Thousand Oaks MSR Resolution 2018 02 21reduced

Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission City of Thousand Oaks Municipal Service Review Prepared By: Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission 800 S. Victoria Avenue, L #1850 Ventura, CA 93009 Accepted by the Commission on February 21, 2018 Prepared By Table of Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 1 Profile........................................................................................................................................................ 3 Growth and Population Projections ......................................................................................................... 7 Review of Municipal Services ................................................................................................................... 9 Written Determinations ......................................................................................................................... 16 Introduction Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCos) exist in each county in California and were formed for the purpose of administering state law and local policies relating to the establishment and revision of local government boundaries. According to the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (California Government Code § 56000 et seq.), LAFCo’s purposes are to: • discourage urban sprawl; • preserve open space and prime agricultural land; • ensure efficient provision of government services; and • encourage the orderly formation and development of local agencies. To achieve its purposes, LAFCos are responsible for coordinating logical and timely changes in local government boundaries (such as annexations), conducting special studies that identify ways to reorganize and streamline governmental structure, and determining a sphere of influence for each city and special district over which they have authority. A sphere of influence is a plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local agency, as determined by LAFCo (Government Code § 56076). Beginning in 2001, each LAFCo was required to review, and as necessary, update the sphere of each city and special district on or before January 1, 2008, and every five years thereafter (Government Code § 56425(g)). Government Code § 56430(a) provides that in order to determine or update a sphere of influence, LAFCo shall prepare a Municipal Service Review (MSR) and make written determinations relating to the following seven factors: 1. Growth and population projections for the affected area. 2. The location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence. 3. Present and planned capacity of public facilities, adequacy of public services, and infrastructure needs or deficiencies including needs or deficiencies related to sewers, municipal and industrial water, and structural fire protection in any disadvantaged, unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence. 4. Financial ability of agencies to provide services. 5. Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. 6. Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. 7. Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by Commission policy. MSRs are not prepared for counties, but are prepared for special districts governed by a county Board of Supervisors. Additionally, while LAFCos are authorized to prepare studies relating to their role as boundary agencies, LAFCos have no investigative authority. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 1 of 22 A MSR was completed for each of nine of the 10 Ventura County cities (a MSR was not prepared for the City of Port Hueneme1) in Ventura County in 2007, and a second MSR for the same nine cities was completed in 2012. This MSR includes an updated examination of the City’s services, as required by LAFCo law. LAFCo staff prepared this MSR for the City of Thousand Oaks, using information obtained from multiple sources, including: • 2017 MSR Questionnaire: The City completed a questionnaire, which elicited general information about the City (e.g., its contact information, governing body, financial information), as well as service-specific data; • City Budget: The City’s adopted budget provided information regarding services and funding levels; • General Plan: The City’s General Plan provided information regarding land use, populations, and service levels; • City Documents: Various City documents provided supplementary information relating to service provision; • 2012 MSR: The 2012 MSR provided certain data that remain relevant and accurate for inclusion in the current MSR; • City Website: The City’s website provided supplementary and clarifying information; and • City Staff: City staff provided supplementary and clarifying information. This report is divided into four sections: • Profile: Summary profile of information about the City, including contact information, governing body, summary financial information, and staffing levels; • Growth and Population Projections: Details of past, current, and projected population for the City; • Review of Municipal Services: Discussion of the municipal services that the City provides; and • Written Determinations: Recommended determinations for each of the seven mandatory factors for the City. The Commission’s acceptance of the MSR and adoption of written determinations will be memorialized through the adoption of a resolution that addresses each of the seven mandatory factors based on the Written Determinations section of the MSR. 1 No MSR was prepared for the City of Port Hueneme, consistent with past Commission practice, because: (1) the City’s municipal boundary is coterminous with its existing sphere boundary; (2) the City is nearly entirely surrounded by the City of Oxnard and the Pacific Ocean, and (3) the only area available for inclusion in the City’s sphere is the unincorporated community of Silver Strand, which is provided municipal services by the Channel Islands Beach Community Services District. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 2 of 22 Profile Contact Information City Hall 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 Mailing Address 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 Phone Number (805) 449-2100 Website toaks.org Employee E-mail Addresses firstinitiallastname@toaks.org City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 3 of 22 Governance Information Incorporation Date October 7, 1964 Organization General Law Form of Government Council - Manager City Council Five members. Elected at-large to staggered, four-year terms of office (elections held in even-numbered years). City Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor (Mayor serves a one-year term). City Council Meetings Tuesdays (typically twice each month except during the month of August, based on a calendar adopted annually), beginning at 6:00 p.m. Broadcast live on the City’s government cable television channel. Webcast live (and available anytime) on the City’s website. Population and Area Information Population Area (square miles) City Jurisdiction 132,3652 55.4 Sphere of Influence Unavailable 58.4 Services Provided by the City Animal Services3 Storm Drain Maintenance Services Building and Safety Services Street Maintenance Services Community Development/Planning Services Transit Services4 Library Services Wastewater Services5 Police Services6 Water Services7 Solid Waste Collection and Disposal Services8 2 Source: California Department of Finance estimate (January 1, 2016). 3 Service provided by contract with Los Angeles Animal Services (County of Los Angeles). 4 Service provided by contract with a private provider. 5 Some portions of the City are provided wastewater service by another service provider. 6 Service provided by contract with Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. 7 Some portions of the City are provided water service by other service providers. 8 Service provided by contract with private providers. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 4 of 22 Staffing – Full Time Positions9 Departments FY 2013-14 FY 2014-15 FY 2015-16 FY 2016-17 FY 2017-18 City Manager 13 13 14 14 14 Human Resources 7 7 8 9 9 City Attorney 5 5 5 5 5 City Clerk 7 7 7 6 6 Finance 48 48 54 54 56 Police 108 108 108 108 108 Community Development 47 47 48 48 48 Cultural Affairs 14 14 14 14 15 Community Services 1 1 1 1 1 Library 46 46 44 44 41 Public Works 193 193 186 186 186 Total 489 489 489 489 489 Public Agencies with Overlapping Jurisdiction Calleguas Municipal Water District Ventura County Air Pollution Control District Camrosa Water District Ventura County Fire Protection District Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency10 Ventura County Transportation Commission Conejo Recreation and Park District Ventura Regional Sanitation District Conejo Valley Unified School District Ventura County Watershed Protection District Triunfo Sanitation District 9 Source: FY 2017-19 Adopted Budget. 10 According to the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) website, COSCA was created in 1977 by a joint powers agreement between the City of Thousand Oaks and the Conejo Recreation and Park District, in order to coordinate land use planning and policy decisions, and facilitate open space acquisition, management, and conservation according to the goals identified in the City’s General Plan. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 5 of 22 Summary Financial Information11 FY 2015-16 FY 2016-17 FY 2017-18 FY 2018-19 General Fund Revenues Actual Revised Adopted Adopted Property taxes 8,385,392 8,349,200 8,977,500 9,208,300 Property tax in-lieu of VLF 11,139,579 11,220,000 11,955,000 12,315,000 Sales and use taxes 30,251,446 29,821,000 29,996,000 30,649,000 Transient occupancy tax 4,671,343 3,680,000 4,702,000 4,702,000 Franchise fee tax 6,689,427 6,760,000 6,660,000 6,765,000 Property Transfer Tax 1,194,435 850,000 900,000 900,000 Other taxes 29,306 20,000 30,000 32,000 Licenses and permits 7,189,317 5,720,810 6,706,300 6,297,255 Fines and penalties 270,222 290,140 334,500 334,500 Revenue from use of money 1,826,420 1,741,720 2,027,200 2,127,200 Charges for current services 6,138,009 5,974,650 6,596,000 6,704,000 Revenue from other agencies 691,042 810,105 883,150 483,150 Reimbursements 901,872 1,163,350 390,750 328,350 Other revenues 171,352 167,400 184,000 184,000 Total Revenue 79,549,162 76,568,375 80,342,400 81,029,755 Transfers from other funds 2,020,429 2,047,000 1,883,200 1,883,200 Total $81,569,591 $78,615,375 $82,225,600 $82,912,95512 FY 2015-16 FY 2016-17 FY 2017-18 FY 2018-19 General Fund Expenditures Actual Revised Adopted Adopted City Council 179,701 199,683 212,550 216,182 City Manager 3,249,047 3,449,844 3,424,910 3,521,718 Human Resources 3,167,370 3,094,825 3,746,572 3,829,800 City Attorney 1,302,214 1,178,411 1,322,364 1,378,014 City Clerk 1,032,329 1,218,793 997,484 1,059,557 Finance 11,090,993 22,252,332 11,475,290 11,369,770 Police 27,126,046 29,683,262 30,683,004 31,736,896 Community Development 7,541,661 8,915,380 9,064,578 9,046,649 Cultural Affairs 382,850 4,455,215 385,579 393,875 Community Services 934,854 1,031,878 1,097,735 1,147,664 Public Works 13,991,207 17,900,236 14,582,251 13,614,514 Transfers Out 2,198,086 4,247,098 8,434,450 8,846,106 Total $72,196,358 $97,626,957 $85,426,767 $86,160,745 11 Source: FY 2017-19 Adopted Budget. 