Local Agency Formation Commission

Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO)

www.sblafco.org  

Contact:
Bob Braitman, Executive Officer

Mailing Address:
105 East Anapamu Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Phone Number: (805) 568-3391

Fax Number: (805) 647-7647

Email Address: [email protected]  

Legal Authority:
Section 54780 of the Government Code. - Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act.

Membership:
Seven members, selected as follows:
1. Two appointed by the Board of Supervisors from its own membership. The Board appoints a third Supervisor as an alternate member who votes if one of the regular county members is unavailable.
2. Two appointed by the City Selection Committee, each of whom shall be a city officer. The Committee appoints a third member as an alternate member who votes if one of the regular city members is unavailable. The City Selection Committee consists of the mayor of each city
3. Two appointed by the Special District Selection Committee, each of whom shall be an independent special district board member. The Committee appoints a third member as an alternate member who votes when one of the regular special district members is unavailable. The Special District Selection Committee consists of the presiding officer of each independent special district.
4. One member of the public, appointed by the city, county and special district members of the Commission. There has to be at least one “yes” vote in each category to appoint a public member. They also appoint the alternate public member who votes when one of the public members is unavailable.

Term:
Four year terms that expires the first Monday in May.

Duties:
Government Code §56375:
1. Review and approve or disapprove with or without amendment wholly, partially, or conditionally proposals to incorporate new cities, form new special districts, annex territory to existing cities or special districts, detach territory from a city or special district, dissolve a special district, discorporate a city, consolidate two or more cities or two or more special districts, or authorize the extension of services outside of the boundaries of a city or special district;
2. Initiate proposals to consolidate or dissolve special districts, form special districts or have a special district governed by a city
3. Adopt standards and procedures for the evaluation of proposals;
4. Make and enforce rules and regulations for the orderly and fair conduct of hearings by the Commission;
5. To adopt its annual budget and incur usual and necessary expenses to accomplish its functions;
6. Appoint and assign staff personnel and to employ or contract for professional or consulting services to carry out and affect the functions of the Commission;
7. Review boundaries of territory involved in any proposal with respect to the definiteness and certainty thereof, the nonconformance of proposed boundaries with lines of assessment or ownership, and other similar matters affecting the proposed boundaries;
8. Waive the restriction on creating unincorporated “islands” if it finds the restriction would be detrimental to the orderly development of the community and the area that would be enclosed is so located that it cannot reasonably be annexed to another city or incorporated as a new city;
9. For proposals to incorporate a city or form a special district, determine the property tax revenue to be exchanged by the affected local agencies.
10. To enter into an agreement with the LAFCO in an adjoining county to determine procedures to consider proposals that may affect the adjoining county or where the jurisdiction of an affected agency crosses the county boundary.

Meeting Dates and Locations:
First Thursday of each month, at 2:00 p.m., alternating between the North and South County Board of Supervisors Hearing Rooms.