Adopted CSA Sphere of Influence MSR and SOI Read more »

C A L AV E R A S C O U N T Y S E RV I C E A R E A S M U N I C I PA L S E RV I C E R E V I E W F I N A L Adopted January 25, 2016 Prepared for the Calaveras Local Agency Formation Commission by Policy Consulting Associates, LLC. CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S ACRONYMS .................................................................................................................................................................5 PREFACE ......................................................................................................................................................................6 CONTEXT .................................................................................................................................................................6 CREDITS ...................................................................................................................................................................6 LAFCO AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES REVIEWS ...............................................................................................7 LAFCO OVERVIEW .....................................................................................................................................................7 MUNICIPAL SERVICES REVIEW LEGISLATION .............................................................................................................7 MUNICIPAL SERVICES REVIEW PROCESS ....................................................................................................................8 SPHERE OF INFLUENCE UPDATES ...............................................................................................................................8 DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES .................................................................................................9 1. OVERVIEW ......................................................................................................................................................11 KEY FINDINGS ..........................................................................................................................................................11 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OPTIONS ........................................................................................................................17 2. RANCHO CALAVERAS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1 .....................................................................19 AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................19 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................26 RANCHO CALAVERAS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1 DETERMINATIONS ................................................................29 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................31 RANCHO CALAVERAS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1 SOI DETERMINATIONS ........................................................31 3. BAR XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 2 .................................................................................................33 AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................33 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................40 BAR XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 2 DETERMINATIONS .....................................................................................43 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................45 BAR XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 2 SOI DETERMINATIONS .............................................................................45 4. DIAMOND XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 4 ......................................................................................47 AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................47 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................53 DIAMOND XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 4 DETERMINATIONS ............................................................................56 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................58 DIAMOND XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 4 SOI DETERMINATIONS ....................................................................58 5. SPRING HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 8 ....................................................................................60 AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................60 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................65 SPRING HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 8 DETERMINATIONS .............................................................................67 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................69 SPRING HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 8 SOI DETERMINATIONS .....................................................................69 6. GOLDEN HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 12 ................................................................................71 AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................71 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................77 GOLDEN HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 12 DETERMINATIONS .........................................................................80 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................82 GOLDEN HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 12 SOI DETERMINATIONS .................................................................82 7. CAMPO SECO ESTATES COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 5 ..................................................................84 TABLE OF CONTENTS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 2 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................84 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................89 CAMPO SECO ESTATES COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 5 MSR DETERMINATIONS .....................................................90 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................91 CAMPO SECO ESTATES COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 5 SOI DETERMINATIONS .......................................................91 8. FOREST MEADOWS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 7 ..........................................................................92 AGENCY OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................................92 ROAD SERVICES ........................................................................................................................................................97 FOREST MEADOWS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 7 DETERMINATIONS .....................................................................98 SOI UPDATE .............................................................................................................................................................99 FOREST MEADOWS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 7 SOI DETERMINATIONS ............................................................99 9. EL RANCHO LOMA SERENA COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 10 ......................................................100 AGENCY OVERVIEW ...............................................................................................................................................100 ROAD SERVICES ......................................................................................................................................................105 EL RANCHO LOMA SERENA COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 10 DETERMINATIONS ...................................................106 SOI UPDATE ...........................................................................................................................................................107 EL RANCHO LOMA SERENA COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 10 SOI DETERMINATIONS ...........................................107 TABLE OF CONTENTS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 3 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW L I S T O F F I G U R E S FIGURE 1-1: ROAD SERVICE CSAS IN CALAVERAS COUNTY .........................................................................................12 FIGURE 1-2: COUNTY SERVICE AREAS BOUNDARIES ....................................................................................................13 FIGURE 2-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1 BOUNDARIES AND SOI .............................................................................21 FIGURE 2-2: CSA 1 GOVERNING BODY .........................................................................................................................23 FIGURE 3-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 2 BOUNDARIES AND SOI .............................................................................35 FIGURE 3-2: CSA 2 GOVERNING BODY .........................................................................................................................36 FIGURE 4-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 4 BOUNDARIES AND SOI .............................................................................48 FIGURE 4-2: CSA 4 GOVERNING BODY .........................................................................................................................49 FIGURE 5-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 8 BOUNDARIES AND SOI .............................................................................61 FIGURE 5-2: CSA 8 GOVERNING BODY .........................................................................................................................62 FIGURE 6-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 12 BOUNDARIES AND SOI ...........................................................................72 FIGURE 6-2: CSA 12 GOVERNING BODY .......................................................................................................................74 FIGURE 7-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 5 BOUNDARIES ............................................................................................86 FIGURE 7-2: CSA 5 GOVERNING BODY .........................................................................................................................87 FIGURE 8-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 7 BOUNDARIES ............................................................................................94 FIGURE 8-2: CSA 7 GOVERNING BODY .........................................................................................................................95 FIGURE 9-1: COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 10 BOUNDARIES ........................................................................................102 FIGURE 9-2: CSA 10 GOVERNING BODY .....................................................................................................................103 LIST OF FIGURES Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 4 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ACRO NYM S BOE California Board of Equalization CC&R Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions CEO: Chief Executive Officer CEQA: California Environmental Quality Act CIP: Capital improvement plan CSA: County Service Area CSD: Community Services District CSDA: California Special District Association CY: Calendar year DOF: California Department of Finance DPH: California Department of Public Health DWR: California Department of Water Resources EMS: Emergency Medical Services FTE: Full Time Equivalent FY: Fiscal year GIS: Geographic Information Systems GM: General Manager GP: General Plan JPA: Joint Powers Authority LAFCo: Local Agency Formation Commission MSR: Municipal services review NA: Not applicable NP: Not provided OPR: Governor’s Office of Planning and Research SDMRA: Special District Risk Management Authority SOI: Sphere of influence SR: State Route USFS: United States Forest Service ACRONYMS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 5 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW P R EFAC E Prepared for the Calaveras Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo), this report is a municipal services review—a state-required comprehensive study of services within a designated geographic area. This MSR focuses on county service areas providing road services in Calaveras County. CONTEXT Calaveras LAFCo is required to prepare this MSR by the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Government Code §56000, et seq.), which took effect on January 1, 2001. The MSR reviews services provided by public agencies whose boundaries and governance are subject to LAFCo. Those county service areas providing road services in Calaveras County are the focus of this review. CREDITS The authors extend their appreciation to Steven Hollenbeak in the Calaveras County Public Works Department for answering questionnaires and providing documents to complete this review. Calaveras LAFCo Executive Officer, John Benoit, provided project direction and review. Dennis Miller prepared maps and provided GIS analysis. This report was prepared by Policy Consulting Associates, LLC, and was co-authored by Jennifer Stephenson and Oxana Wolfson. Jennifer Stephenson served as project manager. Oxana Wolfson provided research analysis. Calaveras County has provided a substantial portion of the information included in this document through responding to a questionnaire. The rest of the information was obtained through public documents, including budgets and comprehensive annual financial reports. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 6 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW L A FCO A ND M UNI CI PA L S ERV I C ES REVI EWS This report is prepared pursuant to legislation enacted in 2000 that requires LAFCo to conduct a comprehensive review of municipal service delivery and update the spheres of influence (SOIs) of all agencies under LAFCo’s jurisdiction. This chapter provides an overview of LAFCo’s powers and responsibilities. It discusses legal requirements for preparation of the municipal services review (MSR), and describes the process for MSR review, MSR approval and SOI updates. LAFCO OVERVIEW LAFCo regulates, through approval, denial, conditions and modification, boundary changes proposed by public agencies or individuals. It also regulates the extension of public services by cities and special districts outside their boundaries. LAFCo is empowered to initiate updates to the SOIs and proposals involving the dissolution or consolidation of special districts, mergers, establishment of subsidiary districts, and any reorganization including such actions. Otherwise, LAFCo actions must originate as petitions or resolutions from affected voters, landowners, cities or districts. Calaveras LAFCo consists of seven regular members: two members from the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, two city council members, two special district members, and one public member who is appointed by the other members of the Commission. There is an alternate in each category. All Commissioners are appointed to four-year terms. MUNICIPAL SERVICES REVIEW LEGISLATION The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 requires LAFCo review and update SOIs not less than every five years and to review municipal services before updating SOIs. The requirement for service reviews arises from the identified need for a more coordinated and efficient public service structure to support California’s anticipated growth. The service review provides LAFCo with a tool to study existing and future public service conditions comprehensively and to evaluate organizational options for accommodating growth, preventing urban sprawl, and ensuring that critical services are provided efficiently. Government Code §56430 requires LAFCo to conduct a review of municipal services provided in the county by region, sub-region or other designated geographic area, as appropriate, for the service or services to be reviewed, and prepare a written statement of determination with respect to each of the following topics: v Growth and population projections for the affected area; v The location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the SOI (effective July 1, 2012); v Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs or deficiencies (including needs or deficiencies related to sewers, municipal and industrial water, and structural fire protection in LAFCO & MSRS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 7 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence); v Financial ability of agencies to provide services; v Status of, and opportunities for shared facilities; v Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies; and v Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by commission policy. MUNICIPAL SERVICES REVIEW PROCESS The MSR process does not require LAFCo to initiate changes of organization based on service review findings, only that LAFCo identify potential government structure options. However, LAFCo, other local agencies, and the public may subsequently use the determinations to analyze prospective changes of organization or reorganization or to establish or amend SOIs. Within its legal authorization, LAFCo may act with respect to a recommended change of organization or reorganization on its own initiative (e.g., certain types of consolidations), or in response to a proposal (i.e., initiated by resolution or petition by landowners or registered voters). MSRs are exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to §15306 (information collection) of the CEQA Guidelines. LAFCo’s actions to adopt MSR determinations are not considered “projects” subject to CEQA. SPHERE OF INFLUENCE UPDATES The Commission is charged with developing and updating the sphere of influence (SOI) for each city and special district within the county.1 SOIs must be updated every five years or as necessary. In determining the SOI, LAFCo is required to complete an MSR and adopt the seven determinations previously discussed. An SOI is a LAFCo-approved plan that designates an agency’s probable future boundary and service area. Spheres are planning tools used to provide guidance for individual boundary change proposals and are intended to encourage efficient provision of organized community services and prevent duplication of service delivery. Territory cannot be annexed by LAFCo to a city or a district unless it is within that agency's sphere. The purposes of the SOI include the following: to ensure the efficient provision of services, discourage urban sprawl and premature conversion of agricultural and open space lands, and prevent overlapping jurisdictions and duplication of services. LAFCo cannot regulate land use, dictate internal operations or administration of any local agency, or set rates. LAFCo is empowered to enact policies that indirectly affect land use decisions. On a regional level, LAFCo promotes logical and orderly development of 1 The initial statutory mandate, in 1971, imposed no deadline for completing sphere designations. When most LAFCos failed to act, 1984 legislation required all LAFCOs to establish spheres of influence by 1985. LAFCO & MSRS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 8 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW communities as it considers and decides individual proposals. LAFCo has a role in reconciling differences between agency plans so that the most efficient urban service arrangements are created for the benefit of current and future area residents and property owners. The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg (CKH) Act requires to develop and determine the SOI of each local governmental agency within the county and to review and update the SOI every five years. LAFCos are empowered to adopt, update and amend the SOI. They may do so with or without an application and any interested person may submit an application proposing an SOI amendment. LAFCo may recommend government reorganizations to particular agencies in the county, using the SOIs as the basis for those recommendations. In addition, in adopting or amending an SOI, LAFCo must make the following determinations: v Present and planned land uses in the area, including agricultural and open-space lands; v Present and probable need for public facilities and services in the area; v Present capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public service that the agency provides or is authorized to provide; v Existence of any social or economic communities of interest in the area if the Commission determines these are relevant to the agency; and v Present and probable need for water, wastewater, and structural fire protection facilities and services of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within the existing sphere of influence. By statute, LAFCo must notify affected agencies 21 days before holding the public hearing to consider the SOI and may not update the SOI until after that hearing. The LAFCo Executive Officer must issue a report including recommendations on the SOI amendments and updates under consideration at least five days before the public hearing. DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES On October 7, 2011, Governor Brown signed SB 244, which makes two principal changes to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. SB 244 requires LAFCos to: (1) deny any application to annex to a city territory that is contiguous to a disadvantaged unincorporated community (DUC) unless a second application is submitted to annex the disadvantaged community as well; and (2) evaluate disadvantaged unincorporated communities in a municipal service review (MSR) upon the next update of a sphere of influence after June 30, 2012. The intent of the statute is to encourage investment in disadvantaged unincorporated communities that often lack basic infrastructure by mandating cities and LAFCos to include them in land use planning. SB 244 defines disadvantaged unincorporated community as any area with 12 or more registered voters, or as determined by commission policy, where the median household income is less than 80 percent of the statewide annual median. LAFCO & MSRS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 9 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SB 244 also requires LAFCos to consider disadvantaged unincorporated communities when developing spheres of influence. Upon the next update of a sphere of influence on or after July 1, 2012, SB 244 requires LAFCo to include in an MSR (in preparation of a sphere of influence update): 1) The location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere; and 2) The present and planned capacity of public facilities, adequacy of public services and infrastructure needs or deficiencies including needs or deficiencies related to sewers, municipal and industrial water, and structural fire protection in any disadvantaged unincorporated community within or contiguous to the sphere of influence. In determining spheres of influence, SB 244 authorizes LAFCo to assess the feasibility of a reorganization and consolidation of local agencies to further orderly development and improve the efficiency and affordability of infrastructure and service delivery. LAFCos should revise their local policies to include the requirements imposed by SB 244 to ensure they fulfill their obligations under this legislation. According to the Department of Water Resources, there are seven disadvantaged unincorporated communities in Calaveras County. Three of the communities are located along the border with Tuolumne County (Douglas Flat, Hathaway Pines, and Camp Connell/Dorrington areas), one on the border