12 On June 13, 2017, the City Council adopted a structurally-balanced General Fund budget for both FY 2017-18 and FY 2018-19. For FY 2017-18, the City budgeted $82.2 million in revenues, which covers General Fund operating expenditures and transfers out of $81.3 million. Capital project expenditures of $4.1 million are covered by excess revenues and the use of one-time General Fund capital reserves of $3.2 million. As of June 30, 2017, the balance of General Fund capital reserves is $16.0 million. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 6 of 22 Growth and Population Projections City Annual Growth Projections According to the U.S. Census, from 2000 to 2010, the City of Thousand Oaks’ population increased from 117,005 to 126,683. The California Department of Finance estimated the City’s population to be 132,365 as of January 1, 2016. Thus, from 2000 to 2016, the City grew by an estimated 15,360 people, or 13.1% (0.8% annually, on average). The following table reflects the City’s projected population through 2040 based on the estimated annual rate of growth: Year 2016 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 Population 132,365 136,652 142,206 147,986 154,001 160,260 Estimate The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 RTP/SCS) growth forecast projects the City to reach an estimated population of 131,700 in 2040; however, this estimate reflects a population that is less than the current City population and is therefore unrealistic. According to City staff and the Housing Element of the City’s General Plan (2014-2021 update cycle), there is land inventory available for 1,638 additional units. Using a factor of approximately 2.7 persons per dwelling unit identified for the City in the 2010 Census, these development projects would accommodate a population increase of approximately 4,423. Anticipated Development Projects Within and Adjacent to the City Sphere of Influence The City’s General Plan Planning Area aligns for the most part with the City boundary and sphere of influence. However, the Planning Area extends beyond both the City’s municipal boundaries and its sphere of influence in the area south of the City near Potrero Road (adjacent to the southwestern portion of the City) and the area southwest of the City adjacent to the southeastern portion of the City (adjacent to Lake Sherwood). The majority of this area is designated Existing Parks, Golf Courses, Open Space and Undevelopable Land. Most of the land is owned by the National Park Service, although there is a limited amount of low-density, privately-owned residential development. The Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan designates approximately 27 acres within this area for Reserve Residential (approximately 20 acres at the transition of Potrero Road to Lynn Road at the southwestern portion of the City, and approximately 7 acres at the intersection of Potrero Road and Lake Sherwood Road at the southeastern portion of the City). Land designated as Reserve Residential has the development potential of a maximum of two dwelling units per acre. Development of this area within the City would require LAFCo approval of a sphere of influence amendment and annexation to the City. The City’s Land Use Plan also identifies residential land uses in the unincorporated areas of Kelley Estates and Ventu Park, south of the City and within the City’s sphere of influence. This area is developed with medium-density and low-density residential uses. Hundreds of undeveloped parcels exist in this area, most of which cannot be developed due to their size or topography. While mergers of some of these parcels may increase development potential in this area to some degree, overall, future development in this area appears to be limited. The City’s current boundary and sphere of influence are shown below: City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 7 of 22 City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 8 of 22 Review of Municipal Services The review of City services is based on provisions of state law which require LAFCo to make determinations regarding the present and planned capacity of public facilities, the adequacy of public services, infrastructure needs and deficiencies, and the City’s financial ability to provide these services (Government Code § 56430(a)(3)). Fire Services The City does not provide fire and emergency response services. Instead, the Ventura County Fire Protection District (VCFPD) provides these services. Fire stations serving the City and surrounding unincorporated area are shown as follows: 1 Station 32 830 S. Reino Road 2 Station 35 2500 W. Hillcrest Drive 3 Station 34 555 Avenida de los Arboles 4 Station 30 325 W. Hillcrest Drive 5 Station 37 2010 Upper Ranch Road 6 Station 31 151 Duesenberg Drive 7 Station 33 33 Lake Sherwood Drive 8 Station 36 855 N. Deerhill Road According to City staff, the VCFPD relocated Fire Station No. 35 to Mitchell Road between Hillcrest Drive and Teller Drive, and according to the Safety Element of the City’s General Plan, the City anticipates the construction of one additional fire station to serve the Thousand Oaks area. VCFPD’s response time goals and response statistics are based on population density (i.e., suburban areas and rural areas) throughout its service area, which includes the unincorporated County area and the cities of Camarillo, Moorpark, Ojai, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks. The City contains both suburban and rural areas. Average Response Time Response Time Goal During Last Two Years Suburban 8.5 minutes, 90% of the time 8.5 minutes, 92% of the time Rural 12 minutes, 90% of the time 12 minutes, 90% of the time The VCFPD is responsible for all fire response dispatch within the County. According to a mutual aid agreement between the cities and the VCFPD, the closest available personnel responds to emergency calls for service, regardless of whether the service need is located within the responding agency’s jurisdiction. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 9 of 22 Library Services The City owns and operates two libraries, which provide borrowing services, reading programs, public computers with internet access, and meeting space. The City’s library system is funded primarily by property taxes ($6,310,800 for FY 2017-18), and also receives other funding including $1,085,352 for FY 2017-18 from the General Fund. Total funding is $8,187,353 for FY 2017-18. Library revenues are restricted for library operations and capital outlay. During FY 2016-17, the City obtained $150,000 from the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library for programs in support of children, teens, and adults and to provide funding for collections and materials purchases. Since 2006, the City has decreased its library staff from 68 positions to 41 positions. During FY 2015-16, two building maintenance positions were shifted to the Finance Department’s Facilities Division, thereby decreasing direct expenditures relating to library staffing. According to the City’s adopted FY 2017-19 budget, transfers to the Library Fund from the General Fund are expected to total $1,085,352 for FY 2017-18 and $1,657,023 for FY 2018-19. The current per capita cost for library services is approximately $62. During FY 2015-16, the California State Library (a California public research institution) estimated that the City had a per capita cost of $52.00 for library operations. Statewide, the average cost for library operations was $51.21 and the median cost was $32.25. Police Services The City does not provide police services directly. Instead, the City contracts with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office for all police services, including administration, patrol, and investigation services. The City has a separate agreement with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, wherein the City’s police force allocated by the Sheriff’s Office is responsible for first response to unincorporated areas of Newbury Park to the southwest of the City. Present Staffing Levels The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office states that for FY 2017-18, it has allocated 108 police positions to the City, including 93 sworn officers (Commander (1), Captain (1), Special Enforcement Unit Sergeant (1), Directed Enforcement Unit Sergeant (1), Investigations Sergeants (2), Intelligence Led Policing Sergeant (1), Traffic Sergeant (2), Investigations Senior Deputies (14), Patrol Senior Deputies (4), Intelligence Led Policing Deputy (1), Special Enforcement Unit Senior Deputy (3)13, Directed Enforcement Unit Senior Deputy (2), Traffic Senior Deputies (2)14, Patrol Deputies (37), School Resource Officers (3), 13 One of the three positions is currently underfilled. 14 One of the two positions is currently underfilled. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 10 of 22 Special Enforcement Unit Deputies (3), Directed Enforcement Unit Deputies (3), Motorcycle Deputies (7), Traffic Deputies (2), and Investigations Deputies (3)); and 15 non-sworn positions (Administrative Assistant II (1), Administrative Assistant I (1), Sheriff’s Service Technicians (4), Administrative Aide (1), Cadets (4)15, Sheriff’s Record Technicians (2), and Crime Analyst II (2)). Ratio of Sworn Officers to Population Based on current staffing levels and the 2016 population estimate of 132,365, the City provides one sworn officer for every 1,423 residents. Response Times According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the average response time goals and average response times are as follows16: Average Goal Met During Last Response Time Goal Response Time Two Years Non-Emergency 20 minutes 21.2 minutes 68% Emergency 10 minutes 7.96 minutes 76% Operational Costs The budgeted operational cost for the City to provide police service for FY 2017-18 is $30,683,004, a per capita cost of approximately $232. Future Staffing Levels In order to maintain the current staffing-to-population ratio in the future, one additional sworn officer will be required for each additional 1,423 residents. For the maximum projected population of 160,260 in 2040, a total of 113 officers would be required. Recreation and Park Services The City does not provide recreation and park services. Instead, the Conejo Recreation and Park District provides park and recreation services throughout the City and surrounding areas. The Conejo Recreation and Park District operates and maintains several passive and active use parks within the City and provides a wide range of recreational programs and activities. The City provides services in partnership with the Conejo Recreation and Park District, including support of the Thousand Oaks Teen Center, Thousand Oaks Senior Center, and COSCA. 