HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-09-25 - AGENDA REPORTS - LAW ENFORCEMENT IMPACT FEES (2)PUBLIC HEARING
DATE:
SUBJECT:
DEPARTMENT:
Agenda Item: _/_
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
City Manager Approval
Item to be presented by:
September 25, 2007
ADOPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES IMPACT
FEE
Administrative Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council conduct a public hearing, and adopt a resolution establishing a law enforcement
facilities impact fee to mitigate the impact of new development on police facilities.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita has coordinated a multi jurisdictional effort to develop an impact fee
program to fund law enforcement facilities for the Santa Clarita, Lancaster, Palmdale, and
County of Los Angeles unincorporated areas in Santa Clarita and Antelope Valleys. The County
of Los Angeles anticipates bringing forth this item to the Board of Supervisors for adoption by
the end of this calendar year. The City of Lancaster anticipates requesting City Council
consideration by November 2007, and the City of Palmdale estimates City Council will be asked
to adopt the fee in 2008. In an effort to accomplish the City's part in this multi -jurisdictional
project, City Council is being asked to adopt the law enforcement facilities impact fee for the
City of Santa Clarita.
The primary policy objective of the law enforcement facilities impact fee is to ensure new
development pays its fair share for the capital costs associated with expanding and/or building
law enforcement facilities to accommodate the growth in service population. A firm,
MuniFinancial, was hired to conduct a fee study which contains the necessary findings required
by the Mitigation Fee Act California Government Code Sections 66000 et seq., for the adoption
of the fees. The fee study provides sufficient data to demonstrate there are reasonable
relationships between 1) the developer fees' use and the type of development projects on which
the developer fee is imposed; 2) the need for law enforcement facilities and the types of
Continued To...Q .,q, a oco
development on which the developer fee is imposed; and 3) the amount of the fee and the cost of
all or a portion of the law enforcement facilities attributable to the development on which the
developer fee is imposed.
City staff has fully exercised its due diligence in working with the Building Industry Association
Greater Los Angeles/Ventura Chapter to provide a forum to ask detailed questions about the
proposed fee. This includes a meeting with staff and the BIA Greater LA/Ventura Vice President
of External Affairs on Thursday, April 12, 2007, a presentation of the proposed impact fee, by
the consultant, at the BIA Government Affairs Meeting on Tuesday, May 15, 2007, and a
detailed response to the BIA Greater LA/Ventura and BIA Antelope Valley letter regarding their
concerns and questions on the impact fee report.
The determination of a law enforcement facilities fee begins with the selection of a planning
horizon and development of projections for population and employment. Additionally, a facility
standard determines new developments' fair share of planned facilities and ensures new
development does not fund existing deficiencies.
The methodology used to calculate the impact fee for the Santa Clarita Station Zone is the
"system standard." This standard is based on the investment per capita in existing and planned
law enforcement facilities in the Santa Clarita Station Zone. While the Santa Clarita station
currently serves the unincorporated Gorman and Newhall zones, the fee study conducted to
determine the appropriate fee excludes the service population of these areas, as they will be
served by their own stations in the future.
The existing station in Santa Clarita was built in 1972 and is at capacity. The City is seeking to
take appropriate action to mitigate future impacts thorough the adoption of the proposed impact
fee, which will fund a portion of the much needed expansion of the station.
The total estimated cost to expand the Santa Clarita station is approximately $19,350,000. The
total projected impact fee revenue, based on the service population growth between years 2007
and 2025, is $9,559,800. This results in an approximate difference of $9,790,200 that must be
funded with non -impact fee revenue. The implementation of this law enforcement facilities
impact fee will not only require new development pay its fair share, but also requires the
identification and utilization of non -impact fee revenue to fund existing deficiencies.
The following are the maximum rates, by land use, in which Council is being asked to adopt:
• Residential - Single -Family Home $467 (per residential unit)
• Residential - Multi -Family $337 (per residential unit)
• Nonresidential - Commercial $69 per 1,000 square feet or $0.07 per square foot
• Nonresidential - Office $87 per 1,000 square feet or $0.09 per square foot
• Nonresidential - Industrial $35 per 1,000 square feet or $0.03 per square foot
The funds collected, and any interest earned thereafter, will be deposited in separate accounts and
not commingled with any other fund for other impact fees. As with all other City development
impact fees, the law enforcement facilities impact fee will be adjusted each fiscal year by the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all Urban consumers in Los Angeles -Riverside -Orange County
for December of the preceding fiscal year.
ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS
Other direction as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
It is anticipated the City will collect a total of $9,559,800 in impact fee revenue between 2007
and 2025.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution
Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee Study
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES IMPACT FEE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN:
A Public Hearing will be held before the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita on September 25,
2007, at or after 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers 23920 Valencia Blvd., 1st Floor, for
the consideration of a Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee. The primary policy objective of an
impact fee is to ensure new development pays its fair share for the capital costs associated with
expanding and/or building law enforcement facilities to accommodate the growth in service
population.
Proposed Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee
The Law Enforcement Facilities Fee Study sets forth the approximate total cost of the
improvements. The proposed fee will be imposed upon every person or entity to whom a building
permit for any building unit within the Santa Clarita Station Zone (as defined in the Resolution) is
issued. If the proposed impact fee is approved, beginning November 26, 2007, the City Council may
impose the impact fee at any rate or amount that is less than or equal to the maximum impact fee
rate. In subsequent fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 2008/2009, the fee will be increased each
year based on the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles -Orange -Riverside County Area of the
preceding fiscal year.
Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee Study
For a detailed description of the boundaries of the proposed impact fee and the improvements,
please refer to the Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee Study. This study is on file in the office
of the City Clerk, 23920 Valencia Boulevard, Santa Clarita, California. The report will also become
available on the City's website at www.santa-clarita.com after 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September
20, 2007.
Proponents, opponents, and any interested persons may appear and be heard on this matter at that
time. Further information may be obtained by contacting Ingrid Hardy, Management Analyst, at
(661) 286-4068. ,
If you wish to challenge this action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or
someone else rose at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence
delivered to the City Council, at, or prior to, the public hearing.
Dated: September 7, 2007
Sharon L. Dawson, CMC
City Clerk
Publish Date: September 15, 2007
SAFNWA\Special Projects\Sherift\09.25PH notice.doe
NOTICE OF CONTINUED PUBLIC HEARING
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
CITY COUNCIL
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita, at its regular meeting held
September 25, 2007, continued a public hearing on
ITEM 11 ADOPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES IMPACT FEE
The primary policy objective of an impact fee is to ensure new development pays its fair share for the capital
costs associated with expanding and/or building law enforcement facilities to accommodate the growth in
service population.
Proposed Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee
The Law Enforcement Facilities Fee Study sets forth the approximate total cost of the improvements. The
proposed fee will be imposed upon every person or entity to whom a building permit for any building unit
within the Santa Clarita Station Zone (as defined in the Resolution) is issued. If the proposed impact fee is
approved, beginning November 26, 2007, the City Council may impose the impact fee at any rate or amount
that is less',than or equal to the maximum impact fee rate. In subsequent fiscal years beginning with fiscal
year 2008/2009, the fee will be increased each year based on the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles -
Orange -Riverside County Area of the preceding fiscal year.
To October 9, 2007. The continued public hearing will be held at or after 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber
at 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, California.
Dated this 26th day of September, 2007.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
CITY OF SANTA CLARI TA
7MM
ON DAWSON, . .
SS. AFFIDAVIT OF POSTING
SHARON L. DAWSON, being first duly sworn, deposes and says that she is the duly
appointed and qualified City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita and that on September 26, 2007, she caused
the above notice to be posted at the door of the Council Chamber located at 23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa
Clarita, California.
KON L. DAWSON, CITY CLERK
Santa Clarita, California
PubHrg/contph.doc
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, ESTABLISHING A
LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES IMPACT FEE
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Clarita recognizes the need for expansion of the Santa
Clarita Sheriffs Station to accommodate the existing service population and new growth; and
WHEREAS, present and future development within the City shall cause adverse
financial impact upon the City to provide adequate police protection; and
WHEREAS, unless a law enforcement facilities impact fee is imposed upon parcels
at the time of development in order to mitigate the increased burden placed by such development
on police protective services, the public safety and general welfare will be adversely affected;
and
WHEREAS, by reason of new and expanded development of parcels within the City,
a new and cumulatively overwhelming burden on current law enforcement facilities will be
created, and therefore such developers should offset the additional responsibilities required and
imposed upon the City by the payment of fees to mitigate the adverse financial impact upon the
City so as to provide for construction of an expanded law enforcement facility and equipment to
properly handle such new and increased development; and
WHEREAS, construction within the City continues and it is deemed necessary and
desirable to impose such fee prior to issuance of a building permit or permits to developers in .
order to establish funding at the earliest possible time and to apprise developers of the fee
imposition upon respective parcels prior to issuance ofbuilding permits; and
WHEREAS, it is within the power of the City and in the public interest and for the
general welfare to exact and impose a law enforcement facilities impact fee upon parcels for the
privilege of constructing and developing within the City; and.
