MSR G2 2 Woodlake Apr06

CHAPTER 2 – CITY OF WOODLAKE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This section provides an overview of the written determinations findings of the City of 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 projections for the affected area; 2) Infrastructure needs and deficiencies; 3) Financing constraints and opportunities; 4) Cost avoidance opportunities; 5) Opportunities for rate restructuring; 6) Opportunities for shared facilities; 7) Government structure options; 8) Evaluation of management efficiencies; and 9) Local accountability and governance. These requirements are established by AB 2838, the Cortese- Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000. The City of Woodlake MSR identifies the following written determinations. Written Determinations 1) Growth and Population Historical Data & Population Projections 1. Historical Census data indicates that Woodlake had a 1990 population of 5,678 and a 2000 population of 6,651. California Department of Finance projections indicated a January 2005 population of 7,189. These trends indicate that Woodlake’s population is growing at an annual average rate of approximately 1.6%. 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 2.0%. At an average annual growth rate of 2.0%, the City can expect a year 2025 population of approximately 10,700, and a year 2030 population of 11,795. 3. According to Census 2000 data, the average dwelling unit occupancy rate for the City is approximately 3.7 persons per household, which is slightly higher than the county average of 3.3 persons per household. High dwelling unit occupancy rates can have an adverse affect 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. Planning Documents 1. The City plans for future growth through the implementation of policies and standards set forth in General Plan Elements. The City’s General Plan Housing Element, updated in 2004, is the most recent Element of the City’s General Plan. 2. The City’s land use element was last updated in 1978, and projected a build-out population of 7,010 by 1995. Based upon the current population of Woodlake, 7,189, it is evident that a comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan Land Use Element may be warranted. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-1 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 3. The City of Woodlake has adopted elements of the Tulare County General Plan including, but not limited to, Circulation (1975), Conservation (1975), Open Space (1975), Public Safety (1975), and Noise (1976). 4. Since Tulare County is currently undergoing a comprehensive update to their General Plan, the City of Woodlake should consider undertaking an independent General Plan Update that includes the following elements at a minimum: Land Use, Circulation, Conservation, Open Space, Public Safety, and Noise. 5. 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. Planning Boundaries 1. The Tulare County General Plan contains an Urban Boundaries Element which sets forth policy regarding development within municipal fringe areas surrounding incorporated cities. 2. 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. 3. Based upon boundary definitions set forth by City and County General Plan Policy, a City’s SOI should generally lie between a City’s 20-year UDB, and UAB. At a minimum, a City’s SOI should be coterminous with the established 20-year UDB. 4. Southeast of the Woodlake City Limits, there is an area that is encompassed by the City’s 20- year UDB, but outside of the City’s adopted SOI. In this area, the City’s 20-year UDB continues to follow the path of the Saint John’s River, while the City’s SOI does not. It is recommended that the City explore opportunities to reorganize it’s SOI to be coterminous with the established 20-year UDB within this area. 5. There is also an area northeast of the City Limits that is included within the City’s SOI, but not within the City’s UAB. It is recommended that the City work with Tulare County to determine if this area should be included within the City’s UAB established by the Tulare County General Plan. Since the area is immediately adjacent to the Woodlake City Limits, and since development in this area would likely rely on infrastructure available from the City, it is logical that this area be included in the City’s UAB, unless special circumstances indicate otherwise. Land Use 1. As previously indicated, the City has exceeded the General Plan Land Use Element (1978) build-out population of 7,010 indicating that a comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan Land Use Element may be warranted. 2. The planning area of the 1978 Land Use Element generally encompasses the area included within the City’s adopted SOI. Subsequent updates to the City’s Land Use Element should include a planning area which encompasses the outermost boundary of the City, typically the UAB. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-2 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 Annexations 1. A recent annexation totaling 31 acres was approved by LAFCO, and was consistent with County General Planning Policy as the land is within the City’s UDB, and SOI. 2. In 2005, the City also annexed an 88-acre parcel located at the southeast corner of the Ropes Avenue/Blair Road intersection. If not already completed, the City should work the County to update its UDB to include this recently annexed area. 2) Infrastructure Needs and Deficiencies Domestic Water 1. The City’s water supply is derived from groundwater sources through five active wells that have a total production efficiency of approximately 3,750 gallons per minute. Two additional wells have been inactive, one due to a history of bacterial contamination, and the other due to the discovery of unacceptably high nitrate levels. 2. The water systems pressure regulation and storage needs are met by a hydro-pneumatic pressure tank, booster pumps, and a 500,000 gallon elevated storage tank located on Castle Rock Hill. 3. The City’s water system was recently 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. 4. 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. 5. The City’s water system is currently un-metered, and billed under a flat rate system, which does not promote water conservation. The usage of meters as a basis for water rates may reduce usage by 13% to 45% per connection, averaging perhaps 30%. 6. 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. Wastewater Collection, Treatment & Disposal 1. 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. 2. 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 City should continue to implement improvements outlined in the 1996 sewer study. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-3 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 3. A determination of adequate sewer capacity should be verified prior to the approval of any SOI amendments. When considering SOI amendments, impacts on the sewer capacity to existing properties within the City Limits and SOI should also be considered. 4. The City owns and operates a WWTF located southwest of the City west of the S. Valencia Boulevard/Riverside Avenue intersection. 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. 5-01-077 “A Cease and Desist Order…”, and Order No. 5-01-076 “Waste Discharge Requirements…”. 5. The WWTF is currently operating under a Cease and Desist (C&D) Order which specifies timelines for the City to correct violations of the waste discharge requirements (WDR). The C&D Order established a timeline for the City to actively purse funding and implement capital improvements for long-term compliance with the new WDRs. 6. The City’s WWTF was studied in a report entitled Master Plan for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal (Quad Knopf, January 2004), and is considered as the first step to comply with the C&D Order timetable. The implementation of the Master Plan will bring the City into full compliance with WDRs and will provide sufficient capacity reserve for residential, commercial and industrial development through the planning period (established as year 2023), and accommodate a population of over 11,000 residents. The full implementation of the master plan would increase the plants capacity to 1.8 MGD, of which 0.6 MGD would be allocated for industrial capacity reserve. 7. The City reclaims wastewater effluent by applying it on approximately 35 acres of pastureland immediately east of the WWTF. Beef cattle periodically graze on the pastureland. 8. Order No. 5-01-076 prescribes that the monthly average discharge to the disposal ponds shall not exceed 1.0 millions gallons per day (MGD). According to the Wastewater User Charge Survey Report F.Y. 2004-05 (California Environmental Protection Agency State Water Resources Control Board, May 2005), the average dry weather flow (ADWF) at the WWTF is approximately 0.78 MGD, indicating that the facility is currently operating at 78% of its capacity. Streets and Traffic Circulation 1. The Urban Element of the Tulare County Area General Plan (Grunwald & Associates, 1963) for the Woodlake Area was designed to accommodate approximately 5,300 persons by 1980. It appears that many of the circulation improvements identified in the Plan have bee built out. 2. Tulare County is currently in the process of preparing a comprehensive update to their General Plan. It is understood that the Tulare County General Plan update will not specifically address the circulation needs of incorporated cities. For this reason, it is recommended that the City prepare a Citywide General Plan Circulation Element to identify the existing and future transportation needs for the Woodlake area. At a minimum, the plan boundary should include areas within the City’s UAB, and SOI. 3. The City continues to maintain and improve its street system within the constraints of available funding. It is recommended that the City prepare a General Plan Circulation Element to address the local transportation needs of the community, and set forth policy City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-4 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 relating to the identification of additional sources to improve and maintain the City’s transportation system. 4. The following transportation related projects are being funded by the City: miscellaneous slurry/fog/chip seal projects, reconstruction of the Ropes Avenue / Blair Road intersection, and the S. Acacia and Deltha Street extensions. Solid Waste Collection & Disposal 1. The City is contracted with Sunset Waste for solid waste collection and disposal services. Since privately owned utility companies are not subject to SOI determinations, services provided by privately owned and operated utility companies are not subject to the MSR requirement. Power Generation and Distribution 1. The Southern California Edison (SCE) Company serves most of the Cities within Tulare County, including Woodlake. 