15 Four positions consist of eight part-time positions. 16 The Sheriff’s Office call types have changed. The “Emergency” call category has been replaced with the “Priority 1” call category, which includes a wider range of call situations (e.g., burglary alarm calls, and other in-progress events in addition to traffic accidents, person not breathing, shots fired, battery in progress). City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 11 of 22 Solid Waste Services Residential solid waste services are provided by means of franchise agreements with two service providers, each of which is responsible for a geographic area of the City. A separate franchise agreement provides for commercial solid waste services citywide by a single service provider. The City funds services that support solid waste handling, including waste disposal, hazardous waste disposal, recycling, and composting. According to City staff, these operations are funded through the Solid Waste Fund and are projected to receive revenues in the amount of $1,521,850 to offset budget expenses of $1,534,699 for FY 2017-18, with the General Fund covering the remainder. Streets, Highways, and Drainage Services According to City staff, the City directly provides street construction and maintenance, some street sweeping, and some landscaping maintenance. The remaining street sweeping, landscape maintenance and street lighting services are provided by means of a contract. The City estimates that it has 952 paved lane miles and approximately 154 traffic signals. Street Maintenance According to the City’s FY 2017-19 budget, the City’s Roads program (which covers repairs and ongoing maintenance) was allocated $4,278,857 in FY 2017-18 and $4,498,139 in FY 2018-19 from the General Fund. Streets and roads projects are funded primarily through the Gas Tax. According to the City’s FY 2017-19 Capital Improvement Plan budget, the City has separately allocated $10,003,300 for FY 2017-18 and $8,323,000 for FY 2018-19 to streets and roads upgrade and improvement projects. These projects include pavement overlay and slurry seal projects, street improvements and widening, and bicycle lane and sidewalk improvements and repair. Street Sweeping The City provides street sweeping services by contract with a private provider through the City’s solid waste disposal contracts. Most City streets are scheduled to be swept twice per month from October through April and once per month from May through September. Commercial corridors are swept weekly. Street Lighting and Landscaping The City operates a voter-established Lighting Assessment District. The district is primarily funded by special assessments and property taxes that specifically support lighting services with General Fund support as needed. Street lighting services are provided by means of a contract. The FY 2017-18 budget allocates $1,882,813 to street lighting in FY 2017-18 ($1,978 per paved lane mile) and $1,952,202 in FY 2018-19 ($2,051 per paved lane mile). The City operates a voter-established Landscaping Assessment District, consisting of 43% of parcels within the City. The district is primarily funded by special assessments and property taxes that specifically support landscaping services. Landscaping costs outside of the district are funded through the General Fund. Street landscaping services are provided by City staff and by means of a contract. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 12 of 22 The FY 2017-18 budget allocates $6,148,690 to street landscaping in FY 2017-18 ($6,459 per paved lane mile) and $6,520,952 in FY 2018-19 ($6,850 per paved lane mile). Drainage The City provides stormwater and flood control services to comply with the Ventura Countywide Municipal Stormwater National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System17 (NPDES) permit. The City provides public outreach, illicit discharge response and abatement, public infrastructure maintenance, new development discharge controls, and construction site pollution controls. The FY 2017-18 operating budget allocated $331,266 to storm drain maintenance and $1,012,298 for overall stormwater/flood control. In addition, the Capital Improvement Plan budget for FY 2017-22 identifies $1,800,000 in stormwater projects to improve drainage and stormwater quality, including channel rehabilitation and improvements, pipe replacements, and other improvements. Transit Services The City of Thousand Oaks provides transit services, including fixed-route and Dial-A-Ride service, by contract with a private service provider. For FY 2017-18, the City receives a total of $10,396,950 in transit funding, consisting of the following: Sales Tax (Transportation Development Act/Local Transportation Funding (TDA/LTF)) ($4,500,000), Fares ($167,000), Dial-a-Ride ($230,000), Interest Income ($20,000), Federal and State Grants ($3,330,000), Non-City Bus Services ($1,400,000), East County Transit Alliance ($703,250), and Miscellaneous ($46,200). The City receives TDA/LTF generated through a ¼ cent sales tax, which may be used for a maximum 80% of the City’s transit services. The remaining amount (a maximum of 20%) of the cost of service is collected through farebox recovery. Because the City’s population exceeds 100,000, TDA/LTF funds must be used only for public transit purposes, and may not be used for streets and roads projects. City staff is developing a Transit Master Plan in order to evaluate current and future transit needs. Unspent TDA/LTF allocation is accrued as capital reserve. While not a separate transit service, the County of Ventura and the cities of Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks formed the East County Transit Alliance (ECTA) through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013 in order to enhance transit service and improve coordination amongst transit systems. Ventura County Service Area No. 4 (CSA 4) serves the Oak Park community in eastern Ventura County and, along with the Transportation Department of the Ventura County Public Works Agency, provides funding for the operation of the Kanan Shuttle between the City of Thousand Oaks (Ventura County) and the City of Agoura Hills (Los Angeles County). The Kanan Shuttle service route includes roads within the jurisdictional boundaries of the County, City of Agoura Hills, and City of Thousand Oaks (a portion of Lindero Canyon Road is within the City of Thousand Oaks, but no shuttle stops are provided within the City of Thousand Oaks). The shuttle service is provided by contract with the City of Thousand Oaks. 17 The City participates in the Ventura Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program (VCSQMP). As a VCSQMP partner, the City works together with other agencies to control stormwater pollution and to ensure compliance under the Ventura Countywide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit, issued by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board and adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board under the federal Clean Water Act. The Ventura County Watershed Protection District is the principal NPDES permittee and the City is a co-permittee. In general, the program is funded through grant funding and a benefit assessment imposed on properties. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 13 of 22 Wastewater Services The City provides wastewater conveyance, collection, and treatment services to most of the City and adjacent unincorporated areas. The City’s Wastewater Fund is allocated $24,664,518 for FY 2017-18 and $25,000,849 for FY 2018-19. Wastewater Demand, Treatment, and Conveyance According to the MSR Questionnaire, the City provides wastewater collection and treatment service to most of the City and to various unincorporated areas including those neighborhoods completely surrounded by City boundaries (Lynn Ranch, Casa Conejo, and Rolling Oaks) and unincorporated areas located south of the City (Ventu Park area and Kelley Estates). The Triunfo Sanitation District provides wastewater service to the eastern portion of the City. The City’s most current wastewater master plan is the City of Thousand Oaks Wastewater Interceptor Master Plan Final Report (July 2002). According to the report, the City’s wastewater collection system at that time consisted of 382 miles of sewer lines ranging in size from 6 inches to 48 inches in diameter. Interceptors are the large diameter lines that drain large areas and accommodate large volumes of wastewater, commonly known as trunk lines. As trunk lines comprise the most critical component of the collection system, the focus of the study is the City’s 34 miles of these interceptors. The study found that the collection system is generally in good condition: 90% of the interceptors were in good condition and approximately 90% of manholes were in good condition or had only minor defects. The report recommended approximately $20.7 million in short, medium and long term improvements to be completed over 10 years. According to City staff, the City has not yet made all of the improvements recommended as part of the Wastewater Interceptor Master Plan Final Report. The replacement of siphon pipelines on the Unit Y trunkline in Wildwood Park (included in the capital improvement budget) is the only remaining project to be completed, based on the Wastewater Interceptor Master Plan Final Report. The City’s collection system conveys wastewater to its wastewater treatment facility, known as the Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facility has a treatment capacity of 14 million gallons per day (mgd), and currently treats an average of about 9 mgd. According to the Wastewater Interceptor Master Plan Final Report and City staff, peak wet weather flows of a maximum of 33.7 mgd can currently be accommodated by the City’s wastewater treatment plant. The peak wet weather flow capacity is anticipated to increase as interceptor improvements are made. Through an ongoing sewer pipeline lining program, the City expects wet weather flow volumes to decrease. The wastewater treatment facility is expected to be able to accommodate anticipated wet weather peak flows currently and in the foreseeable future. Water Services According to the City’s 2015 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), the City provides potable water service to approximately 36% of the water users within the City. The City also provides water service to unincorporated areas south of the City in the Kelley Estates and Ventu Park area. Additional water providers within the City include: California-American Water Company (48% of City users), California Water Service Company (16% of City users), Camrosa Water District (less than 1% of