WHEREAS, all parcels within the City and its sphere of influence will be benefited
by the imposition of a fee to construct needed law enforcement facilities and equipment as
recommended; and
WHEREAS, the City has hired a consultant to conduct a fair share study (the
"Study"), which accompanies the staff report, to determine new developments' fair share of costs
for the expansion of the Santa Clarita Sheriffs station;
WHEREAS, the total estimated cost of law enforcement facilities is approximately
$19,350,000. The total projected impact fee revenue, based on the service population growth
between 2007-2025, is approximately $9,559,800. Thus requiring the City to identify and utilize
an approximate $9,790,200 in non -impact fee revenue to fund existing deficiencies, and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to the Mitigation Fee Act, Government Code Section 66000,
there are a reasonable relationships between 1) the developer fees' use and the type of
development projects on which the developer fee is imposed; 2) the need for law enforcement
facilities and the types of development on which the developer fee is imposed; and 3) the amount
of the fee and the cost of all or a portion of the law enforcement facilities attributable to the
development on which the developer fee is imposed; and
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita does hereby
resolve as follows:
SECTION 1. The entire incorporated City territory and its sphere of influence is
hereby designed as the hereafter called "Santa Clarita Station Zone."
SECTION 2. A fee, to be called the "Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee" is
hereby imposed as herein provided on the privilege of constructing building units in the Santa
Clarita Station Zone. Every person or entity to whom a building permit for any building unit
within the Santa Clarita Station Zone is issued, shall pay to the City (or the County in areas
within the City's sphere of influence) such fee as set forth in Section 4 of this Resolution. The
respective fee imposed hereby represents the attendant benefit and cost of providing adequate
police protection of such development upon parcels of property within the Santa Clarita Station
Zone.
SECTION 3. The land use type in which the fee shall be imposed upon are defined
as follows:
• Single Family: Detached single-family dwellings, duplexes, townhomes, and similar
residential use buildings
• Multi -family: Multiple unit apartment buildings, condominiums, and similar
multi -family residential buildings
• Commercial: Retail, education, hotels, churches, and other non-residential buildings
Office: Office buildings for professional or medical services
• Industrial: Manufacturing, warehousing, and similar industrial buildings
SECTION 4. A fee is hereby imposed upon all parcels for construction development
in the Santa Clarita Station Zone as follows:
• Residential - Single -Family
$467 (per residential unit)
• Residential - Multi -Family
$337 (per residential unit)
• Nonresidential - Commercial
$69 per 1,000 square feet or $0.07 per square foot
• Nonresidential - Office
$87 per 1,000 square feet or $0.09 per square foot
• Nonresidential - Industrial
$35 per 1,000 square feet or $0.03 per square foot
SECTION 5. The funds collected and any interest earned thereafter, will be deposited
in separate accounts and not commingled with any other fund for other impact fees. The impact
fee will be subject to annual escalation each fiscal year based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI)
for all Urban Consumers in the Los Angeles -Riverside -Orange County for the December of the
preceding fiscal year.
SECTION 6. When square footage is used in calculating the fee payable to the City,
the fee will based upon the building's gross floor area, as determined by the City Building
Official and excludes accessory structures such as decks, patios, barns, sheds, and kiosks.
SECTION 7. Such fee shall be imposed upon a previously improved parcel when a
building permit is issued to add one thousand (1,000) square feet, or more, to existing building
units upon such parcel or whenever construction is added to an existing building unit upon such
parcel, with a cumulative total added square footage in the amount of one thousand (1,000)
square feet, or more, when constructed under separate building permits which were issued by the
City on or after the effective date of this Resolution. Residential additions less than 2,000 square
feet shall not be required to pay the fee.
Such fee shall be imposed upon a parcel which has been previously improved with a
building unit whenever a building permit is issued for a new building unit on an adjoining parcel
under common ownership and which new unit constitutes in effect an addition or expansion of
use of previously improved parcel. Such fee shall be calculated upon the total square footage of
construction and paid by every person or entity to whom a building permit is issued therefor.
SECTION 8. The fee shall be paid to the Building Official or to an authorized agent
at or before the time the building permit is issued and only applies to projects for which a
building permit application is submitted on or after the effective date of this Resolution. No
building permit shall be issued for a parcel until such fee is paid in full.
SECTION 9. No fee imposed by this Resolution shall be imposed upon issuance of a
building permit for the restoration of existing building or buildings damaged by fire or natural
disasters such as earthquake, wind, or flood, where the replaced building, or portion thereof, does
not exceed the original gross floor area.
SECTION 10. The City Council hereby establishes a special account designated as
"Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee Account." All funds from the imposition of the fees
provided herein, and any other monies that the City Council may from time to time transfer
thereto, shall be deposited in such Account to be used exclusively for the purpose of land
acquisition, engineering, construction, installation, purchasing or any other direct cost of
providing capital law enforcement facilities and equipment, and for no other purpose.
SECTION 11. It shall be within the discretion of the City Council to retain or
disburse such funds for such purpose or to advance funds, and use later paid fees to reimburse the
City for such advanced funding.
SECTION 12. This Resolution shall take effect sixty (60) days from the date of its
adoption.
SECTION 13. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this day of**, 2007.
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
4
MAYOR
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA )
I, Sharon L. Dawson, CMC, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that
the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Clarita at a
regular meeting thereof, held on the day of `� '�' , 2007, by the following vote:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
CITY CLERK
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUN'T'Y OF LOS ANGELES ) ss.
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA )
CERTIFICATION OF
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION
I, Sharon L. Dawson, City Clerk of the City of Santa Clarita, do hereby certify that this is a true
and correct copy of the original Resolution No. 07 adopted by the City Council of the City
of Santa Clarita, California on 2007, which is now on file in my office.
Witness my hand and seal of the City of Santa Clarita, California, this _ day of
,20-.
Sharon L. Dawson, CMC
City Clerk
By
Susan Caputo
Deputy City Clerk
R
SANTA CLARITA - NORTH LOS ANGELES
COUNTY
LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES FEE STUDY
MARCH 23, 2007
Final Draft
NMuniRnancial
Oakland Office
1700 Broadway Anaheim, CA Phoenix, AZ
60h Floor Industry, CA Temecula, CA
Oakland, California 94612 Sacramento, CA Seattle, WA
Tel: (510) 832-0899 Lancaster, CA Florida
Fax. (510) 832-0898 - Oakland, CA
www.muni.com
This page has' intentionally been left blank.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................4
Background and Study Objectives 4
Facility Standards and Costs of Growth 4
Fee Schedules and Revenues 5
New Development's Capacity for Funding CIP Projects 5
1. INTRODUCTION.................................................................................7
Background and Study Objectives 7
Public facilities Financing In California 7
Organization of the report 8
Facility Standards Approach 8
Facility Cost Estimates 9
2. GROWTH PROJECTIONS..................................................................10
Use of Growth Projections for Impact Fees 10
Service Population 10
Land Use Types 10
Growth Projections for North Los Angeles County 11
Fee Zones 11
Occupant Densities 13
3. SANTA CLARITA ZONE.....................................................................15
Service Population
Facility Inventories, Plans & Standards
Fee Schedule
15
15
18
4. LANCASTER ZONE...........................................................................19
Service Population
Facility Inventories, Plans & Standards
Fee Schedule
19
19
22
5. PALMDALE ZONE.............................................................................23
Service Population
Facility Inventories, Plans & Standards
Fee Schedule
23
23
25
6. NEWHALL ZONE..............................................................................26
Service Population 26
Facility Inventories, Plans & Standards 26
Fee Schedule 28
M MuniFinancial ii
7. GORMAN ZONE...............................................................................29
Service Population
Facility Inventories, Plans & Standards
Fee Schedule
29
29
31
8. IMPLEMENTATION............................................................................32
Impact Fee Program Adoption Process 32
Identify Non -Fee Revenue Sources 32
Inflation Adjustment 32
Reporting Requirements 32
Programming Revenues and Projects with the CIP 33
9. MITIGATION FEE ACT FINDINGS........................................................34
Purpose of Fee 34
Use of Fee Revenues 34
Benefit Relationship 35
Burden Relationship 35
Proportionality 35
MunilFirmciai iii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report summarizes an analysis of the need for law enforcement facilities and capital
improvements to support existing and future development within both incorporated and
unincorporated areas of North Los Angeles County through 2025. It is the County's intent that the
costs representing future development's share of these facilities be imposed on that development in
the form of a development impact fee, also known as a public facilities fee. Any impact fees
developed outside of this study for public facilities other than law enforcement facilities are additive
to the fees presented here.
BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVES
The primary policy objective of a law enforcement facilities fee program is to ensure that new
development pays the capital costs of law enforcement facilities associated with growth. To fulfill
this objective public agencies should review and update their fee programs periodically to
incorporate the best available information. The primary purpose of this report is to create fees that
incorporate current facility plans to serve a 2025 service population.
The County imposes law enforcement facilities fees in unincorporated areas, and each city imposes
the fees within its jurisdictional boundaries under authority granted by the Mitigation Fee Act,
contained in California Government Code Sections 66000 et seq. This report provides the necessary
findings required by the Act for adoption of the fees presented in the fee schedules contained herein.
Using the same statutory guidelines, this report also presents separate fee schedules for each law
enforcement facilities fee zone within the North County area. Approval by the individual municipal
governments will therefore be a required step in the fee implementation.
