To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Public Infrastructure
Staff Name and Phone Number: Johannes J. Hoevertsz, 707-565-2550
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Fifth
Title:
Title
10:10 A.M. Salmon Creek Water System Financing
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Hold a public hearing on the annual Written Report for County Service Area No. 41 Salmon Creek Zone of Benefit and adopt a Resolution ordering the $440.64 per equivalent single-family dwelling annual water charge for debt service and the $30 annual charge for each unconnected parcel for water availability be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll, for the total amount of $45,084 for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. (4/5th Vote Requirement) (Fifth District)
end
Executive Summary:
State law and regulations require that an annual public hearing be held by the Board of Supervisors to direct that annual water charges be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll. Staff is recommending that the Board adopt the attached Resolution ordering that the annual repayment charge for the United States Department of Agriculture loan used for water system improvements in the amount of $440.64 per equivalent single-family dwelling for the total amount of $44,064, and $30 for each unconnected parcel for water availability totaling $1,020 be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for Fiscal Year 2025-2026. There is no change in annual charges from prior years.
Discussion:
The Salmon Creek Water System is located in the unincorporated County adjacent to the Pacific Ocean (see the attached map). The system has 95 residential customer accounts with a 5/8-inch meter and 5 with a 1" meter. There are 100 property owners that have the assessment of $440.64 per year per Assessor's Parcel Number on the County's tax roll for the purpose of repaying the total loan amount of $983,000 obtained from the United Stated Department of Agriculture to rehabilitate the water system.
On July 30, 2013, by Resolution 13-0300, the Board provided for the incurrence of indebtedness and the Sonoma County Public Finance Authority provided for the sale and issuance of water revenue bonds in the amount of $792,000 and $191,000, from the United States Department of Agriculture for the system-wide improvements (Project) which represents the total 40-year principal amount of $983,000. At 2.75% interest, the total amount of the loan payments will be $1,624,038. The United States Department of Agriculture provided the additional funding of $191,000 after notification that the proposals received for construction of the Project were all higher than the engineer's estimate. The final payment for the loan will be made in Fiscal Year 2053-54.
In addition, the United States Department of Agriculture provided $735,000 in grant funding for the Project. The total approved loan/grant package was $1,718,000.
The Project included the reconstruction and expansion of a treatment building, expanding water treatment to include membrane filtration, construction of an underground reinforced concrete water storage tank, expansion of a groundwater collection system, and miscellaneous control and electrical improvements. Project development expenses included preliminary engineering, California Environmental Quality Act compliance, National Environmental Policy Act compliance, Coastal Permit, Right of Way acquisition, bond counsel, legal counsel, construction administration, and project management. The United States Department of Agriculture Installment Agreement also required that the $80,000 balance of an existing loan from the State of California for prior improvements be paid in full. A Notice of Completion was filed with the County Recorder on August 20, 2014, and the Project has been fully operational since that time.
In addition to the Charge Levy for the annual debt service to fund the aforementioned Project, property owners fronting the water main but not connected to the system are required to pay an annual water availability charge to ensure that they will be provided water should they build a home on their property. Property owners are charged $30 per parcel. There are two $60 charges which represent changes in the Assessor's database that combined two separate parcels as identified in the original Board approval. This water availability charge was approved by the Board under Ordinance 4024 dated June 27, 1989.
Each fiscal year, Health and Safety Code section 5473, requires that the Board of Supervisors, as the governing board for the County Service Areas, hold a public hearing and adopt a resolution directing that the annual charge levy be collected on the County's property tax roll.
The total annual charge levy to be collected on each parcel is detailed on the attached Written Report, which is a listing of the Assessor's Parcel Numbers and the dollar amount of the annual charge levy. There is no change from the prior year. The amount of anticipated revenues from the charge levy and the biannual payments to the United States Department of Agriculture were included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 adopted budget for the Salmon Creek Water System Debt Service Funds.
Notice of a Public Hearing was published on September 8, 2025 and September 18, 2025 in a newspaper of general circulation whose distribution includes the Salmon Creek Water System.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
9/17/24: Board adopted Resolution 24-0376 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2024-25.
9/26/23: Board adopted Resolution 23-0485 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2023-24.
9/27/22: Board adopted Resolution 22-0414 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2022-23.
9/28/21: Board adopted Resolution 21-0408 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2021-22.
9/15/20: Board adopted Resolution 20-0349 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2020-21.
9/17/19: Board adopted Resolution 19-0384 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2019-20.
9/11/18: Board adopted Resolution 18-0371 ordering the annual water charge to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $45,084 during Fiscal Year 2018-19.
9/12/17: Board adopted Resolution 17-0331 ordering the annual water charge for the debt service and the $30 annual charge for water availability to be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the total amount of $45,084 for Fiscal Year 2017-2018.
7/30/13: Board adopted Resolution No. 13-0299 providing for the incurrence of indebtedness for the CSA #41 Salmon Creek Zone of Benefit and Resolution No. 13-0300 approving the issuance, sale and delivery by the Sonoma County Public Finance Authority of its water revenue bonds. Sonoma County Public Finance Authority approved Resolution No. 13-301 providing for the sale and issuance of water revenue bonds for $792,000 and $191,000 from the U.S.D.A.
6/18/13: Board adopted Ordinance No. 6038 amending Ordinance 4024, as amended, to include increases to the meter rates, water usage rates, and the new Charge to be placed on the Sonoma County tax roll for the U.S.D.A. loan repayment.
6/4/13: Board held a Proposition 218 public hearing to adjust the water service charges for operations and maintenance of the water system and to place a charge levy for the system improvements on the tax roll.
2/21/12: Board held a public hearing to consider a use permit and coastal permit for the Salmon Creek Water Collection and Treatment System Improvement Project ("Project"), approved a resolution adopting the mitigated negative declaration, and approved the use permit and coastal permit for the Project.
09/28/10: Board authorized the submittal of an application to U.S.D.A. for a grant/loan for system improvements.
FISCAL SUMMARY
Expenditures
FY25-26 Adopted
FY26-27 Projected
FY27-28 Projected
Budgeted Expenses
$45,084
$45,084
$45,084
Additional Appropriation Requested
Total Expenditures
$45,084
$45,084
$45,084
Funding Sources
General Fund/WA GF
State/Federal
Fees/Other
$45,084
$45,084
$45,084
Use of Fund Balance
General Fund Contingencies
Total Sources
$45,084
$45,084
$45,084
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The annual repayment charge for the United States Department of Agriculture loan used for water system improvements will be collected on the County of Sonoma tax roll for the amount of $44,064 for Tax Code 72800 and the water availability charge for the amount of $1,020 for Tax Code 72700, for a total of $45,084 in Fiscal Year 2025-26.
Appropriations for the revenue and corresponding expenditures were included in the FY 2025-26 Salmon Creek Water Debt Service (45315-34150300) adopted budget.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None.
Attachments:
1. Charge Levy Resolution.
2. County Service Area #41 Salmon Creek Zone of Benefit Charge Levy User Inventory ("Written Report").
3. Map of the Salmon Creek Zone of Benefit.
Related Items "On File" with the Clerk of the Board:
None.