Draft 2016 City Of Woodlake MSR Update

C W ITY OF OODLAKE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW Prepared By Tulare County Local Agency Formation Commission August 2016 TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary – Pg 1 Background – Pg 9 1 Growth and Population – Pg 10 Population Trends & Projections Growth Planning Annexations & County Islands Determinations 2 Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs & Deficiencies – Pg 20 Planning Documents Water Sewer Solid Waste Streets and Roads Public Safety Determinations 3 Financial Ability to Provide Services – Pg 32 Annual Budget Determinations 4 Status of, and Opportunities for, Cost Avoidance & Shared Facilities – Pg 37 Cost Avoidance Shared Facilities Determinations 5 Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Government Structure and Operation Efficiencies – Pg 43 Fee Structure Government Structure Management Efficiencies Local Accountability and Governance Determinations 6 Any Other Matter Related to Effective or Efficient Service Delivery, as Required by the Commission – Pg 52 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Conflicting Growth Boundaries Determinations CITY OF WOODLAKE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This section provides an overview of the written determinations findings of the Woodlake Municipal Service Review. As part of its review of municipal services, LAFCO is required to prepare a written statement of its determination with respect to each of the following: 1) Growth and population, 2) Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs and deficiencies, 3) Financial ability to provide services, 4) Status of, and opportunities for, cost avoidance and shared facilities, 5) Accountability for community service needs, including government structure and operation efficiencies, 6) Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by Commission policy. This includes required determinations regarding disadvantaged unincorporated communities. These requirements are established by AB 2838, the Cortese-Knox- Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 and SB 244 (Wolk) in 2011. The Woodlake MSR identifies the following written determinations. Written Determinations 1) Growth and Population Population Trends and Projections 1. Historical Census data indicates that Woodlake had a 1990 population of 5,678 and a 2010 population of 7,286. California Department of Finance projections indicated a January 2016 population of 7,648. These trends indicate that Woodlake’s population is growing at an annual average rate of approximately 1.25%. 2. Based upon population trends, projections available from the California Department of Finance, and other referenced sources, it is likely that Woodlake’s population will continue to grow at an average annual rate of approximately 1.25% to 1.6%. At an average annual growth rate of 1.6%, the City can expect a year 2036 population of approximately 10,875. 3. According to Census 2010 data, the average dwelling unit occupancy rate for the City is approximately 3.78 persons per household, which is slightly higher than the county average of 3.43 persons per household. High dwelling unit occupancy rates can have an adverse effect on infrastructure by contributing unanticipated increased demands if not properly planned for. For this reason, it is important that dwelling unit occupancy rates be considered when planning for and building infrastructure improvements. Growth Planning 4. The Tulare County General Plan contains an Urban Boundaries Element which sets forth policy regarding development within municipal fringe areas surrounding incorporated cities. 5. According to adopted plans, urban development is to occur only within the incorporated City Limits, with certain exceptions. Within the 20-year UDB, development proposals are referred to the City for annexation. If the City cannot, or will not, annex, Tulare County considers the proposal on its merits. City of Woodlake MSR Page 1 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 6. A City’s SOI should generally be coterminous to a City’s and County’s UDB. This is dependent on the UDB being sufficient in complying with the requirements of GC §56425 and Tulare County LAFCO’s Policy C-5 (Spheres of Influence). 7. The planning area of the 2008 Land Use Element generally encompasses the area included within the City’s currently adopted SOI. Annexations & County Islands 8. Six annexations totaling 313.4 acres have been added to the City since 2000. One annexation (45.9 ac) has been for residential development. 9. The City has two small substantially surrounded County islands that qualify for the streamlined County island annexation process. 2) Present and Planned Capacity of Public Facilities and Adequacy of Public Services, Including Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies Planning Documents 1. The City plans for future growth through the implementation of policies and standards set forth in General Plan Elements. 2. The City of Woodlake has adopted the following General Plan elements: Land Use (2009), Circulation (2009), Housing (2007 – update in process), Conservation (2009), Open Space (2009), Public Safety (1978), Noise (1978) and Air Quality (2011). 3. The City also plans for future growth through the preparation and implementation of specific plans and master plans. The City master plans public infrastructure systems, including but not limited to, water and sewer. Water 4. The City’s water supply is derived from groundwater sources through five active wells that have a total production efficiency of approximately 3,325 gallons per minute (gpm). The City provides water services within the City Limits, and to the unincorporated community east of the City known as the Wells Tract. A study completed in 2014 showed the average daily demand at 1,689 gpm and the maximum daily demand at 6,052 gpm. A 6th well is being added to the system by the end of summer 2016 and a 7th well has been contracted to be dug in 2016. 5. The water systems pressure regulation and storage needs are met by a hydro-pneumatic pressure tank, booster pumps, and two 500,000 gallon elevated storage tanks located on Castle Rock Hill. 6. The City’s water system was studied as a part of the Water System Master Plan (Quad Knopf, March 2005). The Water System Master Plan is framed to accommodate a total population of approximately 10,500. The master plan focuses on areas where growth is likely to occur, specifically to the east and northeast within the existing City Limits, to the west, east, and northeast within the City’s UDB, and west of Antelope Creek within the UAB. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 7. The City’s Water System Master Plan is indicative of the City’s efforts to continue to provide an ample and clean water supply to the existing and future residents of Woodlake. Provided the City continues to implement water system improvements as recommended in the master plan, the City should be able to continue to provide quality waster service (domestic and fire flow needs) to existing and future residents. 8. The City’s water system will convert from an un-metered flat rate system to a metered tiered system by the end of 2016. 9. The City’s municipal code establishes comprehensive water conservation regulations for the intent of minimizing outdoor water use and to control unnecessary consumption of the available potable water supplies in the City. 10. The City was cited by the SWRCB for a total chloroform maximum containment level violation on July 8, 2014. The 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report stated that subsequent testing did not indicate a presence of chloroforms. The water quality report indicated that there were no other violations of water quality standards in 2014. Sanitary Sewer 11. The City’s provides sanitary sewer collection, treatment and disposal services within the City Limits, and to the unincorporated community east of the City known as the Wells Tract. 12. A sewer study completed in 1996 provided a list of improvements that would be required to insure that the collection system is effective through the year 2014. 13. The City owns and operates a WWTF located southwest portion of the City, just north of the airport. The WWTF is operated under the following orders, issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board: Order No. 5-01-082 “Water Reclamation Requirements…”, Order No. R5-2009-0104 “A Cease and Desist Order…”, and Order No. R5-2009-0103 “Waste Discharge Requirements…”. 14. The City has made improvements to the WWTF that have allowed for the increase of capacity from 1.0 mgd to 1.38 mgd. With peak average flow at .78 mgd, the WWTF is operating at 57% capacity. Phase 2 improvements, when necessary, would increase the capacity to 1.92 mgd. 15. The City reclaims wastewater effluent by applying it on approximately 35 acres of pastureland immediately east of the WWTF. Solid Waste Collection & Disposal 16. The City is contracted with Mid Valley Disposal for solid waste collection and disposal services. Streets and Roads 17. The City continues to maintain and improve its street system within the constraints of available funding. 18. The City has done excellent work in partnering with TCAG and Caltrans to secure competitive funding for transportation projects. In recent years the City has completed and is City of Woodlake MSR Page 3 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 in the process of completing several transportation projects that improve safety and quality of life in the City. Public Safety 19. The Woodlake Fire Department Operations are conducted by the Woodlake Fire Protection District, a separate governing body from the City of Woodlake. A separate MSR has been conducted for the Woodlake FPD. 20. The Woodlake Police Department presently consists of a chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, five officers, and one clerical personnel. 21. Crime rates in the City have generally been similar or lower than the overall State crime rates. 22. The City’s budget for FY 2016-17 appropriates a total of $1,342,524 for police department operations. Police operations account for 63% of the City’s General Fund budget. This is supplemented by $99,600 from the State’s Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) program. 3) Financial Ability to Provide Services 1. The City prepares a comprehensive annual budget that sets forth the financial priorities of the City for the upcoming fiscal year within available funding constraints. The City has several different funds, including enterprise and non-enterprise funds, set up for the individual operations of the City. 2. The anticipated general fund balance at the end of fiscal year 2016-17 is estimated at $408,383, which represents approximately 19% of general fund operating revenue, and over two months of regular general fund expenditures. The Government of Finance Officers Association recommends a reserve balance of no less than 5-15% of operating revenues in the general fund, or between one and two months of regular general fund expenditures. 3. The City’s ability to obtain outside funding is demonstrated by the receipt CDBG and other funding. The CDBG funds are being used to implement several programs including housing rehabilitation, and first time home buyer assistance, and for the construction of capital infrastructure projects. The City also had their water and sewer master plans prepared through CDBG funding in previous years. 4. The City also takes advantage of establishing assessment districts for the public maintenance and operation of various public facilities, for example, landscaping and lighting. The City should continue to explore additional opportunities to form such assessment districts. 5. At the end of each fiscal year, the City undergoes an independent audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. 6. Under the City’s cash management program, cash in excess of operating requirements from all funds is pooled with the purpose of maximizing interest through investment activities, and is deposited in savings accounts or invested in bank certificates of deposit, bank money market accounts and the State of California Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF). City of Woodlake MSR Page 4 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 7. The City has four outstanding long term debt obligations, one for improvements to the domestic water system and three for expansion and improvements to the wastewater treatment facility and sewer system. 8. The City has a 6% UUT on telephone, electricity, gas and cable utilities. 4) STATUS OF, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR, COST AVOIDANCE AND SHARED FACILITIES Cost Avoidance 1. The City’s budget process is designed to screen out unnecessary costs through the implementation of a program performance budget format. The program performance budgeting system encourages creativity, effectiveness, broad participation in decision making, and accountability. 2. Based upon the City’s participation in the CSJVRMA, the City takes advantage of sharing insurance coverage premiums as a way of avoiding unnecessary costs. 3. Through the preparation, implementation, and updating of infrastructure master plans, the City avoids unnecessary costs by incrementally expanding its infrastructure to areas zoned for General Plan development. Planning out to ultimate service areas helps identify any impacts that future planned infrastructure may have on current infrastructure in place, and mitigations that would alleviate such impacts. 4. It can be expected that the City will avoid unnecessary costs that may be caused by the annexation of proposed SOI areas through comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of a proposed development in those areas. 5. The City’s use of development impact fees and assessment districts are important aspects of avoiding future financial liability. The City can also avoid unnecessary costs by implementing smart growth practices by promoting development in infill areas and areas where infrastructure is already in place (and has excess capacity). 6. The City could also avoid unnecessary costs through the construction of joint use facilities, including but not limited to recreational sports fields, parts, or other facilities that could be used by multiple agencies. The City should continue to explore opportunities to work with the local School District to promote joint use projects as a way of avoiding unnecessary costs. Shared Facilities 7. The City continues to work with other agencies in providing quality service to residents in a cost effective manner. Examples include establishment of mutual aid agreements to collaborate public safety efforts, working with the local school district on joint use projects, and providing infrastructure and housing rehabilitation to an unincorporated area known as the Wells Tract. 8. The City also works with TCAG and Tulare County RMA on a continuous basis on various issues including transportation, transit, solid waste, and coordinating applications to request State and/or Federal funding for joint projects. City of Woodlake MSR Page 5 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 9. With the State budget and unfunded mandates impacting both Counties and Cities, the need for intergovernmental cooperation is apparent, as every agency is facing an unprecedented assault on local resources. For this reason, it is important for Cities and Counties to meet this challenge on common ground. 10. The City should continue its partnership with the school district to collaborate recreational resources and efforts for the betterment of the community. 