FACILITY STANDARDS AND COSTS OF GROWTH
This fee analysis uses standards based on the County's policy to determine the cost of facilities
required to accommodate growth for law enforcement facilities. A standard for each jurisdiction
considered in this study is derived from an examination of the existing standard of facilities and
services as well as facility plans for 2025. Depending on the facility standard, the County currently
may or may not have sufficient facilities to serve existing development. If the existing facilities are
below standard, a deficiency exists. In this case, the portion of the cost of planned facilities
associated with correcting the deficiency must be allocated to funding sources other than the
development impact fee, to fund existing development's share of the facilities. Law enforcement
facilities fees can only fund planned facilities needed to accommodate new development at the
adopted standard.
Therefore, this study distinguishes between the share of planned facilities needed to accommodate
growth and the share that serves existing residents and businesses. New development shall only fund
its fair share of planned facilities. To ensure compliance with the law, this study ensures that there is
a reasonable relationship between new development, the amount of the fee, and facilities funded by
the fee.
MuniFnanciai 4
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
FEE SCHEDULES AND REVENUES
Table E.1 summarizes the schedule of maximum justified law enforcement facilities fees based on
the analysis contained in this report.
Table E.1: Law Enforcement Development Impact Fees - Summary
Land Use
Santa Clarita
Zone
Lancaster Palmdale
Zone Zone Newhall Zone Gorman Zone
Residential
(Fee per Dwelling Unit)
Single Family Unit
$ 467
$ 488 $ 468 $
877 $
1,305
Multi -family Unit
337
360 373
639
951
Nonresidential
(Fee per 1, 000 Building Square Feet)
Commercial
$ 69
$ 77 $ 66 $
129 $
192
Office
87
96 82
161
240
Industrial
35
39 33
64
96
Sources: Tables 3.7, 4.7, 5.5, 6.5 and 7.5; MuniFinancial.
NEW DEVELOPMENT'S CAPACITY FOR FUNDING C1
PROJECTS
Table E.2 details the extent to which new development can fund planned facilities costs. The City
of Santa Clarita is seeking impact fee funding to expand the existing station to serve new
development. Impact fees will partially fund completely new stations in the Newhall and Gorman
zones to serve the major new developments in those areas. The City of Palmdale anticipates using
the impact fee revenue to fund yet to be identified projects in its service area. The City of Lancaster
anticipates using the fee revenue to build two storefront substations, and other yet to be identified
facilities. The "Revenues to be Programmed (Deficit)" row identifies available impact fee funding to
fund additional future facilities, or the amount of non -fee revenue needed to fund existing
development's share of the facilities that are currently planned.
W.MuniFinancial 5
North Los An County Development Impact Fee Study
Table E.2: New Development's Capacity for Funding Planned Facilities
Santa Clarlta Lancaster Palmdale
Zone Zone Zone Newhall Zone Gorman Zone
Total Projected Fee Revenues $ 9,559,600 $ 16,633,600 $ 25,546,800 $ 15,300,800 $ 18,447,000
Less: Total Planned Facilities
Costs 19.350.000 6.630.000 29.855.000 21.787.500
Revenues to be Programmed
(Deficit) $ (9,790,200) $ 10,003,600 $ 25,546,800 $ (14,554,200) $ (3,340,500)
Note: Initial fee revenues from all Judstictione will fund a comprehensive law enforcement master plan study to Identify all facility needs.
Sources: Tables 3.6, 4.6, 6.4 and 7.4; MuniFinancial.
M MuniFnandal 6
1 . INTRODUCTION
This report presents an analysis of the need for law enforcement facilities to accommodate new
development in North Los Angeles County. This chapter explains the study approach and
summarizes results under the following sections:
• Background and study objectives;
• Public facilities financing in California;
• Organization of the report;
• Facility standards approach; and
• Facility cost estimates.
BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVES
The primary policy objective of a facilities fee program is to ensure that new development pays the
capital costs associated with growth. To fulfill this objective public agencies should review and
update their fee programs periodically to incorporate the best available information. The primary
purpose of this report is to document fees that incorporate current facility plans to serve a 2025
service population for North Los Angeles County.
The County imposes law enforcement facilities fees under authority granted by the Mitigation Fee Act,
contained in California Government Code Sections 66000 et .req. This report provides the necessary
findings required by the Act for adoption of the revised fees presented in the fee schedules
contained herein.
PUBLIC FACILITIES FINANCING IN CALIFORNIA
The changing fiscal landscape in California during the past 30 years has steadily undercut the
financial capacity of local governments to fund infrastructure. Three dominant trends stand out:
• The passage of a string of tax limitation measures, starting with Proposition 13 in 1978
and continuing through the passage of Proposition 218 in 1996;
• Declining popular support for bond measures to finance infrastructure for the next
generation of residents and businesses; and
• Steep reductions in federal and state assistance.
Faced with these trends, many cities and counties have had to adopt a policy of "growth pays its
own way." This policy shifts the burden of funding infrastructure expansion from existing rate and
taxpayers onto new development. This funding shift has been accomplished primarily through the
imposition of assessments, special taxes, and development impact fees also known as law
enforcement facilities fees. Assessments and special taxes require approval of property owners and
are appropriate when the funded facilities are directly related to the developing property.
Development fees, on the other hand, are an appropriate funding source for facilities that benefit all
development jurisdiction -wide. Development fees need only a majority vote of the legislative body
for adoption.
MuniFinancial 7
Nortb Lar Angeks County Development Impact Fee Study
ORGANIZATION OFTHE DEPORT
The determination of a law enforcement facilities fee begins with the selection of a planning horizon
and development of projections for population and employment. These projections are used
throughout the analysis of different facility zones, and are summarized in Chapter 2.
Chapters 3 through 7 are devoted to documenting the maximum justified law enforcement facilities
fee for each of the fee zones in which the fees will be charged. The fee revenue collected in each
zone will only be spent on facilities within that zone. The fee zones are as follows:
+ Santa Clarita station zone;
+ City of Lancaster station zone;
• City of Palmdale station zone;
• Newhall Ranch station zone;
• Gorman/Centennial station zone.
Chapter 8 describes the fee implementation process. The five statutory findings required for
adoption of the proposed law enforcement facilities fees in accordance with the Mitigation Fee Act
(codified in California Government Code Sections 66000 through 66025) are summarized in Chapter 9.
FACILITY STANDARDS APPROACH
A facility standard is a policy that indicates the amount of facilities required to accommodate service
demand. Examples of facility standards include building square feet per capita and park acres per
capita. Standards also may be expressed in monetary terms such as the replacement value of
facilities per capita. The adopted facility standard is a critical component in determining new
development's need for new facilities and the amount of the fee. Standards determine new
development's fair share of planned facilities and ensure that new development does not fund
deficiencies associated with existing development.
The most commonly accepted approaches to determining a facility standard are described below:
• The existing inventory method uses a facility standard based on the ratio of existing
facilities to existing development. Under this approach new development funds the
expansion of facilities at the same rate that existing development has provided facilities
to date. By definition, the existing inventory method does not consider facility
deficiencies attributable to existing development. To increase facility standards the
jurisdiction must secure funding in addition to development fees.
• The system plan method calculates the standard based on the ratio of all existing plus
planned facilities to total future demand (existing and new development). This method
is used when (1) the local agency anticipates increasing its facility standard above the
existing inventory standard discussed above, and (2) planned facilities are part of a
system that benefits both existing and new development. Using a facility standard that is
higher than the existing inventory standard creates a deficiency for existing development.
The jurisdiction must secure non -fee funding for that portion of planned facilities
required to correct the deficiency.
MuniFnancial 8
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
This study uses the existing inventory approach to determine facility standards for the Palmdale and
Lancaster zones. The system standard is used to calculate the facility standards for the Santa Clarita,
Newhall and Gorman zones. The projects that have been listed as planned projects throughout this
report are those projects preliminarily identified by the County Sheriff's Planning Department, city
staffs and MuniFinancial. While the system standard was used to calculate the fees, the planned
project costs are subtracted from anticipated fee revenue to determine any additional revenue
required from non -impact fee funding sources.
FACILITY COST ESTIMATES
Estimates of facility costs, both planned and existing are based on information provided by the Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Planning Department, input from each jurisdiction's staff, and
MuniFinancial. MuniFinancial also developed the estimates of land values based on Internet
searches of undeveloped land currently on the market, with input from city staff. Land values vary
by fee zone. The Sheriff's Department also provided the cost of equipped vehicles.
The initial fee revenue from all zones will be used to fund a comprehensive law enforcement
facilities master plan to identify all facility needs through the planning horizon. Should the master
planning effort identify significantly different facility needs than those detailed here, the impact fee
study should be revised accordingly.
Munil=inandal 9
Z. GROWTH PROJECTIONS
New development growth projections are used to assist in estimating facility needs. Projected new
development is estimated using the existing service population in 2007 as a base year with a planning
horizon through the year 2025.
USE OF GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR IMPACT FEES
Estimates of the existing service population and projections of growth are critical assumptions used
throughout this report. These estimates are used as follows:
• Estimates of total development at the 2025 planning horizon are used to determine the
total amount of law enforcement facilities required to accommodate growth and to
allocate those costs on a per capita basis.
• Estimates of service population growth from 2007 to 2025 are used to allocate to new
development its fair share of total planned facility needs.
To measure existing service population and future growth, residential and worker population data
are used for fee calculation in this report. These measures are used because numbers of residents
and workers are reasonable indicators of the level of demand for law enforcement facilities. The
County builds law enforcement facilities primarily to serve these populations and, typically, the
greater the population the larger the facility required to provide a given level of service.
