Orleans CSD MSR Sept 2008 v2

Orleans Community Services District Municipal Service Review DRAFT September 2008 Prepared by: For the District Sphere of Influence Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Local Agency Formation Commission Authority ............................................................ 1 Agency Profile ...............................................................................................................3 Infrastructure ................................................................................................................. 3 Other Services ..............................................................................................................4 Budget ........................................................................................................................... 5 Service Rates ................................................................................................................5 Local Accountability .......................................................................................................7 Municipal Service Review Determinations .................................................................... 7 TABLES AND FIGURES Figure 1. Orleans CSD Map ........................................................................................2 Orleans CSD Page 1 Municipal Service Review LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION AUTHORITY Latent Powers, Enabling Legislation and Empowered Services The fundamental role of the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) is to implement the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act (The Act) consistent with local conditions and circumstances. The Act guides LAFCo’s decisions. The major goals of LAFCo as established by The Act are to: (cid:131) Encourage orderly growth and development; (cid:131) Promote orderly development; (cid:131) Discourage urban sprawl; (cid:131) Preserve open-space and prime agricultural lands by guiding minimizing resource loss; (cid:131) Exercise its authority to ensure that affected populations receive efficient services; (cid:131) Promote logical formation and boundary modifications that direct the burdens and benefits of additional growth to those local agencies that are best suited to provide services; (cid:131) Make studies and obtain and furnish information which will contribute to the logical and reasonable development of local agencies to provide for present and future needs; (cid:131) Establish priorities by assessing and balancing community service needs with financial resources available to secure and provide community services and to encourage government structures that reflect local circumstances, conditions and financial resources; (cid:131) Determine whether new or existing agencies can feasibly provide needed services in a more efficient or accountable manner and, where deemed necessary, As set fourth in § 56425 (g) of The Act, on or before January 1, 2008, and every five years thereafter, Humboldt LAFCo shall review and update each Sphere of Influence (SOI). Additionally, an MSR shall be conducted with, or in conjunction with the action to establish or to update a SOI pursuant to The Act. Together, the SOI and MSR documents analyze the District’s ability to serve existing and future residents. In order to prepare and to update Spheres of Influence in accordance with § 56425, Humboldt LAFCo shall conduct a service review of the municipal services provided in The Orleans Community Services District (CSD). The commission shall include in the designated for service review area any other geographic area as is appropriate for an analysis of the services to be reviewed, and shall prepare a written statement of determinations with respect to the following: (1) Infrastructure needs or deficiencies; (2) Growth and population projections for the affected area; (3) Financing constraints and opportunities; (4) Cost avoidance opportunities; (5) Opportunities for rate restructuring; (6) Opportunities for shared facilities; (7) Government structure options; (8) Evaluation of management efficiencies; and (9) Local accountability and governance. Orleans CSD Page 1 Municipal Service Review Figure 1. Orleans CSD Map-District Boundary and Sphere of Influence Orleans CSD Page 2 Municipal Service Review AGENCY PROFILE Figure 1 (above) shows the district boundary, and sphere of influence. The Orleans Community Services District (CSD) is located in northeastern Humboldt County along the Klamath River and U.S. Highway 96. Orleans lies between Weitchpec to the southwest and Somes Bar to the northeast. The Orleans CSD consists of approximately 1018.7 acres, which are made up of a combination of vacant, developed and underdeveloped parcels. The Orleans CSD was formed in December of 1977 by resolution No. 77-176, Pursuant to Government Code § 56452. The District has a five member Board of Directors that is locally elected by District residents. The primary purpose of the Orleans CSD is to provide water to the residents within its boundary. Demographics The Humboldt County