CSA #5 Bridgeport Valley

COMMUNITY SERVICE AREA #5 MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Draft#1 Report | Prepared for: Mono County Local Agency Formation Commission PO Box 347 Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546 (760) 924-1800, fax (760) 924-1801 commdev@mono.ca.gov Preparers: Project Oversight: Brent Calloway, LAFCO Executive Officer Project Manager: Kelly Karl, Planning Analyst Contract Staff: Erin Bauer, BPES Inc. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Acronyms……..……… List of Figures & Tables……..……… I. Executive Summary II. Determinations 2.1 MSR Determinations 2.2 Sphere of Influence Findings 2.3 Sphere of Influence Recommendation 2.4. Reorganization Recommendation III. Introduction……..……… 3.1 Municipal Service Reviews……..……… 3.2 Relationship between Municipal Service Reviews and Spheres of Influence……..……… 3.3 Revised Requirements……..……… 3.4 Other Applicable Laws……..……… 3.5 Project Area……..……… IV. SERVICE REVIEW……..……… 4.1 Growth and Population Projections……..……… 4.2 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities……..……… 4.3 Review of Facilities and Services……..……… 4.3.1 Memorial Hall 4.3.2 Rural Internet 4.3.3 Bridgeport Cemetery 4.3.4 Signage 4.3.5 Town Beautification 4.3.6 District Planning 4.3.7 Facilities and Equipment 4.3.8 Administration and Staffing 4.4 Financial Ability of Agencies to Provide Services 4.5 Shared Facilities 4.6 Accountability……..……… 4.7 Other Matters……..……… V. SPHERE OF INFLUENCE……..……… 5.1 Present and Planned Land Uses……..……… 5.2 Need for Public Facilities……..……… 5.3 Capacity of Public Facilities……..……… 5.4 Communities of Interest……..……… 5.5 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities……..……… VI. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1: Resolution 10-63 VII. SOURCES Endnotes FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 1: CSA #5 Boundary……. Table 1: CSA #5 Budget…… ACRONYMS ACS – American Community Survey ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act BLM – Bureau of Land Management CDP – Census Designated Place CKH – Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 CoI – Community of Interest CSA #5—Community Service Area #5 DOF – Department of Finance DTV – Digital Television Transition DUC – Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community FCC – Federal Communications Commission LAFCO – Local Agency Formation Commission LADWP – Los Angeles Department of Water and Power MSR – Municipal Service Review SoI – Sphere of Influence USFS – United States Forest Service I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Community Service Area #5 was created in 1976 to provide broadcast television service to communities in the Bridgeport Valley and Twin Lakes. Although the rise of digital television slowly rendered the broadcast outposts maintained by CSA #5 obsolete, the district’s legal function had not changed when the previous MSR was written in 2009. The Federal Communications Act of 1996 mandated the sunsetting of all analog television, and broadcasts were required by law to cease on June 12, 2009. CSA #5’s Board of Directors conducted a survey to determine what services the residents would be interested in seeing the special district provide. The Board then worked with County Counsel to fit the community’s goals within an appropriate legal framework and on September 7, 2010, the Mono County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution No. R10-63 (Attachment 1), redefining the purpose and powers of CSA #5. CSA #5’s new mandate, set forth in Exhibit A of Resolution 10-63, included recreation, telecommunications services, improving signage and landscaping within the district, beautification, and sponsoring community activities. In the years since, CSA #5 has secured internet service for underserved areas within the district, maintained and beautified the Bridgeport Cemetery, spearheaded an initiative to install street signs on gravel roads, beautified the historic courthouse with decorative fencing and benches, renovated the courthouse canon, and maintained flowerbeds on the courthouse lawn every summer. By far the greatest focus of their efforts, however, has been the renovation of Memorial Hall into a community center that sees regular use by a wide range of residents. In short, they have tackled all of the goals set forth in their mandate, with an emphasis on improvements that can stand the test of time. II. DETERMINATIONS 2.1 MSR DETERMINATIONS GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR THE AFFECTED AREA (SEE 4.1) • The population of Bridgeport, the only CDP within the CSA’s Sphere of Influence (SoI), had a population of 575 in 2010 and 553 in 2020. LOCATION & CHARACTERISTICS OF ANY DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES (DUCS) IN OR CONTIGUOUS TO THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE (SOI). (SEE 4.2) • There are no LAFCO-designated DUCs within the SoI. The Bridgeport Reservation, contiguous to but not part of, the district’s SoI, has been designated by the California Environmental Protection Agency as a disadvantaged community. 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 COMMUNITIES WITHIN OR CONTIGUOUS TO THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. (SEE 4.3) • The Mono County Board of Supervisors passed Resolution R10-63 on 7 September 2010, expanding and revising the powers available to CSA #5. See section 3.4 for a complete list of the revised and expanded powers. • Between 2011 and 2023, CSA #5 undertook a substantial renovation of Memorial Hall, a Bridgeport community center owned by Mono County. • CSA #5 repurposed land leased for television equipment to distribute internet. • CSA #5 has undertaken maintenance and improvement of the Bridgeport Cemetery, improving drainage, repairing roads, and commissioning an arched wrought-iron entranceway. • CSA #5 installed a radar speed sign on Immigrant Street and is nearing completion of several plans relating to local signage. The district worked with CalTrans to place an arched banner over