11. An analysis could be completed to determine if further services could be shared between the City and FPD and if efficiencies could be gained and costs reduced if the FPD were to become a subsidiary district to the City. 5) Accountability for Community Service Needs, Including Government Structure and Operational Efficiencies Fee Structure 1. Under the provisions of the Municipal Code of the City of Woodlake, the City Council is empowered to set the rates to be charged and collected by the City for sewer and water service by a resolution passed by the City Council. 2. Following the consideration of an Impact Fee Recommendation report, the Woodlake City Council adopted Resolution 06-07 establishing development impact fees for the purpose of financing the construction of water, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment/disposal, and storm drainage public facilities, or to replace the capacity of such public facilities utilized by new development. 3. The City of Woodlake will charge a metered rate with a base service charge of $30.20 per month for domestic water service, a flat rate of $63.25 per month for sewer service, and $22.25 per month for refuse collection for a typical single family dwelling. The water and sewer rates are above average compared to other full service cities in Tulare County with the combined total being the highest amongst the cities in Tulare County. 4. City resolutions establishing the water and sewer rates also made the rates subject to CPI adjustments. 5. The City will convert to a metered billing structure for water service on by the end of 2016, which should promote water conservation. 6. There is no evidence suggesting that the annexation of areas within the SOI would result in unreasonable fees for utility services as properties annex and develop within the City. It is likely that fees for development within SOI areas would be inline with citywide fees for utility services. Government Structure 7. Since development of properties within the SOI generally relies on master planned infrastructure available from the City, it is logical for the City to assume the lead in planning for these sites. City of Woodlake MSR Page 6 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 8. The City has a sound governmental structure that provides necessary resources to provide public services and infrastructure improvements within the SOI area. 9. Coordinated infrastructure plans for development within the SOI area that are submitted with specific annexation requests would create a checks and balance system for incorporating lands into the City while promoting improvements to impacted adjacent County land. 10. Tulare County LAFCO has adopted specific policies for reviewing proposals for a change in organization, reorganization, incorporations, dissolution and other proposals processed by Tulare County LAFCO, including annexations, and SOI amendment proposals. Evaluation of Management Efficiencies 11. There is no evidence indicating that the City’s current management structure would not be able to assume services within the SOI area, and/or continue to assist other agencies through mutual aid agreements. 12. The City ensures that services can be efficiently provided in the SOI areas through the preparation of master service plans to provide infrastructure that will ultimately serve the SOI/UDB areas. 13. The City has a sound organizational structure that should be able to continue to provide quality service to current residents, and accommodate future growth within the City and surrounding urban development areas. 14. The City Planner, City Attorney, and City Engineer all provide City services on a contractual basis. These City services are currently provided on a part-time as needed basis. As the City’s population continues to increase, and development interest in the community increases, it may ultimately be in the City’s best interest to have these services on a full time basis. Local Accountability and Governance 15. The city complies with the Brown Act open-meeting law and provides the public with opportunities to get information about City issues, including website and phone access, and bill inserts. 16. The City’s website is an excellent informational tool, and provides remote access to the current events of the City. 17. Regular City Council meetings are held twice a month on the second and forth Monday in City Hall Council Chambers located at 350 N. Valencia Boulevard, Woodlake. The City posts agendas and minutes on their website. 6) Any Other Matter Related to Effective or Efficient Service Delivery, as Required by Commission Policy Disadvantaged and Other Developed Unincorporated Communities 1. Wells Tract is the only unincorporated community within the existing or adjacent to the City SOI. The community has been determined to be disadvantaged. City of Woodlake MSR Page 7 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 CITY OF WOODLAKE Background In July 2003, the Tulare County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) Board adopted a Municipal Service Review (MSR) exemption policy, which identifies the agencies that would be subject to a review and the extent of that review. The agencies in Tulare County were divided into three (3) categories: agencies subject to a full comprehensive study; agencies subject to a questionnaire study; and agencies exempt from a MSR study. The MSR exemption policy further identifies that the services subject to review shall be:  Police protection  Fire protection  Water and wastewater  Solid waste collection and disposal  Streets and traffic circulation  Power generation and distribution  Health Care  Mosquito Abatement It should be noted that due to the unique nature of healthcare, review of this service has been specifically excluded from this report. Power generation and distribution is provided by privately owned utility companies. The Southern California Edison (SCE) Company serves most of the Cities within Tulare County, including Woodlake. The City is contracted with Mid Valley Disposal for solid waste collection and disposal services. Since privately owned utility companies are not subject to Sphere of Influence (SOI) determinations, services provided by privately owned and operated utility companies are not subject to the MSR requirement. The City of Woodlake operates under the Council-Manager form and government, and provides the following services that are subject to a municipal service review: public safety (police and fire protection), domestic water, wastewater collection, treatment & disposal, streets and traffic circulation, and storm drainage. The City of Woodlake, founded in 1912, and incorporated in 1941, is located in Tulare County in the central San Joaquin Valley. The City is nestled among citrus and olive orchards at the base of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The City is a short drive from the Sequoia National Park, an attractive recreational hot spot. Lake Kaweah and the Kaweah and St. John’s Rivers also provide recreational amenities to Woodlake. Woodlake is situated within northern Tulare County, approximately 16 miles northeast of Visalia, 11 miles northeast of Farmersville, and 9 miles north of Exeter. The communities of Ivanhoe and Lemon Cove are also located near Woodlake. State Route 65 connects Woodlake to State Route 198, which provides access to S.R. 99, the major north-south commuter route within the Central Valley. While residents of Woodlake enjoy the slow pace of a small rural community, the City has aggressively pursued economic development opportunities through new industrial and commercial projects. At the same time, Woodlake strives to ensure that growth is well-planned, in a manner that respects the environment, including surrounding agricultural land. City of Woodlake MSR Page 9 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 2. Wells Tract is within CSA #2 and is connected the City of Woodlake’s water and sewer systems. 3. Wells Tract is within the Woodlake Fire Protection District. The Woodlake FPD serves the entire City and some areas in the unincorporated County. The fire station is located within ¾ of one mile to the Wells Tract. 4. Due to its location and being connected to both the City’s sewer and water systems, future annexation of the Wells Tract should be considered. Conflicting Growth Boundaries 5. LAFCO shall determine the SOI for the City of Woodlake pursuant to State law and Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5. 6. A goal of the City/County MOU is to have coterminous City/County UDBs and SOI. 7. The existing City UDB provides a good basis for updating the SOI in terms of its location and size. There also haven’t been any identified communities of interest. 8. The proposed SOI matches the City’s UDB. City of Woodlake MSR Page 8 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 1 GROWTH AND POPULATION The purpose of this section is to present historical and projected growth patterns and population projections to establish a baseline for the evaluation of service needs. This section provides a summary and analysis of historical data, current planning boundaries, current and projected land use needs, land annexations and potential SOI updates. 1.1 Population Trends and Projections The purpose of this section is to present historical and projected growth patterns and population projections to establish a baseline for the evaluation of service needs. The latest available information from the Department of Finance (DOF) estimates that the City has a population of 7.648 and 2,167 housing units as of January, 2016. The City has higher persons per household, 3.78, than the County of average of 3.43. The 2010 Census indicated that the City had an incorporated area of 2.8 square miles, 2,067 housing units and a population of 7,279. This is compared to 141,696 housing units and a population of 442,179 for the County as a whole. In 2010, the City’s population made up 1.65% of the County. The City’s population share of the County has been declining over time from 1.82% in 1990 to 1.69% in 2015 [Table 1-1]. Table 1-1 City/County Population Growth Comparison 1990 2000 2005 2010 2015 1990 - 2000 - 2010 - Population 2000 2010 2015 City 5,678 6,653 7,189 7,286 7,792 1.6% 0.9% 1.4% Tulare County 311,921 368,021 404,148 441,245 462,198 1.7% 1.9% 0.9% City as a % of: Tulare County 1.82% 1.81% 1.78% 1.65% 1.69% NA NA NA Sources:: US Census, California Department of Finance Woodlake experienced an average annual growth rate of 1.25% between 1990 and 2010. The growth rate between 1990 and 2000 was 1.60%. Even with the recession and weak housing market in recent years the annual growth rate remained fairly steady at 1.35% between 2010 and 2015. The Woodlake General Plan Update (Collins & Schoettler Planning Consultants, 2008), estimates a build-out population between 10,315 and 11,514, estimated to occur by year 2028. The plan’s “low” population projection is based on Woodlake’s average annual growth rate from 1990 to2000 (1.59%), while its “high” population projection is based on the average annual growth rate from 1980 to 2000 (2.15%). The General Plan Update provides a residential land needs evaluation, projecting a need of between 90 to 179 acres of additional residential land by 2028. The Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) 2015 Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) forecasted population growth using the Department of Finance’s (DOF) projections and historical trends. The SCS shows an estimated annual growth rate for Woodlake of 1.59%. City of Woodlake MSR Page 10 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Table 1-2 Growth Rate Comparison to 2036 DOF/County Historic General Plan General Plan 2015 SCS Share* 1990-2010 Low High % Annual Growth 1.59% 1.60% 1.25% 1.59% 2.15% 2036 Population 10,842 10,875 10,124 10,852 12,180 *assumes a 1.6% share of the DOF projected County population The low end of the of the GP growth estimates are very close to the growth estimates from the 2014 SCS and the DOF/County share estimate. The SCS and DOF/County Share projected population estimates for 2036 fall within the middle of the GP’s projected population range for 2028. While the population growth estimates from the GP appear to be too high, with the additional 8 years for the time horizon of the SOI (2036), the City’s current Urban Development Boundary (UDB) is a reasonable basis to be used for the SOI update. 1.2 Growth Planning The current City boundary and the currently adopted SOI for the City of Woodlake are illustrated on Figure 1-1. The following excerpt from the Tulare County LAFCO website (www.co.tulare.ca.us/lafco/info.asp) defines a SOI and the purpose it serves. A “Sphere of Influence” is the physical boundary and service area that a local governmental agency is expected to serve. Establishment of this boundary is necessary to determine which governmental agencies can provide services in the most efficient way to the people and property in any given area. The Sphere of Influence requirement also works to discourage urban sprawl by preventing overlapping of jurisdictions and duplication of services. City of Woodlake MSR Page 11 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 sserpyC aicnelaV City of Woodlake Figure 1-1 Sphere of Influence d o w i o ll M 2 0 d 6 |ÿ 245 2 1 d 2 a a o o R R Cajon Wutchumna Ave 348 Sierra Whitney Lakeview Wells Tract |ÿ |ÿ 216 216 Naranjo Ropes Bravo n s Lake o h J nt ai S 1 9 6 2 0 4 err y a d a d b ul o o M R R Riverside Friant-Kern Canal |ÿ 245 Legend ² Ave 332 SOI City Parcels CSA #2/WellsTract 0 1,600 3,200 Feet In addition to City Limits, and a City’s SOI, additional boundaries are typically adopted to guide the planning process, including an Urban Area Boundary (UAB), and Urban Development Boundary (UDB). The Tulare County General Plan Update identifies the following planning boundary definitions, as defined by Tulare County’s Urban Boundaries Element: UAB – “ … the areas where land uses are presumed to have an impact on the adjacent incorporated City, and within which the Cities’ concerns are to be given serious consideration as part of the land use review process. The urban area is considered to be the next logical area in which urban development may occur and the area within which Urban Development Boundaries may ultimately be expanded.” UDB – “ … a 20-year planning boundary within which urban development is expected to occur over the plan period.” A City’s SOI should generally be coterminous to a City’s and County’s UDB. This is dependent on the UDB being sufficient in complying with the requirements of GC §56425 and Tulare County LAFCO’s Policy C-5 (Spheres of Influence). Communities of Interest may be identified that would extend the SOI beyond the UDB. Figure 1-2 illustrates the City’s current SOI and the City and County UDBs. City of Woodlake MSR Page 13 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 sserpyC aicnelaV City of Woodlake Figure 1-2 Urban Development Boundaries d o w i o ll M 2 0 d 6 |ÿ 245 2 1 d 2 a a o o R R Cajon Wutchumna Ave 348 Sierra Whitney Lakeview Wells Tract |ÿ |ÿ 216 216 Naranjo Ropes Bravo n s Lake o h J nt ai S 1 9 6 2 0 4 r y er a d a d b ul o o M R R Riverside Friant-Kern Canal |ÿ 245 Legend Ave 332 City UDB ² County UDB City SOI Parcels 0 1,600 3,200 Feet Woodlake is a small rural community that has historically been an agriculturally enriched City surrounded with numerous citrus and olive orchards. The city has aggressively pursued economic development opportunities through new industrial and commercial projects. The City has ample land for commercial, industrial and residential growth. At the same time, Woodlake strives to ensure that growth is well- planned, in a manner that respects the environment, including surrounding agricultural land. The City of Woodlake General Plan Land Use Element was last updated in 2008. The City’s Land Use Element provides an inventory of existing land uses, and proposed land uses by acreage for the build-out of the Plan. 1.3 Annexations and County Islands Annexations Since 2000, Woodlake has annexed 313.4 acres of land