City users), and Newbury Park Academy Mutual Water Company (less than 1% of City users). The City’s water system City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 14 of 22 includes approximately 317 miles of transmission and distribution lines, 11 pump stations, and 16 reservoirs. Pursuant to the 2015 UWMP, buildout of the City’s service area is expected by 2040. The City’s Water Fund is allocated $31,405,596 for FY 2017-18 and $30,018,500 for FY 2018-19. Current Potable Water Demand and Supply All of the City’s water is imported from the Calleguas Municipal Water District (CMWD), a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The UWMP estimates that in 2015, the population in the City’s water service area was 53,347 and the water demand within the City’s service area was 9,334 acre-feet per year. The UWMP notes that water use showed a slight increasing trend from 2010 through 2014, after which it decreased significantly in 2015. Increased water conservation efforts implemented by the City in response to drought conditions and statewide water use reduction targets is likely the cause of declined water usage. Future Potable Water Demand and Supply The UWMP estimates that by 2040, the population within the City‘s water service area will be 55,242. Projected baseline demands at that time are expected to be 11,500 AFY. When combined with all future development (generating approximately 538 AFY), water demand and supply within the service area by 2040 are expected to be 12,038 AFY. Due to state law requiring that per capita consumption be reduced by 2020, the City estimates that by 2020 per capita demand will decrease to 187 gallons per day. According to the 2015 UWMP, the CMWD has indicated that it will have the ability to provide water to meet demand over the long term; by 2040, the CMWD expects to provide 10,538 AFY (normal year supply), 11,742 AFY (single-dry year supply), and 9,334 AFY (multiple-dry year supply). Furthermore, the CMWD could provide supplies beyond the City’s demand projections, up to nearly 12,700 AFY by 2040 under normal year conditions and approximately 14,000 AFY by 2040 under dry year conditions. Furthermore, the 2015 UWMP indicates that the volume of imported water to be received by the City will be based on projected imported water demands. The City anticipates that CMWD can meet the projected demand. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 15 of 22 Written Determinations The Commission is required to prepare a written statement of its determinations with respect to each of the subject areas provided below (Government Code § 56430(a)). 1. Growth and population projections for the affected area. According to the U.S. Census, from 2000 to 2010, the City of Thousand Oaks’ population increased from 117,005 to 126,683. The California Department of Finance estimated the City’s population to be 132,365 as of January 1, 2016. Thus, from 2000 to 2016, the City grew by an estimated 15,360 people, or 13.1% (0.8% annually, on average). The following table reflects the City’s projected population through 2040 based on the estimated annual rate of growth: Year 2016 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 Population 132,365 136,652 142,206 147,986 154,001 160,260 Estimate The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 RTP/SCS) growth forecast projects the City to reach an estimated population of 131,700 in 2040; however, this estimate reflects a population that is less than the current City population and is therefore unrealistic. According to City staff and the Housing Element of the City’s General Plan (2014-2021 update cycle), there is land inventory available for 1,638 additional units. Using a factor of approximately 2.7 persons per dwelling unit identified for the City in the 2010 Census, these development projects would accommodate a population increase of approximately 4,423. 2. The location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence. A disadvantaged unincorporated community is defined as a community with an annual median household income that is less than 80% of the statewide annual median household income (Government Code § 56033.5). No disadvantaged unincorporated communities are located within or contiguous to the City of Thousand Oaks’ sphere of influence18. 3. Present and planned capacity of public facilities, adequacy of public services, and infrastructure needs or deficiencies Police services: • The City provides police services by means of a contract with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. • Based on the 2016 population estimate of 132,365, there is one sworn officer for every 1,423 residents (93 sworn officers). 18 According to Ventura LAFCo Commissioner’s Handbook Section 3.2.5, Ventura LAFCo has identified Nyeland Acres (within the City of Oxnard’s sphere of influence to the north of the city) and Saticoy (within the City of San Buenaventura’s sphere of influence to the east of the city) as disadvantaged unincorporated communities. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 16 of 22 • In order to maintain the current ratio of one officer for every 1,423 residents for the projected population of 160,260 in 2040, a total of 113 officers would be required. • Over the last two years, police response time goals for emergency calls were met 76% of the time and for non-emergency calls were met 68% of the time. Solid waste services: • The City has entered into franchise agreements with refuse collection companies for solid waste collection and disposal services. Customers are billed directly by the service provider for these services. • Through its solid waste fund, the City funds services related to solid waste, including waste disposal, hazardous waste disposal, recycling, and composting. Streets, highways, and drainage services: • The City directly provides street construction and maintenance, some street sweeping, and some landscaping maintenance. • The remaining street sweeping services and street lighting services are provided by means of a contract. Transit services: • The City provides transit services by means of a contract with a private provider. Wastewater services: • The City provides wastewater collection and treatment services to most of the City and to adjacent unincorporated areas. • The City’s Wastewater Interceptor Master Plan Final Report (2002) identified several deficiencies in the City’s wastewater collection system and specified improvements to the system to occur over a 10-year period. The City has completed all but one of the recommended improvements. • The City’s Hill Canyon Treatment Plant has adequate capacity to accommodate current and anticipated future wastewater flows. • The City’s wastewater service area includes portions of the unincorporated areas of Kelley Estates and Ventu Park. Historically, the City issued will-serve letters, promising sewer service for new residential development projects located outside the City’s service area without the benefit of a LAFCo-approved Out-of-Agency Service Agreement (OASAs), as required by state law. Since this issue was identified in the 2012 municipal service review for the City, the City has sought LAFCo approval of such OASAs prior to providing the service (but often after the agreement has been recorded between the City and the property owner). The City should ensure that it obtains LAFCo approval of an OASA prior to recordation of an agreement to provide sewer service to any property outside its service area. Water services: • The City provides potable water to approximately 36% of the water users within the City and some areas surrounding the City. The City’s water supply comes exclusively from the Calleguas Municipal Water District. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 17 of 22 • The City’s current and future water supply appears to be adequate to meet current and future anticipated demands. • The City water service area includes portions of the unincorporated areas of Kelley Estates and Ventu Park. Historically, the City issued will-serve letters, promising water service for new residential development projects located outside the City’s service area without the benefit of LAFCo-approved OASAs, as required by state law. Since this issue was identified in the 2012 municipal service review for the City, the City has sought LAFCo approval of such OASAs prior to providing the service (but often after the agreement has been recorded between the City and the property owner). The City should ensure that it obtains LAFCo approval of an OASA prior to recordation of an agreement to provide water service to any property outside its service area. 4. Financial ability of agencies to provide services • The City has a balanced budget. • It appears that the City has the ability to finance the services it currently provides. Staffing levels have remained relatively steady over the last several years. 5. Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities • The VCFPD provides fire dispatch service for the unincorporated County area as well as all cities within the County. 6. Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies • The City is locally accountable through an elected legislative body, adherence to applicable government code sections, open and accessible meetings, dissemination of information, and encouragement of public participation. • The City’s website is user-friendly and contains a significant amount of information on the current and previous City budgets, services and programs, City happenings and activities, public meetings, development activities, and a variety of City documents. Current and past City Council minutes and agendas are posted and agenda items are linked to staff reports. • City Council meetings and other City commission and board meetings are broadcast live on the City’s government cable channel and on the City’s website. Archived videos of historical meetings are available for viewing on the City’s website. • The City achieves operational efficiencies through its participation as a co-permittee in the Ventura Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program. Under this program, the City works with other agencies to control stormwater pollution and to ensure compliance under the Ventura Countywide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit. • The City’s website contains information regarding the Kanan Shuttle, including a map, schedule, and other information to assist riders in using the service. While this information is helpful to local transit users from a more regional perspective, the City intends to specify on the website that the Kanan Shuttle is not a City transit service. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 18 of 22 7. Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by Commission policy. Opportunities exist for better regional coordination of the many transit services within the County. The following discussion includes a summary of existing public transit services within Ventura County, current public transit inefficiencies and limitations on regionalization, progress toward public transit coordination, and opportunities for further public transit coordination. Some cities prefer to control and operate their own transit systems in order to provide service focused on users within their jurisdictions; however, the following discussion is based on the idea that a more coordinated, regional perspective on public transit will result in improved service for public transit users. Existing Public Transit Services in Ventura County: • The City of Ojai19 and the City of Simi Valley each provide transit service, with City employees operating and maintaining the vehicles. • The City of Camarillo provides transit service by means of a contract with a private operator (i.e., Roadrunner Shuttle). • The City of Thousand Oaks provides transit service by means of a contract with a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • The City of Moorpark provides transit service by means of a contract with the City of Thousand Oaks, which holds a contract for service with a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • Under a cooperative agreement amongst the County of Ventura, the City of Santa Paula, and the City of Fillmore, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC)20 administers public transit service in and surrounding the Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru areas of Ventura County (i.e., the Valley Express). The service is provided by means of a contract with a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • The County of Ventura contracts with the City of Thousand Oaks, which contracts the service to a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation), for the operation of the free Kanan Shuttle service between the unincorporated area of Oak Park and the City of Agoura Hills. The service is provided fare-free as the required 20% farebox recovery21 required by the Transportation Development Act (TDA) is provided by local contributions from Ventura County Service Area No. 4, the Oak Park Unified School District, and, most recently, the City of Agoura Hills. • Gold Coast Transit District (GCTD) provides local and regional fixed-route and paratransit service in the cities of Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura and the unincorporated areas of Ventura County. Service is provided on 20 fixed routes, with a fleet includes 56 buses and 24 paratransit vehicles. GCTD directly operates its fixed-route service and contracts its paratransit service to a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • The VCTC provides regional service, by means of a contract with a private provider, which consists of the following routes: (1) Highway 101/Conejo Connection (serving the section of 19 The City’s transit service is limited to the Ojai Trolley which operates within the City, and the unincorporated communities of Meiners Oaks and Mira Monte. The Ojai Trolley service operates within the GCTD service area, but is operated directly by the City. 20 VCTC is the regional transportation planning agency of Ventura County, and oversees a large part of the distribution of public funds for transportation and transit within the County. 21 TDA funding provided by the State to local jurisdictions may not exceed a certain percentage of the cost to provide public transit service (i.e., 80% for urban areas and 90% for rural areas). The remaining percentage of the cost (i.e., 20% for urban areas and 10% for rural areas) must be covered locally through some other means, known as “farebox recovery.” Note that funding sources other than rider fares may qualify as “farebox recovery.” City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 19 of 22 Highway 101 between Ventura and the San Fernando Valley), (2) Highway 126 (serving Fillmore, Santa Paula, Saticoy, and Ventura), (3) Coastal Express (serving Ventura County and Santa Barbara County), (4) East County (serving the Simi Valley, Moorpark, and Thousand Oaks area), (5) Oxnard/Camarillo/California State University at Channel Islands Connector (serving the Camarillo and Oxnard area), and (6) East/West Connector (serving Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura, as of November 2017). • The ECTA was formed in 2013 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) amongst the City of Camarillo, City of Moorpark, City of Simi Valley, City of Thousand Oaks, and the County of Ventura for the eastern portion of unincorporated Ventura County. ECTA was formed to better coordinate transit services among these agencies. In August 2015, ECTA initiated a service known as “CONNECT City-to-City” which offers Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Senior intercity dial-a-ride service under a single paratransit system.22 The City of Thousand Oaks administers the service, which is contracted to a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). Current Public Transit Inefficiencies and Limitations on Regional Coordination: • According to the Ventura County Regional Transit Study (VCTC, April 9, 2012)23, public transit within the County was found to be disjointed. Public transit service providers have varying schedules (i.e., days and hours of operation, frequency of buses (headways)), and fares (including different eligible ages for senior fares (e.g., a lower qualifying age for seniors in the City of Camarillo)), and maintain separate websites and bus books. No single agency or website provides a complete guide for public transit users who wish to plan interagency trips. The study concluded that “This makes connections difficult and service confusing, especially for the infrequent or new rider. While VCTC and the operators have attempted to improve connections through coordinated fare media and scheduling software, progress toward truly integrated service has been minimal.” • Limited access to non-TDA funding for transit restricts the ability of cities and other public transit operators to increase revenue service hours and still meet TDA farebox recovery requirements. Because of the minimal levels of service currently provided in some areas of the County, regional travel times are often lengthy and opportunities for passengers to connect between buses are few. Shorter headways and total trip times depend on increased transit funding under the current funding distribution structure or a different method of distribution for the County’s transit funding. Inability to access funding for transportation also limits implementation of improvements for fleet expansions, pedestrian infrastructure, and street lighting. • While some of the individual transit-serving agencies have made efforts to improve coordination among systems (e.g., through the formation of the GCTD (formed in 2013), and the ECTA (created in 2013)), public transit in the County overall is divided into separate, often unrelated, transit systems. The Ventura County Regional Transit Study acknowledged the challenges in establishing a coordinated system, including the fact that Ventura County consists of “widely spaced, diverse communities and centers where geographic areas do not share common economic, social, and transportation service values.” 22 The City of Camarillo does not participate in the CONNECT service because: (1) the City already provides regional ADA and Senior intercity service throughout the East County ((this enables the City to provide senior service to more riders within the City by allowing a lower qualifying age limit of 55 years (rather than 65 years)), and (2) Camarillo ADA and senior riders have the benefit of using just one dial-a-ride system for both local and regional service. 23 The study included consultation with VCTC commissioners, city managers, local public transit providers, and the public. City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 20 of 22 • While it is the intent of ECTA to move toward further consistency and regionalization of services in the eastern portion of Ventura County, the existing local transit programs of two ECTA member agencies are limited in their ability to fully participate in the regional ECTA programs: o The City of Simi Valley operates fixed route transit service using City personnel and City- owned equipment. o The City of Camarillo receives contributions from local funding partners (e.g., the Leisure Village retirement community for residents age 55 and older). For the purposes of City of Camarillo public transit, riders aged 55 and older qualify to ride as senior fares, whereas 65 is the qualifying age for seniors on other transit systems. • Senate Bill 325 (1971) established State transit funding (TDA funding) for the purpose of directly supporting public transportation through the imposition of a ¼-cent local sales tax beginning in 1972. An exception was included for rural counties (i.e., counties with populations of fewer than 500,000, based on the 1970 U.S. Census), in general, to also allow use of the funding for local streets and roads if the transportation planning agency finds that there are no unmet transit needs. Through Senate Bill 716 (2009), the law was modified, and specified that the exception now applied to: (1) rural counties (i.e., counties with populations of fewer than 500,000 (based on the 2010 U.S. Census), and (2) cities within urban counties (i.e., counties with populations of 500,000 or more, based on the 2010 U.S. Census) with populations of 100,000 or fewer. Ventura County has a population of more than 500,000 and therefore qualifies as an urban county; however, several of its cities are eligible to use TDA money for streets and roads projects, provided that they: (1) have a population of 100,000 or fewer, (2) are not within the GCTD service area, and (3) do not have an unmet transit need. Because Ventura County cities with populations of more than 100,000 are restricted to using all their TDA money for public transit purposes regardless of the extent of need for public transit, these cities cannot use TDA funding for streets and roads projects. Progress Toward Regional Coordination of Public Transit: • On October 3, 2013, Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 664, which formed the GCTD to include five members: four cities and the County. AB 664 also authorized the remaining cities in Ventura County to request to join the GCTD in the future. Prior to the formation of the GCTD, local TDA funding for operating costs and capital projects was provided to Gold Coast Transit (operating as a Joint Powers Authority (JPA)) by its member agencies, allocated by a formula based on the percentage of revenue miles of transit service provided within each participating jurisdiction. As a district, GCTD has the ability to implement service improvements and meet the public’s transit needs from a systemwide perspective, and distributes TDA funds to its members for