the main street, also Highway 395, and is arranging for the installation of street signs on gravel roads throughout the district. • CSA #5 has undertaken multiple town beautification projects, especially in and around Bridgeport’s historic courthouse. The CSA installed benches, planters and trash cans on the courthouse lawn, renovated the courthouse’s historic canon, funded a new fence, and sponsors plantings of flowers every year. • CSA #5 cooperated with the Mono County Public Works Department to improve the Bridgeport Park. • District planning is informal. • The CSA does not own any facilities, does not have any employees, and does not manage its own funds. FINANCIAL ABILITY OF AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES. (SEE 4.4) • The primary source of income for the district is property taxes, supplemented by income from interest and rents from subleased property. • Financial planning within the district is informal. • Mono County manages the district’s accounts. • CSA #5’s fund balance has remained largely unchanged over the past 15 years. STATUS OF, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR, SHARED FACILITIES. (SEE 4.5) • CSA #5 owes its low overhead and comparatively high efficiency to close cooperation with Mono County. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE NEEDS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES. (SEE 4.6) • Monthly meetings of the Board of Directors are open to the public, but the district does not post agendas or minutes online. • CSA tracks community needs and feedback through surveys, town meetings, and personal outreach. • The Mono County Department of Public Works and the Mono County Board of Supervisors must approve all the CSA’s projects, so oversight is built into the district’s operations. ANY OTHER MATTER RELATED TO EFFECTIVE OR EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY, AS REQUIRED BY COMMISSION POLICY. (SEE 4.7) • No other matters. 2.2 SPHERE OF INFLUENCE FINDINGS THE PRESENT AND PLANNED LAND USES IN THE AREA, INCLUDING AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN-SPACE LANDS (SEE 5.1) • Most of the land in Mono County is publicly owned. The Bridgeport Valley includes agricultural development, as well as a tourism economy with particular appeal for anglers. THE PRESENT AND PROBABLE NEED FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN THE AREA. (SEE 5.2) • Over the past decade, CSA #5 has demonstrated a capacity to undertake projects significant enough to improve quality of life within the district over the long term, and carry them to completion. THE PRESENT CAPACITY OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND ADEQUACY OF PUBLIC SERVICES THAT THE AGENCY PROVIDES OR IS AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE. (SEE 5.3) • Where the CSA has undertaken the improvement of facilities open to the public, such as the renovation of Memorial Hall or attracting an internet provider, capacity is sufficient to meet demand. THE EXISTENCE OF ANY SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN THE AREA IF THE COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT THEY ARE RELEVANT TO THE AGENCY. (SEE 5.4) • Communities of interest within the Bridgeport area relevant to the agency include communities of economic concern, such as agriculture and recreation, proximity to retail services, and school districts. FOR AN UPDATE OF A SPHERE OF INFLUENCE OF A CITY OR SPECIAL DISTRICT THAT PROVIDES PUBLIC FACILITIES OR SERVICES RELATED TO SEWERS, MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WATER, OR STRUCTURAL FIRE PROTECTION, THAT OCCURS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (G) ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2012, THE PRESENT AND PROBABLE NEED FOR THOSE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES OF ANY DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE EXISTING SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. (SEE 5.5) • CSA #5 does not provide services related to sewers, water, or fire protection. 2.3 SPHERE OF INFLUENCE RECOMMENDATION CSA #5 – Bridgeport should consider expanding its Sphere of Influence to include all of the private property within the Bridgeport region. 2.4 REORGANIZATION RECOMMENDATION Section 56001 of the California Government Code states that: “The Legislature finds and declares that a single multipurpose governmental agency is accountable for community service needs and financial resources and, therefore, may be the best mechanism for establishing community service priorities especially in urban areas. Nonetheless, the Legislature recognizes the critical role of many limited purpose agencies, especially in rural communities. The Legislature also finds that, whether governmental services are proposed to be provided by a single-purpose agency, several agencies, or a multipurpose agency, responsibility should be given to the agency or agencies that can best provide government services.” The feasibility of such a reorganization should be determined by a reorganization committee consisting of representatives of the district, the Town, and Mono LAFCO. III. INTRODUCTION 3.1 MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (CKH) requires Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCOs) to conduct comprehensive reviews of all municipal services in each California county—or other appropriate area designated by the commission—to periodically update that information. The formation of local agency boundaries fits into the state’s larger goal of encouraging orderly growth and development. Section 56001 of the CKH recognizes that: “the logical formation and determination of local agency boundaries is an important factor in promoting orderly development and in balancing that development with sometimes competing state interests of discouraging urban sprawl, preserving open-space and prime agricultural lands, and efficiently extending government services.” 