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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04231991 - 1.83 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS I V3 f'ROM: PHIL BATCHELOR County Administrator 1� DATE: April 17, 1991 SUBJECT: RIVERVIEW FIRE' PROTECTION DISTRICT FIVE YEAR PLAN AMENDMENT AND BENEFIT ASSESSMENT INCREASE Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Approve the attached report of the Riverview Fire Protection District proposing an amendment to its Five Year Financing Plan and an increase in its benefit assessment from $15 per unit to $39 per unit. 2. Adopt the attached resolution which directs the preparation of a report and the ,initiation of procedures leading to public hearing and the Board's consideration of adoption of the subject assessment increase. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND: Over the past several years, the Board of Supervisors has considered and- approved five year financing plans for improving the facilities and increasing the staffing of various County fire districts. The financing plans have relied primarily on development fees for capital costs and benefit assessments for personnel. In 1987, the Board approved a benefit assessment in the amount of $15 per unit for the Riverview Fire 'Protection District to fund the addition of eleven firefighters to staff the new station 88 in Antioch. Because of increased salary and benefits increases and other operating cost increases, the $15 fee is no longer adequate to fund station 88 staffing: , The proposed benefit assessment increase provides for the continued funding of station 88. The District is working on a comprehensive revision of its original Five Year Financing Plan. Although the plan is still under development, the need for an additional new station in Pittsburg has been identified. The recommended amendment to the Five Year Financing Plan will provide for the needed new station in Pittsburg.The new station is needed to maintain adequate response time throughout the District. The new station is in the final design stages and is expected to be operational in early 1992. Accordingly, it will be necessary to hire an additional eleven firefighters. The proposed benefit assessment increase will fund these new employees as well as some support staff and certain other operating costs as outlined in the Fire District report. The recommended resolution outlines procedures for the preparation of a report by the District which indicates: 1) the description of each parcel of property proposed to CONTINUED ON ATT'ACBMENT: X YES Signature:��/ c X Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee X Approve Other Signature(s): Action of Board on:- April 23, 1991. Approved as Recommended x other Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY'CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN X_ Unanimous (Absent I ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: _ Abstain: Attested: April 23 , 1991 cc: County Administrator Phil Batchelor, Clerk of County Counsel the Board of Supervisors Auditor-Controller and County Administrator City of Antioch City of Pittsburg United Professional Fire Fighters Local 1230 By: , DEPUTY Riverview Fire Protection District Page 2 April 17, 1991 be assessed; 2) the amount of the assessment for each parcel for the initial and maximum fiscal years; 3) the duration of the proposed assessments; 4) the basis of the proposed assessments; 5) a statement as to how the proposed assessments relate to the benefits to the property to be assessed; 6) the schedule of the proposed assessments; and 7) the documentation required by one section of the report. The procedures provide for the above report to be filed with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and for the determination of the date for the. public hearing required by law. The Clerk is to cause the posting and publication of the required legal notices. Under the direction of the Clerk, the District must provide for copies of the notice to be mailed to each owner of a parcel which would be subject to the proposed assessment. The District would also be prepared to respond to questions about the proposed assessment which would be directed to its headquarters. If the Board, following the public hearing, finds the amount of the the protest of the proposed assessment to be no more than 5% of the total amount of expected revenue from the assessment, it can order the assessments to be made. i BACKGROUND Early in 1985, the Board of Supervisors directed the County Administrator to study the personnel and capital needs of fire districts governed by the Board of Supervisors. This led to the development of each district"s "Five Year Plan". The resulting plans were submitted to the Board of Supervisors in June 1985. They were approved by the Board, and a consultant was retained to assist the County in recommending financing for the amounts approved in the plans. Each plan for financing an approved Five Year Plan was subsequently adopted by the Board of Supervisors. STATION LOCATION PLAN Since adoption of the Financing Plan the District found it necessary to revise the Station Location Plan originally developed in 1982. The New Fire Station Location Plan, recognized and accepted by the Cities of Pittsburg and Antioch, identifies the need for a total of nine (9) fire stations in the District. The New Plan remains consistent with the County General Plan and provides for a five minute response standard. The New Plan identifies that Stations 82, 85 and 88 need to be relocated and two additional stations need to be constructed. Presently, one of the additional stations called for in the New Plan is in the final design stages and will be ready for occupancy in early 1992 . The