Code Section Group

Government Code - GOV

TITLE 3. GOVERNMENT OF COUNTIES [23000 - 33205]

  ( Title 3 added by Stats. 1947, Ch. 424. )

DIVISION 2. OFFICERS [24000 - 28085]

  ( Division 2 added by Stats. 1947, Ch. 424. )

PART 2. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS [25000 - 26490]

  ( Part 2 added by Stats. 1947, Ch. 424. )

CHAPTER 2.5. County Service Areas [25210 - 25217.4]

  ( Chapter 2.5 added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. )

ARTICLE 4. Services and Facilities [25213 - 25213.6]
  ( Article 4 added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. )

25213.
  

A county service area may provide any governmental service and facility within the county service area that the county is authorized to perform and that the county does not perform to the same extent on a countywide basis, including, but not limited to, services and facilities for any of the following:

(a) Law enforcement and police protection.

(b) Fire protection, fire suppression, vegetation management, search and rescue, hazardous material emergency response, and ambulances.

(c) Recreation, including, but not limited to, parks, parkways, and open space.

(d) Libraries.

(e) Television translator stations and low-power television services.

(f) Supplying water for any beneficial uses.

(g) The collection, treatment, or disposal of sewage, wastewater, recycled water, and stormwater.

(h) The surveillance, prevention, abatement, and control of pests, vectors, and vectorborne diseases.

(i) The acquisition, construction, improvement, and maintenance, including, but not limited to, street sweeping and snow removal, of public streets, roads, bridges, highways, rights-of-way, easements, and any incidental works.

(j) The acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of street lighting and landscaping on public property, rights-of-way, and easements.

(k) The collection, transfer, handling, and disposal of solid waste, including, but not limited to, source reduction, recycling, and composting.

(l) Funding for land use planning within the county service area by a planning agency established pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 65100) of Chapter 3 of Title 7, including, but not limited to, an area planning commission.

(m) Soil conservation.

(n) Animal control.

(o) Funding for the services of a municipal advisory council established pursuant to Section 31010.

(p) Transportation.

(q) Geologic hazard abatement on public or private property or structures where the board of supervisors determines that it is in the public interest to abate geologic hazards.

(r) Cemeteries.

(s) The conversion of existing overhead electrical and communications facilities, with the consent of the public agency or public utility that owns the facilities, to underground locations pursuant to Chapter 28 (commencing with Section 5896.1) of Part 3 of Division 7 of the Streets and Highways Code.

(t) Emergency medical services.

(u) Airports.

(v) Flood control and drainage.

(w) The acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, and operation of community facilities, including, but not limited to, cultural facilities, child care centers, community centers, libraries, museums, and theaters.

(x) Open-space and habitat conservation, including, but not limited to, the acquisition, preservation, maintenance, and operation of land to protect unique, sensitive, threatened, or endangered species, or historical or culturally significant properties. Any setback or buffer requirements to protect open-space or habitat lands shall be owned by a public agency and maintained by the county service area so as not to infringe on the customary husbandry practices of any neighboring commercially productive agricultural, timber, or livestock operations.

(y) The abatement of graffiti.

(z) The abatement of weeds and rubbish.

(aa) The acquisition, construction, improvement, maintenance, or operation of broadband Internet access service. For purposes of this section, “broadband Internet access service” has the same meaning as defined in Section 53167. A county service area that acquires, constructs, improves, maintains, or operates broadband Internet access service shall comply with the requirements of Article 12 (commencing with Section 53167) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 963, Sec. 1. (AB 1999) Effective January 1, 2019.)

25213.1.
  

In the County of Lassen, a county service area may be formed to purchase electrical energy generated within the boundaries of the county, and the board may enter into contracts for the sale of that energy at wholesale rates to any public agency or public utility engaged in the sale or use of electrical energy.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)

25213.2.
  

(a) In the County of Napa, a county service area may be formed for the sole purpose of acquiring, constructing, leasing, or maintaining, or any combination thereof, farmworker housing. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, only a county service area formed under this section in the County of Napa may exercise this specific authority.

(b) The Board of Supervisors of the County of Napa may, following the procedures of Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 53750) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5, levy an annual assessment not to exceed fifteen dollars ($15) per planted vineyard acre for the purposes of the county service area formed under this section. An annual assessment levied pursuant to this section may remain in effect for a period not exceeding five years. However, an annual assessment levied pursuant to this section may be reauthorized for additional five-year periods pursuant to Article 4.6.

(c) No assessment shall be imposed on any parcel that exceeds the reasonable cost of the proportional special benefit conferred on that parcel.

(d) The board may allocate the proceeds of the annual assessment, as it deems appropriate, for any or all of the following purposes:

(1) Acquiring farmworker housing.

