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Accept the annual fire districts impact fee disclosures for FY2023/24 for the Cordelia, Dixon, Suisun, and Vacaville Fire Protection Districts as required by Government Code section 66006(b)
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors accept the annual fire districts impact fee disclosures for FY2023/24 for the Cordelia Fire Protection District (CFPD), Dixon Fire Protection District (DFPD), Suisun Fire Protection District (SFPD) and Vacaville Fire Protection District (VFPD) as required by Government Code section 66006(b).
SUMMARY:
The disclosure and review of district fire impact fees is required by section 66006(b) of the Government Code and per the agreement the Districts have with the County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no impact to the County General Fund to receive this report. Fire impact fees collected by the County on behalf of the fire protection districts are deposited into the respective district accounts. The County retains two percent of the fees collected to offset the labor costs of administration.
The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2024/25 Working Budget.
DISCUSSION:
Fire protection districts do not have the legal authority under Government Code section 66000 et. seq., the enabling legislation for the County’s public facilities fee, to levy a development impact fee without the County’s assistance. On April 26, 2005, the Board adopted an ordinance adding Article XVI of Chapter 11 of the Solano County Code relating to fire protection district impact fees. The Board recognized that new development projects located in the unincorporated area of the county impacted the fire protection resources of local fire protection districts. The County’s ordinance provides the mechanism by which the County can levy a fire protection district impact fee on a fire district’s behalf.
At the same time, agreements were entered into with the Cordelia and Vacaville Fire Protection Districts to collect the fire impact fee on behalf of the districts. On January 22, 2008 and December 9, 2014, a similar agreement was entered into with the Suisun and Dixon Fire Protection Districts, respectively. The County has been collecting fire district impact fees for the Cordelia and Vacaville Fire Protection Districts since July 2005, the Suisun Fire Protection District since April 2008, and the Dixon Fire Protection District since February 2015.
Since the inception of the fire district impact fee, funding has been provided for vehicles and equipment used in fire suppression and expanded facilities to serve the growth occurring in each of the respective districts. This report provides an overview of the projects for which the districts have utilized fire impact fee revenue. Each fire district has provided a report as approved by their respective District Boards (Attachments A - D).
In order to comply with the Mitigation Fee Act, Government Code section 66006(b) requires a review and disclosure of impact fee funds annually. Each district has provided this information annually at public noticed district board meetings where the information was also available to the public.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to accept the fire protection districts’ disclosures; however, this action is not recommended as the disclosures are required by the Mitigation Fee Act to provide information to the public concerning collections and expenditures of fire impact fees. As long as the County collects these fees on behalf of the fire protection districts, this disclosure will be required.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Cordelia, Dixon, Suisun, and Vacaville Fire Protection Districts approved their respective disclosures at their indicated Board meetings.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION