About Us - Understanding and Working with the Contra Costa LAFCO

• FIRST, THE LAW... LAFCO IMPLEMENTS
• NEXT, THE COMMISSIONERS
• AND THE STAFF
• REGULATORY POWERS AND DUTIES
• SPHERES OF INFLUENCE
• AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT STUDIES AND INITIATE CHANGES
• FACTORS LAFCO MUST CONSIDER
• PERMITTED TERMS AND CONDITIONS
• YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE

Regular meetings are at 1:30 PM, generally on the second Wednesday of each month, in the Board of Supervisors Chambers in Martinez.

The public can attend meetings and give testimony.
 

...AND THE STAFF

The Commission’s appointed Executive Officer conducts its day-to-day business and prepares staff reports and recommendations on proposals submitted to LAFCO.

The Commission also appoints its legal counsel.

Contra Costa LAFCO staff members are:

REGULATORY POWERS AND DUTIES...

LAFCO is a regulatory agency charged by the State legislature with “discouraging urban sprawl and encouraging the orderly formation and development of local agencies” based on “local circumstances and conditions.” To meet its responsibilities, LAFCO reviews and approves or denies proposals to:

▪ Annex land to cities or special districts,

▪ Detach land from cities or special districts,

▪ Consolidate two or more cities or two or more special districts,

▪ Form new special districts and incorporate new cities,

▪ Dissolve special districts and disincorporate cities,

▪ Merge cities and special districts,

▪ Allow cities or special districts to provide services outside of their boundaries.
 

SPHERES OF INFLUENCE...

▪ The present and planned land uses, including agricultural and open space lands,

▪ The present and probable needs for public facilities and services in the area,

▪ The present capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services that the agency provides or is authorized to provide,

▪ The existence of any social or economic communities of interest in the area if the Commission determines that they are relevant to the agency.

LAFCO is required to review and update spheres of influence every five years.
 

AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT STUDIES AND INITIATE CHANGES...

The Commission is authorized to inventory and study governmental agencies. In updating spheres of influence LAFCO must prepare Municipal Service Reviews of relevant local agencies and services.

Based upon the spheres of influence or special studies, the Commission may initiate proposals to consolidate special districts, merge a special district with a city, dissolve a special district, establish a subsidiary district or any combination of these changes.
 

FACTORS LAFCO MUST CONSIDER...

While LAFCO cannot impose conditions that directly regulate land use or subdivision requirements it must consider specific factors when it reviews a proposal. These factors include but are not limited to:

▪ Land area and land use, topography, natural boundaries and drainage basins, population, population density, and proximity to other populated areas,

▪ Likelihood of significant growth in the area and in adjacent incorporated and unincorporated areas during the next ten years,

▪ Effect of the proposed action and of alternate actions on adjacent areas, mutual social and economic interests, and the local governmental structure,

▪ Need for organized community services, the present cost and adequacy, and probable future needs for governmental services and controls in the area,

▪ Probable effects of the proposal and of alternatives on the cost and adequacy of services and controls in the area and adjacent areas,

▪ Ability of the entity to provide services to the area, including the sufficiency of revenues for those services,

▪ Timely availability of water supplies adequate for projected needs,

▪ Extent to which the proposal will assist the entity in achieving its fair share of regional housing needs,

▪ Consistency with appropriate city or county general and specific plans and the sphere of influence of any local agency, which may be applicable to the proposal,

▪ Definiteness and certainty of the boundaries of the territory, the non-conformance of proposed boundaries with lines of assessment or ownership, the creation of islands or corridors of unincorporated territory, and other similar matters affecting the proposed boundary, 

▪ Conformity of the proposal and anticipated effects with adopted Commission policies on providing planned, orderly efficient patterns of urban development.
 

PERMITTED TERMS AND CONDITIONS...

When it approves a proposal LAFCO can apply various conditions. These include but are not limited to:

▪ Payment for acquisition of existing property; levying or fixing and collecting special or extraordinary taxes, assessments or service charges for payment for acquired property,

▪ Disposition of responsibility for outstanding bonds or contractual obligations as well as the amount of responsibility,

▪ Formation of new improvement district(s) and annexations to or detachments from existing improvement district(s),

▪ Incurring of liability or bonded indebtedness on behalf of the territory annexed or the agency as a whole, and the issuance and sale of bonds,

▪ Acquisition, improvement, disposition, sale, transfer, or division of property,

▪ Fixing the use or right-of-use in any public improvement, facility, or property,

▪ Disposition of any office, department, or board within the affected agency and determination of the rights of employees affected by a proposal,

▪ Designation of a successor agency to any agency being extinguished,

▪ Method for selecting the members for an agency formed or reorganized,

▪ Fixing the effective date for any change,

▪ Continuation or provision of any service provided or authorized by the agency,

▪ Levying a benefit assessment or calling an election to decide a special tax.
 

YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE...

LAFCO considers and decides public issues and its processes are open to the public.

All members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend LAFCO meetings and comment during public hearings on proposals before the Commission.

LAFCO meetings are an excellent opportunity for citizens to familiarize themselves with land use, public service, and interjurisdictional issues facing their county.

County residents may be appointed to serve as the public member of the Commission.

Information about the Commission, including notices of LAFCO meetings, staff reports, application materials, and procedures are available at the LAFCO office.