Transition to By-Division Electoral System

The Santa Margarita Water District is implementing a project titled Transition to By-Division Electoral System, which involves establishing by-division elections for its Board of Directors. The scope of this initiative includes defining specific division boundaries and scheduling elections within those divisions. This project is classified as an organizational and administrative activity and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under guidelines 15061(b)(3) and 15378(b)(5), as it does not result in any direct or indirect physical changes to the environment. The project is located within the jurisdictional boundaries of the Santa Margarita Water District in Orange County, California. The affected areas encompass several communities, including Rancho Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo, Talega, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Mission Viejo, San Juan Capistrano, and Coto de Caza. Administrative oversight for this transition is managed by the District, with Tricia Butler, the Chief Engineer, serving as the primary point of contact. The official Notice of Exemption for this project was filed with the Orange County Clerk-Recorder Department on February 24, 2023.