WELCOME to the FIRE DISTRICT WORKSHOP San Joaquin LAFCo July 16, 2009 AGENDA LAFCo Special Districts Fire DistrictsBackground and Preliminary Data Speakers Municipal Service Review Process Next Steps An Introduction to Local Agency Formation Commissions WHAT IS LAFCo? OVERVIEW History Mission and Policies Powers and Types of Decisions Legislative Compromise No State Commission Local Control A LAFCo in every county Evolution of Laws Until 1985 three acts governed annexations and other LAFCo reviews Knox-Nisbet Act (LAFCo law) Municipal Organization Act (cities) District Reorganization Act (districts) Cortese-Knox Act combined the three in 1985 Issues Issues Lack of organization of local governments Traffic congestion, air pollution and strained water resources Uneconomic use of regional resources Numerous uncoordinated local governments make government expensive Lack of public interest in local government and regional growth Reform of local governmental reorganization law Orderly growth and resource protection Local fiscal reform Local government efficiency Guiding future growth Public interest in government Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 LAFCo independence from County Funding formula changed Municipal Service Reviews Enhanced role for LAFCo First set to be completed by 1/1/2008 Sphere of Influence Plans Nut and Bolts There is a LAFCo in each of Californias 58 counties Standard composition is five or seven members Exceptions in Los Angeles, San Diego, Kern, Sacramento, and Santa Clara Counties LAFCos Reflect the County All LAFCos have members from the Board of Supervisors All have at-large representatives of the general public Nearly all have members from city councils 29 LAFCos have members appointed by the independent special districts in the county Representation The Legislature calls upon all commissioners to take off their county, city, or special district hats and sit as members of LAFCo District County City MISSION To encourage the orderly formation of local governmental agencies To discourage urban sprawl To preserve agricultural lands To assure efficient local government services To encourage the orderly formation of local governmental agencies To discourage urban sprawl To preserve agricultural lands To assure efficient local government services LAFCo Powers and Decisions Powers of LAFCo Municipal Service Reviews Sphere of Influence Determinations Annexations Island Annexations Incorporations and Formations Reorganizations Mergers, Consolidations, Dissolution Service Extensions LAFCo Initiated Changes Only changes that LAFCo may initiate: All other changes require voter, property owner, or affected agency to initiate Consolidations Mergers Subsidiary Districts Commission initiated proposal must be consistent with a recommendation or conclusion of a study Formation or Dissolution of Districts Created by State Legislation Incorporation and disincorporation of Cities Extensions of service beyond city and district boundaries Consolidation and reorganization of cities and districts To encourage the orderly formation of local governmental agencies To discourage urban sprawl To preserve agricultural lands To assure efficient local government services What is LAFCo? Municipal Service Reviews Annexations and Detachments from Cities and Districts Spheres of Influence Provision of new or different services by districts