SERVICE POPULATION
Different types of new development use law enforcement facilities at different rates in relation to
each other, depending on the services provided. In Chapters 3 through 7, a specific service
population is identified for each facility zone to reflect total demand. The service population
weights residential land use types against non-residential land uses based on the estimated variation
in demand for services between residents and workers.
LAND USE TYPES
To ensure a reasonable relationship between each fee and the type of development paying the fee,
growth projections distinguish between different land use types. The land use types used in this
analysis are defined below:
• Single family: Attached and detached one -family dwelling units.
• Multi -family: All attached single family dwellings such as duplexes and condominiums,
plus mobile homes, apartments, and dormitories.
• Commercial: All commercial, retail, educational, and hotel/motel development.
s
• Office: All general, professional, and medical office development.
• Industrial: All manufacturing and warehousing development.
MuniFinancial 10
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
The participating jurisdictions should have the discretion to impose the law enforcement facilities
fee based on the specific aspects of a proposed development regardless of zoning. The guideline to
use is the probable occupant density of the development, either residents per dwelling unit or
workers per building square foot. The fee imposed should be based on the land use type that most
closely represents the probable occupant density of the development.
GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR NORTH LOS ANGELES
COUNTY
The base year for this study is 2007. The existing facilities in 2007 will make up the existing
standard in our study for the Lancaster and Palmdale zones. The existing and planned facilities in
2025 will make up the system standard for the Santa Clarita, Newhall and Gorman zones. Base year
residential estimates were supplied by the Los Angeles County Planning Department and adjusted
with data from the California State Department of Finance (DOF). The estimates provided by Los
Angeles County planning were derived from the 2005 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP),
developed by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), and interpolated to
2007. Base year and out year employment estimates were also derived from data provided by Los
Angeles County Planning. Table 2.1 shows estimates of the growth in terms of residents and
workers.
FEE ZONES
Law enforcement facilities in North Los Angeles County serve a large geographic area. The planned
addition of law enforcement facilities in Newhall and in Gorman will allow each station to serve a
smaller geographic area. As a result, this law enforcement facilities fee was developed such that the
new development served by each station will fund the construction and improvements of that local
station. Five fee zones, each independent, were used in this study to allocate facility costs to local
development.
To investigate the impact fees in each zone, demographic data and growth forecasts were needed, by
zone. The demographic projections from the RTP described in the previous section were provided
by census tract. The demographic data was allocated to the five fee zones using geographic
information systems (GIS) analysis. A map of the fee zones is displayed in Figure 1. The fee zones
are as follows:
• Santa Clarita station zone;
• City of Lancaster station zone;
• City of Palmdale station zone;
• The Newhall zone, bounded by the Gorman zone to the north, the County border to the
west and the Santa Clarita zone to the east;
• The Gorman zone, bounded by the Newhall zone to the south, the County Border to
the north, and the Lancaster zone to the east.
MuniFnancial 11
N
ti
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 2.1: Population and Employment Estimates and Projections
Employment'• 2
2007
2025
Net Growth
2007-2025
o ulatiorr
62,946
79,420
16,474
Santa Clarke Zone
204,418
268,237
63,820
Lancaster Zone
174,332
276,168
101,836
Palmdale Zone
221,046
402,491
181,445
Newhall Zone
54,047
111,333
57,287
Gorman Zone
7,120
54.080
46.960
Total
660,962
1,112,309
451,347
Employment'• 2
Santa Clarita Zone
62,946
79,420
16,474
Lancaster Zone
59,162
75,183
16,021
Palmdale Zone
58,215
95,117
36,902
Newhall Zone
7,019
11,483
4,464
Gorman Zone
5.911
7.356
1.445
Total
193,253
268,559
75,307
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding. SCAG 2004 RTP data is the basis for all population, household,
and employment projections listed. Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning (LA DRP) has
revised only unincorporated population and household data to 2025.
1 Represents jobs located within the city/county (not employed residents).
2 Excludes local government employees.
Sources: Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP; Los Angeles County Planning Department; MuniFinancial.
OCCUPANT DENSITIES
Developers pay the fee based on the number of additional housing units or building square feet of
nonresidential development, so the fee schedule must convert service population estimates to these
measures of project size. Occupant density assumptions ensure a reasonable relationship between
the development of housing units or building square footage and the increase in service population,
and therefore the amount of the fee. This conversion is done with average occupant density factors
by land use type for each zone, shown in Table 2.2.
MuniFinancial 13
North I os An County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 2.2: Occupant Density
Santa Clarita Lancaster Palmdale NewhaII3 Gorman
esidentia!'
Single Family 3.24 3.04 3.42 3.28 3.28
Multi -family 2.34 2.24 2.73 2.39 2.39
Nonresidential2
Commercial 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00 2.00
Office 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50 2.50
Industrial 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
Residents per dwelling unit.
' Employees per 1,000 square feet
3 Represents the average of the North County cities In lieu of specific unincorporated data.
Sources: United States 2000 Census (Tables H-31, H-32, H-33); California State Department of Finance E-
5 report for Los Angeles County Jan. 1, 2005; The Natelson Company, Inc., Employment Density Study
Summary Report, prepared for the Southern California Association of Governments, October 31, 2001;
MuniFinancial.
The residential occupant density factors are derived from the 2000 U.S. Census Bureau's Tables H-
31 through H-33. Table H-31 provides vacant housing units data, while Table H-32 provides
information relating to occupied housing. Table H-33 documents the total 2000 population residing
in occupied housing. The US Census numbers are adjusted by using the California Department of
Finance C'DOF') estimates for January 1, 2006 found on DOF Table E.5, and the most recent State
of California data available. The non-residential density factors are based on Employment Density Study
Summary Report, prepared for the Southern California Association of Governments, October 2001 by
The Natelson Company. For example, the industrial density factor represents an average for light
industrial and heavy industrial uses likely to occur in the County.
IMMuniFinancial 14
3. SANTA CLARITA ZONE
This chapter documents a reasonable relationship between new development and the funding for
proposed law enforcement facilities in the Santa Clarita law enforcement facilities fee zone. This
zone includes the City and the surrounding unincorporated areas as shown above in Figure 1.
SERVICE POPULATION
Both residents and workers in the Santa Clarita zone benefit from services provided by the County
Sheriffs Department. Therefore, demand for law enforcement facilities is based on the zone's
combined residential and worker populations. `fable 3.1 provides estimates of the resident and
worker populations in the Santa Clarita zone, with projections for the year 2025. In calculating the
service population, workers are weighted less than residents to reflect a lower per capita service
demand. Nonresidential buildings are typically occupied less intensively than dwelling units, so it is
reasonable to assume that average per -worker demand for services is less than average per -resident
demand. The 0.24 -weighting factor for workers is based on a 40 -hour workweek divided by the total
number of hours in a week (168).
Table 3.1: Law Enforcement Facilities Service Population Santa Clarita Zone
Existing
Estimate for 2007
Future (2025)
Estimated Service Population 20253
Projected Service Population Increase
204,418 62,9461 219,500
268.237 79.4201 287.300
63,820 16,474 67,800
Service Pop. Weighting Factor3 1.00 0.24
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Excludes local government employees.
2 Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table
9 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 168 hours in a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -5a 111/06; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP), MuniFinanclal.
FACILITY INVENTORIES, PLANS & STANDARDS
The Santa Clarita zone uses the system standard to calculate the impact fees for law enforcement
facilities. This standard is based on the investment per capita in both existing and planned law
enforcement facilities in the Santa Clarita zone. The existing station in Santa Clarita was built in
1972. It is currently at capacity. The station currently serves the Newhall and Gorman areas due to a
lack of facilities in those zones. The existing population in the Gorman and Newhall areas is not
included in the Santa Clarita service population because it is recognized in those respective zones.
MunlFinancial 15
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
The lack of existing facilities in those zones indicates an existing deficiency in facilities for those
zones (see chapters 6 and 7). The City of Santa Clarita is seeking impact fee funding to fund a
portion of the needed expansion of the station to serve new development.
Table 3.2 presents a complete inventory of existing law enforcement facilities. Vehicles currently
operating out of the Santa Clarita station are listed in Table 3.3. Values listed for vehicles are
replacement costs.
Table 3.2: Existing Facilities
Table 3.3: Existing Vehicle Inventory and Valuation
Vehicle Type Units Cost, Total
Santa Cladta Station
Black and White Patrol Cars
Black and White SUVs
Other Vehicles
Subtotal
52 $ 48,000 $ 2,496,000
4 50,000 200,000
26 38,000 988,000
$ 3,684,000
'Value based on current replacement value, per Sheriff's Department.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Facilities Planning Bureau; WniFinancial.
Table 3.4 shows the law enforcement facilities planned to serve the Santa Clarita zone. The notable
planned facility is the approximately 24,900 square foot addition to the current station. The unit cost
of $700 per square foot includes all construction costs and soft costs, including temporary staff
relocation costs, for the expansion of the building, per the Santa Clarita Public Works Department.
M MuniFinartcial 16
Amount
Unit Cost
Total Cost
Santa Clarita Station
Land
2.70 acres
$ 1,500,000
$ 4,050,000
Building
25,100 sq. ft.
485
12,173,500
Service Building
6,360 sq. ft.
175
1.113.000
Total
$17,336,500
Sources: Los Angeles County Sherifrs Department Facilities Planning Bureau; City of Santa Clarita;
MuniFinancial.
