6. Use of potable water to clean, fill or maintain levels in decorative fountains.
7. Use of water for construction purposes, such as consolidation or backfill,
unless no other reasonable source of water or method can be used.
8. Service of water by a restaurant except upon the request of a patron.
9. Use of water to flush hydrants, except where required for public health or
safety.
SECTION III
The Council finds that this ordinance must take effect immediately in order to
preserve the public peace, health and safety.
A declaration of the facts constituting the urgency is as follows:
1. The Santa Clara Water District Board of Directors recommended a 25
percent rationing goal, an increase of 5 percent, on March 26, 1991 to be
effective April 1, 1991.
2. The increased rationing could not be implemented until after the San Jose
Water Company received approval from the California Public Utilities
Commission.
3. San Jose Water Company has now received California Public Utilities
Commission approval.
4. Due to the delays, Los Gatos is over a month behind in implementing the
increase rationing and will not be able to meet its goal for the year unless
rationing is started immediately.
SECTION IV
This ordinance repeals Ordinance No. 1819.
SECTION V
This ordinance takes effect immediately and shall be published once in the Los
Gatos Weekly, a newspaper of general circulation, published in the Town of Los Gatos
within fifteen (15) days.
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The foregoing ordinance was passed and adopted at a regular meeting Los Gatos
Town Council on the 6th day of May, 1991 by the following vote as an urgency ordinance
of the Town of Los Gatos.
COUNCIL MEMBERS:
AYES: Randy Attaway, Joanne Benjamin, Steven Blanton,
Eric Carlson and Mayor Ventura.
NAYS: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
SIGNED: i�/'?
MAYOR OF THE TOWN OF LOS GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA
ATTEST:
0/ °
CLERK OF THE TOWN OF L S GATOS
LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA.
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