transit-related purposes such as bus stop construction and transit-related maintenance needs. Following the formation of the District, the GCTD also adopted the following planning documents to further improve the delivery of service to GCTD members: GCTD Service Planning Guidelines (Adopted February 2014), Bus Stop Guidelines (Adopted June 2015), Short Range Transit Plan (Adopted November 2015), and Fleet Management Plan (October 2016). Additionally, in May 2017, GCTD began construction of a new Operations and Maintenance Facility in the City of Oxnard. Once built, the 15-acre facility will allow GCTD to maintain a fleet of up to 125 buses and will include an administration and operations building, an 8-bay maintenance and repair building, a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel station and bus wash. The facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018. • GCTD’s Short Range Transit Plan identified recommended service improvements such as implementing: (1) additional service to Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, (2) express City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 21 of 22 service between Oxnard and Ventura, and (3) increased service frequencies on its core routes. While funding for these improvements is not in place, service improvements could potentially be funded through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) (FTA Section 5310/5307 program). • ECTA is the result of greater awareness for the need to improve coordination amongst transit systems in the eastern portion of the County, and has initiated programs to simplify interjurisdictional trips for riders in the eastern portion of the County (e.g., CONNECT City-to- City). The cities of Moorpark, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks are each in various stages of completing strategic plans for transit, including improved regional coordination with regard to hours of operation, route schedules and connectivity, fares, senior age criteria, and consistency of policies. • Technological advances have provided opportunities for improved regional trip-planning resources for riders. GCTD, VCTC, and Thousand Oaks Transit have schedules available on Google Maps. By the end of FY 2017-18, information about other fixed-route transit services countywide is expected to be available on Google Transit (a web application that assists riders in accessing transit schedule information and planning public transit trips). GCTD launched Google Maps Online Trip Planner in 2014, and recently launched a mobile ticketing application. • Transfer agreements and fare media (GO Ventura 31-day pass) including the installation of the GFI Genfare system on all transit vehicles have helped improve coordination between systems. However, fare discrepancies and fare policies still need to be addressed. • VCTC’s Coordinated Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Plan (April 2017) identifies strategies to address gaps or deficiencies in the current public transit system in meeting the needs of senior, disabled, and low-income populations in Ventura County. One of the strategies identified in the plan is the implementation of a countywide “one-call/one-click” transit information center intended to simplify and improve trip-planning and access to information about public transit services. Funding has not yet been identified for this service, but the service could potentially be funded through the FTA. Opportunities for Further Regional Coordination of Public Transit: • It is clear that constraints to regionalizing public transit exist within Ventura County, and that local jurisdictions have identified opportunities (and implemented some improvements) with respect to local public transit. The City may wish to continue its dialogue with the County and the other cities to further improve connectivity within Ventura County and simplify customers’ public transit experiences, including (but not necessarily limited to) the following discussion topics: o Identify one agency as the regional transportation authority to oversee and implement the majority of public transit within the County; o Encourage cities that are not currently members of the GCTD to request to join the GCTD, or contract with GCTD for some or all of their planning or operational needs; or o Establish a new transit district that would complement the GCTD’s service area and provide service within areas not currently served by the GCTD in the East County (the formation of ECTA was a step toward potentially realizing this opportunity in the eastern portion of Ventura County). City of Thousand Oaks – Municipal Service Review February 21, 2018 Page 22 of 22 RESOLUTION OF THE VENTURA LOCAL AGENCY FORMATION COMMISSION DETERMINING THAT THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW FOR THE CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS IS EXEMPT FROM THE CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT, ACCEPTING THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW FOR THE CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS, AND MAKING STATEMENTS OF DETERMINATION WHEREAS, Government Code§ 56425 et seq. requires the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo or Commission) to develop and determine the sphere of influence of each local governmental agency within the County; and WHEREAS, Government Code§ 56430(e) requires each LAFCo to conduct a municipal service review before, or in conjunction with, but no later than the time it is considering an action to establish or update a sphere of influence; and WHEREAS, the Ventura LAFCo has approved a work plan to conduct municipal service reviews and sphere of influence reviews/updates, and the municipal service review for the City of Thousand Oaks (City) is part of that work plan; and WHEREAS, LAFCo has prepared a report titled "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review" that contains a review of the services provided by the City; and WHEREAS, the "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review" report contains recommended statements of determinations related to the City, as required by Government Code § 56430; and WHEREAS, the "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review" including the recommended statements of determination were duly considered at a public hearing on February 21, 2018; and WHEREAS, the Commission heard, discussed, and considered all oral and written testimony for and against the recommended exemption from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review" report and the written determinations, including, but not limited to, the LAFCo staff report dated February 21, 2018, and recommendations. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, DETERMINED AND ORDERED by the Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission as follows: (1) The municipal service review report titled "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review", including the related statements of determination, are determined to be exempt from CEQA pursuant to§ 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, and LAFCo staff is directed to file a Notice of Exemption as the lead agency pursuant to § 15062 of the CEQA Guidelines; and (2) The Commission accepts the "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review" report as presented to the Commission on February 21, 2018, including any modifications approved by a majority of the Commission as a part of this action. The Executive Officer is authorized to make minor edits to the report for accuracy and completeness; and (3) The LAFCo staff report dated February 21, 2018, and recommendation for acceptance of the "City of Thousand Oaks - Municipal Service Review" report are hereby adopted; and (4) Pursuant to Government Code§ 56430(a), the following statements of determination are hereby made for the City: a. Growth and population projections for the affected area. [§ 56430(a)(l)] According to the U.S. Census, from 2000 to 2010, the City of Thousand Oaks' population increased from 117,005 to 126,683. The California Department of Finance estimated the City's population to be 132,365 as of January 1, 2016. Thus, from 2000 to 2016, the City grew by an estimated 15,360 people, or 13.1% (0.8% annually, on average). The following table reflects the City's projected population through 2040 based on the estimated annual rate of growth: Year 2016 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 Population 132,365 136,652 142,206 147,986 154,001 160,260 Estimate The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 2016-2040 Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 RTP/SCS) growth forecast projects the City to reach an estimated population of 131,700 in 2040; however, this estimate reflects a population that is less than the current City population and is therefore unrealistic. Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 2 of 12 According to City staff and the Housing Element of the City's General Plan (2014-2021 update cycle), there is land inventory available for 1,638 additional units. Using a factor of approximately 2. 7 persons per dwelling unit identified for the City in the 2010 Census, these development projects would accommodate a population increase of approximately 4,423. b. The location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the sphere of influence. [§ 56430{a)(2)] A disadvantaged unincorporated community is defined as a community with an annual median household income that is less than 80% of the statewide annual median household income (Government Code§ 56033.5). No disadvantaged unincorporated communities are located within or contiguous to the City of Thousand Oaks' sphere of influence1 . c. Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs and deficiencies. [§ 56430(a)(3)] Police services: • The City provides police services by means of a contract with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. • Based on the 2016 population estimate of 132,365, there is one sworn officer for every 1,423 residents (93 sworn officers). • In order to maintain the current ratio of one officer for every 1,423 residents for the projected population of 160,260 in 2040, a total of 113 officers would be required. • Over the last two years, police response time goals for emergency calls were met 76% of the time and for non-emergency calls were met 68% of the time. Solid waste services: • The City has entered into franchise agreements with refuse collection companies for solid waste collection and disposal services. Customers are billed directly by the service provider for these services. • Through its solid waste fund, the City funds services related to solid waste, including waste disposal, hazardous waste disposal, recycling, and composting. 