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. Fire and Police Protection Services 1. The Woodlake Fire Department Operations are conducted by the Woodlake Fire Protection District, a separate governing body from the City of Woodlake. According to Appendix B “MSR Exemption Policy” of Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5, the Woodlake Fire Protection District is subject only to a questionnaire study, and not a full comprehensive study. MSR questionnaires are to be completed by Tulare County LAFCO staff at a later date, and are not included in the scope of this full comprehensive study. 2. The Woodlake Police Department presently consists of a chief, two sergeants, one lieutenant, one detective, eight officers, one community service officer, and two clerical / dispatch personnel. The police department also operates a gang unit, a chaplain program, a reserve force of 10 officers, a senior volunteer program and an explorer program consisting of 15 explorers ranging in age from 14 to 18. 3. The police department has a sworn police officer to population ratio of approximately 1:900. The sworn officer to population ratio within Woodlake is exceptional compared to surrounding cities. 4. 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 and/or a local General Plan Public Safety Element would help the department prepare for future growth. 3) Financing Constraints and Opportunities 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 City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-5 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 different funds, including enterprise and non-enterprise funds, set up for the individual operations of the City. 2. Though reduced due to an imbalanced general fund (by approximately $10,700), the anticipated general fund balance at the end of fiscal year 2005-06 is estimated at just over $500,000, which represents approximately 24% 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 of over $2.1 in CDBG funding beginning in F.Y. 2005-06. 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). 7. The City has two outstanding long term debt obligations, one which includes a loan made to the City from the California Trade and Commerce Agency (CTCA) to construct a road, and the other which includes a loan from the Back of Visalia to purchase 86 acres of land for future wastewater disposal site. The interest rates are 2.75% and 6.5%, respectively. 8. According to the CAFR, the City’s Agency will be issuing bonds in the amount of $610,000 during FY 2005-06 for the purpose of converting the Woodlake Airport, a privately owned airport, into a municipal airport. The terms of the bond will be 4 3/8% for 20 years. 9. The State of California is currently operating under a significant budget crisis. The State continues to reduce and/or cut revenue sources, such as the motor vehicle in-lieu tax, to local governments. Without these sources of revenues, small cities, like Woodlake, incur significant budget constraints and deferment of scheduled maintenance items. 4) Cost Avoidance Opportunities 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. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-6 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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. 5) Opportunities for Rate Restructuring 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 new 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 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. 4. The City of Woodlake currently charges a flat rate of $17.00 per month for domestic water service, and a flat rate of $16.00 per month for sewer service, for a typical single family dwelling. These rates are below average compared to other full service cities in Tulare County. 5. City resolutions establishing the water and sewer rates also establish tiered increases to occur annually through year 2008, $1.00 per year for domestic water, and $3.00 per year for sanitary sewer. This helps the City offset increased operations and maintenance resulting from salary increases, rising health insurance costs, increased materials and supply costs, etc. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-7 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 6. The City should consider converting to a metered billing structure for water service, which would promote water conservation. A metered billing structure could also decrease the costs of operating the water system by utilizing less power to operate well pumps, as a result of decreased usage. There would however be implied costs for meter reading, meter maintenance, calibration, etc. A cost/benefit analysis would be appropriate. 7. 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. 6) Opportunities for Shared Facilities 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. With the State budget crisis impacting both Counties and Cities, the need for intergovernmental cooperation is becoming 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. 4. The City should continue its partnership with the school district to collaborate recreational resources and efforts for the betterment of the community. 7) Government Structure Options 1. 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. 2. The City has a sound governmental structure that provides necessary resources to provide public services and infrastructure improvements within the SOI area. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. If the City were to become the primary domestic water and sanitary sewer service provider for the Wells Tract community, this could result in more affordable public infrastructure for City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-8 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 the community while meeting or exceeding the current service levels provided by Tulare County (County Service Area No. 2). 8) Evaluation of Management Efficiencies 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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 would ultimately be in the City’s best interest to have these services on a full time basis. 9) Local Accountability and Governance 1. 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. 2. The City’s website is an excellent informational tool, and provides remote access to the current events of the City. 3. 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 on their website as a courtesy. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-9 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.0 CITY OF WOODLAKE 2.0.1 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 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 Sunset Waste 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 2-10 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.0.2 MSR Requirement Tulare County LAFCO policy C-5 states the following with regard to a SOI. “Whenever possible, the SOI of each City and those Special Districts which provide urban services to unincorporated communities within the County should reflect twenty- year growth areas with additional areas for communities of interest (Section 56425 (a)(4)). This boundary shall be reviewed and, if necessary, updated no more than once every five years. The updates should be sufficient to accommodated projected growth for twenty years from the date of adoption.” SOI’s can be updated more frequently than once every five years if certain criteria established by LAFCO policy are met. An MSR is generally required before an agency can process a proposed amendment to their adopted SOI through LAFCO. However, according to Tulare County LAFCO policy, an MSR is not required for minor SOI amendments that meet all of the following criteria; 1) The requested amendment is either less than 40 acres or less than 5 percent of the total acreage of the area located within the subject agency’s existing SOI, whichever is more, inclusive of incorporated territory; 2) There are no objections form other agencies that are authorized to provide the services the subject agency provides and whose SOI underlies or is adjacent to the subject territory; 3) The combined net additional acreage of the subject agency’s minor SOI amendments adopted pursuant to this section does not exceed 200 acres over any consecutive 5-year period; and 4) CEQA review is accomplished by a Notice of Exemption, Negative Declaration, Mitigated Negative Declaration, and Addendum to an EIR, or where the SOI amendment is within the scope of a previous EIR. In addition, an MSR is not required when SOI amendment is proposed solely to accommodate an expressed governmental purpose in the provisions of public facilities or public services, as described in section 5.7.B IV. 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. The City of Woodlake City Limit Boundary and adopted SOI are illustrated on Figure 2-1. The following sections of this report address the nine legislative factors required by the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Act; 1) Growth and population; 2) Infrastructure needs and deficiencies; 3) Financial constraints and opportunities; 4) Cost avoidance opportunities; 5) Opportunities for rate restructuring; 6) Opportunities for shared facilities; 7) Government structure options; 8) Evaluation of management efficiencies; and 9) Local accountability and governance. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-11 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 FIGURE 2-1 – WOODLAKE CITY LIMITS AND SPHERE OF INFLUENCE Source: Tulare County GIS Database City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-12 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.1 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. 