(2) Building farmworker housing.

(3) Leasing farmworker housing.

(4) Providing maintenance or operations for farmworker housing owned or leased by the Napa Valley Housing Authority or another public agency whose principal purpose is to develop or facilitate the development of farmworker housing in the County of Napa.

(e) The board shall appoint an advisory committee that includes, but is not limited to, farmworkers and planted vineyard landowners or agents to advise and counsel the board on the allocation of the proceeds of the annual assessment.

(f) In ascertaining parcels to be included in this county service area, the board shall use data gathered by the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District.

(g) Vineyard property owners who present proof to the board that they are providing housing for their own workers shall be exempt from the assessment. The board and the advisory committee shall audit the programs receiving the proceeds of the allocation every two years and make recommendations for changes.

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 72, Sec. 1. (SB 240) Effective January 1, 2018.)

25213.3.
  

In the County of Orange, a county service area that is the successor to a dissolved harbor improvement district may exercise the powers of a harbor improvement district pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 5800) of Division 8 of the Harbors and Navigation Code.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)

25213.4.
  

(a) In the County of San Bernardino, a county service area in whose territory all or any portion of the redevelopment project area referenced in subdivision (e) of Section 33492.41 of the Health and Safety Code is located may locate, construct, and maintain facilities and infrastructure for sewer and water pipelines or other facilities for sewer transmission and water supply or distribution systems along and across any street or public highway and on any lands that are now or hereafter owned by the state, for the purpose of providing facilities or services related to development, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 56426, to, or in that portion of, the redevelopment project area that, as of January 1, 2000, meets all of the following requirements:

(1) Is unincorporated territory.

(2) Contains at least 100 acres.

(3) Is surrounded or substantially surrounded by incorporated territory.

(4) Contains at least 100 acres zoned for commercial or industrial uses or is designated on the applicable county general plan for commercial or industrial uses.

(b) The facilities or services related to development may be provided by the county service area to all or any portion of the area defined in paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a). Notwithstanding any other provision of this code, building ordinances, zoning ordinances, and any other local ordinances, rules, and regulations of a city or other political subdivision of the state shall not apply to the location, construction, or maintenance of facilities or services related to development pursuant to this section.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)

25213.5.
  

(a) If the board desires to exercise a latent power, the board shall first receive the approval of the local agency formation commission, pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 56824.10) of Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 3.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 56824.14, the local agency formation commission shall not, after a public hearing called and held for the purpose pursuant to subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 56824.14, approve a county service area’s proposal to exercise a latent power if the local agency formation commission determines that another local agency already provides substantially similar services or facilities to the territory where the county service area proposes to exercise that latent power.

(c) After receiving the approval of the local agency formation commission, the county service area may exercise that latent power. Within 30 days of the adoption of that resolution, the clerk of the board shall mail a copy of the resolution to the local area formation commission.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)

25213.6.
  

(a) If a board desires to divest a county service area of the authority to provide a service or facility, the board shall adopt a resolution of intention. The resolution of intention shall:

(1) State the number or name of the county service area.

(2) Generally describe the territory within the county service area.

(3) Specify the services and facilities that the board proposes to terminate.

(4) Identify the public agency, if any, that would be required to provide a new or higher level of services and facilities if the board divests the power to provide those services and facilities.

(5) Fix the date, time, and place for a hearing on the question of divesting the power to provide those services and facilities. The hearing date shall be not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days from the adoption of the resolution of intention.

(b) The clerk of the board of supervisors shall publish notice of the hearing pursuant to Section 6061. The clerk of the board shall also mail the notice of the hearing at least 15 days before the hearing to the local agency formation commission and to any public agency that would be required to provide a new or higher level of services and facilities.

(c) At the hearing, the board shall consider all written and oral testimony. At the conclusion of the hearing, the board shall take one of the following actions:

(1) Adopt a resolution to abandon the proceedings.

(2) If the proposed divestiture would not require another public agency other than the county to provide a new or higher level of services or facilities, the board may adopt a resolution that divests the county service area of the power to provide those services or facilities.

(3) If the proposed divestiture would require another public agency to provide a new or higher level of services or facilities, the board shall first seek the approval of the local agency formation commission. To the extent feasible, the local agency formation commission shall proceed pursuant to Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 56824.10) of Chapter 5 of Part 3 of Division 3. After receiving the approval of the local agency formation commission, the board may adopt a resolution that divests the county service area of the power to provide those services or facilities.

(d) If the board adopts a resolution that divests a county service area of the power to provide a service or facility, the clerk of the board of supervisors shall mail a copy of that resolution to the local agency formation commission within 30 days of the date of adoption of the resolution.

(Added by Stats. 2008, Ch. 158, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2009.)

GOVGovernment Code - GOV4.