with Amador County around West Point, one around the town of San Andreas, and two large communities in the center of Calaveras County around Mountain Ranch. LAFCO & MSRS Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 10 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 1. OVERVIEW This report is a Municipal Service Review (MSR) report on road services provided by county service areas (CSAs) in Calaveras County prepared for the Calaveras Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo). An MSR is a State-required comprehensive study of services within a designated geographic area. The MSR requirement is codified in the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Government Code Section 56000 et seq.). After MSR findings are adopted, the Commission will begin the process of updating the spheres of influence (SOIs) of the agencies covered in this report. Calaveras County is located on the eastern side of the Central Valley, east of Stockton, California. It is a part of the historic Mother Lode region of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The City of Angels Camp is the only incorporated city in the County. The County encompasses 1,028 square miles and is characterized by rolling foothills beginning at an elevation of around 300 feet above sea level to mountainous terrain reaching an elevation of 8,100 feet. The County is 66 percent rural, 21 percent residential, and three percent commercial, including Calaveras Big Trees State Park—a preserve of Giant Sequoia trees, located in the County several miles east of the town of Arnold. Calaveras County includes a portion of the Stanislaus National Forest and has several lakes scattered throughout. There were 40,554 residents in Calaveras County in 2000 according to 2000 Census. The population in the unincorporated communities was 37,550, composing 93 percent of the County’s entire population. Since 2000, the countywide population experienced growth of about 12 percent, from 40,554 to 45,578 in 2010. However, from 2010 to 2015 the population has not experienced a significant change, increasing to 45,668 in 2015.2 The population in the unincorporated communities experienced an overall increase from 37,550 to 41,857 or 11 percent between 2000 and 2015. Calaveras County makes its population projections based on the California Department of Finance (DOF) projections. DOF projects a countywide population of 48,312 by 2020 and 53,001 by 2030. This would amount to an increase over the 2010 population of six percent and 16 percent, respectively. KEY FINDINGS This report focuses on county service areas (CSAs) in Calaveras County. County service areas are governed by §25210 of the California Government Code. CSAs provide an additional alternative method for the furnishing of extended governmental services by counties within unincorporated areas. The Code also provides that taxes may be levied within such areas in an amount sufficient to pay for the services provided. CSAs may provide police protection, fire protection, parks and recreation, library services, television services, and other governmental services, which the county is 2 Population in 2000 and 2010 based on Census data. Population in 2012 and 2015 is estimated by California Department of Finance. OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 11 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW authorized to provide. The Code further defines miscellaneous extended services to include water service, sewer service, road maintenance, street lighting, and other services. CSAs may be formed by application to LAFCo from either the County Board of Supervisors or by petition of registered voters. A county service area, including the entire unincorporated area of the county, may be established to provide any or all of the services authorized in §25210 of the Government Code. Service Providers Eight CSAs are reviewed as part of this MSR. The CSAs are authorized to provide road maintenance services in eight separate communities in Calaveras County, as shown in Figure 1-1. Three out of eight of these CSAs are inactive, while the rest are currently operational. These providers were last reviewed in an MSR in 2006. Figure 1-1: Road Service CSAs in Calaveras County Boundary Area County Service Area Status Sphere of Influence Population (square mileage) Rancho Calaveras CSA Active 9.67 9.67 (Annexable) 5,325 No. 1 Bar XX CSA No. 2 Active 2.5 2.5 (Coterminous) 180 Diamond XX CSA No. 4 Active 6.46 6.46 (Coterminous) 450 Spring Hills CSA No. 8 Active 0.29 0.29 (Coterminous) 86 Golden Hills CSA No. Active 0.78 0.78 (Coterminous) 167 12 Campo Seco Estates Inactive 0.26 None 38 CSA No. 5 Forest Meadows CSA Inactive 2.66 None 669 No. 7 El Rancho Loma Sera Inactive 1.33 None 264 CSA No. 10 OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 12 Calaveras LAFCo Calaveras County Service Areas Bear Valley ^` Tamarack ^` ^`West Point ^`Wilseyville ^` ·|þ} Glencoe ^`Rail Road Flat ·|þ} 26 4 Camp Connell^` ·|þ} ^` ^` Dorrington 49 ·|þ} Mokelumne Hill Pardee 26 Reservoir White Pines^` Paloma^` ^` Golden Hills El Rancho Loma Sera Arnold Camanche Reservoir ^`Campo Seco Spring Hills ^`Mountain Ranch ·|þ} Campo Seco Estates ·|þ} 49 ^`Sheep Ranch 12 Avery^` ^` Valley Spring^`s ^` San Andreas ^`Hathaway ·|þ} Burson^` Sunrise Point Pines 12 ^`Calaveritas Forest Meadows New Hogan Reservoir ^` Murphys ·|þ} ·|þ} ^`Douglas Flat 26 49 ^` SHELTON RD Rancho Calaveras Altaville ^` ^` Vallecito ^` Angels Camp Salt Spring ^`Milton Valley Reservior ·|þ} ^`Carson Hill 4 Bar XX Calaveras County ^` County Service Areas Copperopolis Bar XX CSA No. 2 Campo Seco Estates CSA No. 5 (Inactive) Diamond XX Diamond XX CSA No. 4 El Rancho Loma Sera CSA No. 10 (Inactive) Forest Meadows CSA No. 7 (Inactive) Golden Hills CSA No. 12 Rancho Calaveras CSA No. 1 Spring Hills CSA No. 8 Sunrise Point CSA (Street Lighting Only) Calaveras County L ^` 4 E Highways Towns G E Parcels Waterbodies N D Roads 0 3 6 12Miles Map Created 7/15/2015 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Boundaries and Spheres of Influence The boundaries of each of the eight CSAs are shown in Figure 1-2, while boundary area and sphere of influence sizes are reported in Figure 1-1. The road CSAs serve subdivisions around Calaveras County. Rancho Calaveras CSA No. 1 serves the most extensive area, while Spring Hills CSA 8 is the smallest active CSA. The SOIs of all of the active districts are coterminous with their district boundaries, with one exception—CSA 1 has an adopted SOI that is larger than its current service territory, which is known as an annexable SOI, as shown in Figure 1-2. The SOIs for each of the CSAs, with the exception of CSA 1, were last updated in 2006. The SOI for CSA 1 was amended in 2013 concurrently with an annexation to the District. The inactive CSAs do not have adopted spheres of influence. The spheres of influence of the active CSAs are anticipated to remain the same after the adoption of this MSR, while it is recommend that zero SOIs be adopted for the inactive CSAs to encourage dissolution, which is further discussed in the Governance Options section. Governance and Management The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for county service areas. The Board may delegate administration and operations of CSAs to department heads with appropriate expertise. The Director of Public Works is delegated by the Board to administer CSAs for road improvement and maintenance purposes. Delegation of CSA responsibilities may be changed by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. Additionally, the Board of Supervisors appoints an advisory committee for each of the CSAs. Advisory committees do not make decisions, manage, or direct the delivery of services or facilities. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. (cid:1) Committee members serve at the pleasure of the Board of Supervisors in an advisory capacity. Examples of committee activities include conducting community meetings, proposing work schedules and priority of services, and facilitating communication between CSA residents and the County. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Each of the active districts reviewed has three to five member committees. Committee members must reside within the CSA which they represent. Agendas and minutes for the Board of Supervisors’, as well as advisory committee meetings are publicly available. Information regarding the operations of the CSAs is generally not available online, unless a particular subdivision provides it for its residents, such as in the case of Diamond XX CSA 4. CSA residents are able to submit complaints regarding road conditions to the County Public Works Department or to their respective road committees. OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 14 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW The Public Works Department, which manages and operates the CSAs, conducts annual employee evaluations. The County does not perform formal evaluations of overall CSA performance, such as benchmarking or annual reports. The County’s financial planning efforts for active CSAs include an annually adopted budget and CAFR, within which the CSAs are included along with all other county finances. No other planning documents are adopted specific to any of the CSAs. Some, however, have engineer’s reports that had been completed to establish and/or raise benefit assessments. Government Code §53901 states that within 60 days after the beginning of the fiscal year each local agency must submit its budget to the County Auditor. These budgets are to be filed and made available on request by the public at the county auditor’s office. Additionally, all special districts are required to submit annual audits to the County within 12 months of the completion of the fiscal year, unless the Board of Supervisors has approved a biennial or five-year schedule.3 Because all CSAs are included as part of the County’s annual audit process, it is not required for them to submit a separate audit to the County Auditor. Special districts must submit a report to the State Controller (SCO) of all financial transactions of the district during the preceding fiscal year within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, in the form required by the State Controller, pursuant to Government Code §53891. If filed in electronic format, the report must be submitted within 110 days after the end of the fiscal year. CSAs 1 and 8 complied with this requirement for FY 11-12. CSAs 2, 4, and 12 failed to provide this information to the State for FY 11-12, as these CSAs are not included in the SCO’s annual special district report for that fiscal year. Inactive CSAs do not have advisory committees, do not adopt any planning documents and do not perform any evaluations or reporting. The County, on behalf of all the CSAs reviewed here, demonstrated accountability and transparency in their disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding CSA operations. Operations and Service Adequacy Road maintenance and repairs are often performed by CSAs on an-as-needed basis without the benefit of long-range capital improvement plans (CIP). CIPs are important to identify and budget for long-range improvements that may need addressing not only annually but also on a five or ten year basis. The Public Works Department works with the advisory committee for each CSA formulating a work plan each year and reviewing the adequacy of current assessments. The CSAs reimburse the County for staff time and also pay County overhead costs. Roadwork is either done by the County or contracted out through a public bidding process, typically in the case of larger projects. Some of the roads within the districts are dedicated for public use and provide access to property outside the districts’ boundaries. In these situations, the districts are providing 3 Government Code §26909. OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 15 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW maintained roads for property owners outside the district without the ability to assess these property owners their fair share of maintenance and improvement costs. The condition of street pavement is typically evaluated by local agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS), which regularly evaluates pavement condition and establishes a cost-effective maintenance strategy. Each segment of pavement is rated for distress (i.e., cracks and potholes) and the extent and severity of distress. Having an up-to- date PMS allows the local agency to quickly and efficiently gauge road maintenance needs and efficiently allocate resources. Calaveras CSAs do not make use of PMS. Condition of the CSAs’ roads generally ranges from poor to good, fluctuating based on weather conditions and time of maintenance. Most of the roads are characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria. The life cycle of pavement in good condition can be extended through preventative maintenance by applying a thin layer of asphalt mixture, better known as slurry sealing or seal-coating. When pavement is in fair condition—with moderate potholes and cracks—it can be treated with one- to two-inch thick overlays. Pavement with minor structural distress—with significant cracks—often requires rehabilitation, involving grinding of portions of the existing street and application of a thick overlay. Pavement with major structural distress—with extensive cracks—often requires reconstruction involving removal and replacement of the street segment. Pavement management studies have shown that it is more cost effective to maintain pavement in good condition over its useful life than to let it deteriorate to the point that it requires a major overlay or reconstruction. Deferring maintenance can increase long-term maintenance costs as much as four times greater than a consistent preventative maintenance strategy, according to the Transportation Research Board. Street reconstruction is typically needed once asphalt is 20-35 years old, with the asphalt lifespan depending on the use of preventative maintenance efforts. All the reviewed CSAs generally perform at least some preventative maintenance on their roads. Traffic congestion is measured based on the daily number of vehicle hours of delay due to congestion. Historically, Level of Service (LOS) analysis has relied upon a conventional perspective of the primary use of public streets by motor vehicles rather than considering all modes of travel, including public transportation, bicycling and walking. LOS on streets and highways is rated on a scale of A-F, where “A” is the best rating and “F” the worst. LOS “E” means significant delays, unstable traffic flow, and rapidly fluctuating speeds and flow rates; LOS “F” means considerable delay with forced traffic flow and speeds dropping to zero. Calaveras County has an adopted minimum standard of LOS C; however, this standard is not applicable to CSA roads. None of the CSAs have an adopted LOS standard. It was reported that there was no way to determine the percentage of the CSAs’ roadways that are at LOS D, E or F, as this data has not been collected. Financing The financing of road maintenance is primarily accomplished through benefit assessments. Some of the districts also receive property tax revenues, including CSAs 1 and 8. CSA 8 is financed almost exclusively by property taxes and does not receive any special OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 16 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW tax or benefit assessment revenue. The County Board of Supervisors sets the assessment rates for the CSAs that do receive benefit assessment income. None of the CSAs reviewed had any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. All of the active districts had fairly significant fund balances constituting about two to 10 years of their annual expenditures. Financial reserves are the way CSAs finance their large road repair and replacement projects, and are not considered excessive. Based on needs outlined by residents, capital reserves are generally not sufficient to meet all desired improvements. Money left over after financing of CSA services and supplies and routine road maintenance is transferred into financial reserves. GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OPTIONS Governance structure options with relation to the CSAs are limited, as the areas served are not anticipated to change in the future and there are few possibilities for transitioning road services to another public agency given the limited number of agencies that are authorized to provide this service. A common alternative in other communities in Calaveras is to have these services offered through a subdivision’s homeowner’s association; however, given that the active CSAs appear to be providing satisfactory services, there is no impetus to considering this option at this time. Three of the CSAs reviewed here (CSAs 5, 7, and 10) are inactive and have not provided services since formation. For the area within CSA 5, a proposed subdivision was never developed and the CSA never became active. It is unclear how the private dirt roads in the area are maintained at this time for the few residences along these roads. CSAs 7 and 10 were formed to provide enhanced road maintenance services to two subdivisions; however, the residents ultimately decided to have the homeowner’s associations (HOA) manage these services financed through HOA fees. Services appear to be provided satisfactorily through the two HOAs. Dissolution of these inactive CSAs was discussed and recommended in 2006, but never acted upon. The County cited processing fees as the primary constraint to dissolution of the CSAs, as there are no funds associated with any of the CSAs to finance the change of organization. Given that each of these three CSAs has remained inactive since formation, and there are no future plans that require an alternative service provider of road maintenance services, dissolution of the three CSAs is recommended. In order to begin the dissolution process, LAFCo should consider adopting zero SOIs for each of these CSAs indicating its anticipation that the districts will cease to exist. Dissolution can then be initiated by resolution by either the Board of Supervisors or LAFCo. In the interest of efficiency and to ensure that these districts are properly dissolved to eliminate waste of County and LAFCo resources on nonfunctioning agencies, LAFCo may wish to consider initiating dissolution on its own as allowed by Government Code §56375. In this case, processing fees could be waived to accommodate the lack of any funds on the part of the three CSAs. Another option for LAFCo’s consideration for the future should other road CSAs be considered for formation is the development of a policy to limit the creation of additional small CSAs and require the development of a single countywide CSA with benefit zones created on an as needed basis per the service financing needs of each community to be served. This alternative would minimize LAFCo’s work associated with the creation, jurisdiction, and dissolution of several smaller CSAs. OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 17 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Another option is for the County to consider forming permanent road divisions (PRDs), which are not subject to LAFCo, when the need arises. A permanent road division is a geographic area formed pursuant to California Streets and Highways Code §1160 to provide road improvements and road maintenance. If a resident lives on a road not maintained by the County Department of Public Works or another entity, a petition can be submitted to form a permanent road division to provide the extended service of road improvement and maintenance. Although an advantage of PRDs would be the absence of LAFCo oversight and requirements, including regular MSR updates, there are still drawbacks associated with this option. The legal requirements imposed on the County and the subdivision make PRDs nearly as resource consuming as forming and overseeing CSAs or CSDs. CSA 1 is the only road maintenance CSA with an annexable SOI which indicates territory outside of the CSAs bounds which is anticipated to be annexed into the District at some point in the future. These areas were likely included due to the possibility of future development and some of the parcels already have residential structures and residents that make use of CSA roads to access their property. Annexation of these areas may be an option in the future as additional properties express an interest in annexing and can share in the costs of processing annexation. Annexation policies on the part of the CSAs would assist the districts in decisions regarding future annexations and the provision of assessments on all of those that use roads maintained by the districts. A potential for an annexation has also been identified for CSA 12. A 1,000-acre ranch adjacent to the Golden Hills subdivision has a potential to be subdivided and developed sometime in the future, in which case new residents would have to use the CSA’s roads to gain access to their properties. Annexation of these properties then would be a likely scenario. It is however unclear when and if the ranch may get subdivided and developed thus making the possibility of annexation a distant prospect. Additional governance structure option identified during the review process was dissolution of CSA 2 and inclusion of its territory in the Appaloosa Road Community Services District (CSD). The subdivision of Bar XX is currently served by both districts; the boundary reorganization would unite the entire subdivision under one service provider. However, the original District intentionally was split into two agencies, and the current CSA 2 has not expressed interested in joining the CSD. OVERVIEW Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 18 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 2. RA NCHO CA L AVERAS CO UNTY SERVI CE AREA N O. 1 Rancho Calaveras County Service Area No. 1 (CSA 1) provides road improvement and maintenance services in the subdivision of Rancho Calaveras. The most recent MSR for the District was prepared in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 1 was formed in 1969 for the purposes of road maintenance, provision of water and sewer service, and park and recreation facilities in Rancho Calaveras. The District currently only provides road maintenance. The remaining services are presently considered latent powers. These services are permitted under the District’s original charter, but no financing has been established to provide such services. Rancho Calaveras subdivision was originally developed by the Pacific-Cascade Land Company between 1966 and 1969 primarily as a second home recreational subdivision. With 3,615 lots, Rancho Calaveras was at the time the largest residential subdivision in Calaveras County. Recreational facilities include a clubhouse, swimming pool, tennis courts, lakes, and river front property. The principal act that governs CSA 1 is the County Service Area law.4 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.5 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.6 Boundaries CSA 1 is located between Valley Springs and Jenny Lind on both sides of SR 26 in western Calaveras County. The CSA covers approximately 9.7 square miles and has 3,588 parcels. Since its formation there have been several annexations to the CSA. The latest annexation took place in 2013 and included Rancho Calaveras Estates. The District annexed approximately 522.8 acres of two contiguous parcels. The purpose of this annexation was to include the territory adjacent to the CSA for road maintenance purposes. The property is 4 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 5 California Government Code §25213. 