into the City (Table 1.3). Figure 1-3 shows the locations of the annexations since 2000 and what year the areas were annexed. The City has had six annexations since 2000. Only one annexation was for residential development and the area remains undeveloped. TABLE 1.3 HISTORICAL ANNEXATIONS (2000 – 2015) Year Acres Annexed 2000 0 2001 0 2002 0 2003 0 2004 30.5 2005 117.8 2006 45.9 2007 0 2008 0 2009 0 2010 69.6 2011 0 2012 0 2013 0 2014 0 2015 49.6 Total 313.4 County Islands In 2000, the State Legislature, recognizing the inherent inefficiencies of urban unincorporated islands, and in an effort to encourage their annexation, allowed for a simplified annexation process for the islands. This process waives protest hearings and election for qualifying islands. The following factors determine if an island qualifies for the simplified process: it does not exceed 150 acres, is substantially surrounded, City of Woodlake MSR Page 16 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 is substantially developed or developing, is not prime agricultural land, will benefit from the change of organization and was created prior to 1/1/2014. The City of Woodlake has two small County islands that qualify for the simplified annexation process. One island is a portion of the Wells Tract located on the eastern border of the City on the north side of Naranjo Blvd. It is 4.9 acres in size and is comprised of six residential parcels. The other island is in the western part of the City on the north side of Ropes Ave. It is 12.4 acres in size and contains four parcels, three with rural residential uses and one that is a flood control canal and road right of way. City of Woodlake MSR Page 17 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 sserpyC aicnelaV City of Woodlake Figure 1-3 Annexations d o w i o ll M 2 0 d 6 |ÿ 245 2 1 d 2 a a o o R R Cajon Wutchumna Ave 348 Sierra Whitney Lakeview Wells Tract |ÿ 2006 |ÿ 216 216 Naranjo 2015 Ropes Bravo n s 2004 Lake o h J nt ai S 1 9 6 2 0 4 2005 err y a d a d b ul o o M R R 2010 Riverside 2005 Friant-Kern Canal |ÿ ² 245 Legend SOI Ave 332 Parcels Annexations since 2000 Woodlake 2000 Woodlake 1964 0 1,600 3,200 Feet 1.4 Written Determinations Population Trends and Projections 1. Historical Census data indicates that Woodlake had a 1990 population of 5,678 and a 2010 population of 7,286. California Department of Finance projections indicated a January 2016 population of 7,648. These trends indicate that Woodlake’s population is growing at an annual average rate of approximately 1.25%. 2. Based upon population trends, projections available from the California Department of Finance, and other referenced sources, it is likely that Woodlake’s population will continue to grow at an average annual rate of approximately 1.25% to 1.6%. At an average annual growth rate of 1.6%, the City can expect a year 2036 population of approximately 10,875. 3. According to Census 2010 data, the average dwelling unit occupancy rate for the City is approximately 3.78 persons per household, which is slightly higher than the county average of 3.43 persons per household. High dwelling unit occupancy rates can have an adverse effect on infrastructure by contributing unanticipated increased demands if not properly planned for. For this reason, it is important that dwelling unit occupancy rates be considered when planning for and building infrastructure improvements. Growth Planning 4. The Tulare County General Plan contains an Urban Boundaries Element which sets forth policy regarding development within municipal fringe areas surrounding incorporated cities. 5. According to adopted plans, urban development is to occur only within the incorporated City Limits, with certain exceptions. Within the 20-year UDB, development proposals are referred to the City for annexation. If the City cannot, or will not, annex, Tulare County considers the proposal on its merits. 6. A City’s SOI should generally be coterminous to a City’s and County’s UDB. This is dependent on the UDB being sufficient in complying with the requirements of GC §56425 and Tulare County LAFCO’s Policy C-5 (Spheres of Influence). 7. The planning area of the 2008 Land Use Element generally encompasses the area included within the City’s currently adopted SOI. Annexations & County Islands 8. Six annexations totaling 313.4 acres have been added to the City since 2000. One annexation (45.9 ac) has been for residential development. 9. The City has two small substantially surrounded County islands that qualify for the streamlined County island annexation process. City of Woodlake MSR Page 19 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 2 PRESENT AND PLANNED CAPACITY OF PUBLIC FACILITIES AND ADEQUACY OF PUBLIC SERVICES, INCLUDING INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND DEFICIENCIES The purpose of this section is to evaluate the infrastructure needs and deficiencies of the City of Woodlake in terms of availability of resources, capacity to deliver services, condition of facilities, service quality, and levels of service. This section provides a summary of the policies and recommendations with relation to infrastructure, as contained in the GPU. This section also includes a summary of current infrastructure plans relating to water, sewer, storm drain, streets and roads, and public safety, including discussions regarding budgetary aspects of improving and expanding such infrastructure. LAFCO is responsible for determining that an agency requesting an SOI amendment is reasonably capable of providing needed resources and basic infrastructure to serve areas within the City and its SOI. It is important that these findings of infrastructure and resource availability are made when revisions to the SOI and annexations occur. LAFCO accomplishes this by evaluating the resources and services to be expanded inline with increasing demands. The City of Woodlake currently has no formal proposals to expand its SOI. 2.1 Planning Documents The City of Woodlake plans for future growth through the implementation of policies and standards set forth in General Plan Elements. The General Plan is a long-term, comprehensive framework to guide physical, social and economic development within a community’s planning area. According to the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR), the eight mandated elements of the City’s General Plan were last updated as follows.  Land Use: 2009  Circulation: 2009  Housing: 2007 (Update in process)  Open Space: 2009  Conservation: 2009  Safety: 1978  Noise: 1978  Air Quality: 2011 The City’s General Plan provides an excellent foundation and policy base to guide future growth within the City. The City should periodically review its General Plan Elements to determine when updates are necessary. The City also plans for future growth through the preparation and implementation of specific plans and master plans. The City master plans public infrastructure systems, including but not limited to, water and sewer. Infrastructure master plans are discussed further in subsequent sections of this report. 2.2 Water The City of Woodlake, in July 2006, adopted a comprehensive update to their Water System Master Plan. The City of Woodlake Water System Master Plan (Quad Knopf, 2006) serves as a guide for water utility capital planning, recommends priorities for system improvements and replacements, provides criteria for developers and the City for design of additions to the system, and serves as a basis for developer impact fees and user rate considerations to ensure that the City can provide existing and future residents with a clean, ample water supply. City water system planning and maintenance have been excellent, within the constraints of available funding. City of Woodlake MSR Page 20 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 The City’s distribution system consists of a grid network of over twenty miles of mains with sizes ranging between 4 and 12 inches in diameter. A major pipeline replacement program, funded through a Federal grant in 1977, most 4 inch service mains were upsized to a minimum of 6 inches; approximately 4,000 feet of 4-inch mains remain in service. The City’s water supply is derived from groundwater sources through five active wells that have a total production efficiency of approximately 3,325 gallons per minute (gpm). A study completed in 2014 showed the average daily demand at 1,689 gpm and the maximum daily demand at 6,052 gpm. Water from the primary five active supply wells is routed to the City Corporation Yard, through a sand separator and hydro-pneumatic pressure tank before entering the distribution system. In addition to the hydro-pneumatic tank, the system’s pressure regulation and storage needs are provided by two 500,000 gallon steel tanks located on Castle Rock Hill, in the northeast quadrant of the City. In 1985, the City agreed to serve an unincorporated area easterly of the City known as the Wells Tract. The Wells Tract, although outside of the current City Limits, is within the City’s UDB, and therefore, is ultimately anticipated to be annexed into the City. The build-out of the City’s Water Master Plan would accommodate a total population of approximately 10,500. The following excerpts from the Water Master Plan provide conclusions relating to community growth and growth constraints. a. There is sufficient developable residential area with the existing City Limits, approximately 100 acres, to accommodate growth for approximately 10 years. b. The developable area within the adopted UDB, approximately 140 acres, can accommodate growth another 10 years. c. With limitations still persistent with respect to agricultural preserves, elevation, and flood plains, plus the limitations posed by adjacency to the City’s wastewater treatment plant and disposal area (“Little Bravo Lake”) and to the airport, the location of development within the UAB line is difficult to predict. In light of the above, the Water Master Plan was designed to accommodate growth as follows; 1) serve future growth to the east and northeast within the existing City Limits; 2) accommodate growth to the west and, with a booster pump system, to the east and northeast, within the UDB; and 3) provide for future growth west of Antelope Creek within the UAB. With this realization, it can be concluded that the current Water Master Plan does not plan for the ultimate development potential of the City’s SOI. The City will however have opportunities to expand the master plan area when subsequent updates become necessary, to accommodate additional growth outside of the 20 to 25-year planning period of the current master plan. The City’s Water Master Plan is indicative of the City’s efforts to continue to provide an ample and clean water supply to the existing and future residents of Woodlake. The Water Master Plan identifies necessary water system improvements on a priority scale of 1-4. Priority 1 items were recommended to be completed within two years of the adoption of the plan (2006-2008). Priority 2 items were recommended to be completed within three to five years of the adoption of the plan (2009- 2011). Priority 3 items are recommended to be completed within six to twenty years of the adoption of the plan (presumably between 2012 and 2026). Priority 4 items are recommended to be completed as required by growth and development. The Water Master Plan also provides alternatives to fund the implementation City of Woodlake MSR Page 21 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 of the recommended improvements. The following improvements were recommended in the Water Master Plan.  New 500,000 gallon reservoir – Priority 1  12-inch connection – reservoir to system – Priority 1  Booster pump system to serve upper pressure zone – Priority 1  Provide standby power to Well Nos. 8 & 9 – Priority 1  New well – Priority 2  Distribution system improvements at City/Developer shared expense – Priority 4  Distribution system improvements along Valencia – Priority 4 Provided the City continues to implement water system improvements as recommended in the Water Master Plan, the City should be able to continue to provide quality water service to existing and future residents. The Water Master Plan provides a comprehensive supply vs. demand analysis, and recommends improvements to ensure the City will be able to meet the domestic and fire flow demand requirements in the future. The City has dug a 6th well that is planned to be connected to the system by the end of summer 2016. A 7th well has also been contracted to be dug in 2016. The City’s water system will convert from an un-metered flat rate system to a metered tiered system on by the end of 2016. Water rates are reviewed in section 5.1 of the MSR. Chapter 13.12 of Title 13 of the City’s municipal code establishes comprehensive water conservation regulations for the intent of minimizing outdoor water use and to control unnecessary consumption of the available potable water supplies in the City. The City’s municipal code indicates that each new applicant for water service will be provided a copy of the water conservation regulations in English or Spanish and the stage that is in effect. The establishment of comprehensive water conservation regulations is indicative of the City’s effort to preserve the available potable water supply. The City was cited by the SWRCB for a total chloroform maximum containment level violation on July 8, 2014. Six out of the 22 water samples taken in May of 2014 tested positive for total chloroform. The cause of the positive tests was unknown and the City completed an emergency chlorination of the water. The 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report stated that subsequent testing did not indicate a presence of chloroforms. The water quality report indicated that there were no other violations of water quality standards in 2014. 2.3 Sanitary Sewer The City provides sanitary sewer collection, treatment, and disposal services to residents in the community. The City’s sewer collection system is composed of 6-inch and 8-inch collection lines, and larger 10-inch to 18-inch trunk lines, and lift stations. This system transports effluent to the City’s wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) located southwest of the City. A sewer study completed in 1996 provided a list of improvements that would be required to insure that the collection system is effective through the year 2014. The study provided the following recommendations:  Increase the capacity of the South Valencia line between Laguna Street and Hermosa Avenue by the year 2003  Increase the capacity of the 15-inch WWTF trunk line by the year 2003  Extend the Ropes Street sewer line west to Mulberry Street City of Woodlake MSR Page 22 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16  Extend the Deltha Avenue sewer line west of Mulberry Street  Install the Mulberry Street line, between Ropes Street and Deltha Avenue  Extend an 8- to 10-inch sewer line along the existing airport runway west to the end of the property  Extend a 6-inch sewer line north from the to-be-constructed Riverside Avenue extension to the to-be-constructed Hermosa Drive extension The City’s WWTF is located south of the City on Valencia Boulevard, just north of the Airport, on land that was purchased from the Sentinel Butte Water Company. The City’s WWTF is currently operating under the following orders issued by the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB).  