DATE: April 25, 2017
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District Schedule of Drainage Costs and Fees and Storm Drainage and Flood Control Master Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Adopt Resolution amending the Schedule of Drainage Costs and Fees for local drainage areas and Storm Drainage and Flood Control Master Plan pursuant to Section 17.64.050 of the Fresno County Ordinance Code.
REPORT
The amendment of the Schedule of Drainage Costs and Fees for the funding of planned drainage facilities of the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District (District) is required by the County’s Ordinance Code to be reviewed and approved by the Board annually. This update of the fee schedule is an Implementation Policy of the Fresno County General Plan.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Board could vote not to adopt the resolution and determine that the current Drainage Fee Schedule rates are sufficient and direct staff to continue to collect fees based upon those rates. It should be noted that failure to amend the Master Schedule of Fees to reflect the District’s recently adopted 2017 Drainage Fee Schedule may result in the District collecting insufficient money to implement the full build-out of the Storm Drainage Master Plan improvements.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to the County. The schedule of costs and per gross-acre fees is calculated to raise revenue necessary to pay the estimated cost of local drainage facilities in each local drainage area. This schedule, as required by the Fresno County Ordinance Code, is updated annually to reflect changes (increases, decreases, or no change) in drainage system costs.
DISCUSSION:
On December 14, 2016, the Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District conducted a public hearing, in accordance with Government Code Section 6062a, and subsequently approved and adopted the subject drainage costs. No objection to the drainage fee update was presented at the District’s hearing.
The District used an automated Geographic Information System (GIS) drainage fee program for this year’s cost study. The program performed a complete re-computation to evaluate this year’s fee schedule. The results of the study determined that drainage fee amendments were only necessary in the drainage areas indicated on attached Exhibit B and the remainder of the drainage areas would continue at the 2016 drainage fee rates.
By way of background, in 1961, the Cities of Fresno and Clovis and the County of Fresno adopted as an element of the Fresno-Clovis Metropolitan Area General Plan, a Storm Drainage Master Plan prepared by the District for the metropolitan area. In 1969, these agencies adopted virtually identical Drainage Fee Ordinances to provide for the funding of planned drainage facilities concurrently with development activity that occasioned the need for such facilities.
The local Drainage Plan shows the drainage area boundaries and both proposed and existing Master Plan facilities in each watershed area (see attached Exhibit A). The District has not adopted any changes to the existing Drainage Fee Zone Boundaries, nor have any new drainage basin locations been adopted outside the city Spheres of Influence of the Cities of Fresno and Clovis, other than those previously authorized by the Board.
The schedule of per-acre costs associated with each Master Plan drainage area is based on total costs of the urban drainage system including land, improvements and engineering required to serve the subject area. The costs of the proposed facilities are estimated. As facilities are constructed, estimated costs are replaced by actual costs. The total cost is distributed to total acreage of the drainage area using proportioning ratios among contributing land uses, with ratios based on storm runoff relationships.
Drainage Fees paid pursuant to the Drainage Fee Ordinance are deposited by the District into a separate trust fund account. The monies are not commingled with District General Funds, are not used to fund any administration, operation or maintenance costs, and must be expended within the drainage area in which they are paid.
The Drainage Fee Ordinance, enacted under the authority of Section 66483 of the Government Code, requires identification of the estimated or actual cost of the planned facilities through the adoption of a Resolution. Because fees are based on the cost of facilities, the Resolution serves also as the Schedule of Fees.
The Drainage Fee Ordinance allows annual adjustments in the schedule of costs and fees based upon changes in the National Engineering News Record (ENR) Construction Cost Index or based upon a complete re-study to determine locally experienced changes in system costs. The District opted to do a complete re-study this year. The District used the GIS automated fee program for this year’s cost study, as it calculates Drainage Fees immediately upon input of accounting data and GIS information. The program provides a thorough analysis of the cost of estimates, unit prices for drainage facilities (currently at 2007 rates), all recent construction activity, revised major development fees and other system modifications due to studies performed throughout the year. With this information, the automated program performed a complete re-computation to evaluate this year’s fee schedule. The drainage areas where amendments were proposed and the reason for the adjustments are shown on attached Exhibit B.
The County’s Ordinance Code allows for the updated fees to become effective upon passage of the Resolution by the Board of Supervisors.
The Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District has three distinct Zones for preparation of the Drainage Fee Schedule. Zone 1 is the drainage systems around the perimeter of the original core area of the cities. Zone 2 is the original core area of the City of Fresno, and Zone 3 is the original core area of the City of Clovis. The summaries of changes to each area or zone are attached as Exhibit B. No changes were made to Drainage Areas within Zone 3.
All adjustments are incorporated in the update of the Storm Drain Master Plan by the Board’s action on this Agenda Item. A more comprehensive report detailing these adjustments made by the District is on file with Department staff.
As previously indicated, should the Board of Supervisors decide not to amend the Master Schedule of Fees to reflect the 2017 Drainage Fee Schedule; the District may not collect sufficient money to implement the full build-out of the Storm Drainage Master Plan improvements and the County of Fresno will continue to collect Storm Drainage Fees based upon previously adopted rates.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The adjusted fee schedules were concurrently transmitted by the District to the Cities of Fresno and Clovis for adoption, respectively.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Exhibits A - B
On file with Clerk - Resolution
CAO ANALYST:
John Hays