6 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 19 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW situated so that it is only accessible from CSA 1 roadways. The annexed territory is currently undeveloped. Sphere of Influence The District’s SOI is currently larger than its boundary area. As shown in Figure 2-1, the SOI stretches outside of CSA 1 boundary in four areas in the west, east, and north. The size of the SOI is 10.8 square miles compared to about 8.6 square miles of boundary area. The latest SOI amendment took place in 2013, in conjunction with Rancho Calaveras Estates annexation discussed in the Boundaries section. The amendment that included 400 acres of land added to the SOI, occurred because only a portion of the annexed land was within the CSA 1 SOI at the time of annexation proposal. The SOI amendment and annexation are located at the southerly terminus of Harding Road, south of the Community of Valley Springs, approximately 2.25 miles southeast of SR 26, and southwest of Rancho Calaveras. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 20 QUAIL OAKS RD COVEY LN BURSO N RD HILLVALE DR CAROL L M N EADOW OAKS DR DIDIER RD R C OS R S E DR STVIEW DR HENEY LN BUTLER LN BL D AK U E L N N N RD RD YESEKREB HEINE MANN DR HARTVICKS ON LN SILV ·| E }þ 2 R 6 RAPIDS R V D IST HUCKLEBERRY LN A DEL LAGO DR HOGAN DAM RD N E W H O G A N R E NEW HO G AN PY OLIVE ORCHARD RD BERKESEY LN FARRIS DR RD INILO AP RIPPON RD C B OX A D N R C E A R N D E LN S E R V O IR TREOSTI B PL ERGSMA LN HOGAN DAM RD ·|}þ 26 DALEE RD GARNER PL STABULIS RD SCENIC VALLEY DR KNOLL DR JENNY LIND RD O RIELLY ST C OW E A NS W Y S K S G I I D M R Y A R A B D B N Y O N S R T S S T T RED MAN RD B P ALD A WIN R S W T D EST M I H N N IL C L A R I D P A L L L T E S E T ST HAU DR KW O RRAPS T A LY N L D N ERSON S MC T CA U UL S EY H C RD E O R N D N R ER DR HARDING RD PALOM INO RIDG E RD OPAL LN ^` MILTON RD SIEGEL ST NL HCNARB EVILO EBERHARDT DR LECKIE RD HAGEN RD LA CONTENTA DR BROOKS LN B E L ME A R I E R FF D D L A N N R AHER DR HOFFMAN DR HANLEY DR BARDE RD BARTELINK DR CRAIL WY DR SLLO FRIEDMAN WY NL ENIHPESO HCIN J DRIVER RD GOLD KING DR WS RD DALE DR SAINT ANDRE GALLIUS LN REED WY GROUSE DR SILVER RD SPYGLASS RD HAIBACH RD BARBOUR RD B S L T A A C G K E B C A O R A T C H D R DR REX RD BOTFUHER RD BAL L D U W C W A I H N S I T L L E N N RD THORNICROFT DR GRISHA B M ROOKS RD RD CLEMENTS PL BERRYHILL DR COULTRUP LN SCHMIDT PL YOST DR W ATTS DR STINSON VIEW RD MAIN ST MONTER O RD LAKEVIEW CR Calaveras LAFCo Rancho Calaveras CSA No. 1 Range 10 East Range 11 East QUAIL OAKS RD VISTA DEL SOL BOAT RAMP GEE LN MOCKIN H G IL B L IRD CROWELL LN MEYER LN TREOSTI PL WESTHILL RD CROSBY CT COLUMBUS S J T enny Lind Calaveras County Highways 4 Rancho Calaveras CSA No. 1 L E Parcels G Rancho Calaveras CSA No. 1 Roads E ^` Existing Sphere of Influence N Towns D 0 1,500 3,000 6,000Feet Rancho Calaveras Waterbodies CSA No. 1 htroN 4 pihsnwoT htroN 3 pihsnwoT Map Created 7/14/2015 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 1. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Kearney represents the majority of parcels, which comprise CSA 1. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. Each of the reviewed CSAs has a road committee consisting of three to five members who promulgate candidate preventative maintenance, damage repair, sealing and paving projects among residents, determine consensus, and present projects to the Public Works department. Once projects are approved by the department, the committee administers the public bid process for paving, or maintenance work through County force account. CSA 1 has five committee members. There are currently no vacancies on the District’s road committee. The CSA 1 road committee meets at 7:00 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Rancho Calaveras Property Owners Association (RCPOA) clubhouse. Agendas for committee meetings are posted outside of the clubhouse 72 hours in advance of a meeting. Minutes are sent to the County Public Works Department, where they are available upon request. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 22 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Figure 2-2: CSA 1 Governing Body County Service Area 1 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) that contain information on CSA 1 on its website. No other information about CSA 1 is available on the County website, although there is a designated space on the Board, Commission, Committee Meeting Announcements page for potential CSA 1 advisory committee announcements. CSA 1 does not make additional outreach efforts to the public regarding road improvement and maintenance services and the function of the District. Complaints about road services may be submitted either to the CSA road committee or to the County Department of Public Works. Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Forms 700 for 2014 period. CSA 1 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices CSA 1 does not have its own staff. The County collects the property tax and benefit assessment revenue associated with the CSA. According to the County Municipal Code, the Board of Supervisors may delegate administration and operations of county service areas to department heads with appropriate expertise. The director of public works is delegated to administer CSAs for road improvement and maintenance. County road crews perform maintenance on CSA 1 roads, while larger repair or construction projects are executed by contractors. Public(cid:1)Works department prepares CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 23 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW plans, specifications and bid documents that provide a detailed description of the work to be done. The County conducts annual employee evaluations. Public Works director is responsible for evaluating his or her subordinates; the director is evaluated by the County Administrative Officer. County employees track time spent on various tasks dedicated to management of CSA 1 and road maintenance, as well as reviewing projects submitted by the advisory committee for approval and preparing bid documents. The County does not perform formal evaluations of overall CSA performance, such as benchmarking or annual reports. The County’s financial planning efforts include an annually adopted budget and CAFR, within which the CSA is included along with all other county finances. No other planning documents are adopted specific to CSA 1. However, the County had adopted a Rancho Calaveras Specific Plan in 1999, which has not been updated since. Rancho Calaveras is also included in the County’s 2010-2035 Valley Springs Community Plan Update. Government Code §53901 states that within 60 days after the beginning of the fiscal year each local agency must submit its budget to the County Auditor. These budgets are to be filed and made available on request by the public at the county auditor’s office. Additionally, all special districts are required to submit annual audits to the County within 12 months of the completion of the fiscal year, unless the Board of Supervisors has approved a biennial or five-year schedule.7 Because CSA 1 is included as part of the County’s annual audit process, it is not required to submit a separate audit to the County Auditor. Special districts must submit a report to the State Controller (SCO) of all financial transactions of the district during the preceding fiscal year within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, in the form required by the State Controller, pursuant to Government Code §53891. If filed in electronic format, the report must be submitted within 110 days after the end of the fiscal year. CSA 1 complied with this requirement for FY 11-12. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Designated land uses within the CSA consist primarily of rural residential uses. The total boundary area of CSA 1 is approximately 9.7 square miles. Population CSA 1 includes a total of 3,588 parcels, out of which two are recently annexed and currently undeveloped. According to 2010 Census, the District’s population that year was 5,325, up from 4,182 at the 2000 Census. The current population density within the CSA is 549 persons per square mile. Projected Growth and Development Rancho Calaveras subdivision was established between 1966 and 1969. In 1999, approximately 1,700 parcels were developed with single-family residential homes. Present 7 Government Code §26909. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 24 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW number of undeveloped parcels is unknown. Any currently undeveloped lots, however, are expected to be developed in the next five to 10 years. CSA 1 has an annexable SOI which indicates territory outside of the CSAs bounds which is anticipated to be annexed into the District at some point in the future. These areas were likely included due to the possibility of future development and some of the parcels already have residential structures and residents that make use of CSA roads to access their property. Annexation of these areas may be an option in the future. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. Financing According to the County Municipal Code, benefit assessments or special taxes may be imposed on parcels within County Service Areas. Special taxes must be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within a CSA, except that unimproved property may be taxed at a lower rate than improved. CSA 1 receives its revenue from both, property taxes and benefit assessments. The amount of the assessment is set annually based on the cost of performing needed road maintenance work. Currently, residents pay $19 per parcel for lots on County or State maintained roads, $28.50 per parcel for lots on CSA maintained roads and County and State maintained roads (corner lots), and $38 per parcel for lots on CSA roads. In FY 13-14, the District received $201,836 in revenue, 46 percent of which resulted from property taxes and 51 percent from benefit assessments. The rest came from the use of money and property, intergovernmental revenue, and miscellaneous sources. The expenditures in FY 13-14 amounted to $778,963, out of which 40 percent was spent on services and supplies, including professional and specialized services, costs, and special department expenses, and 60 percent to reimburse the County for services provided. Work performed in FY 13-14 included paving, patching, crack sealing, culvert replacement and maintenance, pothole and structural digouts, and vegetation management. At the end of the same fiscal year, the District’s expenditures exceeded its revenues by $577,127. The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $1.2 million. CSA 1 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 25 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ROAD SERVICES Service Overview Maintenance work on CSA 1 roads is typically performed through force account with County crews, while rehabilitative and new construction projects are procured through publically let contracts administered by Public Works department of the County. The Board of Supervisors is responsible for awarding a contract to the contractor that won the bid. Street sweeping is not performed in CSA 1. The County estimates that the Public Works Department receives about 20 to 30 service calls per year for all the road CSAs reviewed in this report. The District does not provide services outside of its boundaries. Facilities and Capacity Rancho Calaveras subdivision has a road network that includes both County maintained roads and CSA maintained roads. The CSA is responsible for approximately 47 miles of road, including 35 miles that are paved and 12 miles that are chip sealed. Facility Sharing The County reported that since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. However, occasionally contractors are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA due to improved economies of scale or reduced mobilization cost for various types of work in one location. Additionally, the road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Infrastructure Needs The County reports that CSA 1 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads were rehabilitated within CSA 1 in FY 13-14. The CSA’s roads need ongoing maintenance. Generally, costs increase exponentially once the roadway deteriorates to a “poor” or worse condition. Therefore, maintenance dollars are most effectively spent when pavement is maintained in at least a “fair” condition. It was reported that CSA 1 roads were in fair condition. However, substandard original construction of many roads’ structural sections with rounded cobbles (instead of locking, fractured-face rock) left over from placer mining/dredge operations near Jenny Lind have caused many of these roads to experience distress which must be constantly mitigated. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 26 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW There is a plan to construct a new road on the territory that was annexed in 2013, which would be an extension of Harding Road. County policy requires all new roads to have a mechanism in place to provide ongoing road maintenance. Having the separate road maintenance agreement or other entity to provide road maintenance. The County and the developer (Rancho Calaveras Estates) have agreed to include the new road into the County CSA road maintenance system. The road, however, will be constructed by the developer and not by the CSA. In 2014, CSA 1 has planned an overlay project and a striping project, which went out to bid. The overlays on Dalee Court and Cassidy Road have been completed. The project’s cost was $44,490 for the striping of all CSA 1 roads and $223,760 for the overlay. There reportedly have been now recent submittals of proposed work from CSA 1. Challenges CSA 1 reported no challenges to service provision on its roads. Service Adequacy This section reviews indicators of road service adequacy, including, condition of roadways, deferred maintenance, and congestion. The condition of street pavement is typically evaluated by local agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS), which regularly evaluates pavement condition and establishes a cost-effective maintenance strategy. Each segment of pavement is rated for distress (i.e., cracks and potholes) and the extent and severity of distress. Having an up-to- date PMS allows the local agency to quickly and efficiently gauge road maintenance needs and efficiently allocate resources. As was mentioned before, CSA 1 does not make use of PMS. However, the County reported that the CSA’s roads were in good to poor condition. Despite the recent overlay, roads may be subject to premature aging and eventual failure due to structural flaws discussed in Infrastructure Needs section. The life cycle of pavement in good condition can be extended through preventative maintenance by applying a thin layer of asphalt mixture, better known as slurry sealing or seal-coating. When pavement is in fair condition—with moderate potholes and cracks—it can be treated with one- to two-inch thick overlays. Pavement with minor structural distress—with significant cracks—often requires rehabilitation, involving grinding of portions of the existing street and application of a thick overlay. Pavement with major structural distress—with extensive cracks—often requires reconstruction involving removal and replacement of the street segment. Pavement management studies have shown that it is more cost effective to maintain pavement in good condition over its useful life than to let it deteriorate to the point that it requires a major overlay or reconstruction. Deferring maintenance can increase long-term maintenance costs as much as four times greater than a consistent preventative maintenance strategy, according to the Transportation Research Board. Street reconstruction is typically needed once asphalt is 20-35 years old, with the asphalt lifespan depending on the use of preventative maintenance efforts. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 27 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW No slurry, cape, chip, or other sealcoats have been applied to the CSA 1 roads in FY 13- 14 or FY 14-15. Crack sealing is performed on most of the roads every one to two years. Traffic congestion is measured based on the daily number of vehicle hours of delay due to congestion. Historically, Level of Service (LOS) analysis has relied upon a conventional perspective of the primary use of public streets by motor vehicles rather than considering all modes of travel, including public transportation, bicycling and walking. LOS on streets and highways is rated on a scale of A-F, where “A” is the best rating and “F” the worst. LOS “E” means significant delays, unstable traffic flow, and rapidly fluctuating speeds and flow rates; LOS “F” means considerable delay with forced traffic flow and speeds dropping to zero. Calaveras County has an adopted minimum standard of LOS C; however, this standard is not applicable to CSA roads. CSA 1 does not have an adopted LOS standard. It was reported that there was no way to determine the percentage of the CSA’s roadways that are at LOS D, E or F, as this data has not been collected. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 28 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW RANCHO CALAVERAS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v Rancho Calaveras County Service Area No. 1 (CSA 1) includes a total of 3,604 parcels, out of which two are recently annexed and currently undeveloped. According to 2010 Census the District’s population that year was 5,325 v The District’s population increased from 4,182 in 2000 to 5,325 in 2010. v Present number of undeveloped parcels is unknown. Any currently undeveloped lots, however, are expected to be developed in the next five to 10 years. The Location and Characteristics of Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Within or Contiguous to the Agency’s SOI v According to the Department of Water Resources, there are no communities that meet the definition of a disadvantaged unincorporated community within or adjacent to CSA 1 bounds and sphere of influence. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 1 roads were reported to be in good to poor condition. Despite the recent overlay, roads may be subject to premature aging and eventual failure due to structural flaws. v The District performs occasional preventative maintenance. No slurry, cape, chip, or other sealcoats have been applied to the CSA 1 roads in FY 13-14 or FY 14-15. Crack sealing is performed on most of the roads every one to two years. v County Public Works department performs CSA management tasks as well as road maintenance on CSA roads. Rehabilitative and new construction projects are performed by contractors through public bidding process. v The County reports that CSA 1 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. v No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 1 in FY 13-14. v In 2014, CSA 1 has planned an overlay project and a striping project, which went out to bid. There have been now recent submittals of proposed work from CSA 1. v There is a plan to construct a new road on the territory that was annexed in 2013. The road will be maintained by CSA 1. v CSA 1 roads require ongoing maintenance. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 29 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 1 is mainly financed through property taxes and benefit assessment. Use of money and property and intergovernmental revenue constitute a small part of the annual revenue. v The amount of the assessment is set annually based on the cost of performing needed road maintenance work. Currently, residents pay $19 per parcel for lots on County or State maintained roads, $28.50 per parcel for lots on CSA maintained roads and County and State maintained roads (corner lots), and $38 per parcel for lots on CSA roads. v In FY 13-14 the District’s expenditures consisted of services and supplies and reimbursements to the County for its services. That fiscal year the District’s expenditures exceeded revenues by $577,127. v The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $1.2 million. v CSA 1 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v Since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. v Occasionally contracts are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA. v Road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v CSA 1 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. v The District’s accountability and transparency practices may be improved through making current information about the CSA available online. v CSA 1 has an annexable SOI which indicates territory outside of the CSAs bounds which is anticipated to be annexed into the District at some point in the future. These areas were likely included due to the possibility of future development and some of the parcels already have residential structures and residents that make use of CSA roads to access their property. Annexation of these areas may be an option in the future. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 30 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 1 currently has an annexable SOI, meaning that the sphere of influence is larger than the District’s boundary area. The size of the SOI is 10.8 square miles compared to about 8.6 square miles of boundary area. By establishing an annexable SOI, LAFCo indicated that areas outside of the CSA’s boundaries and within its SOI are anticipated to be annexed into the District at some point in the future. These areas were likely included due to the possibility of future development, and some of the parcels already have residential structures and residents that make use of CSA 1 roads to access their properties. Based on that, future annexation of these areas is a likely option; therefore, it is recommended that LAFCo reaffirm current annexable SOI for CSA 1. RANCHO CALAVERAS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 1 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 1 is located between Valley Springs and Jenny Lind on both sides of SR 26 in western Calaveras County and encompasses the subdivision of Rancho Calaveras, as well as some of the surrounding territory. v While CSA 1 is empowered to provide water and sewer services, as well as park and recreation facilities, the District currently only provides road maintenance. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are primarily rural residential. v The District’s bounds and proposed SOI do not include agricultural or open space lands. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v Given that CSA 1 serves existing subdivision roads and that there has been a recent annexation and a potential for future annexations, it can be concluded that need for road maintenance services currently exists and will remain in the foreseeable future. v There is a plan to construct a new road on the territory that was annexed in 2013. The road will be maintained by CSA 1. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v The CSA is responsible for approximately 47 miles of road, including 35 miles that are paved and 12 miles that are chip sealed. