Transcript Document

WELCOME
to the
FIRE DISTRICT WORKSHOP
San Joaquin LAFCo
July 16, 2009
AGENDA
 LAFCo
 Special
Districts
 Fire Districts—Background and Preliminary
Data
 Speakers
 Municipal Service Review Process
 Next Steps
An Introduction to
Local Agency Formation
Commissions
WHAT IS LAFCo?
OVERVIEW
History
 Mission and Policies
 Powers and Types of Decisions

Legislative
Compromise
 No
State Commission
 Local Control
 A LAFCo in every county
Evolution of Laws
 Until 1985 three acts
governed
annexations and other LAFCo reviews
– Knox-Nisbet Act (LAFCo law)
– Municipal Organization Act (cities)
– District Reorganization Act (districts)
 Cortese-Knox
1985
Act combined the three in
Issues
1960
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Lack of organization of local
governments
Traffic congestion, air pollution
and strained water resources
Uneconomic use of regional
resources
Numerous uncoordinated local
governments make
government expensive
Lack of public interest in local
government and regional
growth
2000
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Reform of local governmental
reorganization law
Orderly growth and resource
protection
Local fiscal reform
Local government efficiency
Guiding future growth
Public interest in government
Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg
Local Government
Reorganization Act of 2000
 LAFCo
independence from County
 Funding formula changed
 Municipal Service Reviews
– Enhanced role for LAFCo
– First set to be completed by 1/1/2008
 Sphere
of Influence Plans
Nut and Bolts

There is a LAFCo in each of
California’s 58 counties

Standard composition is five or
seven members
 Exceptions in Los Angeles, San Diego,
Kern, Sacramento, and Santa Clara
Counties
LAFCos Reflect
the County
 All LAFCos have members from the Board
of Supervisors
 All have at-large representatives of the
general public
 Nearly all have members from city councils
 29 LAFCos have members appointed by the
independent special districts in the county
Representation
The Legislature calls upon all
commissioners to take off their county,
city, or special district hats and sit as
members of LAFCo §56325.1
District
MISSION
To encourage the orderly formation
of local governmental agencies
To discourage urban sprawl
To preserve agricultural lands
To assure efficient local government
services
LAFCo Powers
and
Decisions
Powers of LAFCo
 Municipal
Service Reviews
 Sphere of Influence Determinations
 Annexations – Island Annexations
 Incorporations and Formations
 Reorganizations
 Mergers, Consolidations, Dissolution
 Service Extensions
LAFCo Initiated
Changes
Only changes that LAFCo may initiate:
– All other changes require voter, property owner, or
affected agency to initiate
 Consolidations
 Mergers
 Subsidiary Districts


Commission initiated proposal must be consistent
with a recommendation or conclusion of a study
What is LAFCo?
Formation or
Dissolution of
Districts
Municipal
Service
Reviews
Consolidation and
reorganization of
cities and districts
Provision of
new or
different
services by
districts
Spheres of
Influence
Created by
State
Legislation
Incorporation
and
disincorporation
of Cities
Annexations
and
Detachments
from Cities and
Districts
Extensions
of service
beyond
city and
district
boundaries
To encourage the orderly formation of local governmental agencies
To discourage urban sprawl
To preserve agricultural lands
To assure efficient local government services