population is estimated to be 132,821 with 61,281 (46%) in the incorporated cities and 71,540 (54%) in the unincorporated areas.i Based on a Department of Finance (DOF) estimated annual population growth rate of 0.60% (607 persons per year), DOF projects that the County’s population will reach 145,858 by 2025. As of January of 2008, there were approximately 59,370 housing units in Humboldt County with an average of 2.36 persons per household.ii A total of 3,975 new housing units were required to support growth in Humboldt County between 2001 and 2008.iii The County’s 2003 Housing Element does not project housing demand past 2008. However, if the 2001-2008 housing demand were to continue at the same rate in the future (e.g., 568 units per year), the demand for new housing units between 2008 and 2025 would be 9,656 within the County as a whole, 5,214 within the unincorporated areas of the County. The County has identified the Orleans CSD and some adjacent parcels as a Water Study Area (WSA), which is used to focus on planned land uses, timing and location of new facilities for unincorporated areas within the County. INFRASTRUCTURE The Orleans CSD infrastructure includes a 10,000 gallon water tank, 3 filters, approximately 10 miles of pipes, 149 meters, two pumps, a pump house, a metal storage building, an office building, a chlorinator building, approximately 40 fire hydrants a maintenance truck and tools. The District’s water system is a public water system, and is operated to meet the State of California requirements. Water Demand According to the 2005 Humboldt County Department of Health Services, (DHS) annual inspection report, Orleans CSD retailed approximately 26 million gallons of drinking water. Average daily use for the District is estimated at 71,000 gpd, and peak daily use is estimated at approximately 51,000 gpd. The Orleans WSA has approximately 149 active connections and 15 inactive connections, and many of the active connections share water usage with additional water Orleans CSD Page 3 Municipal Service Review users. Only one connection used by the volunteer fire department is unmetered. There are some large water users, such as orchards, vineyards, and the Forest Service, within the system, and their usage rates amount to only approximately 60,000 gpd during summer months. Capacity Availability of connections within the Orleans water system is limited by treatment capacity. Source capacity is reportedly not an issue. Treatment capacity is estimated at 49,500 gpd if the filters are operated 22 hours per day (allows time for backwash cycle). Existing maximum day demands are estimated at 513,000 gpd. However, the filters have a combined recommended capacity of 375 gallons per minute (gpm) but DHS has indicated that they could be loaded at a combined rate of 450 gpm while still meeting all applicable standards. Therefore, current peak water use is estimated at approximately 79% of available treatment capacity. 1 Based on the County’s assessment; there are no available connections under the existing infrastructure. Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies Orleans CSD needs an additional water tank to increase storage capacity and to provide water to new development that is anticipated to occur adjacent to the district. The District plans to a new water filter and all apparatuses, and plans to extend the main water line to install three new fire hydrants. Availability of connections within the Orleans water system is currently limited by treatment and storage capacity. The District is operating at approximately 79% of available treatment capacity. Under the existing infrastructure, there are no available connections. Approximately one mile of the water pipes within the district are undersized for adequate fire flows and or are in need of replacement. 1 OTHER SERVICES Fire Protection The Orleans Volunteer Fire Department primarily protects the area in and around the community of Orleans along the Klamath River north of its confluence with the Trinity River. The area around Orleans is known for the rugged Klamath River valley, steeply sloped ridges with dense conifer forests. The Orleans fire district boundary is 1.6 square miles, with a total response area of 120.2 miles. The district has five trucks: two main engines, a big water tender, a brush fire rig (also a vehicle accident response rig), and a rescue vehicle. Police Protection The Hoopa Sheriff’s Station is located approximately 15 miles south west of Orleans, at the Hoopa Valley Indian Reservation (the largest Indian reservation in California). Deputies assigned to the Hoopa station provide law enforcement services to the northeastern part of Humboldt County including Willow Creek, Hoopa, Orleans, Redwood Valley and other surrounding communities and work in cooperation with the Hoopa Valley Tribal Police Department and California Highway Patrol. Orleans CSD Page 4 Municipal Service Review Additional Service Providers The County of Humboldt provides general governmental services and law enforcement services throughout the territory of the District. The District