2.1.1 Historical Data & Population Projections Historical population data and future projections have been obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau, and the California Department of Finance, respectively. For analysis purposes, this data is compared to other source data relating to growth and population including the City’s General Plan. Historical census data indicates that the City of Woodlake had a population of 5,678 in 1990 and a population of 6,651 in 2000, which corresponds to an average annual growth rate of approximately 1.6%. The California Department of Finance estimated a January 2005 population of 7,189, which equates to an average annual growth rate of approximately 1.6% between 2000 and 2005. Table 2-1 compares the City of Woodlake’s population to the overall population of Tulare County for years 1990, 2000, 2005, and projected for years 2025 and 2030. TABLE 2-1 CITY OF WOODLAKE HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED POPULATION Year Tulare County Woodlake % of Total County Population 1990 311,921 5,678 1.8% 2000 368,021 6,651 1.8% 2005 409,871 7,189 1.8% 2025 594,719 10,683 1.8% 2030 650,466 11,795 1.8% Notes: 1) 1990 & 2000 Population Data Based Upon U.S. Census Data 2) 2005 Population Estimated by California Department of Finance (DOF) 3) 2025 & 2030 Projections for Tulare County Estimated by California DOF 4) 2025 & 2030 Projections for Woodlake estimated using annual growth rate of 2.0% As indicated in Table 2-1, the population of Woodlake would continue to makeup approximately 1.8% of the overall County population. According to the City’s Master Plan for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal (Quad Knopf, 2004), City planners project that the City of Woodlake will grow at an average annual rate of about 2.0%. The City’s recently updated Water System Master Plan (Quad Knopf, 2005), uses the U.S. Census growth rate of 1.6%, which results in a 2025 population of 9,684, and a 2030 population of 10,484. Between 1980 and 1990, Woodlake’s average annual population growth rate was approximately 3.0%. 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 2.0%. At an average annual growth rate of 2.0%, the City can expect a year 2025 population of approximately 10,700, and a year 2030 population of 11,795. Census 2000 data also indicates that the average dwelling unit occupancy rate for the City is approximately 3.7 persons per household, which is slightly higher than the County average of 3.3 persons per household. High dwelling unit occupancy rates can have an adverse affect 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. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-13 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.1.2 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 California Planners’ Book of Lists 2005 (Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, June 2005), the seven mandated elements of the City’s General Plan were last updated as follows. • Land Use: 1975 (Document dated May 1978) • Circulation: 1975 • Housing: 2004 • Open Space: 1975 • Conservation: 1975 • Safety: 1975 • Noise: 1976 The following excerpt from the City of Woodlake General Plan Land Use Element partially describes the Land Use Elements relationship to other General Plan Elements. “Woodlake, like many of the other small communities in Tulare County, have had the bulk of their General Plan elements prepared through the Tulare County Planning Department and Association of Governments. These elements include the Seismic Safety, Circulation, Environmental Resources Management (includes Conservation, Recreation, and Open Space elements), Scenic Highways, Public Safety, and Noise. Since the cities within the County are included in the analysis of these various elements, it has enabled Woodlake to adopt these elements and incorporate them into their general planning process.” 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. 2.1.3 Planning Boundaries In addition to an SOI, which is defined by LAFCO as the “…physical boundary and service area that a local government agency is expected to serve…” the Tulare County General Plan contains an Urban Boundaries Element which establishes 20-year urban development boundaries (UDB) and urban area boundaries (UAB) surrounding incorporated cities. These additional boundaries set forth policy regarding development within municipal fringe areas surrounding incorporated cities. The following are excerpts from the County of Tulare General Plan Policy Summary Section 1 – Land Use and Urban Boundaries. “This plan element establishes Urban Development Boundaries which define twenty-year planning areas around incorporated cities in which the County and cities will coordinate plans, policies, and standards relating to building construction, subdivision development, land use and zoning regulations, street and highway construction, public utility systems, environmental studies, and other closely related matters affecting the orderly development of urban fringe areas. Within these boundaries, the cities and the County City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-14 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 may also establish planning areas representative of shorter time periods in order to assist in more precise implementation of community plans and policies. It is recognized that these boundaries provide an official definition of the interface between future urban and agricultural land uses.” “This plan element establishes Urban Area Boundaries, which define the area where land uses are presumed to have an impact upon 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. Modification of Urban Development Boundaries will be considered at such time as the land use plan for a community is revised to reflect changing needs and circumstances or an extended time frame. Preservation of productive agricultural lands shall be of the highest priority when considering such modifications, and expansion of Urban Development Boundaries to include additional agricultural land shall only occur as a last resort.” 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 according to adopted plans. If the City cannot, or will not, annex, Tulare County considers the proposal on its merits. Based upon boundary definitions set forth by City and County General Plan Policy, a City’s SOI should generally lie between a City’s 20-year UDB, and UAB. At a minimum, a City’s SOI should be coterminous with the established 20-year UDB. Figure 2-2 shows the City Limits and SOI in comparison to the 20-year UDB, and UAB for the City of Woodlake. As indicated on Figure 2-2, southeast of the current City Limits, there is an area that is encompassed by the City’s 20-year UDB, but outside of the City’s adopted SOI. In this area, the City’s 20-year UDB continues to follow the path of the Saint John’s River, while the City’s SOI does not. It is recommended that the City explore opportunities to reorganize its SOI to be coterminous with the established 20-year UDB within this area. There is also an area northeast of the City Limits that is included within the City’s SOI, but not within the City’s UAB. It is recommended that the City work with Tulare County to determine if this area should be included within the City’s UAB established by the Tulare County General Plan. Since the area is immediately adjacent to the current City Limits, and since development in this area would likely rely on infrastructure available from the City, it is logical that this area be included in the City’s UAB. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-15 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 FIGURE 2-2 – WOODLAKE CITY LIMITS, SOI, 20-YEAR UDB & UAB Source: Tulare County GIS Database (July 2004) City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-16 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.1.4 Land Use Woodlake is a small rural community that has historically been an agriculturally enriched City 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 May 1978. The Land Use Element projected a 1995 population of 7,010 for the City. As previously noted, current population figures available from the California Department of Finance indicate a 2005 population of 7,189. A comparison of the City’s Land Use Element population projection to the current population indicate that the ultimate General Plan population (as applied in the Land Use Element), has been reached. This is an indication that the City’s Land Use Element is due for a comprehensive update. The planning area of the 1978 Land Use Element generally encompasses the area included within the City’s adopted SOI. Subsequent updates to the City’s Land Use Element should include a planning area which encompasses the outermost boundary of the City, typically the UAB. The City’s Land Use Element provides an inventory of existing (1977) land uses, and proposed land uses by acreage for the build-out of the Plan. It is recommended that the City prepare an updated land use inventory as a part of a comprehensive update to their Land Use Element. The City of Woodlake Planning Division is responsible for the long-term planning efforts of the City, including updates to the City’s General Plan Elements. 2.1.5 Annexations LAFCO recently approved an annexation proposal in the southern portion of the City totaling approximately 31 acres. This recently approved annexation is illustrated on Figure 2-3. Consistent with County General Planning Policy, the approved annexation was within the City’s UDB as established by the Tulare County General Plan, and the City’s adopted SOI. In 2005, the City also annexed an 88-acre parcel located at the southeast corner of the Ropes Avenue/Blair Road intersection. The area inclusive of the 88-acre annexation is shown as being within the City Limits on Figure 2-3, but outside of the City’s UDB. If not already completed, the City should work the County to update its UDB to include this recently annexed area. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-17 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 FIGURE 2-3 – LOCATION OF APPROVED ANNEXATION INTO CITY OF WOODLAKE Source: Tulare County GIS Database City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-18 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.1.6 Written Determinations Historical Data & Population Projections 1. Historical Census data indicates that Woodlake had a 1990 population of 5,678 and a 2000 population of 6,651. California Department of Finance projections indicated a January 2005 population of 7,189. These trends indicate that Woodlake’s population is growing at an annual average rate of approximately 1.6%. 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 2.0%. At an average annual growth rate of 2.0%, the City can expect a year 2025 population of approximately 10,700, and a year 2030 population of 11,795. 3. According to Census 2000 data, the average dwelling unit occupancy rate for the City is approximately 3.7 persons per household, which is slightly higher than the county average of 3.3 persons per household. High dwelling unit occupancy rates can have an adverse affect 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. Planning Documents 1. The City plans for future growth through the implementation of policies and standards set forth in General Plan Elements. The City’s General Plan Housing Element, updated in 2004, is the most recent Element of the City’s General Plan. 2. The City’s land use element was last updated in 1978, and projected a build-out population of 7,010 by 1995. Based upon the current population of Woodlake, 7,189, it is evident that a comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan Land Use Element may be warranted. 