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 31 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v CSA 1 roads were reported to be in good to poor condition. Despite the recent overlay, roads may be subject to premature aging and eventual failure due to structural flaws. v The District performs occasional preventative maintenance. v The County reports that CSA 1 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v The subdivision of Rancho Calaveras and surrounding areas within the CSA’s boundaries are considered communities of interest for CSA 1 as residents receive direct benefit from the District’s services and contribute benefit assessment and property taxes to the District. Developed lots outside of the CSA’s boundaries but within its SOI are also communities of interest since their owners use roadways maintained by the District. CSA 1 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 32 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 3. B AR XX COUNTY SERVIC E A REA NO. 2 Bar XX County Service Area No. 2 (CSA 2) provides road improvement and maintenance services in the subdivision of Bar XX. The most recent MSR for the District was completed in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 2 was formed in 1969 for the purposes of road construction and maintenance services and recreation and parkway facilities, highway lighting, structural fire protection, sewer and water services to the extent that these services are not provided by another agency of local government. The CSA currently only provides road maintenance services. The principal act that governs CSA 2 is the County Service Area law.8 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.9 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.10 Boundaries CSA 2 is located between Angels Camp and Copperopolis off of SR 4. Originally, the District was comprised of roads within the Bar XX subdivision with access to SR 4 via Stallion Way and Appaloosa Road. Eventually, the CSA was divided into two benefit zones split along the two access roads to SR 4 to keep the funds generated on each side separate. The Appaloosa side of the CSA filed for reorganization and was granted detachment from the CSA to form a Community Services District (CSD) by LAFCo Resolution 95-01 in May 1995. The Stallion Way side has remained a County Service Area. There have been no boundary changes at least since 2006, when an MSR was last prepared for the District. The CSA is currently 2.5 square miles in size. Sphere of Influence The District’s boundaries and current Sphere of Influence (SOI) are coterminous. 8 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 9 California Government Code §25213. 10 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 33 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI update for CSA 2 was last conducted in 2006, at which time the SOI was reaffirmed to be coterminous with the District’s boundaries. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 34 Range 12 East Range 13 East ·|þ} 4 STALLION W GELDING RD Y ·|þ} 4 P IN TO D R BUCKSKIN RD P O N Y W ROAN RD Y S O R R E L W Y MI N E W Y PAINT RD A NZ A N O B HUNTER ST A P PA LO O S A R D Calaveras County Highways 4 L E Parcels G Roads E ^` N Towns D 0 750 1,500 3,000Feet Waterbodies Bar XX CSA No. 2 htroN 3 pihsnwoT htroN 2 pihsnwoT Calaveras LAFCo Bar XX CSA No. 2 Bar XX CSA No. 2 Bar XX CSA No. 2 Coterminous Sphere of Influence Map Created 7/13/2015 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 2. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Ponte represents the majority of parcels, which comprise CSA 2. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. Each of the reviewed CSAs has a road committee consisting of three to five members who promulgate candidate preventative maintenance, damage repair, sealing and paving projects among residents, determine consensus, and present projects to the Public Works department. Once projects are approved by the department, the committee administers the public bid process for paving, or maintenance work through County force account. CSA 2 has five committee member positions, four out of which are currently filled. The road committee meets at the same time as the general meetings of home owners take place. Post cards are sent out to all property owners in Bar XX to inform them of upcoming meetings. Meeting minutes are sent to the Public Works Department. Figure 3-2: CSA 2 Governing Body County Service Area 2 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 36 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) that contain information on CSA 2 on its website. No other information about CSA 2 is available on the County website, although there is a designated space on the Board, Commission, Committee Meeting Announcements page for potential CSA 2 advisory committee announcements. CSA 2 does not make additional outreach efforts to the public regarding road improvement and maintenance services and the function of the District. Complaints about road services may be submitted either to the CSA road committee or to the County Department of Public Works. The road committee reportedly receives one to three complaints a year about the wash boarding on Stallion. The Public Works Department reports that it receives about half a dozen complaints a year regarding CSA 2, most of which are about the wash boarding and the amount of dust and traffic on Stallion. Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Forms 700 for 2014 period. CSA 2 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices CSA 2 does not have its own staff. The County collects the benefit assessment revenue associated with the CSA. According to the County Municipal Code, the Board of Supervisors may delegate administration and operations of county service areas to department heads with appropriate expertise. The director of public works is delegated to administer CSAs for road improvement and maintenance. County road crews perform maintenance on CSA 2 roads, while larger repair or construction projects are executed by contractors. Public(cid:1)Works department prepares plans, specifications and bid documents that provide a detailed(cid:1)description of the work to be done. The County conducts annual employee evaluations. Public Works director is responsible for evaluating his or her subordinates; the director is evaluated by the County Administrative Officer. County employees track time spent on various tasks dedicated to management of CSA 2 and road maintenance, as well as reviewing projects submitted by the advisory committee for approval and preparing bid documents. The County does not perform formal evaluations of overall CSA performance, such as benchmarking or annual reports. The County’s financial planning efforts include an annually adopted budget and CAFR, within which the CSA is included along with all other county finances. No other planning documents are adopted specific to CSA 2. An engineer’s report for road improvements and benefit assessment has been completed for the District in 2008 for the purpose of increasing the CSA’s benefit assessment rates. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 37 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Government Code §53901 states that within 60 days after the beginning of the fiscal year each local agency must submit its budget to the County Auditor. These budgets are to be filed and made available on request by the public at the county auditor’s office. Additionally, all special districts are required to submit annual audits to the County within 12 months of the completion of the fiscal year, unless the Board of Supervisors has approved a biennial or five-year schedule.11 Because CSA 2 is included as part of the County’s annual audit process, it is not required to submit a separate audit to the County Auditor. Special districts must submit a report to the State Controller (SCO) of all financial transactions of the district during the preceding fiscal year within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, in the form required by the State Controller, pursuant to Government Code §53891. If filed in electronic format, the report must be submitted within 110 days after the end of the fiscal year. It appears that CSA 2 failed to provide this information to the State for FY 11-12, as the CSA is not included in the SCO’s annual special district report for that fiscal year. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Designated land uses within the CSA consist primarily of rural residential uses. The total boundary area of CSA 4 is approximately 2.5 square miles. Population CSA 2 includes a total of 76 parcels within Bar XX subdivision. Based on the number of parcels the estimated population is 180. The population density within the District is 72 per square mile. Projected Growth and Development CSA 2 includes part of Bar XX subdivision that is currently nearly built out. There is, however, potential for new dwellings to be constructed within the subdivision. The District does not expect any future annexations or construction of additional roads. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. Financing According to the County Municipal Code, benefit assessments or special taxes may be imposed on parcels within County Service Areas. Special taxes must be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within a CSA, except that unimproved property may be taxed at a lower rate than improved. The District is mainly financed by the benefit assessment originally established in 1991. 11 Government Code §26909. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 38 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW In March 2007 residents of CSA 2 held a special mail-in election in an effort to establish a special tax in the amount of $1,815 per parcel per year for a period of 10 years. The tax revenue would be used to repay a $1.2 million loan offered by the County to finance road improvements, including improved drainage, widened roadbeds, and paved road surfaces. The special tax was voted down, and since the loan was contingent on passage of the tax the offer was rescinded by the County. In May 2008 CSA 2 held another election and voted to raise its benefit assessment by 60 percent. The increase reflected the change in the construction cost index as measured by the Engineering News Record. The per-parcel assessments are based on the proportionate distance of road traveled from SR 4 to the parcel. Of 76 assessable parcels 24 pay $280, 25(cid:1)pay $320 and 25 pay $360 annually. The only other revenue received by CSA 2(cid:1)consists of interest and contributions from(cid:1)residents. Benefits financed by the assessment include all road-related maintenance and improvements such as shoulder backing and grading, culvert pipe installation and maintenance, replacement of any missing signage, ditching, clearing, cleaning, brushing, and weed abatement. In addition, work includes all necessary engineering, permitting, environmental review, and administration to complete the intended road maintenance and improvements. The absence of a maintenance function would allow roads to deteriorate to unacceptable levels of maintenance and adversely affect physical access and property valuation. In FY 13-14, the District received $33,922 in revenue, 70 percent of which resulted from benefit assessment. The rest came from the use of money and property and miscellaneous revenue. The expenditures in FY 13-14 amounted to $26,913, out of which 38 percent was spent on services and supplies, including costs and special department expenses, and 62 percent to reimburse the County for services provided. Reimbursements to the County are typically used to cover the cost of contract administration, construction, inspection, weed control, and related maintenance work. Reimbursements to the Public Works Department for road maintenance from CSA 2 are typically higher than other similar CSAs in the County due to higher maintenance costs on unpaved roads that get a lot of wash boarding and pot holes and require frequent re- grading typically at the end of spring rains and beginning of winter rains. Additionally, District roads are adversely affected by commercial traffic that provides maintenance on numerous transmission towers located in various places on the mountain top. These heavy equipment road users do not contribute to the cost of road maintenance. The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $54,807. CSA 2 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 39 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ROAD SERVICES Service Overview The road maintenance and improvement program of CSA 2 consists of all work necessary to keep the roadways operational, including drainage improvements, grading, placement of aggregate base, ditching, brushing, and weed control. Work is typically performed by County forces. Occasionally, the residents provide some services on a volunteer basis with oversight provided by the County. Rehabilitative and new construction projects are procured through publically let contracts. The Board of Supervisors is responsible for awarding a contract to the contractor that won the bid. Street sweeping is not performed in CSA 2. The County estimates that the Public Works Department receives about 20 to 30 service calls per year for all the road CSAs reviewed in this report. The road committee reports that CSA 2 receives two to three calls a year regarding wash boarding and dust on Stallion. The District does not provide services outside of its boundaries. Facilities and Capacity There are 7.5 miles of roads within CSA 2, none of which are paved. CSA’s gravel roads are generally narrow and hilly, with sharp switchbacks. Roads in the District can be characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria including but not limited to road width, structural section, horizontal and vertical curves, drainage capacity, clear recovery zone, and sight distance. Facility Sharing The County reported that since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. However, occasionally contractors are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA due to improved economies of scale or reduced mobilization cost for various types of work in one location. Additionally, the road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Infrastructure Needs The County reports that CSA 2 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 2 in FY 13-14. The CSA 2 roads need ongoing maintenance. Generally, costs increase exponentially once the roadway deteriorates to a “poor” or worse condition. Therefore, maintenance CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 40 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW dollars are most effectively spent when pavement is maintained in at least a “fair” condition. Roads in CSA 2 were reported to be in good to fair condition. Road condition deteriorates rapidly between the times the roads undergo maintenance, especially on the segments that lead up the summit. No project proposals have been recently submitted to the Public Works Department by the road committee. Challenges CSA 2 reported no challenges to service provision on its roads. Service Adequacy This section reviews indicators of road service adequacy, including, condition of roadways, deferred maintenance, and congestion. The condition of street pavement is typically evaluated by local agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS), which regularly evaluates pavement condition and establishes a cost-effective maintenance strategy. Each segment of pavement is rated for distress (i.e., cracks and potholes) and the extent and severity of distress. Having an up-to- date PMS allows the local agency to quickly and efficiently gauge road maintenance needs and efficiently allocate resources. As was mentioned before, CSA 2 does not make use of PMS. However, the County reported that the CSA’s roads were in good to fair condition, depending on the time of the year. The life cycle of pavement in good condition can be extended through preventative maintenance by applying a thin layer of asphalt mixture, better known as slurry sealing or seal-coating. When pavement is in fair condition—with moderate potholes and cracks—it can be treated with one- to two-inch thick overlays. Pavement with minor structural distress—with significant cracks—often requires rehabilitation, involving grinding of portions of the existing street and application of a thick overlay. Pavement with major structural distress—with extensive cracks—often requires reconstruction involving removal and replacement of the street segment. Pavement management studies have shown that it is more cost effective to maintain pavement in good condition over its useful life than to let it deteriorate to the point that it requires a major overlay or reconstruction. Deferring maintenance can increase long-term maintenance costs as much as four times greater than a consistent preventative maintenance strategy, according to the Transportation Research Board. Street reconstruction is typically needed once asphalt is 20-35 years old, with the asphalt lifespan depending on the use of preventative maintenance efforts. CSA 2 performs occasional preventative maintenance, including ditching. Traffic congestion is measured based on the daily number of vehicle hours of delay due to congestion. Historically, Level of Service (LOS) analysis has relied upon a conventional perspective of the primary use of public streets by motor vehicles rather than considering all modes of travel, including public transportation, bicycling and walking. LOS on streets CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 41 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW and highways is rated on a scale of A-F, where “A” is the best rating and “F” the worst. LOS “E” means significant delays, unstable traffic flow, and rapidly fluctuating speeds and flow rates; LOS “F” means considerable delay with forced traffic flow and speeds dropping to zero. Calaveras County has an adopted minimum standard of LOS C; however, this standard is not applicable to CSA roads. CSA 2 does not have an adopted LOS standard. It was reported that there was no way to determine the percentage of the CSA’s roadways that are at LOS D, E or F, as this data has not been collected. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 42 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW BAR XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 2 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v Bar XX County Service Area No. 2 (CSA 2) has 76 parcels and an estimated population of 180. v CSA 2 includes part of Bar XX subdivision that is currently nearly built out. There is, however, potential for new dwellings to be constructed within the subdivision. The District does not expect any future annexations or construction of additional roads. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 2 roads were reported to be in good to fair condition, depending on the time of the year. v The District’s roads are characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria including but not limited to road width, structural section, horizontal and vertical curves, drainage capacity, clear recovery zone, and sight distance. v CSA 2 performs occasional preventative maintenance, including ditching. v County Public Works department performs CSA management tasks as well as road maintenance on CSA roads. Rehabilitative and new construction projects are performed by contractors through public bidding process. v The County reports that CSA 2 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. v There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 4 in FY 13-14. v CSA 2 roads require ongoing maintenance. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 2 is mainly financed through benefit assessment. Use of money and property and resident contributions constitute a small part of the annual revenue. v The per-parcel assessments are based on the proportionate distance of road traveled from SR 4 to the parcel. Benefit assessment was last updated in 2008. v In FY 13-14 the District’s expenditures consisted of services and supplies and reimbursements to the County for its services. v The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $54,807. v CSA 2 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 43 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v Since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. v Occasionally contracts are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA. v Road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v CSA 2 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. v The District’s accountability and transparency practices may be improved through placing information about the CSA online. v No governance structure options were identified for CSA 2. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 44 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 2 currently has an SOI, which is coterminous with the District’s boundaries. Given the fact that services to the Bar XX subdivision are provided by the two districts, including CSA 2 and Appaloosa Road Community Services District (CSD), there is an option to reduce the CSA’s SOI to zero to indicate intent to dissolve the District and include its territory into the CSD. However, the intentions of the two districts were made clear through the initial split of the Bar XX CSA into the two benefit zones and eventually into two separate agencies. Additionally, CSA 2 has not expressed any interest in being a part of the CSD. Therefore, it is recommended that LAFCo reaffirm a coterminous SOI for CSA 2, indicating that its boundaries are not likely to change in the foreseeable future. BAR XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 2 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 1 is located between Angels Camp and Copperopolis off of SR 4 and includes a portion of the Bar XX subdivision on the Stallion Way side. v CSA 2 was formed for the purposes of road construction and maintenance services and recreation and parkway facilities, highway lighting, structural fire protection, sewer and water services. The CSA currently only provides road maintenance services. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are primarily rural residential. v The District’s bounds and proposed SOI do not include agricultural or open space lands. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v Given that CSA 2 is active and currently serves existing roads in the Bar XX subdivision it may be concluded that there will be continued need for services on the District’s roads. CSA 2 roads require ongoing maintenance. v The subdivision is not projected to grow outwards, and the District will not gain new roads to serve via annexations. Additional roads are also not expected to be constructed within the existing CSA boundaries. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v There are 7.5 miles of roads within CSA 2, none of which are paved. CSA’s gravel roads are generally narrow and hilly, with sharp switchbacks. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 45 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v The District’s roads are characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria including but not limited to road width, structural section, horizontal and vertical curves, drainage capacity, clear recovery zone, and sight distance. v CSA 2 roads were reported to be in good to fair condition, depending on the time of the year. v CSA 2 performs occasional preventative maintenance, including ditching. v The County reports that CSA 2 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v The portion of the Bar XX subdivision in the CSA 2 is considered a community of interest for the District as residents within this territory receive direct benefit from the services provided by CSA 2 and contribute benefit assessment to the District. Additionally, commercial traffic that uses the CSA’s roads and greatly contributes to their deterioration without compensating the District is also an economic community of interest for CSA 2. CSA 2 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 46 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 4. DI A M O ND XX CO UNTY SERVICE A REA NO. 4 Diamond XX County Service Area No. 4 (CSA 4) provides road improvement and maintenance services in the subdivision of Diamond XX Estates Ranch. The most recent MSR for the District was prepared in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 4 was formed in 1969 for the purposes of providing road construction and maintenance, recreation, park and parkway facilities, highway lighting, fire protection, sewage, and water services to the extent that these services are not furnished by another agency of local government. The CSA currently only provides road maintenance services. The principal act that governs CSA 4 is the County Service Area law.12 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.13 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.14 Boundaries CSA 4 is located on both sides of SR 4 approximately 1.5 miles west of Copperopolis. The main access to the subdivision is via Horseshoe Drive on both sides of SR 4 and Hodson Road from the northeast. The boundaries of CSA 4 are the outer boundaries of Diamond XX subdivision excepting parcel 81, which is a common area for the subdivision residents. There have been no boundary changes at least since 2006, when an MSR was last prepared for the District. The CSA is currently 6.5 square miles in size. Sphere of Influence The District’s boundaries and current Sphere of Influence (SOI) are coterminous. SOI update for CSA 4 was last conducted in 2006, at which time the SOI was reaffirmed to be coterminous with the District’s boundaries. 