is within the State Responsibility area for fire protection service from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), as well as having its own volunteer fire department. BUDGET The total adopted budget for the 2008/09 fiscal year is $104,747.88. The Orleans CSD’s major revenue sources include water sales, interest, and rents. The District’s largest expenditure are salaries and wages, followed by depreciation , structures and improvements. The District has no long term debt and operates a balanced budget where revenues are equal to expenditures. SERVICE RATES Service Rates The last rate schedule was adopted in September 2005 and took effect on November 1st 2005. The base rate for one unit is $35 with a base usage of 10,000 gallons. Costs for additional units or additional usage are indicated in the water rate schedule below. Orleans CSD Page 5 Municipal Service Review Orleans CSD Page 6 Municipal Service Review LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY The Orleans CSD meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Orleans CSD office. The District’s basic information is below. Orleans Community Services District Contact: Shirley Reynolds Mailing Address: P.O. Box 303, Orleans, CA 95556 Site Address: 37737 Highway 96, Orleans, CA 95556 Phone Number: (530) 627-3454 Email/ Website: Ocsdshirleyr1@juno.com Types of Services: Water Population Served: ~ 450 Size of Service Area (Acres): 1018.7 acres Date of Formation: December 1977 Staff and Facilities Number of Paid Staff Two full time, one part time MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW DETERMINATIONS Written Determinations 56430. (a) In order to prepare and to update SOI in accordance with Section 56425, the commission shall conduct a service review of the municipal services provided in the county or other appropriate area designated by the commission. The commission shall include in the area designated for service review the county, the region, the subregion, or any other geographic area as is appropriate for an analysis of the service or services to be reviewed, and shall prepare a written statement of its determinations with respect to each of the following: (1) Growth and population projections for the affected area. The Orleans CSD has approximately 149 active connections and 15 inactive connections. Only one connection used by the volunteer fire department is unmetered. Peak daily use corresponds to usage rates of approximately 3,443 gpd/connection. There are some large water users, such as orchards, vineyards, and the Forest Service, within the system, but their usage rates amount to only approximately 60,000 gpd during summer months. Therefore, water use is extremely high for the remaining connections. Land Acquired by the Karuk Tribe, adjacent to the District boundary could be developed for residential use that may require water service (2) Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs or deficiencies. Orleans CSD Page 7 Municipal Service Review According to the 2005 DHS annual inspection report, OCSD retailed approximately 26 million gallons of drinking water in 2005. Average daily use for the entire District is estimated at 0.071 MGD, and peak daily use is estimated at approximately 0.513 MGD. (3) Financial ability of agencies to provide services. The District has developed a five to twenty year Capital Improvement Plan that covers costs and schedules for improvements to its water system. The District is not eligible for grants because the system is in good condition, and most grants require a minimum of 150 connections, while the district only has 149 existing connections. Furthermore, the District cannot add an additional connection to meet the minimum grant requirements because it does not have the capacity to provide services to new connections. (4) Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. Due to the District’s remote location, there are no opportunities to share similar facilities with other service providers. The Orleans CSD is the only water service provider in the area. (5) Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. The District board meets once each month and provides appropriate notice for public meetings within the community. (6) Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by commission policy. Orleans CSD water service is very good. The only major deficiency within the system is the lack of adequate storage capacity. The district needs funding to purchase a new storage tank. However, grants are not offered for smaller districts (with less than 150 water hookups), or for systems without major deficiencies. SOURCES CITED 1 Humboldt County General Plan Update. Community Infrastructure and Services Technical Report, Preliminary Draft, October 2007. http://co.humboldt.ca.us/planning/gp/gpdemo/GPU- TOC-Demo3.htm#ch7 i Department of Finance, 2008. Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State, May 2008. ii Ibid iii Humboldt County, 2003. Humboldt County General Plan Housing Element. Approved December 16, 2003. Amended November 30, 2004. Orleans CSD Page 8 Municipal Service Review