REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
October 13, 2016
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
SUBJECT
..Title
RESOLUTION - Establishing Fire Station Service Areas 10R, 12, 19, 24, 25 and 26 within the Urban Growth Management Boundary (Council Districts 2, 3, 4 and 5).
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends the Council take the following actions:
1. Adopt a Resolution establishing Urban Growth Management (UGM) Fire Station Service Areas 10R, 12, 19, 24, 25 and 26.
2. Authorize the Public Works Director or designee to transfer fees collected from the UGM Fire Station Undesignated Service Area into separate funds for UGM Fire Station Service Areas 10R, 12, 19, 24, 25 and 26, in accordance with Fresno Municipal Code Section 12-4.508(F)(2).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Fresno Fire Department has determined the approximate location of four future fire stations within the UGM boundary. Staff is recommending that the Council establish UGM Fire Station Service Areas surrounding these future stations, as well as service areas for Fire Stations 12 and 19 which serve portions of the UGM area. Although new development has been paying the Citywide Fire Facilities Impact Fee since it was adopted by the Council in 2005, approximately $1.8 million in UGM Fire fees had been collected for developments scattered throughout the “Undesignated” portion of the UGM area, where fire stations have not yet been sited or built. More than two decades ago, the Council established procedures in Section 12-4.508(F)(2) of the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) for the formation of UGM Fire Station Service Areas. Staff recommends the Council form the new service areas consistent with the FMC procedures and authorize the Public Works Director or designee to transfer the fees collected within these service area boundaries into the respective accounts for each fire station. This is principally a housekeeping item consistent with the FMC and does not change the Citywide Fire Facilities Impact Fee that is currently in effect. Forming the service areas and transferring the dollars to the associated accounts will provide for proper accounting and transparent tracking of how much funding is available in these specific fire station service areas.
BACKGROUND
On January 22, 1976, the Council adopted the UGM Process, which became effective February 22, 1976. Following the adoption of the initial UGM ordinance, amendments were adopted adding service delivery policies and fees for Parks, Fire and Major Streets. Section 12-4.508 of the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC) was adopted by the Council specifically for UGM Fire Station Service Areas. Essentially the new code section established a process wherein new service areas would be created in which fire stations would be constructed to service the areas created. Portions of the UGM territory where no fire station service area had yet been established would be classified as “undesignated”. At the time of development, UGM Fire Station fees would be paid by the developer. The City would deposit the fee revenues into a separate account for the particular fire station service area. As shown on the attached map, “Fire Station Service Areas, Urban Growth Management”, the City has previously formed service areas for Stations 2 and 13 through 18.
FMC Section 12-4.508(F)(2) states that “all UGM Fire Station Capital Fees collected from development outside an established UGM Fire Station Service Area shall be held in a separate fund until such service area is established, at which time all such fees, together with interest thereon, shall be transferred into a UGM Fire Station Capital Fund to be used as above.” Paragraph (1) of that same section further states that “each such fund shall be used solely for the purposes of purchasing land, constructing buildings and improvements, and purchasing machinery, equipment, furnishings and other capital-type fire station facilities within the UGM Fire Station Area in which such fees were generated, and for administration, inspection and engineering costs of the city directly related thereto.”
Staff has followed the FMC and deposited the UGM fee revenue according to the ordinance. UGM Fire fees collected from developments within the UGM area, but not within a previously formed fire station service area, now at approximately $1.8 million. As outlined in the ordinances, the Fire Department has mapped out the future fire station service areas, such that the Council may form these new areas. Council’s action would then allow the dollars previously collected within those fire station service area boundaries to be transferred from the undesignated fund to accounts for each new service area established.
In 2005, the Council adopted the Citywide Fire Facilities Impact Fee and new development since that time has paid the Citywide fee, unless otherwise vested under UGM. The recommended action deals with previously paid UGM Fire Station revenues and does not affect the Citywide fee program.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the recommended action and approved the proposed resolution as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
The recommended action involves a transfer of funds within City accounts and does not constitute a “project” under CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not implicated as this item does not involve the competition bid process.
FISCAL IMPACT
The recommended action will not impact the General Fund. Existing City dollars will be transferred from the UGM Fire Station Undesignated Service Area Fund to the new UGM Fire Station Service Area funds corresponding to where the fees were paid.
Attachments:
Resolution
Proposed UGM Fire Station Service Area Map
Fire Station Service Areas, Urban Growth Management