Table 3.3: Existing Vehicle Inventory and Valuation
Vehicle Type Units Cost, Total
Santa Cladta Station
Black and White Patrol Cars
Black and White SUVs
Other Vehicles
Subtotal
52 $ 48,000 $ 2,496,000
4 50,000 200,000
26 38,000 988,000
$ 3,684,000
'Value based on current replacement value, per Sheriff's Department.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Facilities Planning Bureau; WniFinancial.
Table 3.4 shows the law enforcement facilities planned to serve the Santa Clarita zone. The notable
planned facility is the approximately 24,900 square foot addition to the current station. The unit cost
of $700 per square foot includes all construction costs and soft costs, including temporary staff
relocation costs, for the expansion of the building, per the Santa Clarita Public Works Department.
M MuniFinartcial 16
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 3.4: Planned Law Enforcement Facilities
Santa Clarita Expansion
Building'
-Patrol Vehicles
Subtotal
Amount Unit Cost Total Cost
24,900 sq. ft. $ 700 $ 17,430,000
40 vehicles 48,000 1,920.000
$ 19,350,000
' Building expansion costs estimated at 30% more than new construction costs from the Sheriffs Department, per
Santa Clarita Public Works.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriffs Planning Department; City of Santa Clarita Public Works•, MuniFinancial.
Table 3.5 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on existing and planned
facilities for the 2025 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement facilities is
determined by dividing the value of all facilities is by the future service population.
Table 3.5: Master Plan Law Enforcement Facilities Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities $ 21,020,500
Planned Law Enforcement Facilities 19.350.000
Total Law Enforcement Facilities $ 40,370,500
Projected 2025 Service Population 287.300
Facility Standard per Capita $ 141
Cost per Resident $ 141
Cost per Worker' 34
' Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4; MuniFinanclal.
Table 3.6 shows the allocation of planned facilities costs to new development based on the
standard. New development's contribution is determined by multiplying the per capita facilities cost
derived in Table 3.5 by the expected increase in service population from 2007 to 2025. Total
anticipated impact fee revenue is subtracted from planned facility costs to determine the remaining
value of planned facilities that must be funded by non -fee revenue to cover the remaining cost of
the planned facilities. The City and County need to generate the non -fee revenue over the planning
horizon of this study or new development will have paid too high a fee.
IMMuniFinancial 17
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 3.6: Projected Impact Fee Revenue
Total Cost of Planned Facilities $ 19,350,000
Value of Facility Standards per Capita $ 141
Service Population Growth Within Zone (2007-2025) 67.800
Total Projected Impact Fee Revenue $ 9,559,800
Additional non -impact fee funding required $ 9,790,200
Sources: Tables 3.1 and 3.4; MuniFinancial.
FEE SCHEDULE
Table 3.7 shows the law enforcement facilities fees for the Santa Clarita zone. The cost per capita
determined in Table 3.5 is converted to a fee per unit of new development based on dwelling unit
and building space densities (persons per dwelling unit for residential development). The total fee
includesan administrative charge of two percent of the base fee. The administrative charge
component is designed to offset the costs of fee documentation, collection and required fee
accounting and reporting.
Table 3.7: Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee
A 8 C=AxB D= C x 2% E=C+D
Cost Per Admin Fee/
&...N� rinnaxi4v pne a Fi141 Charae1, 2 Total Fee SQ. Ft
Residential
Single Family
$ 141
3.24
$
457 $
9
$
467
Multi -family
141
2.34
330
7
337
Nonresidential
Commercial
$ 34
2.00
$
68 $
1
$
69 $ 0.07
Office
34
2.50
85
2
87 0.09
Industrial
34
1.00
34
1
35 0.03
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
' Fee per dwelling unit for residential, per 1,000 square feet for nonresidential
s Administrative charge of 2.0 percent of calculated base fee.
Sources: Tables 2.2 and 3.5; MuniFinancial.
W.MuniFinanclat 18
4. LANCASTER ZONE
This chapter documents a reasonable relationship between new development and the funding for
proposed law enforcement facilities in the Lancaster zone.
SERVICE POPULATION
Both residents and workers in the Lancaster zone benefit from services provided by the County
Sheriff's Department. Therefore, demand for law enforcement facilities is based on the zone's
combined residential and worker populations. Table 4.1 provides estimates of the resident and
worker populations in the zone with, projections for the year 2025. In calculating the service
population, workers are weighted less than residents to reflect a lower per capita service demand.
Nonresidential buildings are typically occupied less intensively than dwelling units, so it is reasonable
to assume that average per -worker demand for services is less than average per -resident demand.
The 0.24 -weighting factor for workers is based on a 40 -hour workweek divided by the total number
of hours in a week (168).
Table 4.1: Law Enforcement Facilities Service Population - Lancaster Zone
_- -- -
Residents
Workers
bervice
Po ulation2
Existing
Estimate for 2007
174,332
59,162
188,500
Future (2025)
Estimated Service Population 20253
276.168
75.183
294.200
Projected Service Population Increase
101,836
16,021
105,700
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Excludes local government employees.
2 Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table.
7 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 168 hours in a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -5a 111106; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (L.ADRPj MuniFinancial.
FACILITY INVENTORIES, PLANS &STANDARDS
The Lancaster zone uses the existing standard to calculate the impact fees. This standard is based on
the investment per capita in existing law enforcement facilities in the zone. The existing station in
Lancaster was built in 1996. The City is seeking impact fee funding to fund a new full service station
and two new storefront substations. Table 4.2 presents a complete inventory of existing law
enforcement facilities. Vehicles currently operating out of the Lancaster station are listed in Table
4.3. Values listed for vehicles are replacement cost as provided by the Sheriff's Department.
MuniFirf i al --- 19
Nortb Lor Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 4.2: Existing Facilities
I Value based on current replacement value, per Sheriff's Department.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Facilities Planning Bureau; WniFinancial.
Table 4.4 shows the law enforcement facilities planned to serve the Lancaster zone. The planned
facilities include two storefront substations, one in the east side of the zone and one in the west.
Initial fee revenues will be used to fund a comprehensive law enforcement facility master plan study
to identify facility needs through the planning horizon in North Los Angeles County. The master
Plan may identify facility needs not presented here. This study should be revised to incorporate any
facility needs identified by the master planning effort once that effort is completed.
MuniFnanciai 20
Amount Unit Cost Total Cost
Lancaster Station
Land
6.90 acres $
300,000 $ 2,070,000
Building
40,713 sq. ft.
485 19,745,800
Crime Lab
5,300 sq. ft.
485 2,570,500
Service Building
4,818 sq. ft.
175 843.200
Total
$ 25,229,500
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Facilities Planning Bureau; City of Lancaster; MuniFlnancial.
Table 4.3: Existing
Vehicle Inventory and Valuation
Vehicle Type
Units Cost"
Total
Lancaster Station
Black and White Patrol
Cars 56 48,000 $
2,688,000
Black and White SUVs
3 50,000
150,000
Other Vehicles
42 38,000
1,596,000
Subtotal
$
4,434,000
I Value based on current replacement value, per Sheriff's Department.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Facilities Planning Bureau; WniFinancial.
Table 4.4 shows the law enforcement facilities planned to serve the Lancaster zone. The planned
facilities include two storefront substations, one in the east side of the zone and one in the west.
Initial fee revenues will be used to fund a comprehensive law enforcement facility master plan study
to identify facility needs through the planning horizon in North Los Angeles County. The master
Plan may identify facility needs not presented here. This study should be revised to incorporate any
facility needs identified by the master planning effort once that effort is completed.
MuniFnanciai 20
North Los Angeks County Development Imp Fee Study
Table 4.4: Planned Law Enforcement Facilities
Table 4.5 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on the investment in existing
facilities relative to the 2007 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement
facilities is determined by dividing the value of existing facilities is by the existing service population.
Table 4.5: Law Enforcement Facilities Existing Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities
Existing Service Population
Facility Standard per Capita
Cost per Resident
Cost per Worker'
$ 29,663,500
188.500
' Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3; MuniFinancial.
$ 157
$ 157
.38
Table 4.6 shows the allocation of planned facilities costs to new development based on the
standard. New development's contribution is determined by multiplying the per capita facilities cost
derived in Table 4.5 by the expected increase in service population from 2007 to 2025. The existing
standard fee calculation methodology ensures that new development only funds law enforcement
facilities at the same rate that existing development has funded them thus far. Approximately $6.6
million is anticipated to be used for two "storefront" stations (see Table 4.4). The previously
described master planning effort will be used to determine the remaining facilities that will be
funded by the unprogrammed fee revenues.
MuniFinancial 21
Amount
Unit Cost
Total Cost
ancaster
Eastside Storefront
Land
0.25 acres
$ 300,000
$ 75,000
Building
6,000 sq. ft.
540
3.240.000
Subtotal
$ 3,315,000
Westside Storefront
Land
0.25 acres
$ 300,000
$ 75,000
Building
6,000 sq. ft.
540
3.240.000
Subtotal
$ 3,315,000
Total - Lancaster Planned Facilities
$ 6,630,000
Sources: City of Lancaster, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Planning Department; MuniFinancial.
Table 4.5 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on the investment in existing
facilities relative to the 2007 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement
facilities is determined by dividing the value of existing facilities is by the existing service population.
