Title
Adopt a resolution approving a property tax transfer for Tax Rate Areas 008-001 through 008-034 related to the City of Greenfield detachment from the Greenfield Fire Protection district for the purpose of forming a new City of Greenfield Fire Department.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a resolution approving a property tax transfer for Tax Rate Areas 008-001 through 008-034 related to the City of Greenfield detachment from the Greenfield Fire Protection district for the purpose of forming a new City of Greenfield Fire Department.
SUMMARY:
Pursuant to State law, boundary adjustments under the purview of the Local Agency Formation Commission are subject to approval of a property tax transfer between the affected agencies. The subject property tax transfer is required as a condition of approval of LAFCO action on the proposed citywide detachment of the City of Greenfield from the Greenfield Fire Protection District.
DISCUSSION:
The Greenfield Fire Protection District is an independent special district that was organized in 1940. The District provides emergency medical services (EMS) as well as fire response. The district’s boundaries include both the City of Greenfield and the surrounding rural unincorporated area (see attached map). The City does not currently have its own municipal fire department.
About 95% of the in-district population lives in the City of Greenfield, and, consequently; most (>90%) calls for fire and medical services also come from the District’s incorporated (city) area. City residents currently provide about 82% of the District’s parcel-based revenues.
In recent years, the district has experienced increasing difficulty in remaining fiscally viable. The District is currently operating in the red and has depleted its financial reserves. The fundamental problem is that the District’s revue base has been unable to keep pace with the costs of providing even minimal professional fire/EMS service levels to a 46-square-mile area with a growing population.
The City and the District have mutually determined that the best path forward is to detach from the District and form a new City of Greenfield Fire department. The City would assume ownership of the District’s existing fire station and equipment for the new municipal fire department’s operations. The District would continue to exist, but its new boundaries would only include the unincorporated rural lands outside the city limits. The new City fire department would then provide fire and EMS response to the “remainder” District via a long-term contract. This proposal was conditionally approved by LAFCO on January 23, 2017 subject to several conditions of approval, including a property tax transfer. The City’s target date for implementation of this proposal, including an operational City fire department, is July 1, 2017.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The City of Greenfield and the Greenfield Fire Protection District have mutually requested that LAFCO approve the detachment. LAFCO took action to conditionally approve this matter on January 23, 2017 subject to approval of a property tax transfer by the Board of Supervisors.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to the General Fund. In addition, the requested action to approve the interagency transfer of real property tax increment funds does not impact any separate and/or independent special taxes or assessments and specifically does not affect nor it is it binding on any future allocation of CSA 74 (EMS services) by the Board of Supervisors.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Approval of this action will facilitate City of Greenfield establishing a municipal fire department, thereby enhancing public safety.
__Economic Development
__Administration
__Health & Human Services
__Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Attachments:
- Map
- Resolution