COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

July 16, 2003

BOARD MEETING DATE:

August 5, 2003

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Adoption of the Water Pollution Control Service Charges Report for Flood Control Zone One - County Wide

RECOMMENDATION

Acting as the governing board of the San Mateo County Flood Control District, adopt a resolution approving the 2003-2004 Water Pollution Control Service Charges Report for Flood Control Zone One and directing the Clerk of the Board to file the report with the County Controller.

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION

Held a noticed public hearing on July 15, 2003, closed the hearing and continued this item until your August 5, 2003, regular meeting to allow cities additional time to consider and to adopt resolutions requesting that water pollution control service charges be levied on properties within their respective jurisdictions to finance the citys' share of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) general program for the 2003/04 fiscal year.

KEY FACTS

1.

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

2.

C/CAG has requested that we continue the Zone One charge rates.

DISCUSSION

The Storm Water Management Plan, 1998-2003, comprises the basis of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) municipal permit issued by the State of California Regional Water Quality Control Board. C/CAG is again requesting that your Board levy charges in Zone One to finance the General Program. These rates are based on property use and the average square-foot area of properties within the use classification. The proposed charges are based on a per parcel basis and are as follows:

All Cities Except Brisbane

Brisbane

Parcel Description

Rate

Single Family Residential

$6.00/Parcel

$3.44

Condominium Units, Vacant Land, Agriculture, Misc.

$3.00/Parcel

$1.72

Commercial, Retail, Manufacturing, Industrial

$6.00/Parcel plus $0.5442/1,000 s.f. for parcels over 11,000 s.f.

$3.44/Parcel Plus $0.3127/1,000 s.f. for parcels over 11,000 s.f.

The fees are 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, have also been exempted.

We anticipate that all cities except Woodside and Brisbane will have passed resolutions formally endorsing the proposed program, the charge rates and the charges to be imposed within their respective jurisdictions prior to your Board's August 5^th meeting. C/CAG will bill Woodside directly on the basis of the above rate structure. Brisbane has requested that the Flood Control District collect only the Basic Fees and not the Additional Fees. C/CAG will bill Brisbane directly for the additional fee component.

We will report to your Board and verify that supporting resolutions have been received.

Your Board may adopt the charges as presented or modify any charge in the report.

VISION ALIGNMENT

We believe our recommendation is consistent with the Shared Commitment to responsive, effective and collaborative government and Goal Number 22, County and local governments effectively communicate, collaborate and develop strategic approaches to issues affecting the entire County, as the C/CAG Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program enables the County and all cities to implement a coordinated Countywide program to comply with the pollution control requirements mandated by the Regional Water Quality Control Board.

FISCAL IMPACT

The proposed rates are estimated to generate $1,340,000 in revenue that will be used to finance the General Program and reimburse the County for the costs associated with levying the charges including the per parcel charge levied by the Controller, estimated at $0.30 per parcel based on the Controller's rate schedule as approved by your Board. There is no impact to the General Fund.