In furtherance of the purposes of this chapter, it shall be the policy of the city, in exercise of its powers to provide for the public health, safety and welfare, that all geothermal and thermal groundwater wells existing on the effective date of this chapter, and those constructed or altered thereafter, be used in such a manner as to:
A. 
Conserve and protect the geothermal resource and thermal groundwater within and adjacent to the city, in order to enhance reservoir productivity and benefit; prevent wasteful extraction and disposal of geothermal fluids and thermal groundwater; prevent geothermal fluid and thermal groundwater temperature degradation; maintain stable static levels of geothermal fluids and thermal groundwaters; prevent thermal pollution of surface environs and waters;
B. 
Increase and disseminate the scientific knowledge of geothermal and groundwater resources; and
C. 
Protect the public health, safety and welfare from improperly constructed, operated, maintained or abandoned geothermal or thermal groundwater wells or pipelines.
(Prior code § 23.52)
A. 
All geothermal and thermal groundwater wells existing or under construction within the city on the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be known as existing wells, and shall be subject to the requirements of this article.
B. 
Registration of Existing Wells. Owners of such existing wells, within and without the city, may register their wells with the department of public works as soon as said ordinance becomes effective. Such registration shall be voluntary and without cost to the owner, and shall be for purposes of providing information to the department of public works in accordance with Section 13.12.080(C)(5). Said registration shall be on forms supplied by the department of public works for that purpose, and may include, but not be limited to, the name and address of the owner, specific location of the well, date of construction, depth and diameter of the well, specifications of casing, bottom hole temperature, static fluid or water level, type of geothermal utilization system, accessibility for monitoring devices, and disposal method, if any. The director of public works shall direct reasonable public notice of the city's inhabitants at large, explaining the registration program and encouraging participation.
C. 
Existing Surface Discharge Elimination. Any geothermal or thermal groundwater well or geothermal facilities constructed or altered after the effective date of said ordinance shall be operated or altered in such a manner as to conform with applicable environmental rules and regulations. Surface discharges for maintenance purposes shall be conducted in accordance with applicable environmental rules and regulations.
(Prior code § 23.53)
A. 
All geothermal or thermal groundwater wells constructed or altered within the city subsequent to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be known as new wells, and shall be subject to the requirements of this article.
B. 
Application for Well Permit. In addition to all applicable state and federal requirements, any person, except the city, desiring to construct, install or alter a geothermal or thermal groundwater well within the city shall first apply for a well permit at the department of public works, on forms provided for that purpose by the department of public works. Well contractors or drilling operators shall not commence construction or alteration of a geothermal or thermal groundwater well prior to the owner of a proposed well receiving a well permit.
C. 
Application Fee. All applications for a geothermal or thermal groundwater well permit shall be accompanied by an application fee established by city council resolution.
D. 
Application Review. The director of public works shall review each application to determine any potential impacts upon the city geothermal service; any potential for adverse effects to the surrounding reservoir and other wells; conformity with city plans and ordinances; and to assure registration with the department of public works.
E. 
Permit Decision. No later than 30 days from the date of filing a well permit application using the criteria contained in subsection F of this section, the director of public works shall notify the applicant, by certified mail, of his or her decision, setting forth any conditions imposed, and, if denied, the basis thereof. Any well permit issued pursuant to this chapter is in addition to any permits required by state and federal regulations.
F. 
Permit Decision Criteria. Permit decisions pursuant to subsection E of this section shall contain written findings for approval or denial which may include, but are not limited to, the following criteria:
1. 
The estimated hydrological impacts of the proposed well's operation upon the reservoir and surrounding wells;
2. 
The adequacy of provisions for environmental protection and public safety;
3. 
The compliance of the proposed well and its use with this chapter, the city's general plan, and all other applicable city laws, ordinances, regulations; and
4. 
Such other reservoir management criteria as may be deemed directly relevant to the proposed well or its operation.
G. 
Appeal of Permit Decision. Applicants or other affected persons may appeal the permit decision to the commission in accordance with Section 13.12.070.
H. 
Authority to Attach Conditions to Permits. When the director of public works determines that certain construction or operational conditions are necessary to assure the conservation and protection of thermal groundwater and/or geothermal resources, or to assure the conservative and efficient utilization of said water and/or resources, the director of public works may stipulate conditions within a well permit issued according to subsection I of this section; such conditions may include, but are not limited to:
1. 