1 According to Ventura LAFCo Commissioner's Handbook Section 3.2.5, Ventura LAFCo has identified Nyeland Acres (within the City of Oxnard's sphere of influence to the north of the city) and Saticoy (within the City of San Buenaventura's sphere of influence to the east of the city) as disadvantaged unincorporated communities. Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 3 of 12 Streets, highways, and drainage services: • The City directly provides street construction and maintenance, some street sweeping, and some landscaping maintenance. • The remaining street sweeping services and street lighting services are provided by means of a contract. Transit services: • The City provides transit services by means of a contract with a private provider. Wastewater services: • The City provides wastewater collection and treatment services to most of the City and to adjacent unincorporated areas. • The City's Wastewater Interceptor Master Plan Final Report (2002) identified several deficiencies in the City's wastewater collection system and specified improvements to the system to occur over a 10-year period. The City has completed all but one of the recommended improvements. • The City's Hill Canyon Treatment Plant has adequate capacity to accommodate current and anticipated future wastewater flows. • The City's wastewater service area includes portions of the unincorporated areas of Kelley Estates and Ventu Park. Historically, the City issued will-serve letters, promising sewer service for new residential development projects located outside the City's service area without the benefit of a LAFCo-approved Out-of-Agency Service Agreement (OASAs), as required by state law. Since this issue was identified in the 2012 municipal service review for the City, the City has sought LAFCo approval of such OASAs prior to providing the service (but often after the agreement has been recorded between the City and the property owner). The City should ensure that it obtains LAFCo approval of an OASA prior to recordation of an agreement to provide sewer service to any property outside its service area. Water services: • The City provides potable water to approximately 36% of the water users within the City and some areas surrounding the City. The City's water supply comes exclusively from the Calleguas Municipal Water District. • The City's current and future water supply appears to be adequate to meet current and future anticipated demands. • The City water service area includes portions of the unincorporated areas of Kelley Estates and Ventu Park. Historically, the City issued will-serve letters, promising water service for new residential development projects located outside the City's service area without the benefit of a LAFCo-approved OASAs, as required by state law. Since this issue was identified in the 2012 municipal service review for the City, the City has sought LAFCo approval of such OASAs prior to providing the service (but Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 4 of 12 often after the agreement has been recorded between the City and the property owner). The City should ensure that it obtains LAFCo approval of an OASA prior to recordation of an agreement to provide water service to any property outside its service area. d. Financial ability of agencies to provide services. [§ 56430(a)(4)] • The City has a balanced budget. • It appears that the City has the ability to finance the services it currently provides. Staffing levels have remained relatively steady over the last several years. e. Status ot and opportunities for, shared facilities. [§ 56430(a)(S)] • The Ventura County Fire Protection District (VCFPD) provides fire dispatch service for the unincorporated County area as well as all cities within the County. f. Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. [§ 56430(a)(6)] • The City is locally accountable through an elected legislative body, adherence to applicable government code sections, open and accessible meetings, dissemination of information, and encouragement of public participation. • The City's website is user-friendly and contains a significant amount of information on the current and previous City budgets, services and programs, City happenings and activities, public meetings, development activities, and a variety of City documents. Current and past City Council minutes and agendas are posted and agenda items are linked to staff reports. • City Council meetings and other City commission and board meetings are broadcast live on the City's government cable channel and on the City's website. Archived videos of historical meetings are available for viewing on the City's website. • The City achieves operational efficiencies through its participation as a co-permittee in the Ventura Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program. Under this program, the City works with other agencies to control stormwater pollution and to ensure compliance under the Ventura Countywide National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit. • The City's website contains information regarding the Kanan Shuttle, including a map, schedule, and other information to assist riders in using the service. While this information is helpful to local transit users from a more regional perspective, the City intends to specify on the website that the Kanan Shuttle is not a City transit service. Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 5 of 12 g. Any other matter related to effective and efficient service delivery, as required by commission policy. [§ 56430(a)(7)] Opportunities exist for better regional coordination of the many transit services within the County. The following discussion includes a summary of existing public transit services within Ventura County, current public transit inefficiencies and limitations on regionalization, progress toward public transit coordination, and opportunities for further public transit coordination. Some cities prefer to control and operate their own transit systems in order to provide service focused on users within their jurisdictions; however, the following discussion is based on the idea that a more coordinated, regional perspective on public transit will result in improved service for public transit users. Existing Public Transit Services in Ventura County: • The City of Ojai2 and the City of Simi Valley each provide transit service, with City employees operating and maintaining the vehicles. • The City of Camarillo provides transit service by means of a contract with a private operator (i.e., Roadrunner Shuttle). • The City of Thousand Oaks provides transit service by means of a contract with a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • The City of Moorpark provides transit service by means of a contract with the City of Thousand Oaks, which holds a contract for service with a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • Under a cooperative agreement amongst the County of Ventura, the City of Santa Paula, and the City of Fillmore, the Ventura County Transportation Commission {VCTC)3 administers public transit service in and surrounding the Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru areas of Ventura County (i.e., the Valley Express). The service is provided by means of a contract with a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • The County of Ventura contracts with the City of Thousand Oaks, which contracts the service to a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation), for the operation of the free Kanan Shuttle service between the unincorporated area of Oak Park and the City of Agoura Hills. The service is provided fare-free as the required 20% farebox recovery4 required by the Transportation Development Act (TOA) is provided by 2 The City's transit service is limited to the Ojai Trolley which operates within the City, and the unincorporated communities of Meiners Oaks and Mira Monte. The Ojai Trolley service operates within the GCTD service area, but is operated directly by the City. 3 VCTC is the regional transportation planning agency of Ventura County, and oversees a large part of the distribution of public funds for transportation and transit within the County. 4 TOA funding provided by the State to local jurisdictions may not exceed a certain percentage of the cost to provide public transit service (i.e., 80% for urban areas and 90% for rural areas). The remaining percentage of the Resolution Municipal Service Review Report-City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 6 of 12 local contributions from Ventura County Service Area No. 4, the Oak Park Unified School District, and, most recently, the City of Agoura Hills. • Gold Coast Transit District (GCTD) provides local and regional fixed-route and paratransit service in the cities of Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ventura and the unincorporated areas of Ventura County. Service is provided on 20 fixed routes, with a fleet includes 56 buses and 24 paratransit vehicles. GCTD directly operates its fixed-route service and contracts its paratransit service to a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). • The VCTC provides regional service, by means of a contract with a private provider, which consists of the following routes: (1) Highway 101/Conejo Connection (serving the section of Highway 101 between Ventura and the San Fernando Valley), (2) Highway 126 (serving Fillmore, Santa Paula, Saticoy, and Ventura), (3) Coastal Express (serving Ventura County and Santa Barbara County), (4) East County (serving the Simi Valley, Moorpark, and Thousand Oaks area), (5) Oxnard/Camarillo/California State University at Channel Islands Connector (serving the Camarillo and Oxnard area), and (6) East/West Connector (serving Simi Valley, Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura, as of November 2017). • The ECTA was formed in 2013 through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) amongst the City of Camarillo, City of Moorpark, City of Simi Valley, City of Thousand Oaks, and the County of Ventura for the eastern portion of unincorporated Ventura County. ECTA was formed to better coordinate transit services among these agencies. In August 2015, ECTA initiated a service known as "CONNECT City-to-City" which offers Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Senior intercity dial-a-ride service under a single paratransit system.5 The City of Thousand Oaks administers the service, which is contracted to a private operator (i.e., MV Transportation). Current Public Transit Inefficiencies and Limitations on Regional Coordination: • According to the Ventura County Regional Transit Study (VCTC, April 9, 2012)6 , public transit within the County was found to be disjointed. Public transit service providers have varying schedules (i.e., days and hours of operation, frequency of buses (headways)), and fares (including different eligible ages for senior fares (e.g., a lower qualifying age for seniors in the City of Camarillo)), and maintain separate websites cost (i.e., 20% for urban areas and 10% for rural areas) must be covered locally through some other means, known as "farebox recovery." Note that funding sources other than rider fares may qualify as "farebox recovery." 