North County Inland MSR and SOI Update Hearing Draft

Notice of Availability NORTH COUNTY INLAND MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW AND SPHERE OF INFLUENCE UPDATE STUDY The San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) has released a hearing draft of the North County Inland Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Update Study. A Municipal Service Review (MSR) is an informational report that provides LAFCO with a tool to comprehensively study existing and future public service conditions, and to evaluate organizational options for accommodating growth, preventing urban sprawl, and ensuring that critical services are efficiently and cost-effectively provided. A Sphere of Influence is a plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local government agency. A sphere is primarily a planning tool that provides guidance for the review of jurisdictional proposals, promotes efficient provision of organized community services, and prevents duplication of services. Inclusion within an agency’s sphere does not indicate that an affected area automatically will be annexed; an adopted sphere of influence is only one of several factors the San Diego LAFCO will consider. Subject agencies located within the North County Inland study area include the City of Escondido, Valley Center Municipal Water District (MWD), Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (MWD), Vallecitos Water District (WD), and Vista Irrigation District (ID). The MSR component of the study contains a comprehensive service evaluation of the City of Escondido, Valley Center MWD, Rincon del Diablo MWD, Vallecitos WD, and Vista ID. The sphere update component of the study contains an evaluation of the City of Escondido, Valley Center MWD, and Rincon del Diablo MWD. An evaluation and update of the spheres for the Vallecitos WD and Vista ID will be deferred to a subsequent study that covers the northwest sub-region of San Diego County. As part of the update of the City of Escondido’s sphere, the possible addition of territory along the City’s southeastern sphere and jurisdictional border was evaluated. Also evaluated as part of the Escondido sphere update was the possible exclusion of territory from the City’s existing sphere in the Harmony Grove and Deer Springs region. The evaluation of the Valley Center MWD’s sphere involved the review of the district’s existing sphere and the possible addition of territory within the San Pasqual Indian Reservation and Paradise Mountain region. In addition, a special study area designation was considered for territory along the I-15 and Old 395 Highway corridor to facilitate an examination of the Valley Center MWD’s boundaries in relation to the jurisdictional boundaries of other nearby agencies (Vallecitos WD and Rainbow MWD). Lastly, the Rincon del Diablo MWD’s sphere was reviewed for possible reaffirmation. The Rincon del Diablo MWD is not requesting any changes to its existing sphere. A public hearing has been scheduled on September 8, 2003 for LAFCO to consider the municipal service review and sphere update study. The hearing will be held at 9:00 a.m. in Rooms 302-03 of the County Administration Center (1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101). The Notice of Availability, Draft North County Inland Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Update Study, and Responses to the San Diego LAFCO’s Request for Information (RFI) – North County Inland Municipal Service Review are located on the home page of the San Diego LAFCO website (sdlafco.org). Copies of the documents are also available at libraries within your community or from the San Diego LAFCO office. Please contact the LAFCO office if you have any questions regarding this notification. Michael D. Ott, Executive Officer San Diego LAFCO 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 452 San Diego, CA 92101 (619) 531-5400