COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

June 24, 2002

BOARD MEETING DATE:

July 9, 2002

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Adoption of the 2002-2003 Water Pollution Control Service Charges Report for Flood Control Zone Two - City of Pacifica

Recommendation

Acting as the governing board of the San Mateo County Flood Control District, adopt a resolution setting the time and place for a public hearing on the approval of charges in Flood Control Zone Two for Fiscal Year 2002-2003 for the purpose of carrying out storm water pollution control services as mandated by the Federal Clean Water Act and the State Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Previous Board Action

1.

Formed Flood Control Zone Two in 1994 at the request of City of Pacifica for the purpose of financing pollution control requirements of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) within Pacifica's City limits. The boundaries of Zone Two are contiguous with those of the City of Pacifica.

2.

Adopted as the Zone Two project the San Mateo County Storm Water Management Plan, 1998-2003.

3.

Adopted Ordinance No. 03665 in 1995, at the request of Pacifica City Council, which established the charge rates for storm water pollution control services in Flood Control Zone Two.

Key Facts

1.

The San Mateo County Flood Control Act provides that service charges may be placed upon the tax roll.

2.

The City of Pacifica has requested that your Board continue the Zone Two charge rates to finance the City's Community Program for NPDES.

3.

Setting the public hearing is the first step in levying charge for the coming fiscal year

Discussion

The ordinance adopted by your Board, established the following charges based on parcel use:

Vacant

$7.00

Single Family/Townhouse/Church/Condominium

$14.00

All Other

$28.00

The fees will be imposed upon every parcel on the assessor's roll except for parcels owned by local, state and federal governments, and public school districts. Separately taxed improvements, such as mobile homes and underground utility improvements, will also be exempted.

The purpose of the public hearing is to allow your Board to hear and consider any and all objections or protests to the amount of the individual charges. Your Board may, after the close of the hearing, adopt the charges as presented or modify any charge in the report or overrule any or all objections.

County Counsel has advised that the sending of individual notices to each individual property owner is not required. Therefore we are recommending that we give notice of the public hearing by publishing a notice twice in a newspaper of general circulation.

Vision Alignment

We believe our recommendation is consistent with the Shared Commitment to "preserve and provide people with access to our environment" and Goal Number 14, "important natural resources are preserved and enhanced through environmental stewardship", as setting the hearing to consider the Zone 2 charges is the first step in providing funds that will enable Pacifica to implement a program that protects the water quality for the benefit of aquatic life in streams.

Fiscal Impact

The charges will finance the City's Community Program in the amount of $172,000. The City will reimburse the District for the costs associated with levying the charges including the $0.30 per parcel charge levied by the Controller. There is no impact to the General Fund.

A form of setting the time and date of the public hearing has been approved by County Counsel.