majority of cost for this station will be from Developers Fees. The site for this station was provided to the District by the City of Pittsburg. The District is continuing to work with the Cities and Developers to secure sites for the relocation of Stations 82 and 85. BENEFIT ASSESSMENT PROGRAM An element of the financing plan for Riverview Fire is the Benefit Assessment Program adopted by the Board of Supervisors Resolution (87/90) in early 1987.. The Riverview Fire District's Benefit Assessment Fee was established at $15 per unit. In accordance with the approved financing plan and specifically the Benefit Assessment element, the District hired eleven (11) Firefighters in 1988 to provide personnel for the new temporary station located in Southeast Antioch (Station 88) . Due to inflation, escalating personnel and operating costs, the current $15 per unit assessment is no longer sufficient to support these eleven (11) personnel. Additionally, the District will need to hire eleven (11) more Firefighters .in January 1992 to provide personnel for the new Fire Station 87, located in the City of Pittsburg and scheduled for occupancy in March of 1992 .. It is essential to the continued operations of the District that the Five Year Financing Plan be updated to reflect an increase in the Benefit Assessment Fee: from $15 per unit to $39 per unit as per the following "Summary of Benefit Assessment": SUMMARY OF BENEFIT ASSESSMENT Type of Addition Amount to Per Unit or Improvement be Financed Fee = $39 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1991-92 a) Continued Funding of Projected Number of 11 Firefighters hired $ 850, 000 Units = 46, 000 in 1988 b) Hire 11 Firefighters in January IL992 for 441, 000 Revenue: $1, 794, 000 Station 87 Expenses: 1, 343 , 000 c) Operating Costs for Balance: 451, 000 Station 87 and 88 32, 000 d) One Vehicle 20, 000 $1, 343, 000 SUMMARY OF BENEFIT ASSESSMENT Type of Addition Amount to Per Unit or Improvement be Financed Fee = $39 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1992-93 Projected Number a) Continued funding of of Units = 46,500 22 Firefighters + 8% $1,836, 000 b) Add one Battalion Chief 120, 000 Revenue: $1, 813 , 500 c) Add one Vehicle 20,000 Bal Fwd: 451, 000 d) Operating Costs for Total Avail: $2,264, 500 Station 87 & 88 32 ,000 Expenses: _2 , 008 , 000 $2, 008,000 Balance: $ 256, 500 It is the intent of the District to utilize the Benefit Assessment Fees primarily to fund fire suppression personnel. However, the need for support personnel will also continue to grow as the District becomes larger and demands for services increase. The District presently funds several support services positions from revenue generated by "Fee for Service" programs. It is our intent to explore more broadly the "Fee for Service" concept for the purpose of funding future support services personnel. Summary The District is requesting an "updating" of the financing plan to accommodate our immediate identifiable needs. A positive action by the Board of Supervisors will provide the necessary funding for the District to continue its operation of Station 88 and provide sufficient funds for manning Station 87 in January 1992 . This will also allow sufficient time for the District to prepare a more comprehensive five year plan which will incorporate detailed information on how the Delta Fair Property and other "Fees for Service" programs may be used to fund future personnel and Capital Facilities. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA AS GOVERNING BODY OF THE RIVERVIEW FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT Re: Fire Suppression ) Assessment Procedure, ) RESOLUTION No. 91/ 262 Riverview. ) The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County as the Board of Directors of the Riverview Fire 'Protection District Resolves That: Pursuant to Government Code Article 3.6 (§§ 50078-50078.20), the board of directors of a county fire protection district may determine and levy annual assessments for fire suppression services (to obtain, operate and maintain fire suppression equipment or apparatus and pay the salaries and benefits of firefighting personnel) after the completion of a public hearing for which individual notice has been given to every owner of property proposed to be assessed. The assessments to be levied shall be determined from established' uniform schedules and -rates based upon the type of use of property and the risk classification of the structures or other improvements on, or the use of, involved properties. The proposed assessment must be related to the benefits to the property assessed. This Board of Directors Hereby Resolves that it intends to pursue the levying of a benefit assessment to support District fire suppression services and directs the following actions: 1. The District's Fire Chief and staff (in consultation with its fire commission) shall study the level of fire suppression services desired and appropriate for said District's area(s), the costs of providing the same, and prepare a written report (to be filed with this Board) containing: (a) A description of each lot of parcel of property proposed to be subject to the assessment; (b) The amount of the assessment proposed for each lot of parcel for the initial fiscal year (1991-92); (c) The maximum amount of the assessment which may be levied for each lot or parcel during any fiscal year, including any provision for automatic adjustment; (d) The duration of the proposed assessment; (e) The basis for the proposed assessment including documentation showing generally how the proposed uniform schedule(s) and rate(s) based upon types of property, structure (improvements) risk classifications or property uses were established; and., (f) A statement of how the proposed assessment relates to the benefits to the property assessed. (g) The schedule of the assessment. (h) Any documentation required by paragraph 4. RESOLUTION NO. 91/ 262 2. Any benefit assessments proposed to be levied on land devoted primarily to agricultural, timber or livestock uses, and being used for the commercial production of agricultural, timber or livestock products shall be related to the relative risk to the land and its products pursuant to Government Code § 50078.2(b). A benefit assessment shall not be levied for wildland or watershed fire suppression on land located in a state reponsibility area (Pub. Res.0 § 4102). 