Order No. 5-01-082 “Water Reclamation Requirements for Sentinel Butte Water Company and City of Woodlake Reclamation Project Tulare County”  Order No. R5-2009-0103 “Waste Discharge Requirements for City of Woodlake Wastewater Treatment Facility Tulare County”  Order No. R5-2009-0104 “Cease and Desist Order Requiring City of Woodlake Wastewater Treatment Facility Tulare County to Cease and Desist Discharging Waste Contrary to Requirements” The Cease and Desist Order (C&D) specifies timelines for the City to correct violations of waste discharge requirements (WDR). Specifically, the C&D Order requires the City to correct violations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) effluent limits. The C&D Order established a timeline for the City to actively pursue funding for capital improvements for long-term compliance with the new WDRs. The C&D Order also included a timeline for the actual construction of WWTF modifications necessary for compliance. The City’s WWTF was recently upgraded. The completed first phase included construction of a new headworks that included one manual bar screen and one mechanical bar screen, and a new magnetic flow meter. It included two treatment trains running in parallel with each train consisting of one .6 million gallon oxidation ditch and one .2 mg anoxic basin to remove BOD and nitrogen, and one 55 ft. diameter secondary clarifier. The aerated lagoons were converted to asphalt-lined sludge drying beds and two new percolation ponds. The second phase, which is not yet needed, includes the installation of a third treatment train that included an additional oxidation ditch and anoxic basin. An additional 55 ft. diameter secondary clarifier and one additional asphalt-lined sludge drying bed was also constructed. There are approximately 35 acres of pasture located immediately east of the treatment plant on which effluent is applied for irrigation and as means of disposal. The soil has a high rate of percolation and the area is large enough to allow considerable evaporation. Beef cattle periodically graze on the pastureland. Order No. R5-2009-0103 prescribed that the monthly average discharge to the disposal ponds shall not exceed 1.0 million gallons per day (mgd) until the completion of the phase 1 improvements. Following the completion of the phase 1 improvements, the discharge wasn’t to exceed 1.38 mgd. Following the completion of the phase 2 improvements, the monthly average discharge wasn’t to exceed 1.92 mgd. With the actual peak monthly average discharge at .78 mgd, the WWTF is operating at 57% of capacity. City of Woodlake MSR Page 23 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Since the preparation of the Master Plan, the City has purchased the existing WWTF site from the Sentinel Butte Water Company. In addition, the City has also purchased the airport and an 88-acre parcel north of the WWTF for future expansion. The City’s Master Plan provided an excellent foundation for ensuring that the City can continue to serve the sanitary sewer needs of existing and future residents, and bring the City into full compliance with the requirements of the RWQCB. The full implementation of the Master Plan will provided sufficient capacity to accommodate the City’s future growth needs. 2.4 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal The City is contracted with Mid Valley Disposal for solid waste collection and disposal services. Since privately owned utility companies are not subject to Sphere of Influence (SOI) determinations, services provided by privately owned and operated utility companies are not subject to SOI determinations, and are therefore, exempt from the MSR requirement. Weekly curbside or alley collection of household, commercial and industrial solid waste is provided by the City’s refuse disposal contractor. The City’s website provides information on customer service contacts for solid waste information/service requests. In 1989, the State of California passed the Integrated Waste Management Act. Assembly Bill 939 (AB939) required all cities and counties to implement programs to reduce landfill tonnage by 25% by the end of 1995, and 50% by the end of 2000. Seven of the eight Tulare County City’s (Porterville, Visalia, Tulare, Lindsay, Exeter, Farmersville and Dinuba and the County of Tulare) previously were involved in a Joint Power Authority (Consolidated Waste Management Authority, CWMA). Consolidated Waste Management Authority ceased operation on December 31, 2015. Member agencies and/or their contracted service providers will continue work previously handled by the CWMA. 2.5 Streets and Roads The City street system is fairly simple, with two State Routes (SR) providing primary east-west, and north-south circulation through the City. Routes of regional significance that serve the City of Woodlake include SR-216 and SR-245 (Figures 2-1 & 2-2). SR-201 connects to SR-245 just north of Woodlake, and extends west providing access to SR-63, and further west where it connects to Alta Avenue just south of Dinuba. SR- 216 provides the primary east-west circulation through the City of Woodlake. From Woodlake, SR-216 extends southwest to Visalia and east where it intersects SR-198 just west of Lake Kaweah. SR-245 provides the primary north-south circulation through Woodlake. There are currently no signalized intersections within the City of Woodlake. The intersection of SR-216 and SR-245 was an all- way stop that is being converted to a roundabout. The City’s Circulation Element was updated in 2009 in conjunction with the General Plan update. Other plans, including the 2014 Tulare County Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) prepared by the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), addresses various aspects of County and Valley-wide regional transportation projects. TCAG coordinates with federal, state, and regional governments and the Native American tribal government to develop strategies that address transportation issues. This effort promotes direct involvement by the government and interested groups in the transportation planning and project selection process. The City has several budgetary funds set up to address the local transportation needs of the City identified as follows.  TDA Fund – Transit City of Woodlake MSR Page 24 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16  TDA Fund – Streets  Gas Tax Fund  STP Fund  Measure R In addition to regular sources of regional, state and federal funding, the City has done excellent work in partnering with TCAG and Caltrans to secure competitive funding for transportation projects. In recent years the City has completed and is in the process of completing several transportation projects that improve safety and quality of life in the City:  Downtown Improvements (Phases 1-3) – This completed project included curbs, gutters, sidewalks, curb ramps, bulbouts, landscaping, irrigation, lighted bollards, street lights, benches and trash receptacles on Valencia Blvd (SR-245) from Naranjo Blvd (SR-216) to Lakeview Ave and Antelope Ave from Valencia Blvd to Magnolia St. The total cost of the project was $1,116,000 with most of the funding from federal Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding and additional local funding.  Downtown Improvements (Phase 4) – This completed project included the same components of phases 1-3 on Valencia Blvd from Lakeview Ave to Whitney Ave. The total cost of the project was $999,000 with most of the funding from TE funding and additional funding from Measure R and the City.  Woodlake Transit Center – This completed project constructed a new transit center for the City. The total cost of the project was $924,000 with funding from Measure R and the State’s Public Transportation Modernization, Improvement, and Service Enhancement Account (PTMISEA).  SR-216/SR-245 Roundabout – This project is currently being constructed to replace a 4 way stop at the main intersection in downtown Woodlake. The total cost of the project is $3,784,000 with most of the funding coming from federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding along with City and Measure R funding.  Castle Rock Elementary School Safe Routes to School – This project is currently being constructed to add sidewalks, curb/gutter and ADA compliant crossings on Castle Rock Street. This project costs $289,000 and is funded by federal Active Transportation Program (ATP) funding and Measure R.  North Valencia Safe Routes to School – This project is scheduled for construction in FY 16/17 and will add sidewalks, curbs/gutter, bike lanes and ADA compliant crossings on Valencia Blvd from Whitney Ave to Sierra Ave. This project costs $1,310,000 and is funded by ATP, Measure R and State Highway Operations and Protection Program (SHOPP) funding. City of Woodlake MSR Page 25 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 861 dR 402 dR City of Woodlake Figure 2-1 Area Road Circulation |ÿ 245 |ÿ 201 Elderwood F ria n t-K e k e e rn Cr C a n Dr y a l d o o w il M l CITY OF WOODLAKE 2 7 1 d R Ave 344 Lake |ÿ Bravo |ÿ Kaweah Lake 216 |ÿ 216 198 Ave 336 Saint Johns Ivanhoe Lemon 6 Kaweah Cove 9 |ÿ 1 d 245 R Lindcove 2 1 2 d R |ÿ Legend ² 198 Woodlake |ÿ e c u 65 pr State Routes S FARMERSVILLE EXETER 0 1 2Miles sserpyC aicnelaV City of Woodlake Figure 2-2 Street Circulation d o o |ÿ w 6 2 i ll M 2 0 d 245 2 1 d a a o o R R Cajon Kaweah m FJ White Wutchumna Elem. Sequoia Woodlake Ave 348 H.S. & M.Sm. Sierra m Castle Millwood Whitney City E R m l o e c m k . Hall Lakeview |ÿ C A e n m te e lo te p r e y a c i A c a m al P a M g n a i olA F n ir t e elope e m gr a n e at y l ol H a s R o t c e k l W T |ÿ r e a l c ls t Naranjo Sta. o C 216 P 216 BotanicalGardens Bravo Ropes s n o a 1 9 d 6 o a d 2 0 4 r b y er ul M B L r a a k v e o n ai t J o h R R Deltha S Riverside Friant-Kern Canal Woodlake Airport Air p or |ÿ t Saint Johns River 245 ² Ave 332 Legend Streets City CSA #2/WellsTract 0 1,400 2,800 Feet 2.6 Public Safety (Fire & Police) Fire The Woodlake Fire Department Operations are conducted by the Woodlake Fire Protection District (FPD), a separate governing body from the City of Woodlake. A separate MSR has been conducted for the Woodlake FPD. The fire station is located at the northeast corner of Naranjo and Magnolia. Police The Woodlake Police Department is located at Woodlake City Hall at 350 N. Valencia Blvd. Woodlake, CA 93286. The Woodlake Police Department is committed to promoting a safe and secure environment for the community through the delivery of quality services. The police department is responsive to the concerns of the community and improving the quality of life for the citizens of Woodlake by working together in problem-solving partnerships. The Woodlake Police Department presently consists of a Chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, five officers, and one clerical personnel. The City of Woodlake Police Department operates under a mutual aid agreement with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department. The City will need to continue to plan for additional staffing and equipment for Police Department operations to serve the growing population of the community. A Police Master Plan, in addition to a local General Plan Public Safety Element would help the Department prepare for future growth. The City’s budget for FY 2016-17 appropriates a total of $1,342,524 for police department operations. Police operations account for 63% of the City’s General Fund budget. This is supplemented by $99,600 from the State’s Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) program. The violent crime rate in Woodlake was 390 crimes per 100,000 population compared to 393 per 100,000 for the State in 2014. The property crime rate in Woodlake was 1,584 crimes per 100,000 population compared to 2,459 per 100,000 for the State in 2014. Over time, the City’s violent crime rate has been decreasing just like the overall rate in the State. Over recent years, the property crime rate has been decreasing more quickly than the overall rate in the State [Figure 2-3]. Due to the small population size of Woodlake, the City’s crime rate is more variable from year to year than the State. City of Woodlake MSR Page 28 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Figure 2-3 City/State Crime Rate Comparison Property Violent Sources: FBI & State Attorney General City of Woodlake MSR Page 29 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 2.7 Written Determinations Planning Documents 1. The City plans for future growth through the implementation of policies and standards set forth in General Plan Elements. 2. The City of Woodlake has adopted the following General Plan elements: Land Use (2009), Circulation (2009), Housing (2007 – update in process), Conservation (2009), Open Space (2009), Public Safety (1978), Noise (1978) and Air Quality (2011). 3. The City also plans for future growth through the preparation and implementation of specific plans and master plans. The City master plans public infrastructure systems, including but not limited to, water and sewer. Water 4. The City’s water supply is derived from groundwater sources through five active wells that have a total production efficiency of approximately 3,325 gallons per minute (gpm). A study completed in 2014 showed the average daily demand at 1,689 gpm and the maximum daily demand at 6,052 gpm. A 6th well is being added to the system by the end of summer 2016 and a 7th well has been contracted to be dug in 2016. 5. The water systems pressure regulation and storage needs are met by a hydro-pneumatic pressure tank, booster pumps, and two 500,000 gallon elevated storage tanks located on Castle Rock Hill. 6. The City’s water system was studied as a part of the Water System Master Plan (Quad Knopf, March 2005). The Water System Master Plan is framed to accommodate a total population of approximately 10,500. The master plan focuses on areas where growth is likely to occur, specifically to the east and northeast within the existing City Limits, to the west, east, and northeast within the City’s UDB, and west of Antelope Creek within the UAB. 7. The City’s Water System Master Plan is indicative of the City’s efforts to continue to provide an ample and clean water supply to the existing and future residents of Woodlake. Provided the City continues to implement water system improvements as recommended in the master plan, the City should be able to continue to provide quality waster service (domestic and fire flow needs) to existing and future residents. 8. The City’s water system will convert from an un-metered flat rate system to a metered tiered system by the end of 2016. 9. The City’s municipal code establishes comprehensive water conservation regulations for the intent of minimizing outdoor water use and to control unnecessary consumption of the available potable water supplies in the City. 10. The City was cited by the SWRCB for a total chloroform maximum containment level violation on July 8, 2014. The 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report stated that subsequent testing did not indicate a presence of chloroforms. The water quality report indicated that there were no other violations of water quality standards in 2014. City of Woodlake MSR Page 30 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Sanitary Sewer 11. The City’s provides sanitary sewer collection, treatment and disposal services within the City Limits, and to the unincorporated community east of the City known as the Wells Tract. 12. A sewer study completed in 1996 provided a list of improvements that would be required to insure that the collection system is effective through the year 2014. 13. The City owns and operates a WWTF located southwest portion of the City, just north of the airport. The WWTF is operated under the following orders, issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board: Order No. 5-01-082 “Water Reclamation Requirements…”, Order No. R5-2009-0104 “A Cease and Desist Order…”, and Order No. R5-2009-0103 “Waste Discharge Requirements…”. 14. The City has made improvements to the WWTF that have allowed for the increase of capacity from 1.0 mgd to 1.38 mgd. With peak average flow at .78 mgd, the WWTF is operating at 57% capacity. Phase 2 improvements, when necessary, would increase the capacity to 1.92 mgd. 15. The City reclaims wastewater effluent by applying it on approximately 35 acres of pastureland immediately east of the WWTF. Solid Waste Collection & Disposal 16. The City is contracted with Mid Valley Disposal for solid waste collection and disposal services. Streets and Roads 17. The City continues to maintain and improve its street system within the constraints of available funding. 