3.2 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEWS AND SPHERES OF INFLUENCE The CKH requires LAFCOs to develop and determine the Sphere of Influence (SOI) for each applicable local governmental agency that provides services or facilities related to development. CaLAFCO defines a SOI as: “a planning boundary outside of an agency’s legal boundary (such as the city limit line) that designates the agency’s probable future boundary and service area. Factors considered in a sphere of influence review focus on the current and future land use, the current and future need and capacity for service, and any relevant communities of interest. With the passage of the CKH Act, spheres for all cities and special districts are reviewed every five years. “The purpose of the sphere of influence is to ensure the provision of efficient services while discouraging urban sprawl and the premature conversion of agricultural and open space lands by preventing overlapping jurisdictions and duplication of services. Commissions cannot tell agencies what their planning goals should be. Rather, on a regional level, LAFCOs coordinate the orderly development of a community through reconciling differences between agency plans so that the most efficient urban service arrangements are created for the benefit of area residents and property owners.”i Spheres of influence must be reviewed and updated every five years (§56425). LAFCO can conduct Municipal Service Reviews (MSRs) before, or in conjunction with, but no later than the time it is considering an action to establish or update an SOI (§56430). Community Service Area #5’s (CSA #5’s) Municipal Service Review is being conducted in conjunction with a review and update of the district’s SOI. 3.3 REVISED REQUIREMENTS California Senate Bill 244, passed in 2011 and in effect since 2012, significantly revised the requirements for MSRs. Since the previous MSR for CSA #5 dates to 2009, this is the first review written in accordance with the new requirements. A 2003 guide detailed nine determinations necessary to an MSR,ii each consisting of between five and forty-nine elements. These requirements have been streamlined. The new requirements, pared down to a list of seven, still review land use, demographics, present and future service needs as compared with capacity, and the financial ability of agencies to provide services. They additionally require agencies to give special consideration to Communities of Interest and Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities (DUCs) during the review. 3.4 OTHER APPLICABLE LAWS The Telecommunications Act, first passed in 1934 and then amended in 1996, shaped the development of CSA #5. The Telecommunications Act of 1934 mandated Universal Service, the “principle that all Americans should have access to communications services.”iii This led to the creation of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which has regulatory authority over telecommunications and broadcasting, and also the emergence of special districts like CSA #5. For decades, the district ensured that the residents of Bridgeport and Twin Lakes had access to broadcast television. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandated the Digital Television Transition (DTV).iv The DTV required all television stations to cease broadcasting on the analog spectrum, returning their frequency allocations to the FCC. While television broadcasts were shifted entirely to the digital spectrum, the reclaimed analog spectrum could be redistributed to public safety communications, auctioned to wireless telephone companies, or otherwise repurposed. The sunset of analog television was initially scheduled for 2006, but ultimately pushed back to a final end date of June 12, 2009. The end of analog television required CSA #5 to either disband or “revise and retool.”v The district chose the latter and in September of 2010 the Mono County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution No. R10-63, which allowed CSA #5 to exercise “latent powers” as defined in §61002 of SB 135, and included exhibits affirming that the district’s SoI remained unchanged while its powers were expanded and revised. The CSA’s powers, as specified in Exhibit A of Resolution R10-63, include: “1. Recreation, including, but not limited to, parks, playground equipment, skate parks, parkways, trails and other amenities, open space, and various types of recreational events and activities, including, but not limited to, holiday events, trips, classes, swap meets, farmer's markets, tournaments, and camps. 2. Telecommunication services, including, but not limited to, television, radio, telephone, and internet services, provided through any wired or wireless form of equipment and infrastructure, including, but not limited to, translator stations, low-power television, radio, cables, towers, antennae, and satellite dishes. 3. The acquisition, construction, improvement. maintenance, and operation of street lighting, landscaping, signage, and artwork on public property, rights-of-way, and easements. 4. The acquisition, construction, improvement, and provision of programs, classes, and other activities supporting usage and enjoyment of community facilities, including, but not limited to, cultural facilities, child care centers, community centers, libraries, museums, and theaters.”vi Exhibit C of Resolution R10-63 describes the limitations on these proposed services in greater detail. For example, on the subject of recreation, the CSA is permitted to fund a specific recreational project or service, but not an ongoing recreational project or service. Exhibit C additionally defines the level and range of services that CSA #5 is permitted to provide, when services can be feasibly expanded, constrains the district to utilize its existing revenue stream, and prohibits the district from providing the services they are facilitating. 