3. The City of Woodlake has adopted elements of the Tulare County General Plan including, but not limited to, Circulation (1975), Conservation (1975), Open Space (1975), Public Safety (1975), and Noise (1976). 4. Since Tulare County is currently undergoing a comprehensive update to their General Plan, the City of Woodlake should consider undertaking an independent General Plan Update that includes the following elements at a minimum: Land Use, Circulation, Conservation, Open Space, Public Safety, and Noise. 5. 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. Planning Boundaries 1. The Tulare County General Plan contains an Urban Boundaries Element which sets forth policy regarding development within municipal fringe areas surrounding incorporated cities. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-19 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2. 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. 3. Based upon boundary definitions set forth by City and County General Plan Policy, a City’s SOI should generally lie between a City’s 20-year UDB, and UAB. At a minimum, a City’s SOI should be coterminous with the established 20-year UDB. 4. Southeast of the Woodlake City Limits, there is an area that is encompassed by the City’s 20- year UDB, but outside of the City’s adopted SOI. In this area, the City’s 20-year UDB continues to follow the path of the Saint John’s River, while the City’s SOI does not. It is recommended that the City explore opportunities to reorganize it’s SOI to be coterminous with the established 20-year UDB within this area. 5. There is also an area northeast of the City Limits that is included within the City’s SOI, but not within the City’s UAB. It is recommended that the City work with Tulare County to determine if this area should be included within the City’s UAB established by the Tulare County General Plan. Since the area is immediately adjacent to the Woodlake City Limits, and since development in this area would likely rely on infrastructure available from the City, it is logical that this area be included in the City’s UAB, unless special circumstances indicate otherwise. Land Use 1. As previously indicated, the City has exceeded the General Plan Land Use Element (1978) build-out population of 7,010 indicating that a comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan Land Use Element may be warranted. 2. The planning area of the 1978 Land Use Element generally encompasses the area included within the City’s adopted SOI. Subsequent updates to the City’s Land Use Element should include a planning area which encompasses the outermost boundary of the City, typically the UAB. Annexations 1. A recent annexation totaling 31 acres was approved by LAFCO, and was consistent with County General Planning Policy as the land is within the City’s UDB, and SOI. 2. In 2005, the City also annexed an 88-acre parcel located at the southeast corner of the Ropes Avenue/Blair Road intersection. If not already completed, the City should work the County to update its UDB to include this recently annexed area. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-20 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.2 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, planned improvements, service quality, and levels of service. 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 in line with increasing demands. 2.2.1 Domestic Water The City of Woodlake, in March 2005, adopted a comprehensive update to their Water System Master Plan. The Master Plan was funded by a Community Development Block Grant from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development. The City of Woodlake Water System Master Plan (Quad Knopf, 2005) 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. 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 3,750 gallons per minute (gpm). One of the City’s six wells located in the south portion of the City, north of the St. John’s River, is currently inactive due to a history of bacterial contamination. An additional well located near the intersection of Mulberry Street and Laurel Lane, has been inactive for several years due to the discovery of unacceptably high levels of nitrates during routine sampling by the Tulare County Health Department. Water from the primary five (5) 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 a 500,000 gallon steel tank 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. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-21 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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 are recommended to be completed within two years of the adoption of the plan (presumably by 2007). Priority 2 items are recommended to be completed within three to five years of the adoption of the plan (presumably between 2007 and 2009). Priority 3 items are recommended to be completed within six to twenty years of the adoption of the plan (presumably between 2010 and 2025). 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 of the recommended improvements. The following improvements are 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 • Chlorination Facilities (Wells 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12) – Priority 1 • Provide standby power to Well Nos. 8 & 9 – Priority 1 • New wells – Priority 2 • New 500,000 gallon reservoir with Booster Pump – Priority 3 • 12-inch connection – reservoir to system – Priority 3 • Distribution system improvements at City/Developer shared expense – Priority 4 • Distribution system improvements at City’s expense – 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’s water system is currently un-metered, and billed under a flat rate system, which does not promote water conservation. According to the Water Master Plan, effective January 1, 1992, State law requires that all new water connections be metered. The usage of such meters as a basis for water rates may reduce usage by 13% to 45% per residence, averaging perhaps 30%. The cost of retrofitting existing connections will range between $500 and $1,000 per connection. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-22 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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. 2.2.2 Wastewater Collection, Treatment & Disposal 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 • 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 status of the above listed projects is unknown, and should be verified prior to the approval of any SOI amendments that may rely upon the listed infrastructure improvements. City staff has indicated that the recommendations will be considered at the time the City constructs improvements to its WWTF. The City’s WWTF is located south of the City on Valencia Boulevard, just north of the Airport, on land currently owned by the Sentinel Butte Water Company. The City was granted an easement to use the land for wastewater treatment and disposal purposes in 1950. The City’s WWTF is currently operating under the following orders issued by the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) – Central Valley Region. • Order No. 5-01-082 “Water Reclamation Requirements for Sentinel Butte Water Company and City of Woodlake Reclamation Project Tulare County” • Order No. 5-01-077 “A Cease and Desist Order Requiring City of Woodlake and Sentinel Butte Water Company Woodlake Wastewater Treatment Facility Tulare County to Cease and Desist Discharging Waste Contrary to Requirements” City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-23 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 • Order No. 5-01-076 “Waste Discharge Requirements for City of Woodlake and Sentinel Butte Water Company Woodlake Wastewater Treatment Facility Tulare County” 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 existing WWTF is not able to consistently meet effluent requirements for BOD and TSS. 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 last studied in a report entitled Master Plan for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal (Quad Knopf, January 2004), and is considered as the first step to comply with the C&D Order timetable. The Master Plan was funded through a Community Development Block Grant from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development. The implementation of the Master Plan will bring the City into full compliance with WDRs and will provide sufficient capacity reserve for residential, commercial and industrial development through the planning period (established as year 2023), and accommodate a population of over 11,000 residents. The WWTF consists of a headworks, grinder, influent pump station and two surface aerated facultative lagoons that provide the equivalent of “secondary” treatment. The primary methods of wastewater disposal are direct percolation and evaporation from disposal ponds and surface irrigation of a pasture adjacent to the treatment ponds. Sludge is retained in the ponds and digests through aerobic and anaerobic decomposition. Sludge is periodically removed from the ponds and disposed off-site. The only industrial discharge to the system is from a drywall manufacturer and is less than 1,000 gallons per day (GPD). 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. 5-01-076 prescribes that the monthly average discharge to the disposal ponds shall not exceed 1.0 million gallons per day (MGD). According to the Wastewater User Charge Survey Report F.Y. 2004- 05 (California Environmental Protection Agency State Water Resources Control Board, May 2005), the average dry weather flow (ADWF) at the WWTF is approximately 0.78 MGD, indicating that the facility is currently operating at 78% of its capacity. The full implementation of the Master Plan would increase the plants capacity to 1.8 MGD, of which 0.6 MGD would be allocated for industrial capacity reserve. The Master Plan also provides the following key recommendations, including, but not limited to: • Increasing the initial plant capacity to 1.2 MGD, with key components sized initially for the 20-year design flow of 1.8 MGD. The incremental expansion from 1.2 MGD to 1.8 MGD should occur when the City reaches a flow of 1.0 MGD or when significant industrial users are to be connected. • Purchase the existing WWTF from the Sentinel Butte Water Company. The site is strategically located and many of the existing facilities can be modified and used for the master planned improvements. The land also has a proven ability to percolate significant quantities of water. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-24 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 • The 80-acre site on Riverside Drive should be purchased to provide additional storage pond and irrigation area. The existing site alone is not large enough for the planned capacity expansion. • The City should continue to promote recycling to local farmers. The Riverside Drive site can be utilized as a recycled water irrigation demonstration site to promote the use of recycled water. The treatment system should be designed to meet California Title 22 standards for “disinfected secondary 2.2 recycled water.” This water can be used to irrigate citrus trees, olive trees and other crops grown in the Woodlake area. • The oxidation ditch, extended aeration activated sludge process, with nitrogen removal, is the recommended treatment process. This process is well proven, reliable and easy to operate and appropriate technology for the City. • The phasing of construction will consist of building two 0.6 MGD oxidation ditches for a total capacity of 1.2 MGD and two final clarifiers with a combined capacity of 1.8 MGD. The headworks and main hydraulic structures and pipelines will be built in the first phase to handle an ultimate capacity of 1.8 MGD. Other system components such as effluent storage, sludge drying beds, effluent filters and pumps (influent and irrigation) can be constructed for an initial capacity of 1.2 MGD and later expanded to 1.8 MGD capacity. At that point the third oxidation ditch will be constructed as well for a total 1.8 MGD treatment capacity. • The total construction cost for the construction of ultimate improvements bringing the plants capacity to 1.8 MGD is estimated at $11.8 million. Phasing of the oxidation ditch construction for initial capacity of 1.2 M would result in an estimated construction cost of approximately $10.0 million. Operational costs are estimated at $357,000/year for operating the phase 1 improvements, and $451,000/year when operated at full capacity. 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 is actively seeking funding sources to begin implementing the master planned WWTF improvements. The City’s Master Plan provides 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 provide sufficient capacity to accommodate the City’s future growth needs. 2.2.3 Streets and Traffic Circulation The City street system is fairly simple, with two State Routes (S.R.) providing primary east-west, and north-south circulation through the City. Routes of regional significance that serve the City of Woodlake include State Routes 201, 216, and 245. S.R. 201 connects to S.R. 245 just north of Woodlake, and extends west providing access to S.R. 63, and further west where it connects to Alta Avenue just south of Dinuba. S.R. 216 provides the primary east-west circulation through the City of Woodlake. From Woodlake, S.R. 216 extends southwest to Visalia and east where it intersects S.R. 198 just west of Lake Kaweah. S.R. 245 provides the primary north-south circulation through Woodlake. There are currently no signalized intersections within the City of Woodlake. The intersection of S.R. 216 and S.R. 245 is all- way-stop-controlled. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-25 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 The California Planners Book of Lists 2005 contains a table summarizing the status of local general plans, including the dates these plans were last updated as reported by the cities and counties, identified as 1975 for Woodlake’s Circulation Element. Additionally, it identifies local jurisdictions that have adopted plans, programs, and ordinances that may serve as models or examples for other planning agencies. The City’s circulation system was studied in a report entitled “An Area General Plan for Tulare County – California” (Grunwald & Associates, April 1963). As previously noted, the bulk of Woodlake’s General Plan Elements have been prepared through the Tulare County Planning Department and Association of Governments, including the Circulation Element. Section 5 of the Tulare County Area General Plan contains major urban elements of the Plan for Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Tulare, Visalia, and Woodlake. The Urban Element of the Tulare County Area General Plan for the Woodlake Area was designed to accommodate approximately 5,300 persons by 1980. It appears that many of the circulation improvements identified in the Plan have been built out. Tulare County is currently in the process of preparing a comprehensive update to their General Plan. It is understood that the Tulare County General Plan update will not specifically address the circulation needs of incorporated cities. For this reason, it is recommended that the City prepare a Citywide General Plan Circulation Element to identify the existing and future transportation needs for the Woodlake area. At a minimum, the Plan Boundary should include areas within the City’s UAB, and SOI. Other plans, including the 2004/05 Tulare County Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) prepared by the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) in 2004, addresses various aspects of the County and Valley-wide regional transportation projects. TCAG’s jurisdiction includes the Cities of Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, Woodlake, Tulare County, Native American tribal group and communities in the transportation planning process. 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 2004/05 RTP identifies two unconstrained capacity increasing project requests for RTIP/IIP funding within the City of Woodlake. These projects are proposed for joint funding by the City/Regional Improvement Program (RIP) in 2025. These projects, and their associated cost estimate in 2003/04, are identified below. • Construct W. Bravo Avenue between Road 196 and Road 204 - $950,000 • Construct Avenue 200 between Naranjo Boulevard and W. Bravo Avenue - $130,000 The City has several budgetary funds set up to address the local transportation needs of the City identified as follows. • TDA Fund – Transit • TDA Fund – Streets • Gas Tax Fund • STP Fund The City continues to maintain and improve its street system within the constraints of available funding. It is recommended that the City prepare a General Plan Circulation Element to address the local transportation needs of the community, and set forth policy relating to the identification of additional revenue sources to improve and maintain the City’s transportation system. Transportation projects City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-26 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 included in the City’s budget for F.Y. 2005-06 include miscellaneous slurry/fog/chip seal projects, reconstruction of the Ropes Avenue/Blair Road intersection, and the S. Acacia and Deltha Street extensions. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-27 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.2.4 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal The City is contracted with Sunset Waste 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 (AB 939) 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. The eight Tulare County City’s (Porterville, Visalia, Tulare, Lindsay, Dinuba, Farmersville, Exeter, and Woodlake), which are involved in the Joint Power Authority are currently at 44% diversion. The JPA has a time extension and plans to return to 50% diversion. The City of Woodlake has since opted out of the JPA in a decision made by the City Council, which becomes effective in June 2006. Based upon information obtained from the Tulare County Solid Waste Division website (www.co.tulare.ca.us/solidwaste/swabout.htm), the County buries about 300,000 tons of waste per year, which is equivalent to about 5 lbs. per person per day, or one ton per County resident per year. The budget for this operation is $12-$13 million annually. The County operates three landfills or solid waste disposal sites. These three facilities are the Visalia Landfill, northwest of Visalia; the Woodville Landfill, southeast of Tulare; and the Teapot Dome Landfill, southwest of Porterville. The County also operates seven transfer stations. The transfer stations are located in rural areas for the convenience of the people who live near them and do not accept large volumes of waste. The seven transfer stations and approximate locations are listed below: • Badger Transfer Station, east of Badger • Balance Rock Transfer Station, north of Balance Rock • Camp Nelson Transfer Station, northeast of Camp Nelson • Earlimart Transfer Station, north of Earlimart • Kennedy Meadows Transfer Station, near the Inyo County line in southeast Tulare County • Pine Flat Transfer Station, north of Pine Flat • Springville Transfer Station, south of Springville Based upon discussions with the Tulare County Solid Waste Division, the Visalia Landfill is planned to expand in 9-phases, based upon increased demand. Phase 1 expansion has already been implemented. With the nine phased expansions, the total capacity of the Visalia Landfill is estimated at 16,521,501 cubic yards. The Tulare County Solid Waste Division further indicated that the Visalia Landfill has sufficient capacity to accommodate solid waste disposal demands through year 2040. 2.2.5 Power Generation and Distribution Power generation and distribution is provided by a privately owned utility company. The Southern California Edison (SCE) Company serves most of the Cities within Tulare County, including Woodlake. Since privately owned utility companies are not subject to Sphere of Influence (SOI) determinations, City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-28 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 services provided by privately owned and operated utility companies are not subject to the MSR requirement. 2.2.6 Fire and Police Protection Services Fire The Woodlake Fire Department Operations are conducted by the Woodlake Fire Protection District, a separate governing body from the City of Woodlake. According to Appendix B “MSR Exemption Policy” of Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5, the Woodlake Fire Protection District is subject only to a questionnaire study, and not a full comprehensive study. MSR questionnaires are to be completed by Tulare County LAFCO staff at a later date, and are not included in the scope of this full comprehensive study. Police Much of the information regarding the City’s Police Department operations has been obtained from the City’s website, www.cityofwoodlake.com. 