Table 4.5: Law Enforcement Facilities Existing Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities
Existing Service Population
Facility Standard per Capita
Cost per Resident
Cost per Worker'
$ 29,663,500
188.500
' Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3; MuniFinancial.
$ 157
$ 157
.38
Table 4.6 shows the allocation of planned facilities costs to new development based on the
standard. New development's contribution is determined by multiplying the per capita facilities cost
derived in Table 4.5 by the expected increase in service population from 2007 to 2025. The existing
standard fee calculation methodology ensures that new development only funds law enforcement
facilities at the same rate that existing development has funded them thus far. Approximately $6.6
million is anticipated to be used for two "storefront" stations (see Table 4.4). The previously
described master planning effort will be used to determine the remaining facilities that will be
funded by the unprogrammed fee revenues.
MuniFinancial 21
North Lor Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 4.6: Projected Impact Fee Revenue
Total Cost of Planned Facilities $ 6,630,000
Value of Facility Standards per Capita $ 157
Service Population Growth Within Zone (2007-2025) 105.700
Total Projected Impact Fee Revenue $ 16,633,600
Unprogrammed Impact Fee Revenue $ 10,003,600
Sources: Tables 4.1 and 4.4; MuniFinancial.
FEE SCHEDULE
Table 4.7 shows the law enforcement facilities fees for the Lancaster zone. The cost per capita
determined in Table 4.5 is converted to a fee per unit of new development based on dwelling unit
and building space densities (persons per dwelling unit for residential development). The total fee
includes an administrative charge of two percent of the base fee. The administrative charge
component is designed to offset the costs of fee documentation, collection and required fee
accounting and reporting.
Table 4.7: Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee
Land Use
A
Cost Per
Capita
B
Density
C=AxB
Base Feet
D= C x 2%
Admin
Charge' 2
E=C+D
Total Fee
Feel
Sq. Ft.
Residential
Single Family
$ 157
3.04
$ 479
$ 10
$ 488
Multi -family
157
2.24
353
7
360
Nonresidential
Commercial
$ 38
2.00
$ 76
$ 2
$ 77
$ 0.08
Office
38
2.50
94
2
96
0.10
Industrial
38
1.00
38
1
39
0.04
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
' Fee per dwelling unit for residential, per 1,000 square feet for nonresidential
8 Administrative charge of 2.0 percent.
Sources: Tables 2.2 and 4.5; MuniFinancial.
M.MuniFinaincial 22
5. PALMDALE ZONE
This chapter documents a reasonable relationship between new development and the funding for
proposed law enforcement facilities in the Palmdale zone.
SERVICE POPULATION
Both residents and workers in the Palmdale zone benefit from services provided by the County
Sheriffs Department. Therefore, demand for law enforcement facilities is based on the zone's
combined residential and worker populations. Table 5.1 provides estimates of the resident and
worker populations in the zone, with projections for the year 2025. In calculating the service
population, workers are weighted less than residents to reflect a lower per capita service demand.
Nonresidential buildings are typically occupied less intensively than dwelling units, so it is reasonable
to assume that average per -worker demand for services is less than average per -resident demand.
The 0.24 -weighting factor for workers is based on a 40 -hour workweek divided by the total number
of hours in a week (168).
Table 5.1: Law Enforcement Facilities Service Population Palmdale Zone
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Fxcludes local government employees.
P Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table.
3 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 168 hours In a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -5a 111/06; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP), MuniFlnancial.
FACILITY INVENTORIES. PLANS EK STANDARDS
The Palmdale zone uses the existing standard to calculate the impact fees for law enforcement
facilities. This standard is based on the investment per capita in existing law enforcement facilities in
the zone. Table 5.2 presents a complete inventory of existing facilities. Vehicles currently operating
out of the Palmdale station are listed in Table 5.3.
MuniFriancial 23
Residents
Workers'
.service
Population 2
Existing
Estimate for 2007
221,046
58,215
235,000
Future (2025)
Estimated Service Population 20253
402.491
95.117
425.300
190,300
Projected Service Population Increase 181,445 36,902
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Fxcludes local government employees.
P Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table.
3 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 168 hours In a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -5a 111/06; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP), MuniFlnancial.
FACILITY INVENTORIES. PLANS EK STANDARDS
The Palmdale zone uses the existing standard to calculate the impact fees for law enforcement
facilities. This standard is based on the investment per capita in existing law enforcement facilities in
the zone. Table 5.2 presents a complete inventory of existing facilities. Vehicles currently operating
out of the Palmdale station are listed in Table 5.3.
MuniFriancial 23
North I-& Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 5.2: Existing Facilities
Table 5.3: Existina Vehicle Inventory and Valuation
Vehicle Type Units Cost' Total
Palmdale Station
Black and White Patrol Cars 60 48,000 $ 2,880,000
Subtotal $ 2,880,000
Value based on current replacement value, per Sheriff's Department.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Facilities Planning Bureau; MuniFinancial.
Table 5.4 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on the investment in existing
facilities relative to the 2007 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement
facilities is determined by dividing the value of existing facilities is by the existing service population.
Table SA: Law Enforcement Facilities Existing Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities
Existing Service Population
Facility Standard per Capita
Cost per Resident
Cost per Worker'
$ 31,547,500
235.000
$ 134
1 Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3; MuniFinancial.
$ 134
32
At this point, facilities needed to serve new development through the planning horizon for the
Palmdale zone have not been identified. Initial fee revenues will be used to fund a comprehensive
law enforcement facility master plan study to identify facility needs through the planning horizon in
MunIFInanciai 24
Amount
Unit Cost
Total Cost
Palmdale Station
Land
11.50 acres
$ 300,000
$ 3,450,000
Building
49,000 sq. ft.
485
23,765,000
Service Building
8,300 sq. ft.
175
1.452.500
Total
$ 28,667,500
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department Facilities Planning Bureau; City of Palmdale; MuniFinancial.
Table 5.3: Existina Vehicle Inventory and Valuation
Vehicle Type Units Cost' Total
Palmdale Station
Black and White Patrol Cars 60 48,000 $ 2,880,000
Subtotal $ 2,880,000
Value based on current replacement value, per Sheriff's Department.
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Facilities Planning Bureau; MuniFinancial.
Table 5.4 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on the investment in existing
facilities relative to the 2007 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement
facilities is determined by dividing the value of existing facilities is by the existing service population.
Table SA: Law Enforcement Facilities Existing Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities
Existing Service Population
Facility Standard per Capita
Cost per Resident
Cost per Worker'
$ 31,547,500
235.000
$ 134
1 Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3; MuniFinancial.
$ 134
32
At this point, facilities needed to serve new development through the planning horizon for the
Palmdale zone have not been identified. Initial fee revenues will be used to fund a comprehensive
law enforcement facility master plan study to identify facility needs through the planning horizon in
MunIFInanciai 24
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
North Los Angeles County. The master plan will identify facility needs not presented here. This
study should be revised to incorporate any facility needs identified by the master planning effort.
FEE SCHEDULE
Table 5.5 shows the law enforcement facilities fees for the Palmdale zone. The cost per capita
determined in Table 5.4 is converted to a fee per unit of new development based on dwelling unit
and building space densities (persons per dwelling unit for residential development). The total fee
includes an administrative charge of two percent of the base fee. The administrative charge
component is designed to offset the costs of fee documentation, collection and required fee
accounting and reporting.
Table 5.5: Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee - Existing Standard
Land Use
A
Cost Per
Capita
B
Density
C=AxB
Base Feet
D= C x 2%
Admin
Char et,:
E=C+D
Total Fee
Feel
Sq. Ft.
Residential
Single Family
$ 134
3.42
$ 459
$ 9
$ 468
Multi -family
134
2.73
366
7
373
Nonresidential
Commercial
$ 32
2.00
$ 64
$ 1
$ 66
$ 0.07
Office
32
2.50
81
2
82
0.08
Industrial
32
1.00
32
1
33
0.03
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
' Fee per dwelling unit for residential, per 1,000 square feet for nonresidential
] Administrative charge of 2.0 percent.
Sources: Tables 2.2 and 5.4; MuniFinanclal.
MuniFinaticial 25
6. NEWHALL ZONE
This chapter documents a reasonable relationship between new development and the funding for
proposed law enforcement facilities in the planned Newhall development.
SERVICE POPULATION
Both residents and workers in Newhall will benefit from services provided by the County Sheriff's
Department. Therefore, demand for law enforcement facilities is based on the zone's combined
residential and worker populations. Table 6.1 provides estimates of the resident and worker
populations in the zone, with projections for the year 2025. In calculating the service population,
workers are weighted less than residents to reflect a lower per capita service demand. Nonresidential
buildings are typically occupied less intensively than dwelling units, so it is reasonable to assume that
average per -worker demand for services is less than average per -resident demand. The 0.24 -
weighting factor for workers is based on a 40 -hour workweek divided by the total number of hours
in a week (168).
Table 6.1: Law Enforcement Facilities Service Population - Newhall Zone
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table.
2 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 168 hours in a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -5a 1/1/06; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP); MuniFinancial.