3.5 STUDY AREA CSA #5 services the town of Bridgeport, the Twin Lakes areas, areas along US HWY 395 from the Forest Service compound south to the Bodie Road, and areas along HWY 182 to the Bridgeport Dam. The district is funded primarily by property tax revenues, supplemented by interest income and rental income, and operates under Resolution No. R10-63 in accordance with LAFCO approval. Bridgeport is the Mono County seat, but, as noted in the General Plan, the county has relocated many of its offices to Mammoth Lakes.vii Employment and economic opportunities have likewise shifted to Mammoth Lakes. However, the Bridgeport Valley boasts high-quality agricultural land and attracts tourists drawn to the natural beauty of the Eastern Sierra, with a particular appeal for anglers. Figure 1: CSA #5 Boundary IV. SERVICE REVIEW In order to prepare and to update SOIs in accordance with California Senate Bill 244 §56425, §56430(a) requires the commission to 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: 4.1 Growth and population projections for the affected area. 4.2 Location & characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities in or contiguous to the sphere of influence. 4.3 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 communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence. 4.4 Financial ability of agencies to provide services. 4.5 Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. 4.6 Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. 4.7 Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by commission policy. These seven factors are listed below and analyzed in the discussions that follow. 4.1 GROWTH AND POPULATION PROJECTIONS FOR THE AFFECTED AREA. The 2020 US Census counted 13,195 permanent residents in Mono County, a decrease of 7.1% from the 14,202 recorded in the 2010 Census.viiiix The California Department of Finance estimates the population to be 12,684 in 2025, a decrease of 3.87% from the 2020 Census.x The California Department of Finance makes long-term population projections.xi Currently, the DoF projects Mono’s population to be 12,472 in 2030, 10,837 in 2040, and 8,572 in 2050. The decline in population which started with the 2010 Census is thus projected to continue and even accelerate over time. CSA #5 serves the town of Bridgeport, Twin Lakes, areas along US HWY 395 from the Forest Service compound south to the Bodie Road, and areas along HWY 182 to the Bridgeport Dam. Within this SoI, only Bridgeport itself is a Census Designated Place (CDP). In 2010, the population of Bridgeport was 575, or 4% of the countywide population. In 2020, its population was 553 (4.2% of the countywide total).xii 4.2 THE LOCATION AND CHARACTERISTICS OF ANY DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES WITHIN OR CONTIGUOUS TO THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. Senate Bill 244, passed in 2011, requires LAFCO to make determinations regarding Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities (DUCs). The bill defines a DUC as “a fringe, island, or legacy community in which the median household income is 80 percent or less than the statewide median household income.”xiii As of the 2020 Census, the median household income in the state of California was $84,097.xiv The threshold for a DUC would therefore be a household earning less than $67,278. The current median household income in Mono County is $71,138. The median household income in Bridgeport, the only CDP in the SoI of CSA #5, is $87,981.xv CALAFCO publishes a statewide map of DUCs in California using data from ArcGIS, a mapping and spatial analytics software.xvi There are no LAFCO designated DUCs within CSA #5. Senate Bill 535 required the California Environmental Protection Agency to identify disadvantaged communities within the state.xvii The California EPA designates the highest scoring 25% of census tracts from CalEnviroScreen 4.0 as disadvantaged. The CalEnviroScreen 4.0 map designates the Bridgeport Indian Colony Reservation as a disadvantaged community, contiguous to but outside the district boundaries. 4.3 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 COMMUNITIES WITHIN OR CONTIGUOUS TO THE SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.xviii CSA #5 was created in 1976 to provide broadcast television service to communities in the Bridgeport Valley and Twin Lakes. Though the rise of satellite television, cable television, and streaming services slowly rendered the broadcast outposts maintained by CSA #5 obsolete, the district’s legal function had not changed when the previous MSR was written in 2009. The Federal Communications Act of 1996 mandated the sunsetting of all analog television, and broadcasts were required by law to cease on June 12, 2009. CSA #5’s Board of Directors, having gone dormant during the waning years of broadcast television, was reconstituted in 2008.xix According to Steve Noble (a member of the Board of Directors since the district was reconstituted with its new mandate) income from property taxes had accumulated in the district’s accounts and residents wanted to ensure that the money was spent within the community, for the benefit of the community.xx In advance of the change in scope enacted in Resolution No R10-63, the Board of Directors conducted a survey to determine what services the residents were interested in seeing the special district provide. The Board then worked with County Counsel to fit the community’s goals within an appropriate legal framework and on September 7, 2010, the Mono County Board of Supervisors approved Resolution No. R10-63, redefining the purpose and powers of CSA #5. 