Notice of Public Hearing

Notice of Public Hearing
Hearing Date: September 5, 2018
Time: At or after 2:00 p.m. 
Location: Sonoma County Administration Building, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California

Notice is hereby given

that the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission will conduct a public hearing at or after 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 5, 2018, in the Sonoma County Administration Building, 575 Administration Drive, Room 102A, Santa Rosa, California, at which time all interested persons may be heard on the following item:

File No. 2018-08: Consideration of Municipal Service Review and Adoption of Determinations and Amendments to the Spheres of Influence of the Windsor Fire Protection District, Rincon Valley Fire Protection District, Bennett Valley Fire Protection District, and County Service Area No. 40  (Fire Services) (Mountain Volunteer Fire Department)

The Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission (“LAFCO”) will review and consider adoption of the determinations of the Municipal Service Review and may act to amend the spheres of influence of the Windsor Fire Protection District, Rincon Valley Fire Protection District, Bennett Valley Fire Protection District, and County Service Area No. 40 (Fire Services), for the service area of the Mountain Volunteer Fire Department.

LAFCO has conducted a Municipal Service Review providing a general evaluation and analysis of the subject fire and emergency service agencies in preparation for action to amend the spheres of influence of the agencies. The report is available for review and comment at www.sonomalafco.org.

The Municipal Service Review recommends that the sphere of influence of the Windsor Fire Protection District   be amended to include the entirety of the territories currently within the spheres of influence of the other three agencies. The spheres of influence of those agencies would be amended in anticipation of a potential future application from the Windsor Fire Protection District to annex the territories within the boundaries of the other three agencies.

Should the spheres of influence be amended and, in subsequent actions, annexations to the Windsor Fire Protection District be approved, registered voters residing within the boundaries of the Rincon Valley and Bennett Valley Fire Protection Districts and the Mountain Fire Department service area of County Service Area No. 40 (Fire Services) would have the right to participate in Windsor Fire Protection District elections. Property owners would be subject to existing or future special taxes or assessments of the Windsor Fire Protection District, as approved by voters. 

Adoption of the Municipal Service Review determinations and amendment of the spheres of influence of the named agencies is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines.

At the hearings, the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission will hear any relevant oral or written testimony and evidence presented or filed regarding the Municipal Service Review and the proposed amendments to the spheres of influence of the agencies.

Copies of all documents relating to the application may be reviewed at the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission office, 111 Santa Rosa Avenue, Suite 240, Santa Rosa, California, 95404, (707) 565-2577. Please direct comments, questions, and requests to review to the office.

In order to be included with hearing materials, written comments must be received by August 28, 2018. Written comments received after that date will be provided to the Commission immediately prior to the meeting.

All Interested Persons are hereby invited to be present and heard  on the matters describe in this notice.

If you challenge the actions of the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission on the sphere of influence amendments and/or Municipal Service Review in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission at, or prior to, the hearing.

By: Mark Bramfitt, Executive Officer
Date: August 14, 2018