18. The City has done excellent work in partnering with TCAG and Caltrans to secure competitive funding for transportation projects. In recent years the City has completed and is in the process of completing several transportation projects that improve safety and quality of life in the City. Public Safety 19. The Woodlake Fire Department Operations are conducted by the Woodlake Fire Protection District, a separate governing body from the City of Woodlake. A separate MSR has been conducted for the Woodlake FPD. 20. The Woodlake Police Department presently consists of a chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, five officers, and one clerical personnel. 21. Crime rates in the City have generally been similar or lower than the overall State crime rates. 22. The City’s budget for FY 2016-17 appropriates a total of $1,342,524 for police department operations. Police operations account for 63% of the City’s General Fund budget. This is supplemented by $99,600 from the State’s Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) program. City of Woodlake MSR Page 31 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 3 FINANCIAL ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES The purpose of this section is to evaluate a jurisdictions capability to finance needed improvements and services. 3.1 Annual Budget The City prepares a comprehensive annual budget that sets forth the financial priorities of the City for the upcoming fiscal year within available funding constraints. The City currently takes advantage of establishing assessment districts for the public maintenance and operation of various public facilities, for example, landscaping and lighting. The City should continue to explore additional opportunities to form such assessment districts. The City’s budget provides a fund balance analysis which illustrates how each fund is performing, and where additional revenue is needed, and funds that have excess revenues. The City’s budget also provides a summary and a detailed description of the revenues and expenditures for each City fund. A summary of the budgeted revenues and expenditures for fiscal year 2016-17 for each City fund is provided in Table 3-1. TABLE 3-1 CITY FUNDS REVENUES VS. EXPENDITURES FY 2016-17 Budgetary Estimated Estimated Budgetary Fund Balance Revenues Expenditures Fund Balance City Fund (07-01-16) 2016/17 2016/17 (06-30-17) General Fund 346,987 2,200,043 2,138,646 408,383 COPS Grant 55,613 100,350 99,600 56,363 Gas Tax Fund 0 1,037,037 1,037,037 0 TDA – Transit 1,046,044 144,725 153,421 1,037,308 TDA – Streets 84,851 172,500 112,037 145,314 Measure R 0 630,000 630,000 0 CDBG Fund 0 250,000 250,000 0 CDBG Prog/Inc Fund 3,386 23,500 - 26,886 HOME Fund 0 100,000 100,000 0 Home Program Income 67,265 6,175 1,000 72,440 CALHOME Program Income 160,563 1,000 1,000 160,563 Lighting/Landscaping 31,799 34,900 33,113 33,586 Redevelopment ED 842,613 35,500 134,316 743,797 Redevelopment Housing 3,758 - - 3,758 Redevelopment Property Fund 205,340 - - 205,340 Airport Fund (47,258) 75,000 34,100 (6,358) Refuse 181,963 647,000 639,574 189,389 Sewer Fund 11,735,341 1,872,000 1,530,954 12,076,387 Water Fund 2,200,646 3,543,000 2,918,769 2,824,877 Capital Facilities Fund 17,009,416 75,500 12,500 153,545 Total of All Funds $17,009,416 $10,948,230 $9,826,067 $18,131,579 Source: City of Woodlake Fiscal Year 2016-17 Adopted Budget City of Woodlake MSR Page 32 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 As indicated in Table 2-2, the City’s General Fund has projected higher revenues than expenditures in FY 16/17. General Fund revenues also exceeded expenditures for FY 14/15 and 15/16. Revenues into the General Fund primarily come from the Utility Users Tax (15.2%), Sales & Use Tax (17.3%), Property Taxes (11.8%) and State/Federal Grants (32.2%). The top two expenditures from the General Fund are Police (62.8%) and Parks & Grounds (19.1%). For other cities, fire protection is another major expenditure. In Woodlake, fire protection services are provided and funded through the Woodlake Fire Protection District. Citizens Option for Public Safety (COPS) Grant funding comes from the State General Fund and funds an additional police officer position for the City. Gas tax, Transportation Development Act (TDA) and Measure R revenues are used to fund transportation and transit projects. Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) funds are used for housing loans for first time homebuyers and for housing rehabilitation. The HOME Investment Partnership Program is used to partner with private organizations for the provision of affordable housing for low and very low income residents. There are six lighting and landscaping districts that are assessed a fee for the costs of City maintained landscaping and lighting public areas within the districts. These districts cover the following neighborhoods: Parkwood, Gentle Hills, Olive Estates, Olive Vista, Castle Rock Estates, Castle Rock Estates 2. The Redevelopment Agency (RDA) successor agency funds are used for the dissolvement of the RDAs as a result of ABx1 26 in 2011. The Airport fund is derived from fuel sales and lease revenues and is used for maintenance and upgrades to the Woodlake Airport. The refuse funds are generated from trash collection fees which are used to reimburse the City’s contracted refuse provider (Mid Valley Disposal). The Sewer Fund is used to repay debt for the upgrading of the City’s waste water treatment facility (WWTF) and for maintenance and operation of the sewer system. The Water Fund is used for the operation, maintenance and upgrades of the domestic water system. The Capital Facilities Fund is derived from development impact fees charged for improvement of storm drainage, parks and recreation, sewer collection and treatment and water facilities. 3.2 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) At the end of each fiscal year, the City undergoes an independent audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. The standards require that the audit be performed to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. The CAFR contains five major sections including Basic Financial Statements, Required Supplementary Information, Other Supplementary Information, Other Independent Auditors’ Reports, and Findings and Questioned Costs. Under the City’s cash management program, cash in excess of operating requirements from all funds is pooled with the purpose of maximizing interest through investment activities, and is deposited in savings accounts or invested in bank certificates of deposit, bank money market accounts and the State of California Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF). All cash and investments of the proprietary fund types are pooled with the City’s pooled cash and investments. The City participates with other public entities in a joint venture under a joint powers agreement which establishes the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority (CSJVRMA). The investment policy of the City is consistent with guidelines set forth under State of California Government Code Section 53601 and serves to maximize investment income consistent with safe and prudent investment practices. All surplus funds are managed by the City Administrator in compliance City of Woodlake MSR Page 33 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 with the Statement of Investment Policy adopted by the City Council which delegates to the City Administrator the authority to invest City funds and to deposit securities. Under provision of the City’s investment policy, and in accordance with Section 53601 of the California Government Code, the City may invest in the following types of investments.  Securities of the U.S. Government , or its agencies  Certificates of deposit (or time deposits) placed with commercial banks and/or savings and loan companies  Negotiable certificates of deposit  Bankers’ acceptances  Commercial paper  Local agency investment fund deposits (state pool)  Passbook savings account demand deposits  Small business administration loans  Repurchase agreements  Reverse repurchase agreements The City’s investment activities are within state statutes and the City’s investment policy. The City has four long-term obligations. Three of the loans were for the expansion and upgrading of the wastewater treatment facility and one was for improvements to the domestic water system. TABLE 3-2 LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS 15/16 Total Loan Purpose Start End Amount Rate Payment Remaining USDA Water 2010 2048 $2,000,000 2.75% $84,331 $2,776,054 Property Sewer 2009 2025 $240,000 8% $27,618 $227,842 USDA Series A Sewer 2012 2050 $9,000,000 2.25% $348,147 $11,806,786 USDA Series B Sewer 2012 2050 $4,116,000 2.25% $159,271 $5,399,561 Source: City of Woodlake Audited Basic Financial Statements 3.3 Utility User Tax One of the most important general fund revenue sources for cities is the utility user tax (UUT). The UUT is a vital element in the funding of critical city services. On average, the UUT provides 15% of general purpose revenue in cities that levy it. UUT revenues most commonly fund police, fire, parks, library, and long-range land use planning services and related support services. Many City UUT levies and increases have resulted from cuts to city revenues by the State. Within a few years of the beginning of the ERAF property tax shifts, more than fifty cities had increased an existing or levied a new UUT. The most common UUT rate is 5%, while the average rate is 6%, applied broadly among many types of utilities. A comparison the UUT rate among the eight Tulare County cities is provided in Table 3-3. City of Woodlake MSR Page 34 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 TABLE 3-3 COMPARISON OF UTILITY USER TAX RATES City UUT Utilities Applied To Rate Dinuba 7% Telephone, Electricity, Gas Exeter 5% Telephone, Electricity, Gas, Cable Farmersville None N/A Lindsay 6% Telephone, Electricity, Gas, Cable, Water, Sewer, Garbage Porterville 6% Telephone, Electricity, Gas, Cable, Water Tulare 6-7% Telephone, Electricity, Gas, Cable, Water Visalia None N/A Woodlake 6% Telephone, Electricity, Gas, Cable Source: http://www.californiacityfinance.com/UUT03PUB.xls As indicated in Table 3-3, among the cities in Tulare County that levy a UUT (Visalia and Farmersville do not currently levy a UUT), Woodlake’s UUT is at the average of 6%. A two thirds voter approval is required for any new or increased special tax. A general tax requires majority voter approval. Currently, all city UUT levies in California are general taxes, and therefore require majority voter approval. 3.4 Written Determinations 1. The City prepares a comprehensive annual budget that sets forth the financial priorities of the City for the upcoming fiscal year within available funding constraints. The City has several different funds, including enterprise and non-enterprise funds, set up for the individual operations of the City. 2. The anticipated general fund balance at the end of fiscal year 2016-17 is estimated at $408,383, which represents approximately 19% of general fund operating revenue, and over two months of regular general fund expenditures. The Government of Finance Officers Association recommends a reserve balance of no less than 5-15% of operating revenues in the general fund, or between one and two months of regular general fund expenditures. 3. The City’s ability to obtain outside funding is demonstrated by the receipt CDBG and other funding. The CDBG funds are being used to implement several programs including housing rehabilitation, and first time home buyer assistance, and for the construction of capital infrastructure projects. The City also had their water and sewer master plans prepared through CDBG funding in previous years. 4. The City also takes advantage of establishing assessment districts for the public maintenance and operation of various public facilities, for example, landscaping and lighting. The City should continue to explore additional opportunities to form such assessment districts. 5. At the end of each fiscal year, the City undergoes an independent audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States of America and the standards applicable to financial audits contained in Government Auditing Standards, issued by the Comptroller General of the United States. 6. Under the City’s cash management program, cash in excess of operating requirements from all funds is pooled with the purpose of maximizing interest through investment activities, and City of Woodlake MSR Page 35 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 is deposited in savings accounts or invested in bank certificates of deposit, bank money market accounts and the State of California Local Agency Investment Fund (LAIF). 7. The City has four outstanding long term debt obligations, one for improvements to the domestic water system and three for expansion and improvements to the wastewater treatment facility and sewer system. 8. The City has a 6% UUT on telephone, electricity, gas and cable utilities. City of Woodlake MSR Page 36 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 4 STATUS OF, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR, COST AVOIDANCE AND SHARED FACILITIES The purpose of this section is to identify practices or opportunities that may help to eliminate unnecessary costs and to evaluate opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources, thereby increasing efficiency. 4.1 Status and Opportunities for Cost Avoidance The City’s budget process is designed to screen out unnecessary costs through the implementation of a program performance budget format. The program performance budgeting system encourages creativity, effectiveness, broad participation in decision making, and accountability. The City’s annual procedures for establishing the budgetary data reflected in the budgetary comparison schedules are as follows. 1. The City Manager submits to the City Council a proposed budget for the fiscal year commencing the following July 1. The budget includes proposed expenditures and the means of financing them. 2. The City Council reviews the proposed budget during special sessions, which are open to the public. 3. Prior to July 1, the budget is approved by the City Council. This budget is reported as Original Budget in the budgetary comparison schedules. 4. During the fiscal year, changes to the adopted budget may be authorized, as follows: a. Item requiring City Council action – appropriation of fund balance reserves; transfers of appropriations between funds; appropriation of any non-departmental revenue; new inter- fund loans or advances; creation of new capital projects increases to existing capital projects; and approval of transfers which increase salary and benefit appropriations. b. Items delegated to the City Manager – transfers between departments within funds; appropriation of unbudgeted departmental revenues. c. Items delegated to department head – allocation of departmental appropriations to line item level. 5. Formal budgetary integration is employed as a management tool for all funds. Annual budgets are legally adopted and amended as required for the general, special revenue and enterprise funds. Project length budgets are adopted for the capital projects fund. All budgets are prepared on a basis consistent with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and budgetary comparisons of the general and major special revenue funds are presented on that basis in the required supplementary information. 