TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer, Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Kat Chambers, Staff Services Analyst II
SUBJECT: County Service Area No. 3 - Adoption of Resolution accepting Preliminary Engineer’s Report, approving service plan, and setting a public hearing to levy assessments for Fiscal Year 2025-26
RECOMMENDATION
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Adopt a Resolution to accept Preliminary Engineer’s Report, approve the service plan, and schedule the public hearing for June 17, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. to levy assessments of $147,166 to fund services in County Service Area No. 3 for Fiscal Year 2025-26. (Fiscal Impact: $147,166 Revenue; County Service Area No. 3; Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
In 1997, County Service Area (CSA) No. 3 property owners held a Proposition 218 election that approved an assessment methodology that included enhanced fire service and street services (median landscaping, street sweeping, and street lighting). The methodology included ceilings on expenditures for street-related services, but did not include an inflation adjuster. Over time, rising prices eroded the buying power under the ceilings, leaving CSA No. 3 unable to make periodic repair, replacement, and upgrades of aging streetlights and neglected landscape medians and unable to attract vendors for some street services.
In 2023, CSA No. 3 property owners were asked to reauthorize the tax assessment and assessment methodology, which necessitated a Proposition 218 election held on July 18, 2023. The property owners voted 63% in favor of continuing and increasing the assessment for County-provided street services (including eliminating the expenditure ceilings). The Board of Supervisors determined enhanced structural fire protection services were no longer necessary in CSA No. 3, and did not submit that assessment to the property owners for a vote. CSA No. 3 property owners are now covered by the County’s basic fire service that does not require an assessment specific to CSA No. 3.
The preliminary Engineer’s Report prepared by David Taussig and Associates is included with this item. The report proposes a total assessment of $147,166 for fiscal year 2025-26. A breakdown of the total assessment by parcel is included in Appendix A to the Engineer’s Report. A copy of the Engineer’s Report will also be on file with the Clerk of the Board and available for public review. The service plan for CSA No. 3 is the same as last fiscal year’s plan and is attached to the Resolution as Exhibit A.
Requested Actions:
Adopt the Resolution to:
1. Accept the preliminary Engineer’s Report for CSA No. 3 for fiscal year 2025-26.
2. Approve the service plan for CSA No. 3 for fiscal year 2025-26 (Exhibit A to the Resolution).
3. Schedule the public hearing to levy assessments for Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
4. Direct the Clerk of the Board to publish notice of the public hearing pursuant to Chapter 3.10 of the Napa County Code; and
5. Designate Kat Chambers of the Public Works Department as the contact for the public to contact with questions regarding the assessments.
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? |
CSA No. 3 Special Assessments Revenue, Subdivision 2800005 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The assessments establish an annual funding source to provide street-related maintenance and service needs benefiting property owners within the County Service Area No. 3, including street sweeping, street lighting, landscaping, and administrative services. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
No fiscal impact beyond fiscal year 2025-26. |
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Consequences if not approved: |
The assessment revenue is the main source of revenue for CSA No. 3, Subdivision 2800005. If not approved, there will be no funding available for the various maintenance needs of this area for fiscal year 2025-26. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: The proposed action is not a project as defined by 14 California Code of Regulations 15378 (State CEQA Guidelines) and therefore CEQA is not applicable.