4.3.1 MEMORIAL HALL Memorial Hall, located at 73 North School Street in Bridgeport, across the street from Bridgeport’s library and courthouse, is owned by Mono County. The building serves as a community center for Bridgeport and surrounding areas. In 2009, the building saw regular use—a local drama group held rehearsals and staged performances in the second floor theater, for example—but suffered from neglect. Members of the community raised concerns that the building didn’t receive regular maintenance. In 2011, the CSA retained an architect and budgeted $300,000 for improvements to Memorial Hall. A 2012 letter from the Board of Directors to the Mono County Board of Supervisors registers frustration not only with the county’s responsiveness, but also cited a visit from the Fire Marshal, sent by the County to assess the structure. The Fire Marshal’s report listed a range of violations that prompted the County to close the theater to all uses. Clearly, the first few years after the district’s change in scope proved rocky. But navigating these obstacles forced the CSA to find its footing. As time passed, the rate at which the district was able to bring projects to fruition improved. In 2013, they replaced the theater’s sound system. In 2014, they replaced Memorial Hall’s roof. In 2016, the CSA renovated the building’s second-floor bathrooms to be ADA compliant and replaced the theater’s stage. In 2017, the CSA completed a slate of projects. They replaced all of Memorial Hall’s exterior windows, better insulating the building against harsh weather, and added custom blinds. They replaced the building’s siding, improved exterior lighting and added new light fixtures, and refreshed the landscaping. On the interior, the CSA added a dressing room and a sound room to the theater and replaced the downstairs lighting. In 2018, the CSA prepared for the kitchen remodel that began in 2019. The CSA purchased new stoves and a new fridge for Memorial Hall’s kitchen, added a steam table, stainless steel counters, a partition, and serving counter to the downstairs kitchen. They also installed an Ansul fire suppression system. The CSA also equips Memorial Hall for use and maintenance. District funds have purchased cleaning supplies, cooking supplies, and a vacuum for the building. In 2015, the CSA sponsored props for the Bridgeport Theater. Memorial Hall sees regular use by the community. An annual auction funding Bridgeport’s July 4th fireworks show is held at Memorial Hall, and on at least one occasion in 2014 it hosted a Candidates Night featuring candidates for County Assessor and County Sheriff. In September of 2023, a noticeboard posted outside the hall advertised a senior social hour, county-sponsored wellness programs, a bullet journaling group, and public health information. In conversation, Board Member Steve Noble also mentioned ballet and gymnastic classes, sewing and quilting groups, and the practical utility of a clean and pleasant conference room that residents can reserve for meetings. 4.3.2 RURAL INTERNET Although CSA #5 no longer broadcasts television, it carried forward its original mission by repurposing the land leased for television equipment to distribute internet. CSA #5 leases two plots from the US Forest Service, generally referred to as “Hunewill” and “Sweetwater.” They sublease these plots in turn to the tenants making use of the property. The Hunewill site has two tenants: Mono County, which installed emergency radio equipment at the site, and Fox Industries. Fox Industries provides internet to Twin Lakes, along highway 182 as far as the dam, and to district settlements around highway 395. The Sweetwater site also has two tenants. AT&T placed a cell tower on the site, while Mono County uses it for storage. Internet access is not free. The CSA sought bids from multiple providers and subsidized their initial setup, with the understanding that the costs might otherwise be too high and the customer base too small to attract a service provider. 4.3.3 BRIDGEPORT CEMETERY In December of 2013, the CSA and the Mono County Public Works Department began making plans to improve the road and drainage at the Bridgeport Cemetery. Work on the roads began in 2014. In 2017, the CSA commissioned a new entrance of wrought iron along with partial fencing, extending from the front entrance. In 2019, the CSA returned to the cemetery, repairing paving around the front entrance in the wake of severe winter weather damage. They also began discussing the addition of a second entrance to the cemetery, to provide access to Native American grave sites and improve pathways so that graves aren’t trampled. 4.3.4 SIGNAGE In 2014 the CSA initiated plans to install an arch with a banner across Bridgeport’s main street, which is also Highway 395. They envisioned a pair of permanent pillars from which they could hang temporary banners, alerting the public to important town events, such as the 4th of July fireworks show. The board commissioned an engineer to design the arch, but CalTrans denied their first application. When the CSA returned to their engineer with the necessary corrections, the firm bowed out of the job. This sequence of events, with minor variations, repeated itself for the following nine years. However, the CSA persisted and the arch was installed in 2024. In 2019, the CSA installed a radar speed sign on Immigrant street. In 2022, CSA #5 undertook a project to install street signs on gravel roads within the district. The district worked with Mono County Counsel, the County Assessor’s Office, and the County Clerk’s Office to determine which streets needed signs and how to obtain the necessary permissions. The CSA will gather the necessary signatures and has discussed sponsoring a town gathering with a registered notary to speed the process along, and will ultimately fund the production and installation of the new street signs. Once the project is completed, EMT services are expected to have an easier time reaching remote areas of the district. 4.3.5 TOWN BEAUTIFICATION Many of CSA’s town beautification projects center around Bridgeport’s historic courthouse, built in 1880 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2014, the CSA installed benches, planters, and trash cans along the sidewalk surrounding the courthouse. In 2015, the CSA funded the restoration of the courthouse’s fence, and every summer, the CSA sponsors flower plantings on the courthouse lawn. In 2017, the CSA sponsored the restoration of the historic canon that sits on the courthouse lawn. In 2019, they erected a low, decorative wrought-iron fence around the canon. Board Member Steve Noble applied a fresh coat of stain to the canon himself. In 2022, Mono County allocated some of its Proposition 68 funding to improving Bridgeport Park. The Department of Public Works approached CSA #5 about providing additional funding in order to add a wider array of features to the park. The CSA enthusiastically engaged with this opportunity, canvassing the community in order to assemble a wish list of improvements. In 2014, the CSA sponsored a community garden project. 