6. Budget amounts are reflected after all authorized amendments and revisions. This budget is reported as Final Budget in the budgetary comparison schedules. City of Woodlake MSR Page 37 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 7. For each legally adopted operating budget, expenditures may not exceed budgeted appropriations at the activity level. The legal appropriation basis is at the level called “department”. A “department” for legal appropriation purposes may be a single organization, or entire department having multiple organizations within the same fund, or an entire fund. The City is exposed to various risks and losses related to torts; theft of, damage to, and destruction of assets; errors and omissions; injuries to employees; and natural disasters. Risk of loss is primarily handled through the Central San Joaquin Valley Risk Management Authority (CSJVRMA). CSJVRMA is a consortium of fifty-five cities in the San Joaquin Valley. The CSJVRMA is governed by a Board of Directors, which meets 3 to 4 times per year, consisting of one member appointed by each member city. The day to day business is handled by a management group employed by CSJVRMA. The CSJVRMA participates in an excess pool which provides general liability coverage from $1,000,000 to $15,000,000. The CSJVRMA participates in an excess pool which provides workers’ compensation coverage from $250,000 to $500,000 and purchases excess insurance above the $500,000 to the statutory limit. The City of Woodlake is covered for the first $1,000,000 of each general liability claim and $250,000 of each workers’ compensation claim through CSJVRMA. Based upon the City’s participation in the CSJVRMA, the City takes advantage of sharing insurance coverage premiums as a way of avoiding unnecessary costs. The City avoids unnecessary costs through the implementation of infrastructure Master Plans and the General Plan, which assist in eliminating overlapping or duplicative services. Master planning documents also provide sound funding alternatives for their implementation, and plan for growth within and surrounding the City. At the time Master Plan documents are updated, the planning area should also be updated to include the City’s current SOI and/or UAB areas. Planning out to ultimate service area boundaries helps identify any impacts that future planned infrastructure may have on current infrastructure in place, and mitigations that would alleviate such impacts. The City, by resolution, establishes fees for new development to connect to their water and sewer systems. The City also assesses storm drainage acreage fees as a way of mitigating storm water related impacts resulting from new development. Infrastructure master plans are an effective way to ensure that the City’s development impact fees are adequate to fund implementation of the master plans, and to justify the level of those fees to the development community. The City’s use of development impact fees and assessment districts are important aspects of avoiding future financial liability. Additional practices which have the potential of eliminating unnecessary costs include the formation of homeowners associations for larger scale residential developments where shared (community) facilities are present. Associations could maintain facilities such as streets, play grounds, swimming pools, parks, and gyms, thereby relieving the financial obligations of the City. The City can also avoid unnecessary costs by implementing smart growth practices by promoting development in infill areas and areas where infrastructure is already in place (and has excess capacity). Through the preparation, implementation, and updating of infrastructure master plans, the City avoids unnecessary costs by incrementally expanding its infrastructure to areas zoned for General Plan development. Master planning increases the City’s preparedness when SOI areas are proposed for development. It can be expected that the City will avoid unnecessary costs that may be caused by the annexation of proposed SOI areas through comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of a proposed development in those areas. The City could also avoid unnecessary costs through the construction of joint use facilities, including but not limited to recreational sports fields, parks, or other facilities that could be used by multiple agencies. The City should continue to explore opportunities to work with the local School District to promote joint use projects. City of Woodlake MSR Page 38 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 4.2 Status and Opportunities for Shared Facilities The City has demonstrated its desire to work with surrounding agencies in providing quality service to residents in a cost effective manner. Some examples of the City’s interagency cooperation efforts include the establishment of automatic mutual aid agreements with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, and the Tulare County Fire Department (with the Woodlake Fire District) to collaborate public safety efforts. The City has worked with Tulare County Association of Governments and Tulare County Resource Management Agency on regional planning issues including transportation, transit, solid waste, and coordinating applications to request State and/or Federal funding for joint projects. The City continues to work with the Woodlake Union School District to communicate effectively on issues of shared interest. In 1998, Woodlake Union School District opened its newest campus, Castle Rock Elementary School, on the east side of Woodlake, on Castle Rock Street and Lake View Avenue. The City of Woodlake partnered with the school district in development of a joint use athletic field/storm drainage basin on the north side of the campus. The City has also applied for and received funding for projects that improve and build sidewalks, bike lanes and crossings at and near schools. The City should continue its partnership with the school district to collaborate recreational resources and efforts for the betterment of the community. In 1985, the City of Woodlake agreed to serve an unincorporated area east of the City known as the Wells Tract. The County of Tulare on behalf of the Wells Tract secured governmental funding for the installation of distribution mains, services, and new well and pump. The City’s water system and sewer system serves the residents within the Wells Tract service area. The Wells Tract service area is outside of the current City Limits, but within the City’s SOI and UDB. With frequent State budget crisises and unfunded State mandates impacting both Counties and Cities, the need for intergovernmental cooperation is becoming apparent, as every agency is faces an assault on local resources. For this reason, it is important for Cities and Counties to meet this challenge on common ground. The City should continue to work with the County on efforts to preserve prime agricultural land, and discourage development that would result in the loss of such lands. The City can accomplish this through smart growth planning, and promoting higher density developments. The City should also continue its partnership with the school district to collaborate recreational resources and efforts for the betterment of the community. The City currently handles all of the fiscal functions of the Woodlake Fire Protection District (FPD). An analysis could be completed to determine if further services could be shared between the City and FPD and if efficiencies could be gained and costs reduced if the FPD were to become a subsidiary district to the City. A subsidiary district is defined as a district in which a city council is designated as, and is empowered to act as, the ex officio board of directors of the district. To qualify as a subsidiary district, a district has to be at least 70% within the city (the FPD is 78% within the City – Figure 4-1) and would be applied for through LAFCO as a change of organization. City of Woodlake MSR Page 39 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 sserpyC aicnelaV City of Woodlake Figure 4-1 Woodlake Fire Protection District d o w i o ll M 2 0 d 6 |ÿ 245 2 1 d 2 a a o o R R Cajon Wutchumna Ave 348 Sierra Whitney Lakeview Wells Tract |ÿ |ÿ 216 216 Naranjo Ropes Bravo n s Lake o h J nt ai S 1 9 6 2 0 4 err y a d a d b ul o o M R R Riverside Friant-Kern Canal |ÿ 245 Legend ² Ave 332 Woodlake FPD City Parcels CSA #2/WellsTract 0 1,600 3,200 Feet 4.3 Written Determinations Cost Avoidance 1. The City’s budget process is designed to screen out unnecessary costs through the implementation of a program performance budget format. The program performance budgeting system encourages creativity, effectiveness, broad participation in decision making, and accountability. 2. Based upon the City’s participation in the CSJVRMA, the City takes advantage of sharing insurance coverage premiums as a way of avoiding unnecessary costs. 3. Through the preparation, implementation, and updating of infrastructure master plans, the City avoids unnecessary costs by incrementally expanding its infrastructure to areas zoned for General Plan development. Planning out to ultimate service areas helps identify any impacts that future planned infrastructure may have on current infrastructure in place, and mitigations that would alleviate such impacts. 4. It can be expected that the City will avoid unnecessary costs that may be caused by the annexation of proposed SOI areas through comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of a proposed development in those areas. 5. The City’s use of development impact fees and assessment districts are important aspects of avoiding future financial liability. The City can also avoid unnecessary costs by implementing smart growth practices by promoting development in infill areas and areas where infrastructure is already in place (and has excess capacity). 6. The City could also avoid unnecessary costs through the construction of joint use facilities, including but not limited to recreational sports fields, parts, or other facilities that could be used by multiple agencies. The City should continue to explore opportunities to work with the local School District to promote joint use projects as a way of avoiding unnecessary costs. Shared Facilities 7. The City continues to work with other agencies in providing quality service to residents in a cost effective manner. Examples include establishment of mutual aid agreements to collaborate public safety efforts, working with the local school district on joint use projects, and providing infrastructure and housing rehabilitation to an unincorporated area known as the Wells Tract. 8. The City also works with TCAG and Tulare County RMA on a continuous basis on various issues including transportation, transit, solid waste, and coordinating applications to request State and/or Federal funding for joint projects. 9. With the State budget and unfunded mandates impacting both Counties and Cities, the need for intergovernmental cooperation is apparent, as every agency is facing an unprecedented assault on local resources. For this reason, it is important for Cities and Counties to meet this challenge on common ground. City of Woodlake MSR Page 41 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 10. The City should continue its partnership with the school district to collaborate recreational resources and efforts for the betterment of the community. 11. An analysis could be completed to determine if further services could be shared between the City and FPD and if efficiencies could be gained and costs reduced if the FPD were to become a subsidiary district to the City. City of Woodlake MSR Page 42 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 5 ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE NEEDS, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES The purpose of this section is to identify opportunities to positively impact rates without decreasing service levels, consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to provide public services, consider the management structure of the jurisdiction and evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the agency’s decision-making processes. 5.1 Fee Structure Under the provisions of the Municipal Code of the City of Woodlake, the City Council is empowered to set the rates to be charged and collected by the City of Woodlake for sewer and water service by a resolution passed by the City Council. The City complies with Article XIID of the California Constitution by holding public meetings and noticing (in English and Spanish) by mail, all property owners affected by proposed rate changes. In February 2006, the Woodlake City Council considered a report entitled Impact Fee Recommendations, Quad Knopf, Inc., December 2005. The study analyzed future new development in the City, the need for expanded and increased water supply and storage, wastewater collection facilities, wastewater treatment and disposal facilities and storm drainage facilities to serve such future new development, their related costs, and the relationships between such development, facilities and costs. On February 13, 2006, the Woodlake City Council subsequently adopted Resolution 06-07, which set forth development impact fees for the purpose of financing the construction of water, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment/disposal, and storm drainage public facilities, or to replace the capacity of such public facilities utilized by new development. The City Council found that there is a reasonable nexus between the proposed development impact fees, and the cost of expanding infrastructure services, consistent with the intent of AB 1600. The following development impact fees are to be in full force and effect beginning sixty (60) days from and after the adoption Resolution 06-07. Water: $2,001 per Equivalent Dwelling Unit (EDU) Wastewater Collection: $957 per EDU Wastewater Treatment/Disposal: $3,526 per EDU Storm Drainage: $683 flat rate Parks and Recreation Single Family Dwelling: $1,319.67 flat rate Multi-Family Dwelling: $1,250.88 per unit Mobile Home: $848.69 flat rate School Development Fees New Residential: $3.36 per square foot New Commercial & Industrial: $.54 per square foot The following excerpts from City Resolution 06-07 describe the use of the development impact fees and the fee review. Use of Fees. The fees established hereby shall be solely used to pay (1) for the described public facilities to be constructed by the City, or (2) to reimburse other developers who have constructed public facilities described in the Report attached hereto, where those facilities were beyond that needed to mitigate the impacts of the other developers’ project or projects. City of Woodlake MSR Page 43 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Fee Review. On or about January 1, 2011, and each five years thereafter, the City staff shall review the estimated cost for Report-described capital improvements, the continued need for those improvements, and the reasonable relationship between such need and the impacts of the various types of development pending or anticipated and for which these fees are charged. The City Auditor will include in his annual City audit an audit of the Development Impact Fee Account, including but not limited to fees collected, improvements provided and administration of the fund. The City staff shall report its findings to the City Council at a noticed public hearing each year and recommend any adjustment to these fees or such other action as may be needed. The City should periodically review current user fees and connection fees to ensure that they are adequate to expand and maintain the City’s infrastructure systems, consistent with adopted resolutions. Utility user fees charged to existing residents are generally allocated to the operation and maintenance of existing facilities (including capital replacement), and are not to be used for the construction of new facilities. Improvement fees and building