The San Dieguito Water District board will vote Wednesday, Sept. 16, on an ordinance that would make tapping into a fire hydrant without permission a punishable offense.
Proposed Ordinance 2026-01 would add a new section to the district's administrative code prohibiting water theft through unauthorized hydrant connections and establishing administrative penalties. The meeting agenda does not list specific fine amounts; those details are in a staff report attachment that has not been made public online.
The five-member board will also consider Ordinance 2026-03, which would ban the use of potable water for irrigating nonfunctional turf on commercial, industrial, institutional and homeowners' association properties. Cemeteries are exempt.
That measure aligns with California Water Code Section 10608.14, added by Assembly Bill 1572 in 2023. The state law requires public water systems to update their rules by Jan. 1, 2027.
The ban takes effect on a staggered schedule. Government-owned properties and public water systems must comply by Jan. 1, 2027. Commercial, industrial and other institutional properties follow on Jan. 1, 2028, and HOA and common-interest development common areas on Jan. 1, 2029.
Under the state definition, "nonfunctional turf" excludes recreational areas such as sports fields, golf courses and playgrounds. Turf in street rights-of-way and parking lots counts as nonfunctional.
A third ordinance on the agenda, Ordinance 2026-02, would update the district's water-shortage response program and administrative citation procedures.
The board first reviewed the proposed code changes at a special meeting on Aug. 19. Finance Manager Aguilar was listed as the staff contact for the revisions.
All three ordinances and an accompanying resolution amending the full administrative code are listed as exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review.
A separate consent-calendar item, Resolution 2026-11, would amend the district's fiscal year 2026-27 budget to carry over continuing appropriations from the prior year. The specific dollar amounts were not available in the published agenda.
Board President Jim O'Hara will preside. Vice President Bruce Ehlers and board members Luke Shaffer, Joy Lyndes and Marco San Antonio round out the five-member panel.
The public hearing begins at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Encinitas City Council Chambers, 505 S. Vulcan Ave. Residents can submit written comments by emailing [email protected] with the agenda item number in the subject line. Virtual comment registration opens within 24 hours of the meeting at publiccomment.encinitasca.gov, with a call-in number of 760-334-5039 (meeting code 1186). The meeting will also air live on Cox Channel 19, Spectrum Channel 24 and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99.
The next regular board meeting is Oct. 21.