3. In order to allow tax roll collection of the assessment (if levied), the above-described report shall utilize the Contra Costa County Assessor's Use Codes and the attached "Benefit Assessment Risk Schedule". 4. In using only the risk unit indicated for the Use Code of a particular property would, due to its unique circumstances result in it not being fairly assessed risk units in relation to typical parcels covered by the involved Use Code designation, the report may propose a risk unit allocation for that particular property by reference to its Assessor's parcel number and utilization of the same standards used to determine risk unit allocations for Assessor Use Code designations. Where such a risk unit allocation is proposed for a particular property, the above-described report shall explain why this is necessary. 5. Upon the filing of the above-described report with the Clerk of this Board, it shall determine a date for a public hearing to be held by this Board upon such report. The Clerk shall also cause notice of the filing of the report and of the time, date, and place of hearing thereon to be published pursuant to Government Code Section 6066 and to be posted in at least three public places within the District and territory proposed to be subject to the assessment. With the assistance of District staff, said clerk shall also cause a copy of the notice of the filing of the report and of the time, date, and place of hearing thereon to be mailed to each parcel or property owner whose property would be subject to the assesssment and to any interested party who has filed a written request with the District for mailed notice of meetings on new or increased charges. Said notice shal be mailed at least two weeks prior to the date set for the hearing (Govt.0 § 50078.6). 6. Upon the time, date, and place determined for the public hearing, this Board shall hear and consider all objections or protests, if any, to the above described report, and may, thereafter, by ordinance or resolution, determine and levy the assessment. PASSED AND ADOPTED April 23 , 1991 by the following vote : AYES: Supervisors. Fanden, McPeak;.-.Torlakson, `:Schroder NOES: None ABSENT: Supervisor Powers ABSTAIN: None I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Superviso on the date shown. �� ATTESTED: sal �-• PHIL BATC ELOR.Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and /County Administrator by ��L�G r�/� Deputy RESOLUTION NO. 91/ 262 -2- BENEFIT ASSESSMENT RISK SCHEDULE USE CODE EXPLANATION RISK UNIT 10 Vacant - Unbuildable 0. 5 11 Single Family Res 1 res, 1 site 1 12 Single Fam. Res. res 2 or more sites 1 13 Single Fam. Res. 2 res on I or more sites 2 14 Single Fam. Res. other than Sing. fam. land 1 15 Misc. improvements - 1 site 0. 5 16 Misc. improvements - 2 or more sites 0.5 17 Vacant - I site 0. 5 18 Vacant - 2 or more sites I 19 Single Fam. Res. det. w/common area 1 20 Vacant - Multiple 0. 5 21 Duplex 2 22 Triplex 2 23 Fourplex 2 24 Combinations 2 25 Apartments ( 5-12 units) 5 26 Apartments ( 13-24 units) 7 27 Apartments ( 25-59 units) 10 28 Apartments (60+ units) 10 29 Attached PUDs: Cluster homes, condos, etc. I 30 Vacant commercial 0.5 31 Commercial stores - not supermarkets 3 32 Small grocery stores (7-11, etc. ) 3 33 office Buildings 4 34 Medical, dental 4 35 Service stations, car wash 4 91/262 -2- USE CODE EXPLANATION RISK UNIT 36 Garages 4 37 Community Facilities (recreational, etc. ) 2 38 Golf Courses 5 39 Bowling Alleys 5 40 Boat Harbors 6 41 Supermarkets (not in shopping centers) 6 42 Shopping Centers (incl. vacant for future) 7 43 Financial Buildings (Ins. , Title, Banks, S&L) 4 44 Motels , Hotels& Mobile Home Parks 5 45 Theaters 5 46 Drive-in Restaurants 3 47 Restaurants (Not Drive-in) 5 48 Multiple & Commercial 5 49 New Car Auto Agencies 5 50 Industrial Vacant Land ( not indus. park) 5 51 Industrial Park 7 52 Research & Development (w/ or w/o structures) 7 53 Light Industrial 7 54 Heavy Industrial 10 55 Unassigned 7 56 Miscellaneous Improvements 7 57 Unassigned 7 i 58 Unassigned 7 59 Unassigned 7 i 60 Unassigned (Land) 1 t i -3- USE CODE EXPLANATION RISK UNIT 61 Rural, Res. Improv. , lA - 10A 1 62 Rural, w/ or w/o misc. struct. lA - 10A 1 63 Urban Acreage 10A - 40A 2 64 Urban Acreage 40A & over 3 65 Orchards/Vineyards 10A - 40A 1 66 Orchards/Vineyards 40A & over 1 67 Dry Farming 10A - 40A 2 68 Dry Farming- 40A & over 3 69 Agricultural Preserves , 2 70 Convalescent Hospitals/Rest Homes 6 71 Churches 3 72 Schools (Public or Private) 5 73 Hospitals 6 74 Cemetaries/Mortuaries 3 75 Fraternal & Service Organizations 4 76 RETIREMENT HOUSING COMPLEX 10 77 Cultural Uses (Libraries) 3 78 Parks & Playgrounds 1 79 Government Owned (Fed. , State, City, BART) 0 80 Mineral Rights 0 81 Private Roads 0 . 5 82 Pipelines & Canals 4 83 State Board Assessed 3 84 Utilities (Not Assessed by State Board) 3 .85 Public & Private Parking 1 86 Municipally Owned Properties 0 91/262 -4- USE CODE EXPLANATION RISK UNIT 87 Common Area 2 88 Mobile .Homes 1 89 Other (Split Parcels in diff. tax code areas) 1 99 Awaiting Assignment 1 SPECIFIC EXCEPTIONS TO RISK SCHEDULE BY PARCEL NUMBER j i j 10/86 gr