permit fees are used to construct the infrastructure for new developments. Having separate funds set up for the construction of new infrastructure, and for the operation and maintenance of existing infrastructure allows the City to continue to provide cost-effective quality services to current residents. Tables 5-1 and 5-2 compare the water, sewer and refuse rates for the eight Tulare County cities (Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, and Woodlake). Woodlake’s future metered rate is shown. The rates identified are for single family dwellings metered water service, flat rate sewer fees and standard residential refuse collection fees. The sample monthly bill for water service is calculated using 10,000 gallons (1,337 cubic feet) of water as a base. TABLE 5-1 WATER RATES (TYPICAL SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING) Monthly Base Sample Monthly City Metered Rate Other Charges Service Charge Bill* City of Dinuba1 $20.85 $0.893 per 100 cf $0.00 $22.04 City of Exeter2 $20.65 $1.290 per 100 cf $0.00 $20.65 City of Farmersville3 $14.00 N/A $0.00 $14.00 City of Lindsay4 $19.97 $1.02 per 100 cf 6% of Total $30.18 City of Porterville5 $11.00 $0.90 per 100 cf 6% of Total $24.41 City of Tulare6 $20.52 $0.664 per 1,000 g 6% of Total $29.24 City of Visalia7 $25.32 $1.4165 per 100 cf $0.00 $44.32 City of Woodlake8 $30.20 $0.25 per 1,000 g $0.00 $30.20 Average $26.88 Notes: 1) City of Dinuba Base Rate covers usage to 1,200 cubic feet (cf), $.893for next 8,800cf, $.671 over 8,800cf 2) City of Exeter Base Rate covers usage to 1,500 cf 3) City of Farmersville charges a flat rate 4) City of Lindsay Base Rate covers usage to 500 cf. City of Lindsay assesses a 6% UUT. 5) City of Porterville assesses a 6% UUT. Rate charge applies to all use 6) City of Tulare Metered Rate covers first 9,000 gallons, 1.088 from 9,001 g to 30,000 g, 1.452 > 30,000 g (100 cf = 748 g). City of Tulare assesses 6% UUT. 7) City of Visalia Metered Rate covers first 1,100 cf, $1.442 from 1,200 to 2,900, $1.6082 over 2,900 8) City of Woodlake Base Rate covers usage to 10,000 gallons 9) 1” meter for Porterville, Visalia, Tulare, ¾” meter for Lindsay and Woodlake * Using10,000 g/ month (1,337 cf/month) City of Woodlake MSR Page 44 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 As indicated in Table 2-3, the City provides domestic water service to its residents at a little higher rate than the average city rate in Tulare County. The City will switch from a flat fee to metered rates (as shown) by the end of 2016. The base service charge is scheduled to increase over the next 5 years from $30.20/month to $37.00/month (for ¾ inch meter size - the most common for residences in Woodlake). The City may also adjust rates based on the annual consumer price index (CPI). The rates were approved by Council resolution on April 13, 2015. TABLE 5-2 WATER, SEWER AND SOLID WASTE RATES COMPARISON (TYPICAL SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING) City Water* Sewer Refuse TOTAL City of Dinuba $22.04 $26.63 $29.53 $78.20 City of Exeter $20.65 $20.00 $16.60 $57.25 City of Farmersville $14.00 $47.36 $21.54 $82.90 City of Lindsay $30.18 $39.09 $22.68 $91.95 City of Porterville $24.41 $26.87 $17.85 $69.13 City of Tulare $29.24 $43.60 $25.30 $98.14 City of Visalia $44.32 $26.45 $23.85 $94.62 City of Woodlake $30.20 $63.25 $22.25 $115.70 Average $26.88 $36.66 $22.45 $85.99 * Using 1,337 cf/month (10,000 g/month) As indicated in Table 2-4, the City continues to provide sanitary sewer service to its residents at below average rates compared to other full service cities in Tulare County. Recent study of the City’s development impact fee schedule has determined that the necessary fee for new development to mitigate the impacts to the City’s sanitary sewer collection, treatment and disposal facilities is $4,483 per EDU ($957 for collection system impacts, and $3,526 for treatment and disposal facility impacts). The City’s sanitary sewer development impact fees are the highest among the eight cities in Tulare County, and can mostly be attributed to the high cost of expanding the City’s WWTF. The City’s sewer rates were escalated due mainly to the costs of a major expansion and upgrading of the WWTF. The rate increased from $33/month in 2009 to $65/month in 2013 as set by Resolution 08-32 on 10/13/08. CPI adjustments increased the amount to $65.75/month in 2015. A reevaluation of the sewer fund led to a decrease in the sewer rate to $63.25/month by Council resolution on 3/28/16. As shown in Table 2-4, Woodlake’s sewer rate is significantly higher than the other cities in Tulare County. The high sewer rate also causes the combined utility rates of water, sewer and refuse to be the highest amongst the cities in Tulare County. Connection fees are generally used to implement capital infrastructure improvements to serve new development. There is no evidence suggesting that the annexation of areas within the SOI would result in unreasonable fees for these services as properties annex and develop within the City. It is anticipated that fees for the SOI areas would be inline with citywide fees for such services. As previously discussed, the City has programs in place (development impact fees, capital improvement program, etc.) for the construction of new infrastructure, thereby, mitigating the need to increase rates for current residents to support new development within the SOI areas. City of Woodlake MSR Page 45 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 5.2 Government Structure One of the most critical elements of LAFCO’s responsibilities is in setting logical service boundaries for communities based on their capability to provide services to affected lands. Similar levels of public participation can be expected for either City or County development projects in the planning and development process for the SOI territories. It is possible that development in the SOI areas that occurs under County control may not fully resolve impacts to the City, such as increased traffic on City streets, and new groundwater wells to support County development impacting Woodlake groundwater aquifers and other analogous assumptions. It can also be assumed that the reverse is true; that development controlled only by the City may leave impacts in the County unresolved in whole or in part. The challenge of this planning effort is to coordinate shared infrastructure and improvements so as to mitigate impacts on either side of the City/County limit boundary. Since the development of the SOI territories generally relies on Master Planned infrastructure available from the City, it is logical that the City assume the lead in planning for SOI properties. If the City were to be the lead planning agency for properties within the SOI, LAFCO could require the City to bring coordinated plans for infrastructure forward to LAFCO at the time specific annexation requests are submitted. This would provide a checks and balance system for incorporating new lands within the City, and would render the remaining County lands a part of an integrated whole. Tulare County LAFCO has adopted specific policies for reviewing proposals for a change in organization, reorganization, incorporations, dissolution and other proposals processed by Tulare County LAFCO. Tulare County LAFCO policy C-1 identifies factors and standards to be considered in review proposals including additional requirements for City annexations, standards for annexation to special districts, standards for the formation of special districts, and standards for City incorporation. Tulare County LAFCO policy C-2 outlines general procedures for changes in boundaries or organization to be processed by LAFCO. Generally, proposals for changes in boundaries, formations, or changes of organization can be submitted for the consideration of LAFCO by petition of the registered voters or affected landowners; however, prior to the circulation of any petition, a “Notice of Intent to Circulate” must be presented to the LAFCO Executive Officer. A proposal may also be initiated by a resolution adopted by the governing body of any related public body (County, City or Special District). The proposal must be submitted on forms available from the LAFCO staff office, or on the LAFCO website, along with the applicable number of maps, legal descriptions, and filing fees to cover the proposal submitted. Tulare County LAFCO policies C-3 and C-4 outline specific criteria for petitions for change in organization, and protest hearings, respectively. Tulare County LAFCO policy C-5 sets forth specific criteria for establishing, and reviewing amendment proposals to, Spheres of Influence. Policy C-5 contains criteria regarding the following items: Existing boundaries, conflicting boundaries, initial implementation, scheduled updates – Cities, scheduled updates – Special Districts, Exceptions, separation of communities, municipal service reviews, and also contains an MSR exemption policy. SOI amendments shall be processed in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth by Tulare County LAFCO. City of Woodlake MSR Page 46 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 5.3 Evaluation of Management Efficiencies The following sections describe the various operational and service aspects of the City of Woodlake. Much of the information was obtained from the City’s website at www.cityofwoodlake.com. The website provides detailed descriptions of the departments serving the residents of the City. Overall, a review of the documentation indicates that the City is well run and organized in an efficient manner. The City of Woodlake is a Charter City which operates under the council-manager form of government. The Chief Executive Officer is the City Manager who serves at the pleasure of the City Council and carries out City policies. All other department heads in the city serve under contract and at the pleasure of the City Manager. The City is organized into a City Administrative Office, Department of Public Works, Planning and Building Department, and the Police Department. The Woodlake City Council consists of five members that are elected by the voters for four year terms. The terms are staggered so that every two years, the voters will either vote for two or three positions. The five Council members appoint a Mayor and Vice-Mayor. The Council also appoints representatives to other boards to represent Woodlake’s interest. Other boards include the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG), Tulare county Economic Development Corporation (EDC), Tulare County Business Incentive Zone and the City Planning Commission. The City Council is also responsible for the appointment of the City Administrator and the City Clerk. A summary of the City’s Offices/Departments and the various services they provide to residents is provided below. The City organization chart is shown in Figure 5-1. City Administrative Office – The City’s Administrative Office consists of five departments including General Administration, City Clerk, Finance, Planning, and Grant Administration. The City Clerk is responsible for the City Seal, and the records management system of the City as well as providing election services. The Finance Department is responsible for all financial management services and activities provided by the City including payroll, accounts payable, business license, fixed assets, and general accounting and auditing of the City. The Planning Department is responsible for procession zoning requests, conditional use permits, site plan reviews, subdivision work, tentative and final maps, annexation requests, and environmental impact reports. Grant Administration includes the application of grants, collecting and disbursing grant funds, and monitoring grants for compliance with applicable laws. Department of Public Works – The Department of Public Works consists of eight divisions including building inspections, code enforcement, streets, water, sewer, recycling, capital projects, and buildings & grounds. The building inspections division provides inspection services for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The code enforcement division is responsible for the enforcement of violations of the Woodlake Municipal Code. The streets division is responsible for the maintenance and safety of City streets and rights of way. The water division is responsible for the quality and quantity of water delivered to its customers including all required testing as well as insuring there is long term water supply for City residents. The sewer division is responsible for the WWTP including the safe collection and disposal of wastewater. The recycling division includes development and implementation of recycling activities planned by the City, the California Integrated Waste Management Board. The capital projects division includes monitoring capital projects under construction as well as planning and implementing future projects. The buildings and grounds division is responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all City owned Parks and Buildings. City of Woodlake MSR Page 47 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Planning and Building Department – Woodlake’s planning division works to ensure that Woodlake is well planned community. The division is responsible for carrying out both short and long term planning programs. Short term planning activities include the processing of various planning permits, including site plan review, conditional use permits, variances, parcel maps and subdivisions. Long term planning efforts consist of preparing and amending Woodlake’s planning documents, including the various elements of the Woodlake General Plan. The building division is responsible for providing life safety and the safeguard of property through the enforcement of the Uniform Building Code, the National Electric Code, the Uniform Plumbing Code and the Uniform Mechanical Code. Police Department – The Woodlake Police Department is committed to promoting a safe and secure environment for the community through the delivery of quality services. The Department is responsive to the concerns of the community and improving the quality of life for the citizens of Woodlake by working together in problem solving partnerships. The Woodlake Police Department consists of a Chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, five officers, one clerical personnel. The City Planner, City Attorney, and City Engineer all provide City services on a contractual basis. These City services are currently provided on a part-time as needed basis. As the City’s population continues to increase, and development interest in the community increases, it may ultimately be in the City’s best interest to have these services on a full time basis. City of Woodlake MSR Page 48 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 City of Woodlake Organization Chart July 1, 2016 Citizensof Woodlake Mayor andCity Council City Administrator/ ContractCity Finance Director CityClerk Attorney City Departments Litigation Citywide Project Mgmt. Secretary to: Legal Advisor Public Relations City Council Redevelopment Successor Records Management Administration Accounting and Police Public Works Public Utilities Finance Patrol & Crime Suppression Engineering Services Water Production, Financial Reporting/Grants Investigative Services Street Maintenance Quality & Delivery Accounting Graffiti Abatement Capital Proj. Management Solid Waste Services Business Tax/Permits Special Operations Parking Services Recycling Program Purchasing Administration ADA Citywide Program Operation Clean-up Animal Control Park Maintenance Wastewater & Sewer Abandoned Vehicle Facilities Management Management Abatement Lighting & Landscaping Utility Billing & Collection Code Enforcement Planning & Budget & Transportation Engineering Management Planning/Land Use Bus Service Budget Development Management Bus Repair/Maintenance Budget Monitoring Building & Safety Planning Master Fee Schedule Inspection Administration Administration Development Review Dial-a-Ride CDBG Monitoring & Community Revitalization Fleet Management Administration Downtown Revitalization Independent Audit Neighborhood Revitalization Housing & Community Dev. HOME Program Airport Personnel Services Airport Operations Recruitment & Exam Airport Projects Mgmt. Job & Salary Analysis Administration Human Resources Leases Management Risk Management Training Labor Relations Employee Benefits 5.4 Local Accountability and Governance The governing body of Woodlake is the City Council, which is elected in compliance with California Election Laws. The City complies with the Brown Act open-meeting law and provides the public with opportunities to get information about City issues, including website and phone access, and bill inserts. The City’s website is an excellent informational tool, and provides remote access to the current events of the City, contact information for all City departments, emergency contacts, utility information, a complete City profile, current projects, development fees, various planning applications, and much more. The City’s website can be accessed at www.cityofwoodlake.com. Regular City Council meetings are held twice a month on the second and forth Monday in City Hall Council Chambers located at 350 N. Valencia Boulevard, Woodlake. The City posts agendas and minutes on their website. 