Restrictions on hours of well construction, with appropriate requirements for noise muffling and waste disposal necessary to assure compatibility with surrounding land uses;
2. 
Well casing requirements above and beyond state requirements, necessary for groundwater and geothermal resource protection;
3. 
Restrictions on pumping, heat exchanging, storage and injection operations necessary for the conservation or protection of thermal groundwaters and geothermal resources;
4. 
Requirements for scientific sampling, testing or monitoring, necessary to conserve or protect thermal groundwater or geothermal resources, or to determine the permitted well's impacts on such water or resources.
5. 
Utilization of the geothermal resource to be for the maximum public benefit in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter and the city's general plan.
I. 
Completion Inspection. Upon completion of any geothermal or thermal groundwater well construction or alteration, but prior to any testing or commencement of regular use, the owner shall promptly notify the department of public works to request a well completion inspection. Promptly after receiving such request, the department of public works shall cause an inspection and written report thereof to be made for purposes of assuring compliance with this chapter and registration with the department of public works. Notice of well pump testing shall be given in accordance with Section 13.12.200(C).
J. 
New Surface Discharges. Any geothermal or thermal groundwater well or geothermal facilities constructed or altered after the effective date of this chapter shall be operated or altered in such a manner as to conform with applicable environmental rules and regulations. Surface discharges for maintenance purposes shall be conducted in accordance with applicable environmental rules and regulations.
(Prior code § 23.54)
All wells constructed, operated, or maintained for purposes of injecting geothermal fluids or thermal groundwater into the ground shall comply with applicable state statutes and rules relating to injection, as well as applicable portions of Section 13.12.180 of this chapter, including, but not limited to, permit requirements.
(Prior code § 23.55)
A. 
Annual Well Survey. The department of public works in accordance with Section 13.12.180(C), shall annually mail to all registered geothermal or thermal groundwater well owners within and without the city, a questionnaire to update original registration information and to document, to the extent possible, well operation characteristics of a designated time period. Scheduling of the survey shall be determined by the director of public works and response to it shall be voluntary. The city may issue such surveys on a more frequent and geographically selective basis when investigating specialized geothermal or groundwater matters.
B. 
Well-Drilling Data. A copy of all well logs prepared in accordance with the state or city law shall be furnished to the department of public works within 30 days after the completion of the well construction or alteration by the well contractor or drilling operator.
C. 
Well Maintenance or Pumping Notice. No less than 24 hours prior to performing any well maintenance or maintenance-related well pumping within the city, the person performing said work shall notify, telephonically or by written or personal message, the department of public works. Such notification shall include, but need not be limited to, the nature of maintenance or pumping to be performed, well location, name of owner, and the approximate duration of the work. Notice of maintenance necessary for emergency reasons for which advance notice was impossible may be given to the department of public works as soon as such emergency conditions will reasonably permit.
(Prior code § 23.56)
A. 
In connection with the principal functions and activities of the city geothermal service, city officials, employees and agents may enter upon any property within the city for purposes of inspecting geothermal or thermal groundwater wells and geothermal facilities, or monitoring the operational characteristics of such wells and facilities, when such inspection and monitoring is reasonably necessary to the assessment of groundwater or geothermal fluid temperatures, chemistry, static levels, quantities and movements; the assessment of land subsidence or erosion; or other assessment of other indices related to geothermal or groundwater reservoir management, or protection of the public safety and welfare.
B. 
The department of public works shall provide affected property owners with reasonable prior notice of any intended inspection or monitoring, describing the nature, purpose and duration of the necessary inspection or monitoring; such inspections or monitoring shall be conducted in accordance with applicable city and state procedures for inspection warrants, if the land owner or other person in possession objects to any such inspection or monitoring.
(Prior code § 23.57)
Whenever the director of public works determines that any geothermal or thermal groundwater well within the city is, by the nature of its construction, installation or operation, causing wasteful use of thermal groundwater or geothermal fluids, or is adversely interfering with other wells, or is polluting groundwater or surface water, or creating a public nuisance, the director of public works shall promptly notify the affected owner, by certified mail, of the wasteful or defective well, and require said owner to repair or adjust the well within 60 days. Any person who fails to repair a well, or continues a wasteful or defective operation, after expiration of the 60 days shall be guilty of an infraction, punishable as provided in Article IV.
(Prior code § 23.58)