5 The City of Camarillo does not participate in the CONNECT service because: (1) the City already provides regional ADA and Senior intercity service throughout the East County ((this enables the City to provide senior service to more riders within the City by allowing a lower qualifying age limit of 55 years (rather than 65 years)), and (2) Camarillo ADA and senior riders have the benefit of using just one dial-a-ride system for both local and regional service. 6 The study included consultation with VCTC commissioners, city managers, local public transit providers, and the public. Resolution Municipal Service Review Report- City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 7 of 12 and bus books. No single agency or website provides a complete guide for public transit users who wish to plan interagency trips. The study concluded that "This makes connections difficult and service confusing, especially for the infrequent or new rider. While VCTC and the operators have attempted to improve connections through coordinated fare media and scheduling software, progress toward truly integrated service has been minimal." • Limited access to non-TDA funding for transit restricts the ability of cities and other public transit operators to increase revenue service hours and still meet TDA farebox recovery requirements. Because of the minimal levels of service currently provided in some areas of the County, regional travel times are often lengthy and opportunities for passengers to connect between buses are few. Shorter headways and total trip times depend on increased transit funding under the current funding distribution structure or a different method of distribution for the County's transit funding. Inability to access funding for transportation also limits implementation of improvements for fleet expansions, pedestrian infrastructure, and street lighting. • While some of the individual transit-serving agencies have made efforts to improve coordination among systems (e.g., through the formation of the GCTD (formed in 2013), and the ECTA (created in 2013)}, public transit in the County overall is divided into separate, often unrelated, transit systems. The Ventura County Regional Transit Study acknowledged the challenges in establishing a coordinated system, including the fact that Ventura County consists of "widely spaced, diverse communities and centers where geographic areas do not share common economic, social, and transportation service values." • While it is the intent of ECTA to move toward further consistency and regionalization of services in the eastern portion of Ventura County, the existing local transit programs of two ECTA member agencies are limited in their ability to fully participate in the regional ECTA programs: o The City of Simi Valley operates fixed route transit service using City personnel and City-owned equipment. o The City of Camarillo receives contributions from local funding partners (e.g., the Leisure Village retirement community for residents age 55 and older). For the purposes of City of Camarillo public transit, riders aged 55 and older qualify to ride as senior fares, whereas 65 is the qualifying age for seniors on other transit systems. • Senate Bill 325 (1971) established State transit funding (TDA funding) for the purpose of directly supporting public transportation through the imposition of a X cent local sales tax beginning in 1972. An exception was included for rural counties (i.e., counties with populations of fewer than 500,000, based on the 1970 U.S. Census), in general, to also allow use of the funding for local streets and roads if the transportation planning agency finds that there are no unmet transit needs. Through Senate Bill 716 {2009), the law was modified, and specified that the Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 8 of 12 exception now applied to: (1) rural counties (i.e., counties with populations of fewer than 500,000 (based on the 2010 U.S. Census), and (2) cities within urban counties (i.e., counties with populations of 500,000 or more, based on the 2010 U.S. Census) with populations of 100,000 or fewer. Ventura County has a population of more than 500,000 and therefore qualifies as an urban county; however, several of its cities are eligible to use TOA money for streets and roads projects, provided that they: {1) have a population of 100,000 or fewer, (2) are not within the GCTD service area, and (3) do not have an unmet transit need. Because Ventura County cities with populations of more than 100,000 are restricted to using all their TOA money for public transit purposes regardless of the extent of need for public transit, these cities cannot use TDA funding for streets and roads projects. Progress Toward Regional Coordination of Public Transit: • On October 3, 2013, Governor Brown signed into law Assembly Bill 664, which formed the GCTD to include five members: four cities and the County. AB 664 also authorized the remaining cities in Ventura County to request to join the GCTD in the future. Prior to the formation of the GCTD, local TOA funding for operating costs and capital projects was provided to Gold Coast Transit (operating as a Joint Powers Authority (JPA)) by its member agencies, allocated by a formula based on the percentage of revenue miles of transit service provided within each participating jurisdiction. As a district, GCTO has the ability to implement service improvements and meet the public's transit needs from a systemwide perspective, and distributes TOA funds to its members for transit-related purposes such as bus stop construction and transit-related maintenance needs. Following the formation of the District, the GCTO also adopted the following planning documents to further improve the delivery of service to GCTD members: GCTD Service Planning Guidelines (Adopted February 2014), Bus Stop Guidelines (Adopted June 2015), Short Range Transit Plan (Adopted November 2015), and Fleet Management Plan (October 2016). Additionally, in May 2017, GCTO began construction of a new Operations and Maintenance Facility in the City of Oxnard. Once built, the 15-acre facility will allow GCTD to maintain a fleet of up to 125 buses and will include an administration and operations building, an 8-bay maintenance and repair building, a compressed natural gas {CNG) fuel station and bus wash. The facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2018. • GCTO's Short Range Transit Plan identified recommended service improvements such as implementing: (1) additional service to Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, (2) express service between Oxnard and Ventura, and {3) increased service frequencies on its core routes. While funding for these improvements is not in place, service improvements could potentially be funded through the Federal Transit Administration {FTA) (FTA Section 5310/5307 program). Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 9 of 12 • ECTA is the result of greater awareness for the need to improve coordination amongst transit systems in the eastern portion of the County, and has initiated programs to simplify interjurisdictional trips for riders in the eastern portion of the County (e.g., CONNECT City-to-City). The cities of Moorpark, Simi Valley, and Thousand Oaks are each in various stages of completing strategic plans for transit, including improved regional coordination with regard to hours of operation, route schedules and connectivity, fares, senior age criteria, and consistency of policies. • Technological advances have provided opportunities for improved regional trip planning resources for riders. GCTD, VCTC, and Thousand Oaks Transit have schedules available on Google Maps. By the end of FY 2017-18, information about other fixed-route transit services countywide is expected to be available on Google Transit (a web application that assists riders in accessing transit schedule information and planning public transit trips). GCTD launched Google Maps Online Trip Planner in 2014, and recently launched a mobile ticketing application. • Transfer agreements and fare media (GO Ventura 31-day pass) including the installation of the GFI Genfare system on all transit vehicles have helped improve coordination between systems. However, fare discrepancies and fare policies still need to be addressed. • VCTC's Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan (April 2017) identifies strategies to address gaps or deficiencies in the current public transit system in meeting the needs of senior, disabled, and low-income populations in Ventura County. One of the strategies identified in the plan is the implementation of a countywide "one-call/one-click" transit information center intended to simplify and improve trip-planning and access to information about public transit services. Funding has not yet been identified for this service, but the service could potentially be funded through the FTA. Opportunities for Further Regional Coordination of Public Transit: • It is clear that constraints to regionalizing public transit exist within Ventura County, and that local jurisdictions have identified opportunities (and implemented some improvements) with respect to local public transit. The City may wish to continue its dialogue with the County and the other cities to further improve connectivity within Ventura County and simplify customers' public transit experiences, including (but not necessarily limited to) the following discussion topics: o Identify one agency as the regional transportation authority to oversee and implement the majority of public transit within the County; o Encourage cities that are not currently members of the GCTD to request to join the GCTD, or contract with GCTD for some or all of their planning or operational needs; or Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 10 of 12 o Establish a new transit district that would complement the GCTD's service area and provide service within areas not currently served by the GCTD in the East County (the formation of ECTA was a step toward potentially realizing this opportunity in the eastern portion of Ventura County). Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 11 of 12 This resolution was adopted on February 21, 2018. AYE NO ABSTAIN ABSENT D D D Commissioner Freeman ~ D D D Commissioner Parks 0 D D D Commissioner Parvin Gr" D D D Commissioner Ramirez Commissioner Rooney D D D ~ Commissioner Ross [? D D D D D D Commissioner Zaragoza ~ D D D D Alt. Commissioner Bennett D D D D Alt. Commissioner Bill-de la Pena D D D D Alt. Commissioner Richards @ D D D Alt. Commissioner Waters )<)(~)QI~ Date Linda Parks, Chair, Ventura Local Agency Formation Commission c: City of Thousand Oaks Resolution Municipal Service Review Report - City of Thousand Oaks February 21, 2018 Page 12 of 12