5.5 Written Determinations Fee Structure 1. Under the provisions of the Municipal Code of the City of Woodlake, the City Council is empowered to set the rates to be charged and collected by the City for sewer and water service by a resolution passed by the City Council. 2. Following the consideration of an Impact Fee Recommendation report, the Woodlake City Council adopted Resolution 06-07 establishing development impact fees for the purpose of financing the construction of water, wastewater collection, wastewater treatment/disposal, and storm drainage public facilities, or to replace the capacity of such public facilities utilized by new development. 3. The City of Woodlake will charge a metered rate with a base service charge of $30.20 per month for domestic water service, a flat rate of $63.25 per month for sewer service, and $22.25 per month for refuse collection for a typical single family dwelling. The water and sewer rates are above average compared to other full service cities in Tulare County with the combined total being the highest amongst the cities in Tulare County. 4. City resolutions establishing the water and sewer rates also made the rates subject to CPI adjustments. 5. The City will convert to a metered billing structure for water service by the end of 2016, which should promote water conservation. 6. There is no evidence suggesting that the annexation of areas within the SOI would result in unreasonable fees for utility services as properties annex and develop within the City. It is likely that fees for development within SOI areas would be inline with citywide fees for utility services. City of Woodlake MSR Page 50 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Government Structure 7. Since development of properties within the SOI generally relies on master planned infrastructure available from the City, it is logical for the City to assume the lead in planning for these sites. 8. The City has a sound governmental structure that provides necessary resources to provide public services and infrastructure improvements within the SOI area. 9. Coordinated infrastructure plans for development within the SOI area that are submitted with specific annexation requests would create a checks and balance system for incorporating lands into the City while promoting improvements to impacted adjacent County land. 10. Tulare County LAFCO has adopted specific policies for reviewing proposals for a change in organization, reorganization, incorporations, dissolution and other proposals processed by Tulare County LAFCO, including annexations, and SOI amendment proposals. Evaluation of Management Efficiencies 11. There is no evidence indicating that the City’s current management structure would not be able to assume services within the SOI area, and/or continue to assist other agencies through mutual aid agreements. 12. The City ensures that services can be efficiently provided in the SOI areas through the preparation of master service plans to provide infrastructure that will ultimately serve the SOI/UDB areas. 13. The City has a sound organizational structure that should be able to continue to provide quality service to current residents, and accommodate future growth within the City and surrounding urban development areas. 14. The City Planner, City Attorney, and City Engineer all provide City services on a contractual basis. These City services are currently provided on a part-time as needed basis. As the City’s population continues to increase, and development interest in the community increases, it may ultimately be in the City’s best interest to have these services on a full time basis. Local Accountability and Governance 15. The city complies with the Brown Act open-meeting law and provides the public with opportunities to get information about City issues, including website and phone access, and bill inserts. 16. The City’s website is an excellent informational tool, and provides remote access to the current events of the City. 17. Regular City Council meetings are held twice a month on the second and forth Monday in City Hall Council Chambers located at 350 N. Valencia Boulevard, Woodlake. The City posts agendas and minutes on their website. City of Woodlake MSR Page 51 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 6 ANY OTHER MATTER RELATED TO EFFECTIVE OR EFFICIENT SERVICE DELIVERY, AS REQUIRED BY COMMISSION POLICY The purpose of this section is review issues relating to disadvantaged unincorporated communities and conflicting growth boundaries. 6.1 Disadvantaged and Other Developed Unincorporated Communities Pursuant to Government Code section 56430, municipal service reviews are required to identify the location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence and to also identify needs or deficiencies related to sewers, municipal and industrial water and structural fire protection. Government Code section 56033.5 defines a “disadvantaged unincorporated community” as inhabited territory, as defined by section 56046 (12 or more registered voters), or as determined by commission policy, that constitutes all or a portion of a disadvantaged community as defined by Water Code section 79505.5 (a community with an annual median household income that is less than 80 percent of the statewide annual median household income). Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5.11(C) defines a disadvantaged community as an area that has a median household income 80% or less of the statewide average pursuant to Public Resources Code section 75005(g) and contains at least 20 dwelling units at a density not less than one unit per acre. (Note: the definition of a disadvantaged community is consistent between PRC §75005(g) and WC §79005.5.) In addition to what is required by GC §56430, Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5.11(B)(VI)(a) requires that the Written Statement of Determinations for MSRs shall be based on a comprehensive review of area service providers conducted in accordance with GC §56430(b) and shall include, but is not limited to: estimate of existing population, identification of existing service providers, identification of services provided within the community, service costs and identification of surrounding land use designations, both existing and planned, contained in a city’s General Plan or County’s Community Plan for all (not just disadvantaged) unincorporated communities within or adjacent to the agency’s SOI. (Note: A reasonable effort shall be made to conduct a thorough review; however, the level of detail is subject to the extent data is readily available and relevant to the overall MSR analysis.) U.S. Census median income data does not extend down to the Census block level. Without available definitive median income data, for the purposes of distinguishing between disadvantaged versus non- disadvantaged communities, parcel assessed valuations, owner occupancy, housing characteristics, infrastructure conditions and anecdotal evidence was used. Tulare County LAFCO identified a list of disadvantaged unincorporated communities that was adopted into policy on 5/2/12. The Wells Tract was the only identified disadvantaged unincorporated community within or adjacent to the City of Woodlake. Unincorporated County Communities and Service Provision: Wells Tract This is a disadvantaged community adjacent to the eastern City boundary on the north side of SR-216. Per the 2010 Census, there are 191 residents (down from 224 in the 2000 Census). The County and City General Plans designate the community as “Suburban Residential”. The Wells Tract is served by County Service Area #2. The City provides domestic water service and sanitary sewer to CSA No. 2. The Wells Tract is within the Woodlake Fire Protection District and is only 3/4 of a mile away from the fire station. While there are no parks within the Wells Tract, the community is 3/4 of a mile away from the Woodlake City Park and even closer to the Woodlake Botanical Gardens. The community is within City of Woodlake MSR Page 52 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 Area C of the County for solid waste disposal. Area C is licensed to USA Waste, a subsidiary of Waste Management, for solid waste disposal services. There is no street lighting, curbs, gutters or sidewalks in the community. The community is served by .8 miles of County roads and .3 miles of State road (SR- 216). The County roads within the Wells Tract are in poor condition. Table 6-1 Demographics – Unincorporated Communities (2010 Census)* Housing People/ Community People Hispanic <18 Vacancy Units Unit** Wells Tract 191 83.8% 39.8% 54 11.1% 4.0 *Based off of corresponding Census blocks. **People per occupied housing unit. Annexation Only a small portion of the Wells Tract qualifies as a County island that qualifies under the stream-lined County island annexation procedures (GC §56375.3). Due to the location of the Wells Tract and already being connected to the City water and sewer system, annexation should be a future consideration. However, landowner consent to an annexation is an identified issue. An annexation survey was sent to the Wells Tract landowners and registered voters due to a neighboring annexation proposal to the south of the Wells Tract in 2015. The majority of responding landowners were against annexation to the City. 6.2 Conflicting Growth Boundaries In the first chapter of this MSR, Figure 1-2 shows the City’s incorporated area, the City’s 20-year UDB, the County’s 20-year UDB and the SOI. The County and City UDBs are identical on the north side of the City and have two inconsistent areas on the south side. The current SOI is much larger than the UDBs and twice the size of the existing city boundary. Table 6-2 lists the acreages of the various current planning boundaries and the percentage size differential between each planning boundary and the existing City Limits. Table 6-2 City of Woodlake Boundary Comparison Size Size Difference vs. Boundary (acres) (sq. mi.) City Limits Incorporated City 1,862 2.9 n/a Sphere of Influence 3,707 5.8 99.1% City 20-year UDB 2,425 3.8 30.2% County 20-year UDB 2,549 4.0 36.9% Note: The estimated total population % growth between 2016 and 2036 is between 32.4% and 42.2%. Tulare County LAFCo Policy C-5.2 states the following: Where differences exist between County and City adopted twenty-year boundaries, for the same community, the Commission shall determine which boundary most closely reflects the statutory requirements or intent of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act for the setting of Spheres of Influence. Among other considerations, the Commission may determine which boundary is supported by the most recent or most complete analysis, including such documentation as may be required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Should LAFCO determine that no existing Planning Boundary complies with the statutory requirements or intent of the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act, the Commission shall determine the twenty-year growth boundary independently of other agencies. In all City of Woodlake MSR Page 53 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 cases of conflicting boundaries, the commission shall attempt to reconcile the various boundaries and the Sphere of Influence before adoption. The City and the County signed an MOU on 9/27/12 (Tulare County Agreement No. 25995) which one of the goals is to have a common UDB/SOI line. The MOU states: The County with cooperate with the City to establish a new 20-year UDB adopted by both the County and the City, which parties will use their best efforts to make coterminous with the SOI set by LAFCO. Government Code section 56425(e)(4) allows for the inclusion of “Communities of Interest” in an agency’s SOI. Tulare LAFCO Policy 5.1 defines a Community of Interest as follows: ...communities of interest may include agricultural buffer areas, publicly-owned facilities, noncontiguous subdivisions and development areas, key intersections, highway corridors, and parcels of land associated with the affected community, and other similar areas as my be determined by the Commission. The existing City UDB provides a good basis for updating the SOI in terms of its location and size. There also haven’t been any identified communities of interest. For these reasons, the proposed SOI matches the existing City UDB as shown in Figure 6-1. The Wells Tract would remain in the proposed SOI. There is one parcel within the CSA #2 boundary that is not proposed to be included within the proposed SOI. The parcel is located on the northeast corner of SR-216 (Naranjo) and Road 220 (Saint Johns). This parcel, while in CSA #2, does not receive any services from the CSA or City as it is an orchard and does not contain any urban development. City of Woodlake MSR Page 54 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16 sserpyC aicnelaV City of Woodlake Figure 6-1 Proposed Sphere of Influence d o w i o ll M 2 0 d 6 |ÿ 245 2 1 d 2 a a o o R R Cajon Wutchumna Ave 348 Sierra Whitney Lakeview Wells Tract |ÿ |ÿ 216 216 Naranjo Ropes Bravo n s Lake o h J nt ai S 1 9 6 2 0 4 r y er a d a d b ul o o M R R Riverside Friant-Kern Canal |ÿ 245 Ave 332 Legend ² Proposed SOI City Parcels CSA #2/WellsTract 0 1,600 3,200 Feet 6.3 Written Determinations Disadvantaged and Other Developed Unincorporated Communities 1. Wells Tract is the only unincorporated community within the existing or adjacent to the City SOI. The community has been determined to be disadvantaged. 2. Wells Tract is within CSA #2 and is connected the City of Woodlake’s water and sewer systems. 3. Wells Tract is within the Woodlake Fire Protection District. The Woodlake FPD serves the entire City and some areas in the unincorporated County. The fire station is located within ¾ of one mile to the Wells Tract. 4. Due to its location and being connected to both the City’s sewer and water systems, future annexation of the Wells Tract should be considered. Conflicting Growth Boundaries 5. LAFCO shall determine the SOI for the City of Woodlake pursuant to State law and Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5. 6. A goal of the City/County MOU is to have coterminous City/County UDBs and SOI. 7. The existing City UDB provides a good basis for updating the SOI in terms of its location and size. There also haven’t been any identified communities of interest. 8. The proposed SOI matches the City’s UDB. City of Woodlake MSR Page 56 Tulare County LAFCO Draft MSR 6/27/16