Notice of Public Hearing

Notice is Hereby Given that the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) will conduct a public hearing at or after 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, 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. 2019-15: Amendment No.1 to the Sphere of Influence of the Glen Ellen Fire Protection District

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

• One unincorporated area within County Service Area No. 40 (Fire Services), identified as Integrated Response Plan Area 31-75. This area is generally north of the Kenwood Fire Protection District and includes a portion of the Hood Mountain Regional Park.
• All territory located within the boundary of the Kenwood Fire Protection District
• All territory located within that portion of County Service Area No. 40 (Fire Services) served by the Mayacamas Volunteer Fire Company
• All territory located within the boundary of the Valley of the Moon Fire Protection District
• All territory located within the City of Sonoma (for fire and emergency medical services only)
• All territory located within the boundary of the Schell-Vista Fire Protection District

All of the denoted areas are in southeastern Sonoma County, generally referred to as the Sonoma Valley region.

The reason for the proposed sphere amendment is to allow the areas described to be eligible for annexation to the Glen Ellen Fire Protection District. If Sonoma LAFCO approves 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 Glen Ellen Fire Protection District.

If LAFCO approves reorganization, landowners and registered voters residing within the subject areas would have the right to protest. 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 Glen Ellen Fire Protection 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 October 22, 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: October 16, 2019