TO: Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District
FROM: Richard Thomasser - District Manager
REPORT BY: Sarah Geiss - Staff Services Analyst II
SUBJECT: Protest Hearing - Rutherford Reach Benefit Zone Assessment District
RECOMMENDATION
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PROTEST HEARING 9:00 AM - INTENTION TO LEVY AND COLLECT ASSESSMENTS FOR RUTHERFORD REACH BENEFIT ZONE DISTRICT 2008-01
Conduct a protest hearing for the Rutherford Reach Benefit Zone Assessment District 2008-01 for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 to Levy and Collect Assessments. (Fiscal Impact: $98,160 Revenue; Flood Dist. Rutherford Maintenance; Not Budgeted; Discretionary)
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BACKGROUND
On November 18, 2008, the Board adopted a Resolution to establish the formation of an Assessment District for the fixing of and the collection of certain maintenance charges to fund various aspects of maintenance activities within the Assessment District in conjunction with the Napa River Rutherford Reach Restoration Project (Restoration Project).
The Assessment District is comprised of 41 parcels located along both sides of the Rutherford Reach, an approximately 4.5- mile reach of the Napa River south of St. Helena, extending from Zinfandel Lane in the north to Oakville Cross Road in the south.
A maintenance program has been developed by the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, in consultation with the Rutherford Landowner Advisory Committee, to proactively address streambank erosion, to protect properties in the Assessment District, and to maintain features constructed as part of the Restoration Project that collectively will result in a more stable streambank for the benefit of the property owners.
Each year, an Engineer's Report is prepared to verify parcels subject to the assessment, ownership information, and amount of the assessment for each parcel. The proposed assessments are based upon an allocation of program costs over all properties subject to assessment in the Assessment District, which may vary slightly from year to year. The Engineer's Report recommends the levy of an assessment for Fiscal Year 2024-2025 in the amount of $98,160 up to a maximum amount, depending on land use characteristics, of $2.08 per lineal foot of property frontage on the Rutherford Reach.
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
Yes |
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Is it currently budgeted? |
No |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Discretionary |
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Discretionary Justification: |
The intention of the assessment process, which began in 2008, was to establish a mechanism to provide continued annual funding for maintenance benefiting the residents and landowners within the Assessment District. This action renews the annual assessment needed to fund the Assessment District detailed in the Engineer’s Report and approved at the April 16, 2024 Flood Board meeting. |
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Is the general fund affected? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
None |
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Consequences if not approved: |
This assessment is the main revenue source for maintenance needs in the Assessment District. If not approved, no funding will be available for routine maintenance activities in the FY 2024-2025. |
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: This action is statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Title 14, California Code of Regulations, section 15273 (Rates, Tolls, Fares, and Charges), in that the amounts to be levied and collected shall be used for purposes detailed in the District Engineer's Report, which fall within subsections (1), (2), and (4) of section 15273.