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, two sergeants, one lieutenant, one detective, eight officers, one community service officer, and two clerical / dispatch personnel. The department is very active in the Woodlake Schools. The department has one officer responsible for teaching the DARE program as well as a full-time youth development officer, dedicated to enforcement and prevention activities on the school campuses. The department also has one part time staff member dedicated to animal control activities. The police department also operates a gang unit, a chaplain program, a reserve force of 10 officers, a senior volunteer program and an Explorer Program consisting of 15 explorers ranging in age from 14 to 18. Based upon current staffing levels, the Police Department has a sworn police officer to population ratio of approximately 1:900. The City of Woodlake Police Department operates under a mutual aid agreement with the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department. The sworn police officer to population ratio within Woodlake is exceptional compared to surrounding cities. 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 F.Y. 2005-06 appropriates a total of $1,340,350 for police department operations, up 23.2% from the previous fiscal year. This can be attributed mostly to the addition of two officers during F.Y. 2005-06, increased retirement plan payments, higher health insurance costs, and capital outlay. 2.2.7 Written Determinations Domestic Water 1. The City’s water supply is derived from groundwater sources through five active wells that have a total production efficiency of approximately 3,750 gallons per minute. Two additional City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-29 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 wells have been inactive, one due to a history of bacterial contamination, and the other due to the discovery of unacceptably high nitrate levels. 2. The water systems pressure regulation and storage needs are met by a hydro-pneumatic pressure tank, booster pumps, and a 500,000 gallon elevated storage tank located on Castle Rock Hill. 3. The City’s water system was recently 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. 4. 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. 5. The City’s water system is currently un-metered, and billed under a flat rate system, which does not promote water conservation. The usage of meters as a basis for water rates may reduce usage by 13% to 45% per connection, averaging perhaps 30%. 6. 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. Wastewater Collection, Treatment & Disposal 1. 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. 2. 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 City should continue to implement improvements outlined in the 1996 sewer study. 3. A determination of adequate sewer capacity should be verified prior to the approval of any SOI amendments. When considering SOI amendments, impacts on the sewer capacity to existing properties within the City Limits and SOI should also be considered. 4. The City owns and operates a WWTF located southwest of the City west of the S. Valencia Boulevard/Riverside Avenue intersection. 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. 5-01-077 “A Cease and Desist Order…”, and Order No. 5-01-076 “Waste Discharge Requirements…”. 5. The WWTF is currently operating under a Cease and Desist (C&D) Order which specifies timelines for the City to correct violations of the waste discharge requirements (WDR). The C&D Order established a timeline for the City to actively purse funding and implement capital improvements for long-term compliance with the new WDRs. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-30 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 6. The City’s WWTF was studied in a report entitled Master Plan for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal (Quad Knopf, January 2004), and is considered as the first step to comply with the C&D Order timetable. The implementation of the Master Plan will bring the City into full compliance with WDRs and will provide sufficient capacity reserve for residential, commercial and industrial development through the planning period (established as year 2023), and accommodate a population of over 11,000 residents. The full implementation of the master plan would increase the plants capacity to 1.8 MGD, of which 0.6 MGD would be allocated for industrial capacity reserve. 7. The City reclaims wastewater effluent by applying it on approximately 35 acres of pastureland immediately east of the WWTF. Beef cattle periodically graze on the pastureland. 8. Order No. 5-01-076 prescribes that the monthly average discharge to the disposal ponds shall not exceed 1.0 millions gallons per day (MGD). According to the Wastewater User Charge Survey Report F.Y. 2004-05 (California Environmental Protection Agency State Water Resources Control Board, May 2005), the average dry weather flow (ADWF) at the WWTF is approximately 0.78 MGD, indicating that the facility is currently operating at 78% of its capacity. Streets and Traffic Circulation 1. The Urban Element of the Tulare County Area General Plan (Grunwald & Associates, 1963) for the Woodlake Area was designed to accommodate approximately 5,300 persons by 1980. It appears that many of the circulation improvements identified in the Plan have bee built out. 2. Tulare County is currently in the process of preparing a comprehensive update to their General Plan. It is understood that the Tulare County General Plan update will not specifically address the circulation needs of incorporated cities. For this reason, it is recommended that the City prepare a Citywide General Plan Circulation Element to identify the existing and future transportation needs for the Woodlake area. At a minimum, the plan boundary should include areas within the City’s UAB, and SOI. 3. The City continues to maintain and improve its street system within the constraints of available funding. It is recommended that the City prepare a General Plan Circulation Element to address the local transportation needs of the community, and set forth policy relating to the identification of additional sources to improve and maintain the City’s transportation system. 4. The following transportation related projects are being funded by the City: miscellaneous slurry/fog/chip seal projects, reconstruction of the Ropes Avenue / Blair Road intersection, and the S. Acacia and Deltha Street extensions. Solid Waste Collection & Disposal 1. The City is contracted with Sunset Waste for solid waste collection and disposal services. Since privately owned utility companies are not subject to SOI determinations, services provided by privately owned and operated utility companies are exempt from the MSR requirement. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-31 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 Power Generation and Distribution 1. The Southern California Edison (SCE) Company serves most of the Cities within Tulare County, including Woodlake. 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. Fire and Police Protection Services 1. The Woodlake Fire Department Operations are conducted by the Woodlake Fire Protection District, a separate governing body from the City of Woodlake. According to Appendix B “MSR Exemption Policy” of Tulare County LAFCO Policy C-5, the Woodlake Fire Protection District is subject only to a questionnaire study, and not a full comprehensive study. MSR questionnaires are to be completed by Tulare County LAFCO staff at a later date, and are not included in the scope of this full comprehensive study. 2. The Woodlake Police Department presently consists of a chief, two sergeants, one lieutenant, one detective, eight officers, one community service officer, and two clerical / dispatch personnel. The police department also operates a gang unit, a chaplain program, a reserve force of 10 officers, a senior volunteer program and an explorer program consisting of 15 explorers ranging in age from 14 to 18. 3. The police department has a sworn police officer to population ratio of approximately 1:900. The sworn officer to population ratio within Woodlake is exceptional compared to surrounding cities. 4. 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 and/or a local General Plan Public Safety Element would help the department prepare for future growth. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-32 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.3 FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS The purpose of this section is to evaluate a jurisdictions capability to finance needed improvements and services. 2.3.1 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 has several different funds set up for the individual operations of the City. The City’s budget consists of the following funds. • General Fund • COPS Grant • TDA Fund – Transit • TDA Fund – Streets • Gas Tax Fund • STP Fund • CDBG Fund • CDBG Program Income Fund • HOME Fund • HOME Program Income • HELP Fund • Lighting and Landscaping District • TEA-21 Grant • Sewer Fund • Sewer Capital Fund • Water Fund • Water Capital Fund • Capital Facilities Fund • Woodlake Fire District 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 2005-06 for each City fund is provided in Table 2-2. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-33 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 TABLE 2-2 CITY FUNDS REVENUES VS. EXPENDITURES F.Y. 2005-06 Beginning Balance 2005-06 Revenue 2005-06 Expenditure Budgetary Fund City Fund (07-01-05) Summary Summary Balance (06-30-06) General Fund 514,240 2,114,480 2,125,180 503,540 COPS Grant 68,110 100,500 100,000 68,610 TDA – Transit 84,940 161,330 161,770 84,500 TDA – Streets 70,000 102,000 170,000 2,000 Gas Tax Fund 157,000 179,500 300,830 35,670 STP Fund 0 0 0 0 CDBG Fund 0 2,100,000 2,100,000 0 CDBG Prog/Inc Fund 200,000 20,100 116,880 103,220 HOME Fund 0 900,000 900,000 0 Home Program Income 55,000 10,000 65,000 0 HELP Fund 26,880 500,000 500,000 26,880 Lighting/Landscaping 54,310 24,500 24,500 54,310 TEA-21 Grant 0 0 0 0 Sewer Fund 170,890 826,600 815,460 182,030 Sewer Capital Fund 98,000 0 80,000 18,000 Water Fund 216,150 416,100 378,940 253,310 Water Capital Fund 355,000 0 157,000 198,000 Capital Facilities Fund 224,860 23,600 150,000 98,460 Woodlake Fire District 213,699 201,465 232,908 182,256 Total of All Funds 7,680,175 8,378,468 Source: City of Woodlake Fiscal Year 2005-06 Adopted Budget As indicated in Table 2-2, the City’s General Fund is not balanced for the current fiscal year. It is recommended that the City seek ways to overturn this deficit spending by implementing creative budgeting practices. City staff indicated that the $10,000+ general fund deficit recognizes a $38,000 contribution to the State for ERAF III, which goes away in fiscal year 2006-07. This will help the City reach a balanced general fund budget in upcoming fiscal years. During fiscal year 2004-05 the City’s General Fund revenues totaled $2,097,900 while expenditures totaled $2,088,560. The decrease in the balance of the TDA Fund for Streets is a result of the City funding $120,000 worth of slurry/fog/chip seal projects on City streets, and $50,000 to reconstruct Ropes Avenue and Blair Road. The decrease in the balance of the Gas Tax Fund is a result of the City funding a $150,000 project that includes the construction of a connection between Acacia Street and Deltha Avenue. In addition, the Gas Tax Fund allocates $150,830 to costs applied for streets. Costs applied are for non-departmental and maintenance shop operations examples of which include expenditures associated with annual audits, self- insurance, retiree health insurance, commercial insurance, litigation expenses, cash match for grant contributions, consultant fees, contributions to outside service agencies, debt service expenses, utility costs for electricity, and vehicle fleet maintenance/repairs. After accounting for costs applied, this leaves the City with very limited gas tax revenue to implement street improvement projects, and for this reason, can be viewed as a significant financial constraint. In fiscal year 2005-06, the City received $2.1 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding. CDBG 03-STBG-1857 amounts to $100,000, $83,000 of which is allocated to housing City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-34 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 rehabilitation, and $13,000 which is allocated towards administration. CDBG 04-STBG-1944 amounts $500,000 and is being allocated as follows; $264,500 to housing rehabilitation, $37,500 to administration, $150,000 to first time home buyer assistance, $46,000 for sidewalks, and $2,000 for public services. An additional grant received beginning in fiscal year 2005-06 amounts to $1,500,000 and is being allocated as follows; $341,500 to housing rehabilitation, $112,500 to administration, $138,000 to public services (YDO/Code Enforcement), and $908,000 to public works for a new water storage tank. The City also had their water and sewer master plans prepared through CDBG funding in previous years. The HOME Fund, HOME Program Income Fund, and HELP Fund are used for housing activities of the City. The City’s ability to obtain financing is demonstrated by the numerous grants the City continues to successfully apply for. The City’s Sewer Fund covers the anticipated expenditures for fiscal year 2005-06, indicating that the City continues to provide efficient sewer service. Primary revenues of the Sewer Fund are generated from sewer user fees, lease revenue, and interest income. In fiscal year 2005-06 the City received a Proposition 13 small cities grant in the amount of $500,000. The City’s Water Fund also covers the anticipated expenditures for fiscal year 2005-06, indicating that the City continues to provide efficient water service. Primary revenues of the Water Fund are generated from water user fees, and interest income. The City has $80,000 budgeted for capital sewer improvements including $30,000 for equipment purchase and $50,000 for collection system improvements. The City has $157,000 budgeted for capital water improvements including $30,000 for equipment purchase, $50,000 for transmission and distribution system improvements, and $77,000 for a new storage tank. The City’s Master Plan for Wastewater Treatment and Disposal recommends significant improvements to bring the City’s WWTF into full compliance with waste discharge requirements and provide sufficient capacity reserve for residential, commercial and industrial development. The Plan recommends that the City secure funding for the WWTF expansion. The City should research available State and/or Federal grant and/or loan funding to implement improvements to the WWTF, including grant/loan programs available for recycled water usage projects. The City should actively research opportunities for additional revenue streams, including joint agency grant applications, untapped resources, or alternative government structures. Measure L, on the November 2005 ballot, involved a special tax increase to overturn the deficit spending of the Woodlake Fire District. The measure was not passed by voters. 2.3.2 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). City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-35 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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 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 two outstanding long term debt obligations, one which includes a loan made to the City from the California Trade and Commerce Agency (CTCA) to construct a road, and the other which includes a loan from the Back of Visalia to purchase 86 acres of land for future wastewater disposal site. The interest rate on the CTCA loan is 2.75%, and is payable through June 30, 2009. The interest rate on the Bank of Visalia loan is 6.5% per annum and is payable through March 25, 2014. The City has no other outstanding long term debt obligations. According to the CAFR, the City’s Agency will be issuing bonds in the amount of $610,000 during FY 2005-06 for the purpose of converting the Woodlake Airport, a privately owned airport, into a municipal airport. The terms of the bond will be 4 3/8% for 20 years. The State of California is currently operating under a significant budget crisis. The State continues to reduce and/or cut revenue sources, such as the motor vehicle in-lieu tax, to local governments. Without these sources of revenues, small cities, like Woodlake, incur significant budget constraints and deferment of scheduled maintenance items. 2.3.3 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. Though reduced due to an imbalanced general fund (by approximately $10,700), the anticipated general fund balance at the end of fiscal year 2005-06 is estimated at just over $500,000, which represents approximately 24% of general fund operating revenue, and over two months of regular general fund expenditures. The Government of Finance Officers City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-36 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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 of over $2.1 in CDBG funding beginning in F.Y. 2005-06. 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). 7. The City has two outstanding long term debt obligations, one which includes a loan made to the City from the California Trade and Commerce Agency (CTCA) to construct a road, and the other which includes a loan from the Back of Visalia to purchase 86 acres of land for future wastewater disposal site. The interest rates are 2.75% and 6.5%, respectively. 8. According to the CAFR, the City’s Agency will be issuing bonds in the amount of $610,000 during FY 2005-06 for the purpose of converting the Woodlake Airport, a privately owned airport, into a municipal airport. The terms of the bond will be 4 3/8% for 20 years. 9. The State of California is currently operating under a significant budget crisis. The State continues to reduce and/or cut revenue sources, such as the motor vehicle in-lieu tax, to local governments. Without these sources of revenues, small cities, like Woodlake, incur significant budget constraints and deferment of scheduled maintenance items. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-37 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.4 COST AVOIDANCE OPPORTUNITIES The purpose of this section is to identify practices or opportunities that may help to eliminate unnecessary costs. 2.4.1 Budgetary Processes 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. 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 City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-38 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 organization, or entire department having multiple organizations within the same fund, or an entire fund. 2.4.2 Cost Avoidance Strategies 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 2-39 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.4.3 Written Determinations 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. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-40 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.5 OPPORTUNITIES FOR RATE RESTRUCTURING The purpose of this section is to identify opportunities to positively impact rates without decreasing service levels. This section provides a comparison of various utility rates to surrounding jurisdictions to show that the City can provide effective quality service at rates comparable to surrounding agencies. 2.5.1 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. For a typical single family dwelling (Equivalent Dwelling Unit, EDU): Water: $2,001 per EDU Wastewater Collection: $957 Wastewater Treatment/Disposal: $3,526 Storm Drainage: $683 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. 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 City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-41 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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 2-3 and 2-4 compare the water and sewer rates for the eight Tulare County cities (Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Lindsay, Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, and Woodlake). The rates identified are for single family dwellings metered water service, and flat rate sewer fees. The sample monthly bill for water service is calculated using 15,000 gallons (2,005 cubic feet) of water as a base. TABLE 2-3 WATER RATES (TYPICAL SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING) Monthly Base City Metered Rate Other Charges Sample Monthly Bill Service Charge City of Dinuba1 $15.74 $0.674 per 100 cf $0.00 $21.17 City of Exeter2 $10.00 $0.620 per 100 cf $0.00 $13.13 City of Farmersville3 N/A N/A N/A N/A City of Lindsay4 $15.75 $0.80 per 100 cf $0.00 $27.79 City of Porterville5 $5.00 $0.72 per 100 cf 6% of Total $20.61 City of Tulare6 $9.67 $0.406 per 100 cf $0.00 $12.38 City of Visalia7 $5.91 $0.510 per 100 cf $0.00 $16.14 City of Woodlake8 $17.00 $0.00 $0.00 $17.00 Average $18.32 Notes: 1) City of Dinuba Base Rate covers usage to 1,200 cubic feet (cf) 2) City of Exeter Base Rate covers usage to 1,500 cf 3) Water rate information for City of Farmersville not available 4) City of Lindsay Base Rate covers usage to 500 cf 5) The City of Porterville assesses a 6% Utility Users Tax within City Limits 6) City of Tulare Base Rate covers usage to 1,337 cf 7) City of Visalia Metered Rate is applied to total usage 8) City of Woodlake charges flat rate of $17.00/month As indicated in Table 2-3, the City continues to provide domestic water service to its residents at below average rates compared to other full service cities in Tulare County. The City’s water rates were last increased in September 2005 from $16.00 to $17.00 flat rate for a typical single family dwelling unit. Resolution 05-25, adopted by the City Council in July 2005 establishes the water rates, and includes tiered rate increases to be implemented on specified dates. On July 1 of each year to 2008, a $1.00 per month rate increase will become effective consistent with City Resolution 05-25. City Resolution 05-25 also sets the water rates for non-single family dwellings including multi-unit developments, various commercial establishments, schools, and establishments with fire sprinkler protection systems. