Notice of Public Protest Hearing

Protest Hearing Date: Wednesday,  February 1, 2017
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  by the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission that the Commission will hold a public hearing the following item:

Protest Hearing: File No. 16-02: Palm Drive Health Care District Detachment No. 2016-01 (Harris/Benelli) 

The proposal to detach territory from the Palm Drive Health Care District was initiated by petition of registered voters residing within the subject territory, which consists of all parcels located within the boundaries of the Guerneville School District and the Forestville and Monte Rio Union School Districts. The reasons for the proposal, as stated by the applicants, are the lack of benefits provided to the Russian River communities in proportion to the levied taxation and the use of other, more convenient medical facilities due to the changed healthcare landscape in Sonoma County.

The Commission approved the proposed detachment on October 5, 2016, by Resolution No. 2664. A full and complete description of the proposal and the terms and conditions of the Commission’s approval are set forth in Resolution No. 2664. The Commission found the proposal to be exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act, pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the State California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines.

At the February 1, 2017 hearing, the Commission will consider any written protests made, presented, or filed with the Commission. Any owner of land or registered voter within the subject territory may file a written protest against the proposal with the Executive Officer of the Commission at any time prior to the conclusion of the public hearing described in this notice. Any owner of land or registered voter who has filed a written protest may withdraw that protest at any time prior to the conclusion of the hearing described in this notice.

Each written protest submitted by a registered voter shall indicate the voter’s place of residence, giving street and number or other designation sufficient to enable the place of residence to be readily ascertained.

Each written protest submitted by an owner of land affected shall state the owners’ name and the street address or other description sufficient to identify the location of the land. Owners of more than one parcel within the subject territory must submit a completed protest form for each parcel.

Protests may be made on behalf of an owner of land by an agent authorized in writing by the owner to act as agent with respect to that land. Protests may be made on behalf of a private corporation which is an owner of land by any officer or employee of the corporation without written authorization by the corporation to act as agent in making the protest.

Owners of land who reside within the subject territory and are registered to vote may complete both the “Protest by Landowner” and “Protest by Registered Voter” forms.

Each written protest form shall show the original signature of the owner or voter signing and the date that each signature was affixed to the form. All signatures without a date or bearing a date prior to December 14, 2016, shall be disregarded for purposes of determining the value of any written protests.

Protest forms are available at the office of the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission or as follows:

Protest by Landowner(PDF: 89kB)

Protest by Registered Voter(PDF: 88kB)

Copies of all related documents are on file and may be reviewed at the office of the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission, 575 Administration Drive, Room 104A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403; (707) 565-2577. Please direct comments, questions, and requests to the Commission.

All Interested persons are hereby invited to be present and heard on the matter described in this notice.

If you challenge the actions of the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission on the environmental determinations and the proposal 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: December 14, 2016