1. WELCOME to the FIRE DISTRICT WORKSHOP San Joaquin LAFCo July 16, 2009

2. AGENDA  LAFCo  Special Districts  Fire Districts—Background and Preliminary Data  Speakers  Municipal Service Review Process  Next Steps

3. An Introduction to Local Agency Formation Commissions

4. WHAT IS LAFCo?

5. OVERVIEW  History  Mission and Policies  Powers and Types of Decisions

9. Legislative Compromise  No State Commission  Local Control  A LAFCo in every county

10. 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

13. Issues Issues 1960 2000  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

14. 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

15. Nut and Bolts  There is a LAFCo in each of California’s 58 counties  Standard composition is five or seven members   Exceptions in Los Angeles, San Diego, Kern, Sacramento, and Santa Clara Counties

16. 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

17. Representation §56325.1 The Legislature calls upon all commissioners to take off their county, city, or special district hats and sit as members of LAFCo §56325.1 District County City

18. 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

19. LAFCo Powers and Decisions

20. Powers of LAFCo  Municipal Service Reviews  Sphere of Influence Determinations  Annexations – Island Annexations  Incorporations and Formations  Reorganizations  Mergers, Consolidations, Dissolution  Service Extensions

21. 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

22. 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