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-42 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 TABLE 2-4 SEWER RATES (TYPICAL SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING) City Flat Rate Connection Fee (per EDU) City of Dinuba $16.12 $3,500 City of Exeter $16.00 $1,900 City of Farmersville $21.25 $550 City of Lindsay $27.11 $700 City of Porterville $25.39 $3,375 City of Tulare $22.19 $342 City of Visalia $13.81 $2,325 City of Woodlake $16.00 $4,483 Average $19.73 $2,147 Source: Wastewater User Charge Survey Report F.Y. 2004-05 (CalEPA – SWRCB) 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 last increased in September 2005 from $13.00 to $16.00 flat rate for a typical single family dwelling unit. Resolution 05-26, adopted by the City Council in July 2005 establishes the sewer rates, and includes tiered rate increases to be implemented on specified dates. On July 1 of each year to 2008, a $3.00 per month rate increase will become effective consistent with City Resolution 05- 26. City Resolution 05-26 also sets the sewer rates for non-single family dwellings including multi-unit developments, various commercial establishments, schools, car washes, and laundromats. 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. 2.5.2 Written Determinations 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 new 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. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-43 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 3. 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. 4. The City of Woodlake currently charges a flat rate of $17.00 per month for domestic water service, and a flat rate of $16.00 per month for sewer service, for a typical single family dwelling. These rates are below average compared to other full service cities in Tulare County. 5. City resolutions establishing the water and sewer rates also establish tiered increases to occur annually through year 2008, $1.00 per year for domestic water, and $3.00 per year for sanitary sewer. This helps the City offset increased operations and maintenance resulting from salary increases, rising health insurance costs, increased materials and supply costs, etc. 6. The City should consider converting to a metered billing structure for water service, which would promote water conservation. A metered billing structure could also decrease the costs of operating the water system by utilizing less power to operate well pumps, as a result of decreased usage. There would however be implied costs for meter reading, meter maintenance, calibration, etc. A cost/benefit analysis would be appropriate. 7. 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 2-44 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.6 OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARED FACILITIES The purpose of this section is to evaluate opportunities for a jurisdiction to share facilities and resources, thereby increasing efficiency. This section provides a description of the City’s current facilities sharing activities, and identifies future opportunities to collaborate with other agencies on joint use projects and/or practices. 2.6.1 Current 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 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 serves approximately 300 residents within the Wells Tract service area. The City also provides sewer service to the Wells Tract community. The Wells Tract service area is outside of the current City Limits, but within the City’s SOI and UDB. 2.6.2 Future Opportunities With the State budget crisis impacting both Counties and Cities, the need for intergovernmental cooperation is becoming 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. 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. As land immediately adjacent to the eastern City Limits of Woodlake continues to annex and develop, it may ultimately be feasible for the City to assume collection as well as treatment services for the Wells Tract community. If the City were to become the primary domestic water and sanitary sewer service provider for the Wells Tract community, this could result in more affordable public infrastructure for the community while meeting or exceeding the current service levels provided by Tulare County (County Service Area No. 2). City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-45 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.6.3 Written Determinations 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. With the State budget crisis impacting both Counties and Cities, the need for intergovernmental cooperation is becoming 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. 4. The City should continue its partnership with the school district to collaborate recreational resources and efforts for the betterment of the community. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-46 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.7 GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OPTIONS The purpose of this section is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of various government structures to provide public services. This section describes the potential impacts of development within SOI areas, and the annexation of land. 2.7.1 Development within SOI Areas 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. The City of Woodlake has well defined boundaries that establish the ultimate service areas of the City. There are no unincorporated islands within the City Limit Boundary indicating that the potential for overlapping or duplicative services is not present. 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 City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-47 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 amendments shall be processed in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth by Tulare County LAFCO. 2.7.2 Adjacent Service Providers County Service Area No. 2 is the governing body which provides domestic water and sanitary sewer service to the Wells Tract community, an unincorporated community east of the Woodlake City Limits. The Wells Tract is located within the City of Woodlake SOI and UDB. A District Boundary has been established for the Wells Tract Community however, no SOI has been adopted for the community. The City of Woodlake currently provides domestic water service and sanitary sewer to the Wells Tract community. If the City were to become the primary domestic water and sanitary sewer service provider for the Wells Tract community, this could result in more affordable public infrastructure for the community while meeting or exceeding the current service levels provided by Tulare County (County Service Area No. 2). 2.7.3 Written Determinations 1. 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. 2. The City has a sound governmental structure that provides necessary resources to provide public services and infrastructure improvements within the SOI area. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. If the City were to become the primary domestic water and sanitary sewer service provider for the Wells Tract community, this could result in more affordable public infrastructure for the community while meeting or exceeding the current service levels provided by Tulare County (County Service Area No. 2). City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-48 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.8 EVALUATION OF MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCIES The purpose of this section is to consider the management structure of the jurisdiction. 2.8.1 Organizational Structure 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. 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 City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-49 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 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. 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 Services 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, two Sergeants, one Lieutenant, one detective, eight officers, one community service officer, and two clerical/dispatch personnel. The Police Department also operates a gang unity, a chaplain program, a reserve force of 10 officers, a senior volunteer program and an Explorer Program consisting of 15 explorers ranging in age from 14 to 18. 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 would ultimately be in the City’s best interest to have these services on a full time basis. 2.8.2 Written Determinations 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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 would ultimately be in the City’s best interest to have these services on a full time basis. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-50 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01 2.9 LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND GOVERNANCE The purpose of this section is to evaluate the accessibility and levels of public participation associated with the agency’s decision-making processes. 2.9.1 Public Access and Information Methods 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 on their website as a courtesy. 2.9.2 Written Determinations 1. 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. 2. The City’s website is an excellent informational tool, and provides remote access to the current events of the City. 3. 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 on their website as a courtesy. City of Woodlake MSR Page 2-51 Tulare County LAFCO MSR G2_2 Woodlake Apr06.DOC/55-7301-01