FACILITY INVENTORIES, PLANS & STANDARDS
The Newhall zone uses the system standard to calculate the impact fees for law enforcement
facilities. This standard is based on the investment per capita in both existing and planned law
enforcement facilities in the Newhall project area. Approximately 21,500 residential dwelling units
are expected to be built in the Newhall Ranch area through the 2025 planning horizon. Such large-
scale development will require a new station, as there are no existing law enforcement facilities in the
Newhall zone. In the absence of any closer station at the present time, the Santa Clarita Station
MuniFinancial 26
Service
Residents
Workers
Population'
Existing
Estimate for 2007
54,047
7,019
55,700
Future (2025)
Estimated Service Population 20252
111.333
11.483
114.100
58,400
Projected Service Population Increase 57,287 4,464
Service Pop. Weighting Factor2
1.00
0.24
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table.
2 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 168 hours in a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -5a 1/1/06; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP); MuniFinancial.
FACILITY INVENTORIES, PLANS & STANDARDS
The Newhall zone uses the system standard to calculate the impact fees for law enforcement
facilities. This standard is based on the investment per capita in both existing and planned law
enforcement facilities in the Newhall project area. Approximately 21,500 residential dwelling units
are expected to be built in the Newhall Ranch area through the 2025 planning horizon. Such large-
scale development will require a new station, as there are no existing law enforcement facilities in the
Newhall zone. In the absence of any closer station at the present time, the Santa Clarita Station
MuniFinancial 26
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
serves the Newhall area. An additional station is needed in the Newhall zone to serve the significant
expected service population.
Table 6.2 shows the law enforcement facilities planned to serve the Newhall project area. The
notable planned facility is an entirely new station. The unit cost estimates for land shown in Table
6.2 recognize that land costs are significantly higher in the Newhall area than in other North County
cities, such as Lancaster and Palmdale.
Table 6.2: Planned Law Enforcement Facilities
Table 6.3 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on existing and planned
facilities for the 2025 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement facilities is
determined by dividing the value of all facilities by the future service population.
Table 6.3: Master Plan Law Enforcement Facilities Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities $ -
Planned Law Enforcement Facilities 29.855.000
Total Law Enforcement Facilities $ 29,855,000
Projected 2025 Service Population 114.100
Facility Standard per Capita $ 262
Cost per Resident $ 262
Cost per Worker' 63
Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 6.1, and 6.2; MuniFinancial.
Table 6.4 shows the allocation of planned facilities costs to new development based on the
standard. New development's contribution is determined by multiplying the per capita facilities cost
derived in Table 6.3 by the expected increase in service population from 2007 to 2025. Total
anticipated impact fee revenue is subtracted from planned facility costs to determine the remaining
MuniFinancial 27
Amount
Unit Cost
Total Cost
Newhall Ranch Station
Land
4.00 acres
$ 1,500,000
$ 6,000,000
Building
35,000 sq. ft.
540
18,900,000
Service Building
5,000 sq. ft.
175
875,000
Patrol Vehicles
85 vehicles
48,000
4.080.000
Subtotal
$ 29,855,000
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriffs Planning Department; MuniFinancial.
Table 6.3 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on existing and planned
facilities for the 2025 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement facilities is
determined by dividing the value of all facilities by the future service population.
Table 6.3: Master Plan Law Enforcement Facilities Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities $ -
Planned Law Enforcement Facilities 29.855.000
Total Law Enforcement Facilities $ 29,855,000
Projected 2025 Service Population 114.100
Facility Standard per Capita $ 262
Cost per Resident $ 262
Cost per Worker' 63
Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 6.1, and 6.2; MuniFinancial.
Table 6.4 shows the allocation of planned facilities costs to new development based on the
standard. New development's contribution is determined by multiplying the per capita facilities cost
derived in Table 6.3 by the expected increase in service population from 2007 to 2025. Total
anticipated impact fee revenue is subtracted from planned facility costs to determine the remaining
MuniFinancial 27
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
value of planned facilities that must be funded by non -fee revenue to cover the remaining cost of
the planned facilities. The County needs to generate the non -fee revenue over the planning horizon
of this study or new development will have paid too high a fee.
Table 6.4: Projected Impact Fee Revenue
Total Cost of Planned Facilities $ 29,855,000
Value of Facility Standards per Capita $ 262
Service Population Growth Within Zone (2007-2025) 58,400
Total Projected Impact Fee Revenue $ 15,300,800
Additional nonimpact fee funding required $ 14,554,200
Sources: Tables 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3: MunlFinanclal.
FEE SCHEDULE
Table 6.5 shows the law enforcement facilities fees for the Newhall zone. The cost per capita
determined in Table 6.3 is converted to a fee per unit of new development based on dwelling unit
and building space densities (persons per dwelling unit for residential development).
Table 6.5: Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee
Land Use
A
Cost Per
Capita
B
Density
C=AxB
Base Fee'
D= C x 2%
Admin
Charge 1,2
E=C+D
Total Fee
Feet
Sq. Ft.
Residential
Single Family
$ 262
3.28
$ 859
$ 17
$ 877
Multi -family
262
2.39
626
13
639
Nonresidential
Commercial
$ 63
2.00
$ 126
$ 3
$ 129
$ 0.13
Office
63
2.50
158
3
161
0.16
Industrial
63
1.00
63
1
64
0.06
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
' Fee per dwelling unit for residential, per 1,000 square feet for nonresidential.
2 Administrative charge of 2.0 percent of calculated base fee.
Sources: Tables 2.2 and 6.3; MuniFinanclal.
W.MuniOnancial 28
7. GORMAN ZONE
This chapter documents a reasonable relationship between new development and the funding for
proposed law enforcement facilities in the Gorman zone.
SERVICE POPULATION
Both residents and workers in Gorman will benefit from services provided by the County Sheriffs
Department. Therefore, demand for law enforcement facilities is based on the zone's combined
residential and worker populations. Table 7.1 provides estimates of the resident and worker
populations in the zone, with projections for the year 2025. In calculating the service population,
workers are weighted less than residents to reflect a lower per capita service demand. Nonresidential
buildings are typically occupied less intensively than dwelling units, so it is reasonable to assume that
average per -worker demand for services is less than average per -resident demand. The 0.24 -
weighting factor for workers is based on a 40 -hour workweek divided by the total number of hours
in a week (168).
Table 7.1: Law Enforcement Facilities Service Population -Gorman Zone
Existing
Estimate for 2007
Future (2025)
Estimated Service Population 20252
Projected Service Population Increase
Service Pop. Weighting
Residents Workers Population'
7,120 5,911 1 8,500
54.080 7.356
46,960 1,445
1.00 0.24
55.800
47,300
Note: Totals do not add due to rounding.
' Service population equals residents plus workers with each weighted by appropriate factor shown at the bottom of the table.
2 Workers are weighted at 0.24 of residents based on a 40 hour work week out of a possible 166 hours in a week.
Sources: California Department of Finance, Report E -6a 1/1106; Adjusted SCAG 2004 RTP Growth Forecasts; Los Angeles
County Department of Regional Planning (LADRP),, MuniFinancial.
FACILITY INVENTORIES, PLANS & STANDARDS
The Gorman zone uses the system standard to calculate the impact fees for law enforcement
facilities. This standard is based on the investment per capita in both existing and planned law
enforcement facilities in the Gorman project area. However, there are no existing law enforcement
facilities in the Gorman zone. In the absence of any closer station at the present time, the Santa
Clarita Station serves the Gorman area
fffiMuniFumcfal 29
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
Table 7.2 shows the law enforcement facilities planned to serve the Gorman zone. The Gorman
area currently is a relatively sparsely populated portion of unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Significant new growth is projected for the area that will require the construction of an entirely new
station, known as the Centennial Station.
Table 7.2: Planned Law Enforcement Facilities
Amount Unit Cost Total Cost
Centennial Station
Land
4.00
acres $
300,000
$ 1,200,000
Building
30,000
sq. ft.
540
16,200,000
Service Building
4,500
sq. ft.
175
787,500
Patrol Vehicles
75
vehicles
48,000
3.600.000
Total
$ 21,787,500
Sources: Los Angeles County Sheriffs Planning Department; MunlFinancial.
Table 7.3 shows per capita costs for law enforcement facilities based on planned facilities for the
2025 service population. The total cost per capita of law enforcement facilities is determined by
dividing the value of all facilities is by the future service population.
Table 7.3: Master Plan Law Enforcement Facilities Standard
Existing Law Enforcement Facilities $ -
Planned Law Enforcement Facilities 21.787.500
Total Law Enforcement Facilities $ 21,787,500
Projected 2025 Service Population 55,800
Facility Standard per Capita $ 390
Cost per Resident $ 390
Cost per Worker 94
Worker weighting factor of 0.24 applied to cost per resident.
Sources: Tables 7.1 and 7.2; MuniFinancial.
Table 7.4 shows the allocation of planned facilities costs to new development based on the
standard. New development's contribution is determined by multiplying the per capita facilities cost
derived in Table 7.3 by the expected increase in service population from 2007 to 2025. Total
anticipated impact fee revenue is subtracted from planned facility costs to determine the remaining
value of planned facilities that must be funded by non -fee revenue to cover the remaining cost of
MunlFinanciai 30
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
the planned facilities. The County needs to generate the non -fee revenue over the planning horizon
of this study or new development will have paid too high a fee.
Table 7A Projected Impact Fee Revenue
Total Cost of Planned Facilities $ 21,787,500
Value of Facility Standards per Capita $ 390
Service Population Growth Within Zone (2007-2025) 47,300
Total Projected Impact Fee Revenue $ 18,447,000
Additional non -impact fee funding required $ 3,340,500
Sources: Tables 7.1, 7.2 and 7.3 MuniFlnancial.
