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Chief Administrative Office recommending the Board order the Auditor-Controller to disburse $200,974.63 from the El Dorado Hills Community Services District (“District”) Impact Mitigation Fee Account to the District for fee program administration and expenditures related to Valley View Village Park, Saratoga Village Park, Bike Parks, Utility Corridor Trail, and Bass Lake Regional Park.
FUNDING: Development Impact Fees.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The California Mitigation Fee Act (Gov. Code §66000 et seq.) authorizes the establishment of fees to offset the impacts of new development on public facilities, ensuring that service levels are maintained as growth occurs. Because individual Special Districts lack the authority to impose these fees independently, the County establishes and collects the fees on their behalf. In compliance with the Mitigation Fee Act, the revenue is deposited into separate, dedicated accounts for each district.
Parks and recreation development impact mitigation fees were first collected on the District's behalf in 1998. The current fees are based on a Fee Nexus Study and Report (“Report”) detailing the legal and policy basis justifying the development impact mitigation fee within the District. The fee was updated in 2023 by the adoption of Resolution 057-2023 (Legistar file 23-0437).
The District has submitted a request for Disbursement of $200,974.63 for the following:
2% Administration Fee for October 2023 - December 2023: $11,737.19
2% Administration Fee for January 2024 - March 2024: $12,503.68
Valley View Village Park: $756
Saratoga Village Park: $33,924.08
Power Line & Silver Dove Bike Parks: $64,377.81
Utility Corridor Trail: $12,137.58
Bass Lake Regional Park: $65,538.29
In addition to the purchases of facilities and equipment necessary to mitigate the effects of new development on the districts’ ability to provide services, the Mitigation Fee Act provides for use of the fee revenue to fund administration of the fee program. The District charges 2% of revenue collected to fund its fee program administration, and tracks staff time spent on park projects. This request includes the 2% Administration expenses for the period of October 2023 through March 2024.
The Chief Administrative Office recommends disbursing funds for the above-described uses because they are consistent with the purpose for which the fee was collected, the District and County are currently in compliance with the Mitigation Fee Act, and the indemnity agreement between the District and the County sufficiently protects the County from potential liability related to the disbursement.
The County has entered into an agreement with the District, whereby the district agrees to "hold County harmless and defend County and its employees, officers, and agents from any claim, liability, or action" resulting from the County’s calculation, imposition, and collection of impact fees on the District’s behalf.
ALTERNATIVES
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PRIOR BOARD ACTION
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OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
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FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact on the County. Impact mitigation fees are collected by the County on behalf of the District and held in a separate account. The account balance as of May 6, 2025 is $25,340,960.38.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
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STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
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CONTACT
Tara Stout, Principal Management Analyst