City moves to claim ‘island’ properties

The Placerville City Council recently voted to proceed with annexation of 115 "island" properties. Island properties are those that lie adjacent to city limits and within the city's sphere of influence and yet are not part of the city.

The stated intention of annexation is to do away with boundary anomalies to promote more boundary efficient municipalities.

"It provides for a more logical, contiguous boundary between the urban and non-urban areas," said Placerville Community Services Director Steve Calfee.

The 140 acres proposed for city annexation lie in five sections of Placerville. At the western end of the city are several properties that lie between Mallard Lane  and Green Valley Road with other tiny pockets just off Placerville Drive. On the northern edge of Placerville are properties off Andler Way  and Cold Springs Road, off Stone Lane and off Panning Way. Proposed annexations to the south are off Forni Road and to the northeast are properties off Carson Road, Mosquito Road and Prescott Avenue. Finally, at the east end of the city is property between Texerna Court and Academy Drive, off Broadway.

In the two-step annexation process, the city submits a preliminary application for annexation to the Local Area Formation Commission, LAFCO, and initiates a property tax increment sharing agreement among the agencies and districts that receive tax funds from the affected properties. This step includes a $2,500 deposit to LAFCO.

The proposed application must find that the properties will benefit or are currently receiving benefits from the city and the annexation must be consistent with the city's General Plan.

"Most of the properties are single-family residential with a few vacant properties and some commercial property on the western end," said Calfee. "Water and sewer services would not change, but first response by fire or police would come from the city." City traffic impact management fees are less than county TIM fees but garbage service in the city is mandatory with rates being slightly less than the city's, according to Calfee.

The LAFCO process for annexation is predicted to take six to nine months. An additional $2,500 is due with the full application — the second step of the process. City staff estimates $4,000 for the required legal meets-and-bounds maps of each property and $3,000 for state Board of Equalization fees will be needed at that time. Approximately 100 hours of city staff time for the process is estimated. Money for the application process, outsourced meets-and-bounds and Board of Equalization fees will come from the city's Unforseen Contingency funds.

The city stands to receive an annual base tax increment increase from the affected properties of $7,100 and a positive impact on the city budget will not begin until year three after the annexation is successful.

"This is a streamlined annexation process," said Calfee. "Unlike an ordinary annexation, the proceedings may not be terminated by popular vote."

In 2000, LAFCO law was amended giving LAFCO the discretion to approve island annexations without protest or popular vote. The city staff report from Community Development notes that several of the neighborhoods have historically opposed annexation.

The City Council voted 4-0 in favor of moving forward with the annexation process, with Councilwoman Wendy Mattson being absent.

E-mail Wendy Schultz at wschultz@mtdemocrat.net or call 530-344-5068.

 

 

Wendy Schultz

Wendy Schultz has been a columnist for the Mountain Democrat since 2002 and a staff writer since 2005. She covers Placerville city events and City Council meetings, writes feature stories and reports on things of interest in El Dorado County.

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