Special Notice / Hearing: Complied with the Required Notification/
Public Hearing Required
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors, Acting as the Governing Board of the Ten County Sewer/Sanitation Districts
From: Ann M. Stillman, Director of Public Works
Subject: Sewer Service Charges Report for Fiscal Year 2022-23 for the Ten County Sewer Maintenance and Sanitation Districts Governed by the Board of Supervisors
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Acting as the Governing Board of the ten County Sewer Maintenance and Sanitation Districts, conduct a public hearing:
A) Open public hearing
B) Close public hearing
C) Adopt a resolution:
1. Authorizing the imposition of sewer service charges for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23; and
2. Directing the filing of the FY 2022-23 Sewer Service Charges Report (the “Charges Report”) for the ten (10) County Sewer Maintenance and Sanitation Districts with the County Controller; and
3. Authorizing the Director of Public Works to refund any overcharges resulting from data, data entry, or computational errors; and
4. Authorizing the Director of Public Works to revise the Charges Report as a result of any parcel changes received from the County Assessor and/or County Controller and to file the revised Charges Report with the County Controller.
body
BACKGROUND:
The process for imposing and collecting sewer service charges involves two separate steps. The first step is setting the sewer service rates for each of the ten districts for which the Board of Supervisors serves as the governing body. The second step is to impose the charges, which are based on the rates, so that they can be collected on the property tax bill. The imposition of charges is based on an annual report that is prepared after the assessment roll has closed.
On July 21, 2020, this Board approved the sewer service rates for eight of the ten (10) County Sewer Maintenance and Sanitation Districts (Districts) for three fiscal years (FY 2020-21 through FY 2022-23) and set sewer service rates for one fiscal year (FY 2020-21) for the Burlingame Hills Sewer Maintenance District (BHSMD) and Crystal Springs County Sanitation District (CSCSD).
On July 20, 2021, this Board approved the sewer service rates for the BHSMD and CSCSD for three fiscal years (FY 2021-22 through FY 2023-24).
On June 28, 2022 this Board adopted Resolution No. 078985, which set 9:00 A.M. on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Board Chambers as the time and place for a public hearing to consider the FY 2022-23 Sewer Service Charges Report for the Districts.
DISCUSSION:
The Districts governed by this Board serve approximately 12,000 properties and finance the operation and maintenance of approximately 150 miles of sewer mains as well as the cost of treating the sewage collected by the Districts. Virtually all the revenue to provide these services in each District is generated by the sewer service charges that are levied on the property owner’s tax bill. The FY 2022-23 Sewer Service Charges Report contains the individual charge for each parcel of real property receiving sewer service from the ten (10) Districts.
The Director of Public Works believes that the individual sewer service charges are appropriate as they were calculated in accordance with the sewer service rates set by this Board for FY 2022-23. Therefore, the Director recommends that this Board adopt the Charges Report as presented.
The purpose of the public hearing on this Charges Report is to allow this Board to hear and consider any and all objections or protests to the amount of the individual charges. However, this hearing does not relate to the underlying rates, which have already been adopted. After the close of the hearing, this Board may adopt the charges as presented, modify any charges in the report, or overrule any or all objections.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Adoption of the FY 2022-23 Sewer Service Charges Report and its electronic filing with the Controller will result in the user charges contained therein being placed on the tax roll. The charges will appear on the FY 2022-23 tax bill of each affected property and be collected in the same manner as the property tax. The estimated sewer service charges for FY 2022-23 for the ten (10) Districts are listed in Attachment A. Additionally, a $1.42 per parcel charge will be levied by the Controller based on the Controller’s rates schedule approved by this Board for the costs associated with levying the charges on the tax bill.
There is no direct impact to the General Fund. However, sewer service charges are levied on property that is either leased or owned by the County where sewer service is provided.
Attachment A: Estimated Sewer Service Charges for FY 2022-23 for the Ten County Sewer Maintenance and Sanitation Districts