12 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 13 California Government Code §25213. 14 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 47 Range 11 East Range 12 East ROCK CREEK RD ·|þ} R D 4 N E H C T RI B HUB CT M CANTLE RD A IN W A G O N D R B U C K B O A R SPUR CT SURREY LN H O D S O N R D Copp ST ero ^` polis U C K D D R H C REEDS TURNPIKE S T A G O C H R D C O N E STO G A TL SIN GLETREE DR E C O A C H R D O X Y O K E L N L IT T L E J O H L IV E R A N C H R D R A N N R D S U L K E Y C T HORSESHOE DR S T U G SHIRLEY RD COLT LN G W Y Y ·|þ} W L 4 M E SHIRLEY RD P O M QUIVER ST Calaveras County Highways 4 L E Parcels G Roads E ^` N Towns D 0 1,250 2,500 5,000Feet Waterbodies Diamond XX CSA No. 4 htroN 2 pihsnwoT Calaveras LAFCo Diamond XX CSA No 4 Diamond XX CSA No. 4 Diamond XX CSA No. 4 Coterminous Sphere of Influence Map Created 7/13/2015 htroN 1 pihsnwoT CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 4. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Ponte represents the majority of parcels, which comprise CSA 4. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. Each of the reviewed CSAs has a road committee consisting of three to five members who promulgate candidate preventative maintenance, damage repair, sealing and paving projects among residents, determine consensus, and present projects to the Public Works department. Once projects are approved by the department, the committee administers the public bid process for paving, or maintenance work through County force account. CSA 4 has five committee member positions, two out of which are vacant. The committee does not hold regular meetings. Meeting minutes are usually sent to the County Public Works Department. Figure 4-2: CSA 4 Governing Body County Service Area 4 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 49 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) that contain information on CSA 4 on its website. No other information about CSA 4 is available on the County website, although there is a designated space on the Board, Commission, Committee Meeting Announcements page for potential CSA 4 advisory committee announcements. Information on CSA 4 is also available on the Diamond XX subdivision website in the form of documents related to road services in the subdivision. The documents include the resolution establishing the CSA, engineers report, documents related to parcel charges for road maintenance, and road committee meeting minutes, to name a few. The most recent document posted is from 2012. Complaints about road services may be submitted either to the CSA road committee or to the County Department of Public Works. Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Forms 700 for 2014 period. CSA 4 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices CSA 4 does not have its own staff. The County collects the benefit assessment revenue associated with the CSA. According to the County Municipal Code, the Board of Supervisors may delegate administration and operations of county service areas to department heads with appropriate expertise. The director of public works is delegated to administer CSAs for road improvement and maintenance. County road crews perform maintenance on CSA 4 roads, while larger repair or construction projects are executed by contractors. Public(cid:1)Works department prepares plans, specifications and bid documents that provide a detailed(cid:1)description of the work to be done. The County conducts annual employee evaluations. Public Works director is responsible for evaluating his or her subordinates; the director is evaluated by the County Administrative Officer. County employees track time spent on various tasks dedicated to management of CSA 4 and road maintenance, as well as reviewing projects submitted by the advisory committee for approval and preparing bid documents. The County does not perform formal evaluations of overall CSA performance, such as benchmarking or regular annual reports. An annual report, however, has been completed for the District in FY 07-08. No annual reports have been prepared since then despite the statement in FY 07-08 annual report that such reports and related public hearings would be part of an ongoing program. The County’s financial planning efforts include an annually adopted budget and CAFR, within which the CSA is included along with all other county finances. No other planning documents are adopted specific to CSA 4. An engineering report has been done for CSA 4 in 2008 as part of an attempt to raise the benefit assessment rates that, however, failed. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 50 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Government Code §53901 states that within 60 days after the beginning of the fiscal year each local agency must submit its budget to the County Auditor. These budgets are to be filed and made available on request by the public at the county auditor’s office. Additionally, all special districts are required to submit annual audits to the County within 12 months of the completion of the fiscal year, unless the Board of Supervisors has approved a biennial or five-year schedule.15 Because CSA 4 is included as part of the County’s annual audit process, it is not required to submit a separate audit to the County Auditor. Special districts must submit a report to the State Controller (SCO) of all financial transactions of the district during the preceding fiscal year within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, in the form required by the State Controller, pursuant to Government Code §53891. If filed in electronic format, the report must be submitted within 110 days after the end of the fiscal year. It appears that CSA 4 failed to provide this information to the State for FY 11-12, as the CSA is not included in the SCO’s annual special district report for that fiscal year. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Designated land uses within the CSA consist primarily of rural residential uses. The total boundary area of CSA 4 is approximately 6.5 square miles. Population CSA 4 includes a total of 189 assessable parcels and an estimated population of 450. The population density within the District is 69 persons per square mile. Projected Growth and Development CSA 4 includes Diamond XX Ranch Estates subdivision that was established in 1969. The subdivision is currently built out and no population growth is expected. Additionally it was reported that there was no potential for future annexations or construction of new roads. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. Financing According to the County Municipal Code, benefit assessments or special taxes may be imposed on parcels within County Service Areas. Special taxes must be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within a CSA, except that unimproved property may be taxed at a lower rate than improved. 15 Government Code §26909. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 51 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW CSA 4 receives its revenue mainly from benefit assessments. The benefits consist of routine road maintenance and selected road-related improvements, including as-needed drainage. The absence of maintenance function would allow roads to deteriorate to unacceptable levels of service and adversely affect physical access and property valuation. Those who must travel the greatest distance on the CSA 4 roads benefit the most. The proportionate benefit as determined by the distance traveled to County or State maintained roadways, is reflected by the three different benefit assessment rates. There are 189 assessed lots, of which eight lots, or 4.2 percent front only on Hodson Road, 129 lots, or 68 percent have a travel distance on CSA roads of 1.8 miles or less, and 52 lots, or 28 percent have a travel distance more than 1.8 miles to SR 4. Thus eight parcels pay $300, 129 parcels pay $325, and 52 parcels pay $350. Benefit assessment rates were established in 2003 and have not been updated since. An engineering report that was completed in 2008 recommended rate increase that however failed to occur. In FY 13-14, the District received $63,748 in revenue, 98 percent of which resulted from benefit assessment. The rest came from the use of money and property. The expenditures in FY 13-14 amounted to $3,477, out of which 47 percent was spent on services and supplies, including professional and specialized services, costs, and special department expenses, and 54 percent to reimburse the County for services provided. The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $297,217. This fund balance is for planned larger capital road projects, and reportedly does not meet all capital needs as described by residents. CSA 4 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 52 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ROAD SERVICES Service Overview The CSA’s road maintenance and improvement program consists of patching, crack and surface sealing, drainage improvements and ditching, culvert clearing, shoulder maintenance and grading, and weed control of roads and road rights of way within the subdivision. An inventory of road conditions and suggested maintenance and improvements are offered by a resident road committee. Depending upon the scope, nature and extent of maintenance or improvements, work on CSA roads is performed by either County forces or it is competitively bid and completed by private contractors. Applying chip seals and slurry seals are normally performed by contractors. The Board of Supervisors is responsible for awarding a contract to the contractor that won the bid. Street sweeping is not performed in CSA 4. The County estimates that the Public Works Department receives about 20 to 30 service calls per year from constituents for all the road CSAs reviewed in this report. The District does not provide services outside of its boundaries. Facilities and Capacity There are approximately 18.2 miles of roadway in CSA 4. The roadways within the subdivision range from 12 to 15 feet in width with a structural section that is typically a double chip seal over an 11⁄2-inch thick gravel base except for a few isolated paved sections. The original chip seal was applied to most of the road segments in 1995. Traffic conditions are considered to be low volume with typically less than 100 vehicles per day on most roadways and limited truck traffic. Diamond XX roads can be characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria including but not limited to road width, structural section, horizontal and vertical curves, drainage capacity and resistance, clear recovery zone, and sight distance. Facility Sharing The County reported that since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. However, occasionally contractors are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA due to improved economies of scale or reduced mobilization cost for various types of work in one location. Additionally, the road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 53 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Infrastructure Needs The County reports that CSA 4 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 4 in FY 13-14. The CSA’s roads need ongoing maintenance. Generally, costs increase exponentially once the roadway deteriorates to a “poor” or worse condition. Therefore, maintenance dollars are most effectively spent when pavement is maintained in at least a “fair” condition. Ongoing routine road maintenance work includes all road-related maintenance to be completed on an as-needed basis in consultation with the road committee, such as shoulder backing and roadside grading, ditching, culvert clearing, maintenance, and replacement, traffic control, signage and striping, pothole patching and crack-filling, surface sealing, brushing, cleaning and clearing, and disposal of waste materials. Herbicide spraying to control roadside weeds is completed by County forces on an annual basis in conjunction with the countywide roadside program. The ten-year infrastructure plan in the 2008 Engineer’s Report calls for maintaining the surface of the identified through route while also improving the surface conditions on those roadways that feed into that route. Where sufficient funds are available, efforts are planned to be directed toward widening the roadways in the identified through route. In 2014, the District widened Surrey Lane. CSA 4 roads were reported to be in fair to good condition, with select few being in poor condition. The CSA’s road committee has not submitted any project proposals recently to the County; however, the Public Works Department is currently working on applications for replacement of the washed-out bridge on Single Tree and the insufficient low water crossing on northern Stagecoach (will become a bridge). Replacement of the washed-out bridge on southern Stagecoach although is being rejected by Cal Trans due to the claim of insufficient evidence that a bridge had ever existed at this location. Challenges CSA 4 reported no challenges to service provision on its roads. Service Adequacy This section reviews indicators of road service adequacy, including, condition of roadways, deferred maintenance, and congestion. The condition of street pavement is typically evaluated by local agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS), which regularly evaluates pavement condition and establishes a cost-effective maintenance strategy. Each segment of pavement is rated for distress (i.e., cracks and potholes) and the extent and severity of distress. Having an up-to- date PMS allows the local agency to quickly and efficiently gauge road maintenance needs and efficiently allocate resources. As was mentioned before, CSA 4 does not make use of CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 54 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW PMS. However, the County reported that the CSA’s roads were in fair to good condition with some of the roads being in poor condition. The life cycle of pavement in good condition can be extended through preventative maintenance by applying a thin layer of asphalt mixture, better known as slurry sealing or seal-coating. When pavement is in fair condition—with moderate potholes and cracks—it can be treated with one- to two-inch thick overlays. Pavement with minor structural distress—with significant cracks—often requires rehabilitation, involving grinding of portions of the existing street and application of a thick overlay. Pavement with major structural distress—with extensive cracks—often requires reconstruction involving removal and replacement of the street segment. Pavement management studies have shown that it is more cost effective to maintain pavement in good condition over its useful life than to let it deteriorate to the point that it requires a major overlay or reconstruction. Deferring maintenance can increase long-term maintenance costs as much as four times greater than a consistent preventative maintenance strategy, according to the Transportation Research Board. Street reconstruction is typically needed once asphalt is 20-35 years old, with the asphalt lifespan depending on the use of preventative maintenance efforts. Crack sealing is reportedly performed at least once a year on CSA 4 roads. Traffic congestion is measured based on the daily number of vehicle hours of delay due to congestion. Historically, Level of Service (LOS) analysis has relied upon a conventional perspective of the primary use of public streets by motor vehicles rather than considering all modes of travel, including public transportation, bicycling and walking. LOS on streets and highways is rated on a scale of A-F, where “A” is the best rating and “F” the worst. LOS “E” means significant delays, unstable traffic flow, and rapidly fluctuating speeds and flow rates; LOS “F” means considerable delay with forced traffic flow and speeds dropping to zero. Calaveras County has an adopted minimum standard of LOS C; however, this standard is not applicable to CSA roads. CSA 4 does not have an adopted LOS standard. It was reported that there was no way to determine the percentage of the CSA’s roadways that are at LOS D, E or F, as this data has not been collected. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 55 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW DIAMOND XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 4 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v Diamond XX County Service Area No. 4 (CSA 4) currently has 189 parcels with an estimated population of 450. v The subdivision is currently built out and no population growth is expected. The Location and Characteristics of Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Within or Contiguous to the Agency’s SOI v According to the Department of Water Resources, there are no communities that meet the definition of a disadvantaged unincorporated community within or adjacent to CSA 4 bounds and sphere of influence. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 4 roads were reported to be in fair to good condition with some of the roads being in poor condition. v Diamond XX roads are characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria including but not limited to road width, structural section, horizontal and vertical curves, drainage capacity and resistance, clear recovery zone, and sight distance. v The District performs some preventative maintenance. Crack sealing is reportedly performed at least once a year on CSA 4 roads. v County Public Works department performs CSA management tasks as well as road maintenance on CSA roads. Rehabilitative and new construction projects are performed by contractors through public bidding process. v The County reports that CSA 4 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. v There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 4 in FY 13-14. v CSA 4 roads require ongoing maintenance. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 4 is financed through benefit assessment. Use of money and property constitute a small part of the annual revenue. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 56 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v Those who must travel the greatest distance on the CSA No. 4 roads benefit the most. The proportionate benefit as determined by the distance traveled to County or State maintained roadways, is reflected by the three different rates. v Benefit assessment rates were established in 2003 and have not been updated since. An engineering report that was completed in 2008 recommended rate increase that however failed to occur. v In FY 13-14 the District’s expenditures consisted of services and supplies and reimbursements to the County for its services. v The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $297,217. v CSA 4 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v Since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. v Occasionally contracts are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA. v Road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v CSA 4 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. v The District’s accountability and transparency practices may be improved through placing information about the CSA online. v No governance structure options were identified for CSA 4. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 57 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 4 currently has an SOI coterminous with its boundaries. Since the District is built out and no future annexations are likely to occur, it is recommended that LAFCo reaffirm a coterminous SOI for CSA 4, reflecting the fact that no boundary reorganizations are anticipated in the foreseeable future. DIAMOND XX COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 4 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 4 is located on both sides of SR 4 approximately 1.5 miles west of Copperopolis and encompasses Diamond XX subdivision. v CSA 4 was for the purposes of providing road construction and maintenance, recreation, park and parkway facilities, highway lighting, fire protection, sewage, and water services. The CSA currently only provides road maintenance services. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are rural residential. v The District’s bounds and proposed SOI do not include agricultural or open space lands. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v Given that CSA 4 is active and currently serves all the roads in the Diamond XX subdivision it may be concluded that there will be continued future need for road services on the subdivision roads. CSA 4 roads require ongoing maintenance. v The subdivision is not projected to grow outwards, and the District will not gain new roads to serve via annexations. Additional roads are also not expected to be constructed within the existing CSA boundaries. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v There are approximately 18.2 miles of roadway in CSA 4. v CSA 4 roads were reported to be in fair to good condition with some of the roads being in poor condition. v Diamond XX roads are characterized as substandard roadways that do not meet current County standards for many criteria including but not limited to road width, structural section, horizontal and vertical curves, drainage capacity and resistance, clear recovery zone, and sight distance. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 58 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v The District performs some preventative maintenance. Crack sealing is reportedly performed at least once a year on CSA 4 roads. v The County reports that CSA 4 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v Diamond XX subdivision is considered a community of interest for CSA 4 as residents within the subdivision receive direct benefit from the services provided by CSA 4 and contribute benefit assessment to the District. CSA 4 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 59 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 5. SPRI NG HILLS COUNTY SERVICE A REA NO. 8 Spring Hills County Service Area No. 8 (CSA 8) provides road improvement and maintenance services in the subdivision of Spring Hills. The District was last reviewed in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 8 was first established in 1971 to provide highway lighting, road maintenance, and fire protection. The agency currently only provides road maintenance services. The principal act that governs CSA 8 is the County Service Area law.16 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.17 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.18 Boundaries CSA 8 is located between San Andreas and Mokelumne Hill off of SR 49 and includes Springs Hills subdivision. There have been no boundary changes at least since 2006, when an MSR was last prepared for the District. The CSA is currently 0.3 square miles in size. Sphere of Influence The District’s boundaries and current Sphere of Influence are coterminous. The sphere of influence (SOI) update for CSA 8 was last conducted in 2006, at which time the SOI was reaffirmed to be coterminous with the District’s boundaries. 16 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 17 California Government Code §25213. 18 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 60 Range 11 East Range 12 East ·|þ} G O 49 LD PA N C T LOMBARDI DR MAGNOLIA LN G O L D E N G A T E C T RIVER RANCH RD EDNA DR G O L D E N G A T E D R SPRING HILL DR B E V E R LY TI R D N N LN T E P A R ·|þ} N 49 U G G E T D R V IS TA B U R N S R GOLD STRIKE RD V D E R D E D R Calaveras County Highways 4 L E Parcels G Roads E ^` N Towns D 0 330 660 1,320Feet Waterbodies Spring Hills CSA No. 8 htroN 5 pihsnwoT Calaveras LAFCo Spring Hills CSA No 8 Spring Hills CSA No. 8 Spring Hills CSA No. 8 Coterminous Sphere of Influence Map Created 7/13/2015 htroN 4 pihsnwoT CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 8. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Wright represents the majority of parcels, which comprise CSA 8. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. Each of the reviewed CSAs has a road committee consisting of three to five members who promulgate candidate preventative maintenance, damage repair, sealing and paving projects among residents, determine consensus, and present projects to the Public Works department. Once projects are approved by the department, the committee administers the public bid process for paving, or maintenance work through County force account. Prior to April 2015, CSA 8 had five committee members. In April 2015, the Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution to reduce the membership to three representatives in order to have enough members to form a quorum. The road committee does not hold regular meetings and does not distribute meeting agendas and minutes. Figure 5-2: CSA 8 Governing Body County Service Area 8 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 62 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) that contain information on CSA 8 on its website. No other information about CSA 8 is available on the County website, although there is a designated space on the Board, Commission, Committee Meeting Announcements page for potential CSA 8 advisory committee announcements. CSA 8 does not make additional outreach efforts to the public regarding road improvement and maintenance services and the function of the District. Complaints about road services may be submitted either to the CSA road committee or to the County Department of Public Works. Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Forms 700 for 2014 period. CSA 8 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices CSA 8 does not have its own staff. The County collects the property tax revenue associated with the CSA. According to the County Municipal Code, the Board of Supervisors may delegate administration and operations of county service areas to department heads with appropriate expertise. The director of public works is delegated to administer CSAs for road improvement and maintenance. County road crews perform maintenance on CSA 8 roads, while larger repair or construction projects are executed by contractors. Public(cid:1)Works department prepares plans, specifications and bid documents that provide a detailed(cid:1)description of the work to be done. The County conducts annual employee evaluations. Public Works director is responsible for evaluating his or her subordinates; the director is evaluated by the County Administrative Officer. County employees track time spent on various tasks dedicated to management of CSA 8 and road maintenance, as well as reviewing projects submitted by the advisory committee for approval and preparing bid documents. The County does not perform formal evaluations of overall CSA 8 performance, such as benchmarking or annual reports. The County’s financial planning efforts include an annually adopted budget and CAFR, within which the CSA is included along with all other county finances. No other planning documents are adopted specific to CSA 8. Government Code §53901 states that within 60 days after the beginning of the fiscal year each local agency must submit its budget to the County Auditor. These budgets are to be filed and made available on request by the public at the county auditor’s office. Additionally, all special districts are required to submit annual audits to the County within 12 months of the completion of the fiscal year, unless the Board of Supervisors has CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 63 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW approved a biennial or five-year schedule.19 Because CSA 8 is included as part of the County’s annual audit process, it is not required to submit a separate audit to the County Auditor. Special districts must submit a report to the State Controller (SCO) of all financial transactions of the district during the preceding fiscal year within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, in the form required by the State Controller, pursuant to Government Code §53891. If filed in electronic format, the report must be submitted within 110 days after the end of the fiscal year. CSA 8 complied with this requirement for FY 11-12. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Designated land uses within the CSA consist primarily of residential uses. The total boundary area of CSA 8 is approximately 0.3 square miles. Population Spring Hills subdivision has 36 parcels and an estimated population of 86. The CSA’s estimated population density is about 287 residents per square mile. Projected Growth and Development Spring Hill is a subdivision that was established in the 1970s. The subdivision is currently built out and no population growth is expected. There is reportedly no potential for future annexations or construction of new roads. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. Financing According to the County Municipal Code, benefit assessments or special taxes may be imposed on parcels within County Service Areas. Special taxes must be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within a CSA, except that unimproved property may be taxed at a lower rate than improved. CSA 8 does not have a benefit assessment or a special tax. The District is financed through property taxes. In FY 13-14, the District received $12,347 in revenue, 96 percent of which came from property taxes. The rest was income from the use of money and property and intergovernmental revenue. The expenditures in FY 13-14 amounted to $7,602. Majority of the funds were spent to reimburse the County for maintenance services. Utilities constituted a minor expenditure. The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $74,672. CSA 8 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. 19 Government Code §26909. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 64 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ROAD SERVICES Service Overview CSA 8 provides road improvement and maintenance services on roads located within Spring Hills subdivision. Maintenance work is typically performed through force account with County crews, while rehabilitative and new construction projects are procured through publically let contracts administered by Public Works department of the County. Street sweeping is not performed in CSA 8. The County estimates that the Public Works Department receives about 20 to 30 service calls per year from constituents for all the road CSAs reviewed in this report. The District does not provide services outside of its boundaries. Facilities and Capacity CSA 8 has 1.8 miles of roadway. The roads are paved with the exception of 0.19 miles of Spring Hill Drive, which is chip sealed. Facility Sharing The County reported that since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. However, occasionally contractors are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA due to improved economies of scale or reduced mobilization cost for various types of work in one location. Additionally, the road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Infrastructure Needs The County reports that CSA 8 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 8 in FY 13-14. The CSA’s roads need ongoing maintenance. Generally, costs increase exponentially once the roadway deteriorates to a “poor” or worse condition. Therefore, maintenance dollars are most effectively spent when pavement is maintained in at least a “fair” condition. It was reported that roads were generally in fair condition, with a few being in poor condition. The Public Works Department is currently writing a bid solicitation for seal coating on Edna Road from SR 49 to Spring Hills Road, and single chip seal for Golden Gate, Spring Hills Road, and Edna Road from Spring Hills to Golden Gate. The project has not been approved as of the writing of this report. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 65 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Challenges CSA 8 reported no challenges to service provision on its roads. Service Adequacy This section reviews indicators of road service adequacy, including, condition of roadways, deferred maintenance, and congestion. The condition of street pavement is typically evaluated by local agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS), which regularly evaluates pavement condition and establishes a cost-effective maintenance strategy. Each segment of pavement is rated for distress (i.e., cracks and potholes) and the extent and severity of distress. Having an up-to- date PMS allows the local agency to quickly and efficiently gauge road maintenance needs and efficiently allocate resources. As was mentioned before, CSA 8 does not make use of PMS. However, the County reported that the CSA’s roads were in generally in fair condition, with a few being in poor condition. The life cycle of pavement in good condition can be extended through preventative maintenance by applying a thin layer of asphalt mixture, better known as slurry sealing or seal-coating. When pavement is in fair condition—with moderate potholes and cracks—it can be treated with one- to two-inch thick overlays. Pavement with minor structural distress—with significant cracks—often requires rehabilitation, involving grinding of portions of the existing street and application of a thick overlay. Pavement with major structural distress—with extensive cracks—often requires reconstruction involving removal and replacement of the street segment. Pavement management studies have shown that it is more cost effective to maintain pavement in good condition over its useful life than to let it deteriorate to the point that it requires a major overlay or reconstruction. Deferring maintenance can increase long-term maintenance costs as much as four times greater than a consistent preventative maintenance strategy, according to the Transportation Research Board. Street reconstruction is typically needed once asphalt is 20-35 years old, with the asphalt lifespan depending on the use of preventative maintenance efforts. Reportedly, culvert maintenance and crack sealing occurs on CSA 8 roads every one to two years. Traffic congestion is measured based on the daily number of vehicle hours of delay due to congestion. Historically, Level of Service (LOS) analysis has relied upon a conventional perspective of the primary use of public streets by motor vehicles rather than considering all modes of travel, including public transportation, bicycling and walking. LOS on streets and highways is rated on a scale of A-F, where “A” is the best rating and “F” the worst. LOS “E” means significant delays, unstable traffic flow, and rapidly fluctuating speeds and flow rates; LOS “F” means considerable delay with forced traffic flow and speeds dropping to zero. Calaveras County has an adopted minimum standard of LOS C; however, this standard is not applicable to CSA roads. CSA 8 does not have an adopted LOS standard. It was reported that there was no way to determine the percentage of the CSA’s roadways that are at LOS D, E or F, as this data has not been collected. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 66 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SPRING HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 8 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v Spring Hills County Service Area No. 8 (CSA 8) currently has 36 parcels with an estimated population of 86. v The subdivision is currently built out and no population growth is expected. There is reportedly no potential for future annexations or construction of new roads. The Location and Characteristics of Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Within or Contiguous to the Agency’s SOI v According to the Department of Water Resources, there are no communities that meet the definition of a disadvantaged unincorporated community within or adjacent to CSA 8 bounds and sphere of influence. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 8 roads were reported to be in fair condition, with a few being in poor condition. v The District performs preventative maintenance. Culvert maintenance and crack sealing occurs on CSA 8 roads every one to two years. v The County reports that CSA 8 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. v The Public Works Department is currently writing a bid solicitation for seal coating on Edna Road from SR 49 to Spring Hills Road, and single chip seal for Golden Gate, Spring Hills Road, and Edna Road from Spring Hills to Golden Gate. The project has not been approved as of the writing of this report. v No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 8 in FY 13-14. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 8 does not have a benefit assessment or a special tax. The District is financed through property taxes. v Majority of the funds in FY 13-14 were spent to reimburse the County for maintenance services. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 67 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $74,672. The fund balance is considered to be restricted. v CSA 8 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. v and over five months of operations for fire services Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v Since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs v Occasionally contracts are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA v Road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v CSA 8 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. v The District’s accountability and transparency practices may be improved through placing information about the CSA online. v No governance structure options were identified for CSA 8. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 68 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 8 currently has an SOI coterminous with its boundaries. Since the District is built out and no future annexations are likely to occur, it is recommended that LAFCo reaffirm a coterminous SOI for CSA 8, reflecting the fact that no boundary reorganizations are anticipated in the foreseeable future. SPRING HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 8 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 8 is located between San Andreas and Mokelumne Hill off of SR 49 and includes Springs Hills subdivision. v CSA 8 was first established to provide highway lighting, road maintenance, and fire protection. The agency currently only provides road maintenance services. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are residential. v The District’s bounds and proposed SOI do not include agricultural or open space lands. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v Given that CSA 8 is active and currently serves all the roads in the Spring Hills subdivision it may be concluded that there will be continued future need for road services on the subdivision roads. CSA 8 roads require ongoing maintenance. v The subdivision is not projected to grow outwards, and the District will not gain new roads to serve via annexations. Additional roads are also not expected to be constructed within the existing CSA boundaries. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v CSA 8 has 1.8 miles of roadway. The roads are paved with the exception of 0.19 miles of Spring Hill Drive, which is chip sealed. v CSA 8 roads were reported to be in fair condition, with a few being in poor condition. v The District performs preventative maintenance. Culvert maintenance and crack sealing occurs on CSA 8 roads every one to two years. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 69 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v The County reports that CSA 8 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is not way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v Spring Hills subdivision is considered a community of interest for the District as residents within the subdivision receive direct benefit from the services provided by CSA 8 and contribute to the District through their property taxes. CSA 8 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 70 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 6. G O L D EN H I L LS CO U NTY SERVICE A REA NO. 12 Golden Hills County Service Area No. 12 (CSA 12) provides road improvement and maintenance services in the subdivision of Golden Hills. The most recent MSR for the District was completed in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 12 was formed in 1984 for the purpose of road maintenance and improvement. The principal act that governs CSA 12 is the County Service Area law.20 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.21 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.22 Boundaries CSA 12 is located between San Andreas and Mokelumne Hill off of SR 49 and includes Golden Hills subdivision. There have been no boundary changes at least since 2006, when an MSR was last prepared for the District. The CSA is currently 0.8 square miles in size. Sphere of Influence The District’s boundaries and current Sphere of Influence (SOI) are coterminous. SOI update for CSA 12 was last conducted in 2006, at which time the SOI was reaffirmed to be coterminous with the District’s boundaries. 20 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 21 California Government Code §25213. 22 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 71 Range 11 East Range 12 East D R N O L S ·|þ} EI N 49 R D S A ALL H LYLE CT LOMBARDI DR R D A Y N O D DONYA DR G L O R Y H O L E C T ·|þ} 49 G G O L D P A N C T LOMBARDI DR M C K E A N Y C T O L D E H IL L S C T RI V E R RI D G E D R D R H R C D N N G AT E V E R R A D E RI L O G G O L D E N G A T E EDNA DR C T Calaveras County Highways 4 L E Parcels G Roads E ^` N Towns D 0 500 1,000 2,000Feet Waterbodies Golden Hills CSA No. 12 htroN 5 pihsnwoT Calaveras LAFCo Golden Hills CSA No 12 Golden Hills CSA No. 12 Golden Hills CSA No. 12 Coterminous Sphere of Influence Map Created 7/13/2015 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 12. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Wright represents the majority of parcels, which comprise CSA 12. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. Each of the reviewed CSAs has a road committee consisting of three to five members who promulgate candidate preventative maintenance, damage repair, sealing and paving projects among residents, determine consensus, and present projects to the Public Works department. Once projects are approved by the department, the committee administers the public bid process for paving, or maintenance work through County force account. CSA 12 has five committee member seats, with all five currently being occupied. Committee meetings are held once or twice a year at 6:00 p.m. at the Mokelumne Hill library community room Agendas and minutes of the meetings are emailed to residents that have provided their addresses to the road committee. Agendas and minutes are also posted on notice boards at North and South Lombardi and sent to the County Supervisor of District 2 and the Public Works Department. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 73 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Figure 6-2: CSA 12 Governing Body County Service Area 12 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) that contain information on CSA 12 on its website. No other information about CSA 12 is available on the County website, although there is a designated space on the Board, Commission, Committee Meeting Announcements page for potential CSA 12 advisory committee announcements. CSA 12 does not make additional outreach efforts to the public regarding road improvement and maintenance services and the function of the District. Complaints about road services may be submitted either to the CSA road committee or to the County Department of Public Works. It was reported that no written complaints had ever been received about road maintenance by the road committee. Several complaints were received regarding an increase in road assessment fees. Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Forms 700 for 2014 period. CSA 12 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices CSA 12 does not have its own staff. The County collects the benefit assessment revenue associated with the CSA. According to the County Municipal Code, the Board of Supervisors may delegate administration and operations of county service areas to department heads with appropriate expertise. The director of public works is delegated to administer CSAs CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 74 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW for road improvement and maintenance. Delegation of CSA responsibilities may be changed by resolution of the Board of Supervisors. County road crews perform maintenance on CSA 12 roads, while larger repair or construction projects are executed by contractors. Public(cid:1)Works department prepares plans, specifications and bid documents that provide a detailed(cid:1)description of the work to be done. The County conducts annual employee evaluations. Public Works director is responsible for evaluating his or her subordinates; the director is evaluated by the County Administrative Officer. County employees track time spent on various tasks dedicated to management of CSA 12 and road maintenance, as well as reviewing projects submitted by the advisory committee for approval and preparing bid documents. The County does not perform formal evaluations of overall CSA 12 performance, such as benchmarking or annual reports. The County’s financial planning efforts include an annually adopted budget and CAFR, within which the CSA is included along with all other county finances. No other planning documents are adopted specific to CSA 12. An Engineer’s Report has been completed for the District in 2007 for the purpose of benefit assessment increase, attempt at which failed. Government Code §53901 states that within 60 days after the beginning of the fiscal year each local agency must submit its budget to the County Auditor. These budgets are to be filed and made available on request by the public at the county auditor’s office. Additionally, all special districts are required to submit annual audits to the County within 12 months of the completion of the fiscal year, unless the Board of Supervisors has approved a biennial or five-year schedule.23 Because CSA 12 is included as part of the County’s annual audit process, it is not required to submit a separate audit to the County Auditor. Special districts must submit a report to the State Controller (SCO) of all financial transactions of the district during the preceding fiscal year within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, in the form required by the State Controller, pursuant to Government Code §53891. If filed in electronic format, the report must be submitted within 110 days after the end of the fiscal year. It appears that CSA 12 failed to provide this information to the State for FY 11-12, as the CSA is not included in the SCO’s annual special district report for that fiscal year. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Designated land uses within the CSA consist primarily of residential uses. The total boundary area of CSA 12 is approximately 0.8 square miles. 23 Government Code §26909. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 75 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Population CSA 12 has 70 parcels. Lots 4, 5, and 72 through 75 of Golden Hills subdivision are accessed directly from SR 49 and are therefore not included in CSA 12. The CSA’s estimated population is 167; the density is about 208 residents per square mile. Projected Growth and Development Golden Hills is a subdivision that was established in the 1983. There are currently 11 assessed undeveloped parcels remaining in the subdivision. The CSA’s road committee reports that there is a potential for the subdivision growth through future annexation. The 1,000-acre ranch at the end of Donya Drive East has no other access than Donya Drive East and Lombardi Drive, and if subdivided would affect CSA 12 through increased traffic. If development occurs on this 1,000-acre property, the territory may need to be annexed to the District. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. Financing According to the County Municipal Code, benefit assessments or special taxes may be imposed on parcels within County Service Areas. Special taxes must be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or all real property within a CSA, except that unimproved property may be taxed at a lower rate than improved. CSA 12 collects benefit assessment from its residents to finance its administration and road maintenance. Those CSA 12 residents who must travel the greatest distance on the CSA roads benefit the most and therefore pay higher assessment. The three different assessment rates reflect the relative use of the CSA 12 roads. Twenty one parcels pay $240, 24 parcels pay $300, and 25 parcels pay $360 a year. The most recent rate increase took place in 2010. In FY 13-14, the District received $21,349 in revenue, 99 percent of which resulted from benefit assessment. The rest came from the use of money and property. The expenditures in FY 13-14 amounted to $5,414. Majority of the funds (68 percent) were spent on services and supplies, including professional and specialized services, costs, and special department expenses. The rest was allocated to reimburse the County for services provided. The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $33,898. CSA 12 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 76 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW ROAD SERVICES Service Overview The CSA’s road maintenance and improvement program consists of all work necessary to keep the roads operational, including grading, weed control, brushing, drainage improvements, chip and slurry seals, and repairs of the roads within the District. Maintenance work is typically performed through force account with County crews, while rehabilitative and new construction projects are procured through publically let contracts administered by Public Works department of the County. The Board of Supervisors is responsible for awarding a contract to the contractor that won the bid. Street sweeping is not performed in CSA 12. The County estimates that the Public Works Department receives about 20 to 30 service calls per year from constituents for all the road CSAs reviewed in this report. The CSA 12 road committee reports that the District has not received any calls from residents for road repairs. The District does not provide services outside of its boundaries. Facilities and Capacity CSA 12 has 3.8 miles of roadway. The main access road to the subdivision, Lombardi Drive, is paved. Most of the other roads are chip sealed. The width of the traveled way ranges from 14 to 18 feet. Lombardi Drive averages 18 feet wide, while the other roads range from 14 to 16 feet wide. Facility Sharing The County reported that since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. However, occasionally contractors are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA due to improved economies of scale or reduced mobilization cost for various types of work in one location. Additionally, the road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Infrastructure Needs The County reports that CSA 12 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. There are no planned infrastructure construction projects at this time. No roads had been rehabilitated within CSA 12 in FY 13-14. The CSA’s roads need ongoing maintenance. Generally, costs increase exponentially once the roadway deteriorates to a “poor” or worse condition. Therefore, maintenance CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 77 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW dollars are most effectively spent when pavement is maintained in at least a “fair” condition. The 2007 Engineer’s Report for CSA 12 indicates that the prospective road improvements in the 10-year plan consist of maintaining the surface of Lombardi Drive and improvements as warranted for the other existing roadways, including grading to establish uniform road widths and to improve drainage, replacing culverts as it becomes necessary, placing and compacting aggregate base to build a minimum four-inch thick roadbed, and applying a double chip seal surface. Tree branches that are close to the traveled way are trimmed back. Ditches and culverts are cleared when needed. Road shoulders are sprayed for weed abatement once a year by the County. Additional spraying is done on a volunteer basis by the road committee. It was reported that the County Public Works Department at the request of the CSA 12 road committee was working on writing a bid solicitation for single chipseal on Donya Drive and Lyle Court and a double chipseal on the distal half of Hallas Drive. Challenges CSA 12 reported no challenges to service provision on its roads. Service Adequacy This section reviews indicators of road service adequacy, including, condition of roadways, deferred maintenance, and congestion. The condition of street pavement is typically evaluated by local agencies using a Pavement Management System (PMS), which regularly evaluates pavement condition and establishes a cost-effective maintenance strategy. Each segment of pavement is rated for distress (i.e., cracks and potholes) and the extent and severity of distress. Having an up-to- date PMS allows the local agency to quickly and efficiently gauge road maintenance needs and efficiently allocate resources. As was mentioned before, CSA 12 does not make use of PMS. However, the County reported that the CSA’s roads were in fair to good condition. The District attempts to maintain roads in good condition as finances permit. The life cycle of pavement in good condition can be extended through preventative maintenance by applying a thin layer of asphalt mixture, better known as slurry sealing or seal-coating. When pavement is in fair condition—with moderate potholes and cracks—it can be treated with one- to two-inch thick overlays. Pavement with minor structural distress—with significant cracks—often requires rehabilitation, involving grinding of portions of the existing street and application of a thick overlay. Pavement with major structural distress—with extensive cracks—often requires reconstruction involving removal and replacement of the street segment. Pavement management studies have shown that it is more cost effective to maintain pavement in good condition over its useful life than to let it deteriorate to the point that it requires a major overlay or reconstruction. Deferring maintenance can increase long-term maintenance costs as much as four times greater than a consistent preventative maintenance strategy, according to the Transportation Research Board. Street CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 78 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW reconstruction is typically needed once asphalt is 20-35 years old, with the asphalt lifespan depending on the use of preventative maintenance efforts. Reportedly, crack sealing on CSA 12 roads occurs every one to two years. Traffic congestion is measured based on the daily number of vehicle hours of delay due to congestion. Historically, Level of Service (LOS) analysis has relied upon a conventional perspective of the primary use of public streets by motor vehicles rather than considering all modes of travel, including public transportation, bicycling and walking. LOS on streets and highways is rated on a scale of A-F, where “A” is the best rating and “F” the worst. LOS “E” means significant delays, unstable traffic flow, and rapidly fluctuating speeds and flow rates; LOS “F” means considerable delay with forced traffic flow and speeds dropping to zero. Calaveras County has an adopted minimum standard of LOS C; however, this standard is not applicable to CSA roads. CSA 12 does not have an adopted LOS standard. It was reported by the County that there was no way to determine the percentage of the CSA’s roadways that are at LOS D, E or F, as this data has not been collected. The CSA 12 road committee reports that all of the subdivision roads are operating at LOS C or better based on physical observation. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 79 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW GOLDEN HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 12 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v Golden Hills County Service Area No. 12 (CSA 12) currently has 70 parcels with an estimated population of 167. v There are currently 11 assessed undeveloped parcels remaining in the subdivision. v There is a potential for the subdivision growth through future annexation. The Location and Characteristics of Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Within or Contiguous to the Agency’s SOI v According to the Department of Water Resources, there are no communities that meet the definition of a disadvantaged unincorporated community within or adjacent to CSA 12 bounds and sphere of influence. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 12 roads were reported to be in fair to good condition. The District attempts to maintain roads in good condition as finances permit. v The District performs some preventative maintenance. Crack sealing on CSA 12 roads occurs every one to two years. v County Public Works department performs CSA management tasks as well as road maintenance on CSA roads. Rehabilitative and new construction projects are performed by contractors through public bidding process. v The County reports that CSA 12 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation. v The County Public Works Department at the request of the CSA 12 road committee is working on writing a bid solicitation for single chipseal on Donya Drive and Lyle Court and a double chipseal on the distal half of Hallas Drive. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 12 is financed through benefit assessment. Use of money and property constitute a small part of the annual revenue. v Those CSA 12 residents who must travel the greatest distance on the CSA roads benefit the most and therefore pay higher assessment. The three different assessment rates reflect the relative use of the CSA 12 roads. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 80 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v In FY 13-14 the District’s expenditures consisted of services and supplies and reimbursements to the County for its services. v The District’s fund balance at the end of FY 13-14 was $33,898. v CSA 12 did not have any long-term debt at the end of FY 13-14. Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v Since physical distance between the CSAs that provide road services is considerable there are limited opportunities for facility sharing amongst the CSAs. v Occasionally contracts are able to offer reduced price for work of the same type when performed in more than one CSA. v Road CSAs in Calaveras County share resources through the County Public Works department by utilizing and sharing county staff and equipment for CSA management and road maintenance. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v CSA 12 demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. v The District’s accountability and transparency practices may be improved through making information about the CSA available online. v There is a potential that CSA 12 will annex additional territory if development occurs on the 1,000-acre ranch at the end of Donya Drive East. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 81 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 12 currently has an SOI coterminous with its boundaries. There is a potential for the agency to grow through an annexation of a 1,000-acre ranch (or parts of it) at the end of Donya Drive East, and therefore it is an option to increase the District’s SOI to include the territory in question indicating the likelihood of future annexation. However, when and if the ranch will be subdivided and developed is unclear and therefore it may be premature to make related changes to the SOI. It is recommended that LAFCo reaffirm the CSA’s coterminous SOI, indicating that no boundary reorganizations are expected in the foreseeable future. GOLDEN HILLS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 12 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 12 is located between San Andreas and Mokelumne Hill off of SR 49 and includes Golden Hills subdivision. v CSA 12 provides road maintenance and improvement services on Golden Hills subdivision roads. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are residential. v The District’s bounds and proposed SOI do not include agricultural or open space lands. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v Given that CSA 12 is active and currently serves all the roads in the Golden Hills subdivision it may be concluded that there will be continued future need for road services on the subdivision roads. CSA 12 roads require ongoing maintenance. v CSA 12 may potentially experience growth outwards through annexations sometime in the future, in which case the District’s services will be needed in the newly annexed areas. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v CSA 12 has 3.8 miles of roadway. The main access road to the subdivision is paved. Most of the other roads are chip sealed. v CSA 12 roads were reported to be in fair to good condition. The District attempts to maintain roads in good condition as finances permit. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 82 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW v The District performs some preventative maintenance. Crack sealing on CSA 12 roads occurs every one to two years. v The County reports that CSA 12 does not utilize Pavement Management System (PMS) and therefore there is no way to know the exact extent of necessary road rehabilitation Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v Golden Hills subdivision is considered a community of interest for the District as residents within the subdivision receive direct benefit from the services provided by CSA 12 and contribute to the District through benefit assessment. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 83 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 7. CA M P O SECO ESTATES CO UNTY SERVI CE AREA N O. 5 County Service Area (CSA) 5, also known as Campo Seco Estates CSA, is inactive. This CSA does not presently provide any services, and based on the lack of development of the area, it appears CSA 5 has never provided services in the past. The last MSR for CSA 5 occurred in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 5 was formed on July 14, 1969 as a dependent special district of the County.24 The District was formed to provide road construction and maintenance to a proposed subdivision; however, the resolution forming the District approved road construction and maintenance, highway lighting, structural fire protection, sewage, and water services.25 It was assumed that the roads serving the subdivision would not meet public road requirements and would require public funding to provide continued maintenance. Ultimately, the subdivision was never constructed and the CSA appears to have never been activated. Road maintenance services to the roads within this area appear to be provided by private contract with local landowners. The principal act that governs CSA 5 is the County Service Area law.26 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.27 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.28 Campo Seco is located southeast of Pardee Reservoir along Campo Seco Road. There are no other CSAs adjacent to or nearby CSA 5. Boundaries The CSA’s bounds encompass 23 parcels which total 164 acres or 0.26 square miles. The CSA’s bounds generally encompass the parcels that run the length of Buckboard Lane on either side of the road. 24 LAFCo Resolution 69-5. 25 LAFCo Resolution 69-5. 26 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 27 California Government Code §25213. 28 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 84 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW There have been no changes to CSA 5’s bounds since its formation in 1969. Sphere of Influence There does not appear to have been an SOI adopted for CSA 5 in the history of the agency. During the 2006 MSR and SOI update for the other road CSAs, the MSR recommends dissolution due to the inactive nature of the CSA, and therefore it was not necessary to adopt an SOI at that time.29 29 Calaveras LAFCo, CSDs and CSAs Municipal Service Review Study, 2006, P. III-3 CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 85 Calaveras LAFCo Campo Seco Estates CSA No 5 Range 10 East D R O C E S O P M A C O L D F O G IE W Y D R P M A C E L HI C B U C K B O A R D L N Calaveras County Highways Campo Seco Estates CSA No. 5 4 L E Parcels Inactive County Service Area G Roads E ^` N Towns D Waterbodies 0 330 660 1,320Feet Campo Seco Estates CSA No. 5 Map Created 7/14/2015 htroN 4 pihsnwoT Campo Seco Estates CSA No. 5 Coterminous Sphere of Influence CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 5. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Edson represents the parcels which comprise CSA 5. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. CSA 5 does not have an advisory committee as the District is inactive. Figure 7-2: CSA 5 Governing Body County Service Area 5 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), which contain information on active CSAs, on its website. No information about CSA 5 is available in these documents, nor on the County website. There is no complaint process in place for this specific CSA given its inactive nature. Complaints about road services on the private roads within the subdivision should be submitted to the homeowner’s association. Complaints regarding roads in the County’s system should be directed to the County Public Works Department. CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 87 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Form 700 for the 2014 period. The Public Works Department, on behalf of CSA 5, demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices There are no staff dedicated or associated with CSA 5 as it does not provide services; however, the Calaveras Public Works Department is responsible for the management and operations of the CSAs offering road services. There are no records of historical planning documents for CSA 5. Also, as the District has no revenue and no expenditures, the CSA is not mentioned in the County’s financial planning documents such as the budget and financial statement. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Land uses within the CSA are rural residential with lots ranging from five to ten acres, unclassified, and agricultural. Population The CSA encompasses 23 parcels, of which 16 have residential structures. Based on an average household size in Calaveras County of 2.36,30 it is estimated that there are approximately 38 residents within CSA 5. Projected Growth and Development There are no planned or proposed developments for the area. It is anticipated that the population in the area will remain relatively constant in the near future. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. No growth is anticipated in this area; however, should residents desire a greater level of road maintenance services, then CSA 5 could be activated to provide a financing and operational structure for such services. To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Dissolution was discussed and recommended in 2006, but never acted upon. The County cited the fees associated with dissolution as the primary constraint to moving forward with dissolution of the CSA. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 40 years, and there are no future plans for significant development of the area, dissolution of this District is recommended. 30 California Department of Finance, City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 1/1/2015. CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 88 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Financing CSA 5 does not receive any revenues and does not have any expenditures. Additionally, the District has no debts or assets. ROAD SERVICES Service Overview While CSA 5 is empowered to provide road construction and maintenance, highway lighting, structural fire protection, sewage, and water services, the District has not to date activated any of these services. As an inactive agency, CSA 5 does not provide any services. Its bounds encompass approximately 1.4 miles of private dirt roads consisting of Buckboard Lane and Old Fogie Way. The roads are maintained by as needed by residents likely through private contract. CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 89 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW CAMPO SECO ESTATES COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 5 MSR DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v County Service Area (CSA) 5 currently has an estimated population of 38. v There are no planned or proposed developments for the area within CSA 5’s bounds. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 5 is inactive and does not own or operate any facilities and as such neither capacity constraints nor infrastructure deficiencies were identified. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 5 does not have any revenues, expenditures, assets, or liabilities. Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v As an inactive district, CSA 5 does not practice facility sharing and there are presently no opportunities for future facility sharing. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v No growth is anticipated within CSA 5, however, should residents desire a greater level of road maintenance services, then CSA 5 could be activated to provide a financing and operational structure for such services. To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. The County cited processing fees as the primary constraint to completing dissolution. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 40 years, and there are no future plans for significant development of the area, dissolution of this District is recommended. CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 90 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 5 currently does not have an SOI. Given that the CSA has been inactive for over 40 years and is not anticipated to become active in the foreseeable future, it is recommended that the CSA be dissolved. In anticipation of dissolution, it is recommended that LAFCO adopt a zero SOI for CSA 5, indicating that the CSA is anticipated to cease to exist. CAMPO SECO ESTATES COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 5 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 5 encompasses Campo Seco, which is located southeast of Pardee Reservoir along Campo Seco Road. v While CSA 5 is empowered to provide road construction and maintenance, highway lighting, structural fire protection, sewage, and water services, the District has not to date activated any of these services. As an inactive agency, CSA 5 does not provide any services. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are rural residential with lots ranging from five to ten acres, unclassified, and agricultural. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 40 years, and there are no future plans for significant development of the area, need for the CSA’s services are not anticipated in the foreseeable future. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v The CSA is inactive and does not own or maintain any facilities or provide services. Road maintenance services are organized by residents on an as needed basis. Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v There are no identified communities of interest in this area, as the CSA encompasses a small area with 16 residences and approximately 38 residents. CSA 5 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 91 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 8. FO R EST M EA DOWS CO U NTY SERVI CE AREA N O. 7 County Service Area (CSA) 7, also known as Forest Meadows CSA, is inactive. This CSA presently does not provide any services. It is assumed based on a lack of records that this CSA was never activated and never provided services. The last MSR for CSA 7 occurred in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 7 was formed on May 11, 1971 as a dependent special district of the County.31 The District was formed to provide local park, recreation or parkway facilities and services, including green belt areas, structural fire protection services, extended police protection, highway lighting, and road maintenance.32 It appears that none of these services were ever activated. Ebbets Pass Fire Protection District offers structural fire services to the area. Law enforcement services are offered by the Sheriff’s Department. Road maintenance, highway lighting, parks and recreation, and green belt maintenance are provided by the Forest Meadows Owners Association. The principal act that governs CSA 7 is the County Service Area law.33 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.34 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.35 Forest Meadows is located four miles east of Murphys south of SR 4. There are no other CSAs adjacent to or nearby CSA 7. Boundaries The CSA’s bounds encompass 842 parcels, which total 1,703 acres or 2.7 square miles. The CSA’s bounds generally encompass territory south of SR 4 from the end of Power House Road in the west to Darby Russel Road in the east. There have been no changes to CSA 7’s bounds since its formation in 1971. 31 LAFCo Resolution 71-2. 32 LAFCo Resolution 71-2. 33 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 34 California Government Code §25213. 35 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 92 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Sphere of Influence There does not appear to have been an SOI adopted for CSA 7 in the history of the agency. During the 2006 MSR and SOI update for the other road CSAs, the MSR recommends dissolution due to the inactive nature of the CSA, and therefore it was not necessary to adopt an SOI at that time.36 36 Calaveras LAFCo, CSDs and CSAs Municipal Service Review Study, 2006, P. III-3 CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 93 Range 14 East FULLEN RD ·|}þ R D 4 D O O TO W H T R O N W Y HI L L S R DNAPAH RD L D E A N E D R LARKSPUR LN HEATHER DR R ID G E I N DI O H O BUCKTHORN DR D R T LAUREL LN R D R D D O W O O D N D AL W O O G S A FOREST MEADOWS DR D R D E A G L E ANGELS CREEK RD ·|}þ 4 UTICA DITCH RD MOUNT DAVIS RD D R H C UL G A NSYLVA NI CAMP NINE RD N PE SKUNK RANCH RD MUSTANG RD BUTTE MOUNTAIN RD Calaveras County Highways 4 L E Parcels G Roads E ^` N Towns D Waterbodies 0 1,250 2,500 5,000Feet Forest Meadows CSA No. 7 htroN 4 pihsnwoT Calaveras LAFCo Forest Meadows CSA No 7 Forest Meadows CSA No. 7 Inactive County Service Area Map Created 7/14/2015 htroN 3 pihsnwoT Forest Meadows CSA No. 7 Coterminous Sphere of Influence CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 7. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Oliveira represents the parcels which comprise CSA 7. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. CSA 7 does not have an advisory committee as the District is inactive. Figure 8-2: CSA 7 Governing Body County Service Area 7 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), which contain information on active CSAs, on its website. No information about CSA 7 is available in these documents, nor on the County website. There is no complaint process in place for this specific CSA given its inactive nature. Complaints about road services on the private roads within the subdivision should be submitted to the homeowner’s association. Complaints regarding roads in the County’s system should be directed to the County Public Works Department. CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 95 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Form 700 for the 2014 period. The Public Works Department, on behalf of CSA 7, demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices There are no staff dedicated or associated with CSA 7 as it does not provide services; however, the Calaveras Public Works Department is responsible for the management and operations of the CSAs offering road services. There are no records of historical planning documents for CSA 7 less the plans for the subdivisions that make up the community. Also, as the District has no revenue and no expenditures, the CSA is not mentioned in the County’s financial planning documents such as the budget and financial statement. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Land uses within the CSA are rural residential with lots ranging from one to five acres, unclassified, agricultural, timberlands, recreational, and some commercial. Within the Forest Meadows community, about 425 of the sites have been improved. Of the residents, the homeowners association estimates that approximately one third are retirees, one third are vacation homes, and one third are individuals that live and work in the area. Population The CSA encompasses 842 parcels, of which approximately 425 have residential structures. Based on an average household size in Calaveras County of 2.36,37 it is estimated that there are approximately 1,003 residents within CSA 7; however, approximately one third of these residences are used as part-time vacation homes, so there are likely about 669 full-time residents. Projected Growth and Development Tentative maps have been conditionally approved for two additional phases of 234 and 92 home sites within Forest Meadows. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. 37 California Department of Finance, City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 1/1/2015. CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 96 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW The area within CSA 7 has potential for continued growth as the two additional phases with approved tentative maps move forward with the application process. It is unlikely that CSA 7 will be necessary to provide services to the area in the future, given that at present services appear to be provided satisfactorily by the homeowner’s association. To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Dissolution was discussed and recommended in 2006, but never acted upon. The County cited processing fees as the primary constraint to dissolution. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 40 years, and there are no future plans for use of the CSA, dissolution of the District is recommended. Financing CSA 7 does not receive any revenues and does not have any expenditures. Additionally, the District has no debts or assets. ROAD SERVICES Service Overview While CSA 7 is empowered to provide local park, recreation or parkway facilities and services, including green belt areas, structural fire protection services, extended police protection, highway lighting, and road maintenance, the District has not to date activated any of these services. As an inactive agency, CSA 7 does not provide any services. It is unknown how many miles of privately maintained roads there are within the community. The roads are maintained by the Forest Meadows Owner’s Association. CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 97 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW FOREST MEADOWS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 7 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v County Service Area (CSA) 7 currently has an estimated permanent population of 669 residents. v Tentative maps have been conditionally approved for two additional phases of 234 and 92 home sites within Forest Meadows. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 7 is inactive and does not own or operate any facilities and as such neither capacity constraints nor infrastructure deficiencies were identified. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 7 does not have any revenues, expenditures, assets, or liabilities. Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v As an inactive district, CSA 7 does not practice facility sharing and there are presently no opportunities for future facility sharing. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v It is unlikely that CSA 7 will be necessary to provide services to the area in the future, given that at present services appear to be provided satisfactorily by the homeowner’s association. To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Dissolution was discussed and recommended in 2006, but never acted upon. The County cited processing fees as the primary constraint to dissolution. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 40 years, and there are no future plans for use of the CSA, dissolution of the District is recommended. CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 98 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 7 currently does not have an SOI. Given that the CSA has been inactive for over 40 years and is not anticipated to become active in the foreseeable future, as services are adequately provided for by the HOA, it is recommended that the CSA be dissolved. In anticipation of dissolution, it is recommended that LAFCO adopt a zero SOI for CSA 7, indicating that the CSA is anticipated to cease to exist. FOREST MEADOWS COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 7 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 7 encompasses the Forest Meadows subdivision, which is located four miles east of Murphys south of SR 4. v While CSA 7 is empowered to provide local park, recreation or parkway facilities and services, including green belt areas, structural fire protection services, extended police protection, highway lighting, and road maintenance, the District has not to date activated any of these services. As an inactive agency, CSA 7 does not provide any services. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are rural residential with lots ranging from one to five acres, unclassified, agricultural, timberlands, recreational, and some commercial. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for over the last 40 years, and road maintenance services are adequately provided for by the HOA, need for the CSA’s services are not anticipated in the foreseeable future. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v The CSA is inactive and does not own or maintain any facilities or provide services. Road maintenance services are provided by the HOA. Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v There are areas within the subdivision that are planned for development at some point in the future. The landowner/developer of these areas constitutes an economic community of interest. The HOA also constitutes a community of interest. CSA 7 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 99 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW 9. EL RA NCHO LO M A S ERENA CO U N TY S ERV I C E A R EA NO. 10 County Service Area (CSA) 10, also known as El Rancho Loma Serena CSA, is inactive. This CSA has not in the past and presently does not provide any services. The last MSR for CSA 10 occurred in 2006. AGENCY OVERVIEW Background CSA 10 was formed on December 27, 1984 as a dependent special district of the County.38 The District was formed at the request of the subdivisions homeowner’s association to provide extended services of road maintenance and improvement.39 The roads within the CSA were in need of resurfacing at the time, and a public agency to manage these services was the desired governance structure to ensure the residents shared in the costs. A zone of benefit of the CSA, termed “Improvement District 10A,” was also created to exclude those lots from assessment that fronted County maintained roads.40 It appears that the CSA was never activated and instead road maintenance services are provided by the El Rancho Loma Serena Homeowner’s Association. The principal act that governs CSA 10 is the County Service Area law.41 The principal act authorizes county service areas to provide a wide variety of municipal services, including street maintenance, fire protection, extended police protection, water and sewer services.42 A CSA may only provide those services authorized in its formation resolution unless the Board of Supervisors adopts a resolution authorizing additional services. All districts must apply and obtain LAFCo approval to exercise latent powers or, in other words, those services authorized by the principal act but not provided by the district at the end of 2000.43 El Rancho Loma Serena is located approximately four miles north of Mountain Ranch at the intersection of Railroad Flat Road and Swiss Ranch Road. There are no other CSAs adjacent to or nearby CSA 10. Boundaries The CSA’s bounds encompass 162 parcels, which total 854 acres or 1.33 square miles. The CSA’s bounds generally encompass the parcels on the outside of and those encompassed by Old Emigrant Trail. 38 LAFCo Resolution 82-03. 39 LAFCo Resolution 82-03. 40 LAFCo Resolution 82-04. 41 California Government Code §25210 et seq. 42 California Government Code §25213. 43 Government Code §56824.10. CSA 10 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 100 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW There have been no changes to CSA 10’s bounds since its formation in 1984. Sphere of Influence There does not appear to have been an SOI adopted for CSA 10 in the history of the agency. During the 2006 MSR and SOI update for the other road CSAs, the MSR recommends dissolution due to the inactive nature of the CSA, and therefore it was not necessary to adopt an SOI at that time.44 44 Calaveras LAFCo, CSDs and CSAs Municipal Service Review Study, 2006, P. III-3 CSA 10 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 101 Range 13 East R O LLIN G O A K D SMITH RD R S P R IN G D L A R E K R N L N D A R W Y JESUS MARIA RD E R D C A O E L O A E T S C R E K C T D SHAWNEE TL D C L O U E R BUTTONDOWN LN O LD E M IG R A N S TA G T TL E E E A S T R A IN B O W R D EMIGRANT O L C D T E M IG R A N T TL W R S P A S S G O L D W A S H C R E E K C O A C H H IL L R D U S T L E R A N C H R S S OLD EMIGRANT TL W WI S TR IPLE O A K S R D N L D F L AT R D S HI L L S VI E W W D R CALAVERAS CR OLTS RD A E O VI R AI L R E A GL E Calaveras County 4 Highways L E Parcels G Roads E ^` N Towns El Rancho Loma D Sera CSA No. 10 Waterbodies 0 750 1,500 3,000Feet htroN 5 pihsnwoT Calaveras LAFCo El Rancho Loma Sera CSA No. 10 El Rancho Loma Sera CSA No. 10 Inactive County Service Area El Rancho Loma Sera CSA No. 10 Coterminous Sphere of Influence Map Created 7/15/2015 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Accountability and Governance The County Board of Supervisors serves as the governing authority for all county service areas in Calaveras County, including CSA 10. Board members are elected by supervisorial districts and serve staggered four-year terms. Current governing board members are Cliff Edson, Christopher Wright, Michael C. Oliveira, Debbie Ponte, and Steve Kearney. Supervisor Oliveira represents the parcels which comprise CSA 10. The Board meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 9:00 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors’ Chambers. The meeting agendas and minutes are posted on the County website. According to the Calaveras County Municipal Code, CSAs may form committees to advise the County as to the road maintenance or other service needs of each CSA. Appointments to advisory committees are made by the Board of Supervisors upon nomination by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. The maximum number of members of each advisory committee is also determined by the Supervisor representing the majority of parcels, which comprise the CSA. Committee members must reside within the CSA that they represent. CSA 10 does not have an advisory committee as the District is inactive. Figure 9-2: CSA 10 Governing Body County Service Area 10 Governing Body Name Position Term Ends Cliff Edson District 1 2016 Members Christopher Wright District 2 2016 Michael C. Oliveira District 3 2018 Debbie Ponte District 4 2016 Steve Kearney District 5 2018 Manner of Selection Election Length of Term 4 years Second and fourth Tuesdays of Meetings Supervisors Board Room every month at 9:00 a.m. Agenda Distribution Posted on County’s website Minutes Distribution Posted on County’s website Calaveras County makes available its budget and comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR), which contain information on active CSAs, on its website. No information about CSA 10 is available in these documents, nor on the County website. There is no complaint process in place for this specific CSA given its inactive nature. Complaints about road services on the private roads within the subdivision should be submitted to the homeowner’s association. Complaints regarding roads in the County’s system should be directed to the County Public Works Department. CSA 10 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 103 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Government Code §87203 requires persons who hold office to disclose their investments, interests in real property and incomes by filing appropriate forms with the appropriate filing agency (i.e., the County or the Fair Political Practices Commission) each year. Each of the Supervisors has filed the required Form 700 for the 2014 period. The Public Works Department, on behalf of CSA 10, demonstrated accountability and transparency in its disclosure of information and cooperation with Calaveras LAFCo. The County was able to provide the requested information regarding the District’s operations. Planning and Management Practices There are no staff dedicated or associated with CSA 10 as it does not provide services; however, the Calaveras Public Works Department is responsible for the management and operations of the CSAs offering road services. There are no records of historical planning documents for CSA 10. Also, as the District has no revenue and no expenditures, the CSA is not mentioned in the County’s financial planning documents such as the budget and financial statement. Existing Demand and Growth Projections Land uses within the CSA are rural residential with primarily five acre lots. The terrain is hilly. Population The CSA encompasses 162 parcels, of which approximately 112 have been developed. Based on an average household size in Calaveras County of 2.36,45 it is estimated that there are approximately 264 residents within CSA 10. Projected Growth and Development There are no planned or proposed developments for the area. It is anticipated that the population in the area will remain relatively constant in the near future. Growth Strategies The District is not a land use authority, and does not hold primary responsibility for implementing growth strategies. The land use authority for unincorporated areas is the County. No growth is anticipated in this area. Should residents desire it, CSA 10 could be activated to provide a different financing and operational structure for road improvement services; however, these services appear to be provided satisfactorily through the homeowner’s association. To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Dissolution was discussed and recommended in 2006, but never acted upon. The County cited processing fees as the primary constraint to dissolution of the CSA. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 30 years, and there are no future plans for significant development of the area, dissolution of this District is recommended. 45 California Department of Finance, City/County Population and Housing Estimates, 1/1/2015. CSA 10 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 104 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Financing CSA 10 does not receive any revenues and does not have any expenditures. Additionally, the County reported that the District has no debts or assets. ROAD SERVICES Service Overview While CSA 10 is empowered to provide road maintenance services, the District has not to date activated these services. As an inactive agency, CSA 10 does not provide any services. The private roads are maintained by the homeowner’s association. It is unknown how many miles of private roads are within the CSA. CSA 10 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 105 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW EL RANCHO LOMA SERENA COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 10 DETERMINATIONS Growth and Population Projections v County Service Area (CSA) 10 currently has an estimated population of 264. v There are no planned or proposed developments for the area within CSA 10’s bounds. Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies v CSA 10 is inactive and does not own or operate any facilities and as such neither capacity constraints nor infrastructure deficiencies were identified. Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services v CSA 10 does not have any revenues, expenditures, assets, or liabilities. Status of, and Opportunities for, Shared Facilities v As an inactive district, CSA 10 does not practice facility sharing and there are presently no opportunities for future facility sharing. Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Governmental Structure and Operational Efficiencies v No growth is anticipated in this area. Should residents desire it, CSA 10 could be activated to provide a different financing and operational structure for road improvement services; however, these services appear to be provided satisfactorily through the homeowner’s association. To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Dissolution was discussed and recommended in 2006, but never acted upon. The County cited processing fees as the primary constraint to dissolution of the CSA. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for the last 30 years, and there are no future plans for significant development of the area, dissolution of this District is recommended. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 106 CALAVERAS LAFCO COUNTY SERVICE AREA MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW SOI UPDATE CSA 10 currently does not have an SOI. Given that the CSA has been inactive for over 30 years and is not anticipated to become active in the foreseeable future, as services are adequately provided for by the HOA, it is recommended that the CSA be dissolved. In anticipation of dissolution, it is recommended that LAFCO adopt a zero SOI for CSA 10, indicating that the CSA is anticipated to cease to exist. EL RANCHO LOMA SERENA COUNTY SERVICE AREA NO. 10 SOI DETERMINATIONS Location, Nature, and Extent of Services Provided v County Service Area (CSA) 10 is located approximately four miles north of Mountain Ranch at the intersection of Railroad Flat Road and Swiss Ranch Road. The CSA’s bounds generally encompass the parcels on the outside of and those encompassed by Old Emigrant Trail. v While CSA 10 is empowered to provide extended services of road maintenance and improvement, the District has not to date activated any of these services. As an inactive agency, CSA 10 does not provide any services. Present and Planned Land Uses, Including Agricultural and Open Space Lands v Land uses within the CSA are rural residential with primarily five acre lots. The terrain is hilly. Present and Probable Need for Public Facilities and Services in the Area v To date, residents have not indicated interest in activating the CSA. Given that the CSA has remained inactive for over the last 30 years, and road maintenance services are adequately provided for by the HOA, need for the CSA’s services are not anticipated in the foreseeable future. The Present Capacity Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services v The CSA is inactive and does not own or maintain any facilities or provide services. Road maintenance services are provided by the HOA. Existence of Any Social or Economic Communities of Interest v The El Rancho Loma Serena HOA constitutes both a social and economic community of interest. CSA 12 Policy Consulting Associates, LLC and John Benoit 107