4.3.6 FUTURE PROJECTS CSA #5 has several projects in active development. The CSA will continue to improve Memorial Hall. In the near term, the district intends to replace the building’s heating and air conditioning systems, add additional computer, video, and sound equipment to the theater, and install additional kitchen equipment. The district will continue its town beautification projects with the installation of a flagpole and commemorative plaque on the courthouse lawn. The district will improve recreational opportunities within the district through its collaboration with the Mono County Public Works Department on the improvement of Bridgeport Park, adding its own funds to the Proposition 68 funds the county has secured, and canvassing residents to better understand their preferences. 4.3.7 DISTRICT PLANNING In advance of the change in scope enacted in Resolution No R10-63, the CSA Board conducted a survey to determine what services the residents were interested in seeing the special district provide. The Board then worked with County Counsel to fit the community’s goals within an appropriate legal framework. CSA #5’s new mandate, spelled out in Exhibit A of Resolution 10-63, included recreation, telecommunications services, improving signage and landscaping within the district, beautification, and sponsoring community activities. In the years since, CSA #5’s projects have included providing internet to underserved areas within the district, an initiative to add street signs to gravel roads, planting flowers around the historic courthouse every summer, maintaining and beautifying the Bridgeport Cemetery and—by far the greatest focus of their efforts—renovating Memorial Hall into a community center that sees regular use. In short, they have tackled all of the goals set forth in their mandate, with an emphasis on concrete improvements that can stand the test of time. The planning process within the district is informal. Members of the Board spent the final meetings of the 2017 drawing up a list of projects to tackle in the upcoming year. However, this does not appear to be a consistent practice. The district’s zero-based budgeting practices serve as long-term planning. The Board earmarks funds for a specific purpose and then segregates those funds into a separate accounting category (“Budgeted”), treating the money as spent even if work on the project hasn’t yet begun and bills won’t be due for years. 4.3.8 FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT CSA #5 does not have any facilities or equipment. The Board meets at Memorial Hall, the community center, and budgets $500 every year for office supplies. Most years, this $500 remains unspent. 4.3.9 ADMINISTRATION AND STAFFING CSA #5 has no employees. Board Members do not draw a salary or contract for administrative assistance. 4.4 FINANCIAL ABILITY OF AGENCIES TO PROVIDE SERVICES. The primary source of income for the district is property taxes, supplemented by income from interest and rents from subleased property. Financial planning within CSA #5 is informal, due to several factors. Because the district lay dormant for several years, years of income accrued into a substantial total balance. District leadership tracks the total balance closely but pays less attention to annual income. The April 2022 minutes describe an annual income of “about $50,000-$60,000 annually from property tax revenue,” and in conversation, board members echoed this sum. Records obtained from the county’s Finance Department show that CSA #5 has received between $69,000 and $77,000 in annual income over the past five years, when revenue from property tax is added to income from interest and leases. Because district board members have focused on significant projects that require years to complete, such as the restoration of Memorial Hall, they conserve funds for large, planned expenses. Monthly and annual expenses, such as utilities or town beautification projects, consume a small fraction of the district’s budget. Additionally, Mono County manages the district’s accounts. When the CSA #5’s Board agrees upon an expenditure, the County verifies that the expense falls within the district’s legal mandate before issuing a check. The Board, composed entirely of volunteers, relies on Mono County’s Finance Department for accounting and fund management. The district is attentive to budget issues. Meetings of the Board conclude with a review of the budget, and the April 2022 minutes note that “fund balance amount has not changed much over the past 15 years… We have enough money to finance the big projects ahead.” This comment, and the CSA’s past record, reflect the Board’s commitment to spending wisely. Table 1 summarizes the district’s budget since 2016. The County Finance Department provided the district’s yearly income, while the remaining columns reveal the district’s planning strategy. As plans are made, funds are earmarked as ‘Budgeted’. When the plans are realized, expenditures (such as payments to construction teams, the local welder, the florist, etc.) are recorded as ‘Expensed’. Subtracting expenses from budgeted expenditures determines the Remaining Balance, while adding the Remaining Balance to Unallocated Funds equals the Fund Balance. TABLE 1: CSA #5 BUDGETxxi income Fund Balance Budgeted Expensed Remaining Unallocated Balance Funds 2016-2017 $659,317.98 $394,847.00 $83,866.55 $310,980.45 $348,337.53 2017-2018 $69,588.51 $656,989.07 $343,500.00 $72,088.31 $271,411.69 $385,577.38 2018-2019 $73,385.75 $696,123.00 $376,000.00 $5,881.62 $370,118.38 $326,004.72 2019-2020 $77,575.50 $606,204.71 $483,000.00 $188,604.51 $294,395.49 $311,809.22 2020-2021 $71,760.68 $667,459.47 $487,000.00 $13,264.22 $473,735.78 $193,723.69 2021-2022 $77,242.32 $734,799.65 $492,000.00 $10,939.74 $481,060.26 $253,739.39 2022-2023 $810,004.72 $585,000.00 $7,493.91 $77,506.09 $232,498.63 585,000.00 585,000.00 4.5 STATUS OF, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR, SHARED FACILITIES. CSA #5’s low overhead and comparatively high efficiency are owed, in a large part, to close cooperation with Mono County. District funds are held by the County and managed by the Finance Department. Mono County Public Works assists in planning and securing grants. For example, in 2014 the Department of Public Works secured a grant to install ADA-compliant bathrooms in the ground floor of Memorial Hall. In 2022-2023 the CSA developed plans to improve Bridgeport Park in collaboration with the Department of Public Works, though ground has not yet broken. The district has called on County Counsel to review proposals, and the Community Development Department to facilitate communications with CalTrans. The district contracts with the Public Works department and independent contractors, generally weighing their choice based on price and timeline. The Public Works department is often the winning bidder. Mono County also sublets the CSA’s leased properties, making use of storage facilities and advantageous positioning to install emergency communication equipment. 4.6 ACCOUNTABILITY CSA #5’s monthly meetings of the Board of Directors are open to the public, but the district does not post agendas or minutes online. The CSA tracks approval within the district through surveys and also personal outreach. Because the district is remote, with a small population and a “close knit community,”xxii such informal methods are effective. Mono County manages the district’s funds. For this reason, the district does not commission audits. Mono County audits include CSA #5 as a “blended component unit,” described as “legally separate units for which the Board is financially accountable.”xxiii The County Department of Public Works reviews all of the CSA’s projects and the Board of Supervisors must approve them. County oversight is built into the district’s operations. 4.7 OTHER MATTERS No other matters. V. SPHERE OF INFLUENCE DETERMINATIONS California Senate Bill 244 §56425(e) requires the commission to consider and prepare a written statement of its determinations with respect to the following five factors: (1) The present and planned land uses in the area, including agricultural and open-space lands. (2) The present and probable need for public facilities and services in the area. (3) The present capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services that the agency provides or is authorized to provide. (4) The existence of any social or economic communities of interest in the area if the commission determines that they are relevant to the agency. (5) For an update of a sphere of influence of a city or special district that provides public facilities or services related to sewers, municipal and industrial water, or structural fire protection, that occurs pursuant to subdivision (g) on or after July 1, 2012, the present and probable need for those public facilities and services of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within the existing sphere of influence. These five factors are listed below and analyzed in the discussions that follow. 5.1 THE PRESENT AND PLANNED LAND USES IN THE AREA, INCLUDING AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN-SPACE LANDSxxiv Mono County encompasses 3,013 square miles of central California, with the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada to the west and the Nevada border to the east. CSA #5 includes the County seat of Bridgeport, along with several small communities along highway 395 and the Twin Lakes area. Approximately 94% of land within the County is publicly owned, limiting development. The United States Forest Service (USFS), the National Park Service, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are the primary landholders. The Bridgeport Valley has a particular appeal to anglers, along with other tourists drawn to the natural beauty of the Eastern Sierra. The Mono County General Plan Land Use Element notes the “significant amount of high-quality agricultural land in the Bridgeport Valley, all of which is privately owned.”xxv 5.2 THE PRESENT AND PROBABLE NEED FOR PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES IN THE AREA. The CSA provides benefits to its community, in accordance with the expanded scope allowed by Resolution R10-63 and in response to the needs of residents. Over the past decade, the CSA has demonstrated a capacity to undertake projects significant enough to improve quality of life within the district over the long term, and carry them to completion. 5.3 THE PRESENT CAPACITY OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND ADEQUACY OF PUBLIC SERVICES THAT THE AGENCY PROVIDES OR IS AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE. Where the CSA has undertaken the improvement of facilities open to the public, such as the renovation of Memorial Hall or attracting an internet provider, capacity is sufficient to meet demand. 