FEE SCHEDULE
Table 7.5 shows the law enforcement facilities fees for the Gorman project area. The cost per capita
determined in Table 7.3 is converted to a fee per unit of new development based on dwelling unit
and building space densities (persons per dwelling unit for residential development).
Table 7.5: Law Enforcement Facilities Impact Fee
Land Use
A
Cost Per
Ca ita
B
Density
C=AxB
Base Feel
0= C x 2%
Admin
Char e',2
E=C+D
Total Fee
Feel
Sq. Ft.
Residential
Single Family
$ 390
3.28
$ 1,279
$ 26
$ 1,305
Multi -family
390
2.39
932
19
951
Nonresidential
Commercial
$ 94
2.00
$ 188
$ 4
$ 192
$ 0.19
Office
94
2.50
235
5
240
0.24
Industrial
94
1.00
94
2
96
0.10
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding.
1 Fee per dwelling unit for residential, per 1,000 square feet for nonresidential
2 Administrative charge of 2.0 percent of calculated base fee.
Sources: Tables 2.2 and 7.3; MuniFinanclal.
MuniFinancial 31
B. IMPLEMENTATION
IMPACT FEE PROGRAM ADOPTION PROCESS
Impact fee program adoption procedures are found in the California Government Code section 66016.
Adoption of an impact fee program requires the Board of Supervisors and City Councils of the
participating jurisdictions to follow certain procedures including holding a public meeting. Fourteen
day mailed public notice is required for those registering for such notification. Data, such as an
impact fee report, must be made available at least 10 days prior to the public meeting. Legal counsel
for the County and each city should provide guidance on any other procedural requirements as well
as advice regarding adoption of an enabling ordinance and/or a resolution. Fees in the city's spheres
of influence (unincorporated areas) will be collected by the County and passed on to the cities. In
these situations, the two percent administration fee is to be split between the County and the city in
whose sphere the fee was collected. After adoption there is a mandatory 60 -day waiting period
before the fees go into effect. This procedure must also be followed for fee increases.
IDENTIFY NON -FEE REVENUE SOURCES
The use of the system plan method for calculating facility standards can identify revenue deficiencies
attributable to the existing service population. As fees are only imposed under the Act to fund new
development's fair portion of facilities, the County and participating cities should consider how
deficiencies might be supplemented through the use of alternative funding sources. For the Santa
Clarita, Newhall and Gorman zones additional revenue is needed or new development will have paid
too high a fee. Potential sources of revenue include existing or new general fund revenues or the use
of existing or new taxes. Any new special tax would require two-thirds voter approval, while new
assessments or property -related charges would require majority property -owner approval.
INFLATION ADJUSTMENT
Appropriate inflation indexes should be identified in a fee ordinance including an automatic
adjustment to the fee annually. Separate indexes for land and construction costs should be used.
Calculating the land cost index may require the periodic use of a property appraiser. The
construction cost index can be based on the County's recent capital project experience or can be
taken from any reputable source, such as the Engineering News Record. To calculate prospective fee
increases, each index should be weighed against its share of total planned facility costs represented
by land or construction, as appropriate.
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
The County and participating cities should comply with the annual and five-year reporting
requirements of the Mitigation Fee Act (the Act). For facilities to be funded by a combination of
public fees and other revenues, identification of the source and amount of these non -fee revenues is
IMMuniFinardal 32
North Les An County Development Impact Fee Study
essential. Identification of the timing of receipt of other revenues to fund the facilities is also
important.
PROGRAMMING REVENUES AND PROJECTS WITH THE
CIP
The County and participating cities should maintain a Capital Improvements Program (CIP) to
adequately plan for future law enforcement infrastructure needs. The CIP should also program fee
revenue to specific projects. The use of the CIP in this manner documents a reasonable relationship
between new development and the use of those revenues.
The County and cities may decide to alter the scope of the planned projects or to substitute new
projects as long as those new projects continue to represent an expansion of law enforcement
facilities. If the total cost of facilities varies from the total cost used as a basis for the fees, the
County and cities should consider revising the fees accordingly.
=MunlFtnanaai 33
9. M/T/GAT/ON FEEAcr FINDINGS
Fees are assessed and typically paid when a building permit is issued. They are imposed on new
development projects by local agencies responsible for regulating land use (cities and counties). To
guide the imposition of facilities fees, the California State Legislature adopted the Mitigation Fee Act
(the Aci with Assembly Bill 1600 in 1987 and subsequent amendments. The Act, contained in
California Government Code %66000 — 66025, establishes requirements on local agencies for the
imposition and administration of fees. The Act requires local agencies to document five statutory
findings when adopting fees.
The five findings in the Act required for adoption of the maximum justified fees documented in this
report are: 1) Purpose of fee, 2) Use of fee Revenues, 3) Benefit Relationship, 4) Burden
Relationship, and 5) Proportionality. They are each discussed below and are supported throughout
the rest of this report.
PURPOSE OF FEE
• Identify the purpose of the fee (,jS66001(a)(1) of the Act).
We understand that it is the policy of the County and North County cities that new development
will not burden the existing service population with the cost of facilities required to accommodate
growth. The purpose of the fees proposed by this report is to implement this policy by providing a
funding source from new development for law enforcement facilities to serve that development.
The fees advance a legitimate County interest by enabling the County and three cities, Santa Clarita,
Lancaster and Palmdale, to provide necessary services to new development.
USE OF FEE REVENUES
• Identify the use to which the fees will be put. If the use is financing facilities, the facilities shall be identified
That idenification may, but need not, be made by reference to a capital improvementplan as specified in
65403 or 66002, may be made in applicable general or specific plan requirements, or may be made in other
public documents that identify the facilities for which the fees are charged (S66001(a)(2) of the Act).
Fees proposed in this report, if enacted by the County and cities, would be available to fund law
enforcement facilities to serve new development. Facilities funded by these fees are designated to be
located within the five fee zones identified in this report. Fees addressed in this report have been
identified by the County to be restricted to funding the law enforcement facilities identified in
Chapters 3 through 7.
Summary descriptions of the planned facilities such as size and cost estimates were provided by the
LA County Sheriff Planning Bureau and are included in Chapters 3 through 7 of this report. The
County may change the list of planned facilities to meet changing needs and circumstances, as it
deems necessary. The fees should be updated if these amendments result in a significant change in
the fair share cost allocated to new development.
www"MuniFnanoial 34
North Los An County Development Impact Fee Study
Planned facilities to be funded by the fees are described in the Facilities Inventory, Plans e3' Standards
sections in each facility category chapter. Additionally, the initial use of fee revenue will be to fund a
comprehensive North Los Angeles County law enforcement facilities master plan.
BENEFIT RELATIONSHIP
• Determine the reasonable relationship between the fees' use and the type of developmentproject on whicb the
fees are imposed (S66001(a)(3) of the Act).
We expect that the fee revenue will be restricted to the acquisition of land, construction of facilities
and buildings, and purchase of related equipment, furnishings, vehicles, and services used to serve
new development. Facilities funded by the fees are expected to provide a countywide network of
facilities accessible to the additional residents and workers associated with new development. Under
the Act, fees are not intended to fund planned facilities needed to correct existing deficiencies.
Thus, a reasonable relationship can be shown between the use of fee revenue and the new
development residential and non-residential use classifications that will pay the fees.
BURDEN RELATIONSHIP
• Determine the reasonable relationship between the need for the law enforcement facilities and the types of
development on which the fees are imposed (566001(a)(4) of the Act).
The need for facilities is based on a facility standard that represents the demand generated by new
development for those facilities. Facilities demand is based on service population. The service
population is established based upon the number of residents and workers, which correlates to the
demand for law enforcement facilities.
Demand is measured by a single facility standard that can be applied across land use types to ensure
a reasonable relationship to the type of development. Service population standards are calculated
based upon the number of residents associated with residential development and the number of
workers associated with non-residential development. To calculate a single, per capita standard, one
worker is weighted less than one resident based on an analysis of the relative use demand between
residential and non-residential development.
The standards used to identify growth needs are also used to determine if planned facilities will
partially serve the existing service population by correcting existing deficiencies. This approach
ensures that new development will only be responsible for its fair share of planned facilities, and that
the fees will not unfairly burden new development with the cost of facilities associated with serving
the existing service population.
Chapter2, Growth Projections provides a description of how service population and growth projections
are calculated. Facility standards are described in the Facility Inventories, Plans & Standards sections of
in each facility category chapter.
PROPORTIONALITY
• Determine how there is a reasonable relationship between the fees amount and the cost of the facilities or
IMMuniFlnancial 35
North Los Angeles County Development Impact Fee Study
portion of the fad,6des attributable to the development on .wbicb the fee is imposed (§66001(b) of the Act).
The reasonable relationship between each facilities fee for a specific new development project and
the cost of the facilities attributable to that project is based on the estimated new development
growth the project will accommodate. Fees for a specific project are based on the project's size.
Larger new development projects can result in a higher service population which results in higher
fee revenue than smaller projects in the same land use classification. Thus, the fees can ensure a
reasonable relationship between a specific new development project and the cost of the facilities
attributable to that project.
See Chapter 2, Gmwtb Projections for a description of how service population is determined. See the
Fee Schedule section of each chapter for a presentation of the proposed facilities fees.
I.M.MuniRmidal 136