Notice of Public Hearing

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, December 4, 2019, 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. 2019-14: Amendment No.1 to the Sphere of Influence of the Sonoma County Fire District

The areas that are the subject of the sphere of influence amendment consist of:  

• All territory located within the boundary of the Forestville Fire Protection District
• All territory located within the boundary of the Russian River Fire Protection District
• All territory located within the boundary of the Monte Rio Fire Protection District
• All territory located within the boundary of the Cazadero Community Services District
• That portion of territory within County Service Area No. 40 (Fire Services) served by the Fort Ross, Bodega, Valley Ford and Bloomfield Volunteer Fire Companies Volunteer Fire Company
• Three unincorporated areas within County Service Area No. 40 (Fire Services), identified as Integrated Response Plan Areas 51, 56, and 61. These areas are generally north of the Forestville and Russian River Fire Protection Districts and include Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve and the Austin Creek State Recreation Area.
• All territory located within the boundary of the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District

All of the denoted areas are in West Sonoma County, generally referred to as the Russian River region.

The reason for the proposed sphere amendment is to allow the areas described to be eligible for annexation to the Sonoma County Fire District. Should the Commission approve the sphere amendment, the District has indicated that it would propose a reorganization that would include annexation of one or more of the described areas.

If a reorganization is proposed, and subsequently approved by the Commission, parcels within the annexed areas will become subject to special taxes, in the form of assessments, that have been established by the Sonoma County Fire District.

If LAFCO approves reorganization, landowners and registered voters residing within the subject areas would have the right to protest the reorganization. The level of protest received could: confirm LAFCO’s action; terminate the action; or result in a balloted election by registered voters only.

At the hearing, LAFCO will consider any relevant oral or written testimony and evidence presented or filed regarding the proposed sphere amendment to the Sonoma County Fire District.

The proposed action has been determined to be exempt from the State of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under provisions of Section 15061(b)(3) and Section 15320.

Copies of all documents relating to the actions 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 the office. In order to be included with hearing materials, written comments must be received by November 27, 2019. Written comments received after that date will be provided to the Commission at the public hearing.

ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE HEREBY INVITED TO BE PRESENT AND HEARD ON THE MATTERS DESCRIBED IN THIS NOTICE.

If you challenge the actions of the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission on the sphere of influence amendment 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: November 13, 2019