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COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
Health System
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DATE:
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May 26, 2010
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BOARD MEETING DATE:
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July 13, 2010
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SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:
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None
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VOTE REQUIRED:
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Majority
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TO:
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Honorable Board of Supervisors
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FROM:
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Jean S. Fraser, Chief, Health System
Brian J. Zamora, Director, Community Health
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SUBJECT:
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New Environmental Health Program Fees: Amendment to sections of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code
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RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt an Ordinance repealing and replacing sections of San Mateo County Ordinance Code, Title 5, which include new Environmental Health Program fees for 2010 through 2011.
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BACKGROUND:
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Section 101325 of the California Health and Safety Code permits recovery of costs incurred in enforcing state laws and regulations. Environmental Health (EH) fees are established by Ordinance of the Board of Supervisors and are effective for both cities and unincorporated areas of the County.
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EH provides unique public health services, community and business education, and regulatory oversight through the technical expertise and consultation of professional staff. EH relies on revenue from permits, fees for service, and grants to offset the majority of program costs. In 2007, your Board approved a four-year fee package. The final fee increase will take effect January 1, 2011.
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DISCUSSION:
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The proposed fee Ordinance adds new fees for body art, heat exchange wells, above ground storage tanks, and includes clarifying language regarding fee exemption. Staff is reviewing existing fees and program delivery. We expect to bring a new fee Ordinance reflecting changes to existing fees in FY 2011-12.
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An evaluation of staff time indicated that inspection of multiple heat exchange bores is significantly less than for water wells. The proposed fees for heat exchange wells align fees to the inspection services provided.
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The Medical Waste Program oversees facilities which generate medical waste, including body art establishments, to ensure protection of public health and safety through proper handling, storage, transfer, treatment, and disposal of infectious waste. New categories in the Medical Waste Program include temporary events and replacement of registration card/stickers.
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In 1997 the State designated EH as the Certified Unified Program Authority (CUPA) for San Mateo County. This designation provides for streamlined implementation of hazardous materials regulations on a countywide basis. In 2008 the Aboveground Petroleum Storage Act Program was incorporated in the County’s unified program. The preliminary phases of this program, including identification of regulated facilities, staff training, etc., were funded through a state funded grant. The proposed fees were developed to support the ongoing inspection program costs and are based on actual time spent.
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EH conducted a survey of other counties of similar size and location. A comparison of the proposed San Mateo County fees with other Bay Area counties reveals that the proposed new fees are generally less than the Bay Area average. The table below provides examples of proposed fees compared to the average existing fees in Bay Area counties.
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Fee
Category
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San Mateo (proposed)
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Sonoma
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Santa Cruz
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Santa Clara
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San Francisco
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Contra Costa
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Bay Area Average
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Heat exchange wells
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1,225
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724
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849
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1,593
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1,055
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Body art – temp event
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75
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134
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391
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200
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929
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25
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335
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Aboveground tank 1,320-10K
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225
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785
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987
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886
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The proposed fees and the fee Ordinance were reviewed and approved by County Counsel. All public notification requirements have been met.
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The modifications requested to San Mateo County Ordinance Code, Title 5, contribute to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of a Healthy Community by securing funding to cover the cost of program delivery and by assuring that those who use EH services pay the cost of providing those services. It is anticipated that 94% of permitted facilities will receive an annual inspection in the next fiscal year. These annual inspections help prevent and control illness related to the transmission of infection or contamination in food and water, and help prevent disease transmission and injury.
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Performance Measure(s):
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Measure
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FY 2008-09
Estimate
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FY 2009-10
Projected
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Percentage of permitted facilities receiving an
annual inspection
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93%
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94%
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FISCAL IMPACT:
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The proposed fee Ordinance takes effect thirty (30) days after adoption. The revenue associated with the proposed fees is included in the Community Health tentatively Adopted FY 2010-11 Budget. There is no Net County Cost as a result of this action.
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