TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Director of Housing & Community Services
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Project Manager
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Accepting the Engineer’s Report and Setting a Public Hearing on the Imposition of Assessments for County Service Area No. 4
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt a Resolution regarding the assessments for County Service Area No. 4 to accept the Engineer’s Report; set a public hearing for June 2, 2026; direct the Clerk of the Board to comply with applicable notice requirements; and designate Alex Carrasco of the Department of Housing & Community Services as the person to answer questions. (Fiscal Impact: $644,554 Revenue, County Service Area No. 4 Fund, Budgeted, Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
The recommended action commences the process necessary for County Service Area No. 4 (“CSA No. 4”) to impose assessments on qualifying property owners for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. The assessments are imposed to provide funding for the three farmworker housing centers known as the Calistoga, Mondavi and River Ranch Centers (“Centers”). Adoption of the resolution accepts the required Engineer's Report and sets a date for the public hearing to hear any objections to the assessment. In 2022, an election was held at which the property owners who are subject to the assessments reauthorized the assessments for an additional five-years, and up to a maximum of $15.00 per planted acre per year. The proposed assessment for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 is $14.00 per planted acre, the same as last fiscal year.
CSA No. 4 assessments are levied on qualifying property owners who have one acre or more of planted vineyards. The proposed assessments fund the Centers operations and are budgeted in Fund 2810. Government Code section 25213.2 limits assessments to $15.00 per planted vineyard acre per year. Per the Engineer's Report, for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 there are 46,039 assessable planted vineyard acres. The per acre assessment within that range is determined by the Engineers Report, which reviews the Center operating budgets against available revenue sources (lodger and staff rents, State funding and other contributions) to determine annual assessment. The proposed assessment of $14.00 per acre will generate $644,544 in revenue, contributing approximately 31% of the $2,095,428 annual operating cost of the Centers.
Requested Actions:
Adopt a resolution regarding the assessments for CSA No.4 to:
1. Accept the Engineer’s Report;
2. Set a Public Hearing for June 2, 2026;
3. Direct the Clerk of the Board to comply with applicable notice requirements; and
4. Designate Alex Carrasco of the Department of Housing & Community Services as the person to answer questions.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
Yes |
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Where is it budgeted? |
Fund 2810 County Service Area No. 4 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The proposed assessments fund the farmworker housing activities of CSA No.4 |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
The proposed assessments fund 31% of farmworker center operations. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The proposed assessments cannot be imposed without a public hearing. If assessments are not imposed, revenue for farmworker housing would be lost - jeopardizing current and future operations and/or opportunities to support additional farmworker housing options. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (14 CCR 15378) because the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect change to the environment.