TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Jennifer Palmer, Director of Housing and Homeless Services
REPORT BY: Alex Carrasco, Staff Service Analyst
SUBJECT: Public Hearing and consideration of a resolution to impose assessments for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 for County Service Area No. 4 (CSA 4) - Farmworker Housing
RECOMMENDATION
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PUBLIC HEARING 9:30 AM - CSA 4 Assessment
Director of Housing and Homeless Services requests the following relating to County Service Area No. 4 (CSA 4) - Farmworker Housing:
1. Open Public Hearing to consider any objections or protests with respect to the proposed assessment for Fiscal Year 2023-2024; and
2. Close Public Hearing and adopt the Resolution authorizing and levying assessments for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 on qualifying property owners in the amount of $13.00 per planted acre.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On May 16, 2023, an Engineer’s Report was submitted to the Board in compliance with the requirements of the Government Code and Proposition 218. The Board adopted a resolution declaring the County’s intent to levy assessments for CSA 4 for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 and setting a public hearing for June 6, 2023, to consider any objections or comments regarding the proposed assessments. A recommended resolution levying the assessment of $13 per planted acre is attached.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Open Public Hearing for levying of Assessments
2. Staff report
3. Public comment
4. Close Public Hearing.
5. Motion, second, discussion and vote to adopt the resolution.
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? |
County Service Area No. 4 |
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Is it Mandatory or Discretionary? |
Mandatory |
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Discretionary Justification |
On May 16 2023, the Board approved a resolution accepting the Engineer's Report and setting the public hearing for June 06, 2023, to hear protests of the proposed Assessment. Today's public hearing and requested action complete this process. |
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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: |
If the Assessments are not levied, CSA 4 will not have Assessment income for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 and the farmworker housing program will not have funding necessary for its continuation. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Healthy, Safe, and Welcoming Place to Live, Work, and Visit |
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.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
In 2002, the Board of Supervisors created County Service No. 4 (CSA 4) to provide funding for farmworker housing programs. Funding is achieved by the program through the imposition and collection of assessments ("Assessments") on parcels of real property in CSA 4 that contain one or more planted vineyard acres that will receive special benefits from the services rendered by farmworkers who are housed through this program. In 2022, affected property owners authorized and extended the CSA 4 program and the imposition of Assessments for a five-year period through Fiscal Year 2026-2027. Five years is the maximum period of time the Assessments for CSA 4 can be imposed without obtaining qualifying property owners’ consent to a reauthorization of the Assessments for an additional five-year period.
On May 16, 2023, the Board adopted Resolution No. 2023-62 (NCHA), which accepted the Engineer's Report for CSA 4 dated May 4, 2023 ("Report"). The Report includes a description of each parcel of real property benefitting from CSA 4 services and the amount of the Assessment for such parcel computed in conformity with County Service Area law and Napa County Code sections 3.12.030 and 3.12.040. The Board's resolution set the public hearing on this matter for June 6, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. and directed the Clerk of the Board to cause requisite notice of the public hearing to be published, which the Clerk has done.
The current Assessment imposed on qualifying property owners is $12.00 per planted acre per year. The proposed Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget assumes a $13 assessment per planted vineyard acre, as anticipated in the Engineer’s Report issued when affected property owners voted on continuing the assessments in 2022. The maximum authorized assessment is $15 per planted acre.