Notice of Public Protest Hearing 2022-01 Bodega Bay April 6 2022

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission that the Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, at or after 2:00 p.m.  This hearing may be conducted virtually should public health regulations warrant. 

The purpose of the hearing is for the Commission to receive written protests filed against the following item:

The proposal was initiated by resolution of the boards of directors of the Sonoma County Fire District and the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District. 

The affected territory includes all territory within the Bodega Bay Fire Protection District, including the communities of Bodega Bay, the Salmon Creek and Carmet areas, and the Wright Hill Road area in the western coastal area of the County. A map of the affected territory is available on the Sonoma LAFCO website at: Sonoma County Fire District 
Proposed Future EMS ESZ Service Zone

The reason for the reorganization is to achieve greater economy and efficiency in providing fire protection and emergency medical services for the residents of and visitors to the district. The plan for services for the reorganization indicated that service provision in the Bodega Bay community would be maintained, in part through financial support from the County of Sonoma.

Owners of property annexed to the Sonoma County Fire District would be subject to parcel taxes currently in place for the District, which are lower than parcel taxes that Bodega Bay FPD levied. For further information or questions about specific parcels or parcel tax rates, please contact the Sonoma County Fire District at (707) 838-1170. 

The Commission approved the reorganization on March 2, 2022, by Resolution No. 2748 which sets forth a full and complete description and the terms and conditions of the Commission’s approval. The Commission found the proposal exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), pursuant to Sections 15061(b)(3) and 15320 of the State CEQA Guidelines.

HOW TO FILE A PROTEST 

Any registered voter residing within, or owner of land within, the territory proposed to be annexed to the Sonoma County Fire District may file an official protest. All protests must be made in writing and must be received during the official protest period, which begins as of the date of this notice and ends on April 6, 2022, at the close of the protest hearing. 

Protests submitted by a registered voter must be signed, dated, and include the name of the voter and the voter’s residence address. Protests submitted by a landowner must be signed, dated, and include the name of each of the owners of the land submitting the protest, the street address of each parcel owned within the affected territory, and the Assessor’s Parcel Number or other description to identify the location of the parcel. 

If you are both a registered voter and landowner within the affected territory, you may file both types of protests. Protests are counted in the two categories for the purposes of evaluation. It is not necessary to state a reason for filing a protest. Anyone who has filed a protest may withdraw it at any time before the end of the April 6, 2022, hearing. If sufficient protests are filed within the protest period, confirmation of the reorganization may be placed before registered voters through an election, or the reorganization may be terminated. 

Protest forms can be accessed on the Sonoma LAFCO website, here or upon request. Use of a protest form is not required, but a protest must meet all of the requirements described in this notice. 

Written protests can be mailed to Sonoma LAFCO, 111 Santa Rosa Avenue, Suite 240, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. Protests cannot be accepted by fax or email. 

All protests must be received by Sonoma LAFCO by the conclusion of the protest hearing on April 6, 2022. Any protest that does not meet the conditions stated in this notice will be considered invalid.

Copies of all related documents are on file and may be reviewed at the office of the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission. For questions, call Sonoma LAFCO: (707) 565-2577. 

By: Mark Bramfitt, Executive Officer                                      Date:  March 4 2022