The below report summarizes an analysis of the need for fire facilities by the Nevada County Consolidated Fire District (District) to accommodate new development. The report documents a reasonable relationship between new development and an impact fee for funding capacity-expanding facilities to serve that development.
The District is a rural fire protection district located in Nevada County, California. The District provides a comprehensive range of services including fire suppression, emergency medical services, and fire prevention services.
As with most local agencies, the District’s property tax revenue stream has diminished in terms of real dollars over time since the imposition of Proposition 13 in 1978. Consequently, the District must manage its resources carefully to properly serve the projected influx of new residents and businesses to the region.
As new development increases the demand for fire protection services, the District will need to expand and reconfigure its inventory of facilities to continue to provide high quality services. Although this report specifically addresses the need for fire facilities and not staffing (or other on-going operational costs), it is important to consider the need for additional fire facilities in the context of the need for space to accommodate more personnel (e.g., sleeping quarters). The District’s other funding sources will increasingly be needed to address operational needs.
The District's boundaries encompass only unincorporated areas. Per the Mitigation Fee Act contained in Government Code Section 66000 et. seq., the County rather than the District has legal authority to impose impact fees in the District’s unincorporated area. This report provides the necessary documentation for both the Nevada County Board of Supervisors and Nevada County Consolidated Fire District to adopt a fire facilities impact fee for imposition within the District’s boundaries. It also provides a list of statutory findings pertaining to the imposition of the District fees.
Full Report
Nevada County Consolidated Fire District - Fire Facilities Impact Fee Update Study