5.4 THE EXISTENCE OF ANY SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST IN THE AREA IF THE COMMISSION DETERMINES THAT THEY ARE RELEVANT TO THE AGENCY. The California Constitution, Article XXI, §2(d)(4) defines a community of interest as: “a contiguous population which shares common social and economic interests that should be included within a single district for purposes of its effective and fair representation. Examples of such shared interests are those common to an urban area, a rural area, an industrial area, or an agricultural area, and those common to areas in which the people share similar living standards, use the same transportation facilities, have similar work opportunities, or have access to the same media of communication relevant to the election process. Communities of interest shall not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or political candidates.”xxvi Proposition 11, passed in 2008, made maintaining Communities of Interest a key requirement for drawing political districts. Both the Citizens Redistricting Commission and the Legislature are required to take Communities of Interest into account when drawing the boundaries of Congressional, State Senate, State Assembly, and State Board of Equalization districts.xxvii The California Citizens Redistricting Commission is instructed to keep communities together whenever possible when drawing new districts. In order to learn about and identify such communities, the Commission encourages the public to draw and submit maps of their own communities in advance of each decennial redistricting.xxviii The 2011 Citizens Redistricting Advisory Committee Report to the Board of Supervisors grouped communities of interest within the Mono County around watersheds, school districts, racial groups, proximity to medical and retail services, and economic concerns—specifically agriculture, tourism, skiing, fishing, recreation, and the service industry.xxix The report identified several Communities of Interest within the Bridgeport area. Bridgeport communities have ties to agriculture and summer tourism. Residents shop or receive medical services in the same areas as residents of Antelope Valley, sometimes traveling to Mammoth Lakes for those services. District children may attend school Coleville and high school in Lee Vining. Bridgeport is part of the Walker River watershed. 5.5 FOR AN UPDATE OF A SPHERE OF INFLUENCE OF A CITY OR SPECIAL DISTRICT THAT PROVIDES PUBLIC FACILITIES OR SERVICES RELATED TO SEWERS, MUNICIPAL AND INDUSTRIAL WATER, OR STRUCTURAL FIRE PROTECTION, THAT OCCURS PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (G) ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2012, THE PRESENT AND PROBABLE NEED FOR THOSE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES OF ANY DISADVANTAGED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE EXISTING SPHERE OF INFLUENCE. CSA #5 does not provide sewers, water, or fire protection. VI. ATTACHMENTS VII. SOURCES Key sources used in the writing of this MSR are not publicly available. Minutes of CSA #5’s Board Meetings, dating back to 2010, were provided upon request by Board Member Steve Noble. Steve Noble provided additional information during an interview on September 12, 2023. Kimberly Bunn at the Mono County Finance Department provided revenue and expense information. i https://calafco.org/lafco-law/faq/what-are-sphere-influence-studies ii https://calafco.org/sites/default/files/resources/MSRGuidelines-FINAL.pdf iii https://www.fcc.gov/general/universal-service iv “Digital Television,” https://www.fcc.gov/general/digital-television. Telecommunications Act of 1996, Pub. LA. No. 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996): https://www.fcc.gov/general/telecommunications-act-1996 v Mono County Board of Supervisors Resolution R10-63. vi Mono County Board of Supervisors Resolution R10-63. vii Information about the study area sourced from the Mono County General Plan: https://monocounty.ca.gov/planning/page/general-plan viii https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/monocountycalifornia/PST045222 ix Note that the 2022 Community Health Needs Assessment pegs the population at 14,328. x State of California, Department of Finance, E-1 Population Estimates for Cities, Counties and the State with Annual Percent Change — January 1, 2024 and 2025. Sacramento, California, May 2025. xi California Department of Finance. Demographic Research Unit. Report P-2A: Total Population Projections, California Counties, 2020-2070 (Baseline 2023 Population Projections; Vintage 2025 Release). Sacramento: California. April 2025. xii 2020 US Census: https://data.census.gov/profile?q=&g=160XX00US0608240 xiii Text of the Bill: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120SB244 xiv https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/mammothlakestowncalifornia,CA/INC110221 xv 2020 US Census: https://data.census.gov/profile?q=&g=160XX00US0608240 xvi https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=4319a8066745442cbe7de6af1d13f98a xvii Text of Senate Bill 535, re: identifying disadvantaged communities: “These communities shall be identified based on geographic, socioeconomic, public health, and environmental hazard criteria, and may include, but are not limited to, either of the following: (a) Areas disproportionately affected by environmental pollution and other hazards that can lead to negative public health effects, exposure, or environmental degradation. (b) Areas with concentrations of people that are of low income, high unemployment, low levels of homeownership, high rent burden, sensitive populations, or low levels of educational attainment.” xviii Information about when specific projects were conceived and carried out gleaned from CSA #5 minutes, available upon request. xix 2012 letter from the CSA Board of Directors to the Mono County Board of Supervisors, provided on request. xx September 12, 2023 interview with Steve Noble. xxi Budget information sourced from CSA #5’s annual budgets, and from the Mono County Finance Department. Both provided upon request. xxii September 12, 2023 interview with Steve Noble. xxiii Mono County FY 2021-2022 Audit. Page ii. xxiv Details of the county’s area and uses found in Mono County General Plan. https://monocounty.ca.gov/sites/default/files/fileattachments/planning_division/page/8022/2_draft_eir_with_appendices_7.3 1.15.pdf xxv https://monocounty.ca.gov/planning/page/general-plan xxvi §2(d)(4) of Article XXI: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/ xxvii https://wedrawthelines.ca.gov/transition/faq/ xxviii For example, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission launched the Draw My California page: https://drawmycalifornia.org/drawmycacommunity.html xxix 2011 Citizens Redistributing Advisory Committee Report ot the Board of Supervisors. https://webapps.mono.ca.gov/documents/Redistricting/Redistricting.CommitteeReport.Final.pdf