REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 02/21/2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Finance Department
SUBJECT:
Title
RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT FOR COUNTY SERVICE AREA 152 TO BE LEVIED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE TO LEVY AND COLLECT THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS TO FUND THE COSTS OF THE NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM PERMIT PROGRAM
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to consider adopting a Resolution setting the Benefit Assessment Unit Rate for Fiscal Year 2025 for County Service Area 152, which includes all properties within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Corona. Revenues from this assessment fund the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program, which is designed to protect the City’s local creeks and waterways from contamination. The annual assessment is proposed to remain the same as the prior fiscal year at $10 per benefit assessment unit.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 2024-005, regarding County Service Area 152 and setting the Benefit Assessment Unit Rate for Fiscal Year 2025 for the City of Corona to fund the City’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit Program.
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BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Amendments to the Federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”), enacted by Congress in 1987, established environmental programs, including the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) Permit program, to protect the Nation's waters. The CWA also directs the Environmental Protection Agency to develop, implement, and enforce regulations consistent with this law. For the State of California, these federal responsibilities were given to the State's nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards to regulate at the local levels.
The CWA prohibits any entity from discharging rain and other water runoff into the Nation's creeks, rivers, and other waters unless they are issued an NPDES permit. The NPDES permit contains regulations, monitoring, and reporting requirements to protect water quality and people's health. Local agencies and municipalities who own and operate municipal separate storm sewer systems (“MS4”) for conveying stormwater runoff are considered dischargers to the Nation's waters and are therefore required to obtain a NPDES MS4 Permit.
The County of Riverside was issued its first NPDES MS4 Permit in 1990. In 1992, the County established County Service Area 152 (“CSA 152”) as a funding mechanism to pay for the anticipated costs of compliance with the requirements of its NPDES MS4 Permit. On December 1, 1992, the County annexed the City of Corona to CSA 152, and through an Implementation Agreement with the County, the City can utilize CSA 152 assessments from properties within its boundaries to pay for its NPDES program.
ANALYSIS:
The annual assessment of $10 per benefit assessment unit remains the same as the prior fiscal years, which has been the maximum rate since Fiscal Year 2015. These funds are utilized for the maintenance of storm drains, catch basins, and street sweeping in the City. All parcels within the City, including residential, commercial, and industrial pay the annual assessment under CSA 152. Adoption of the recommended resolution will authorize the County of Riverside to continue to levy the CSA 152 assessment of $10 per benefit assessment unit for the subject parcels within the City for Fiscal Year 2025.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The assessment of $10 per benefit assessment unit is projected to generate approximately $819,000 in revenue in Fiscal Year 2025 for the NPDES program. The funds are accounted for in County Service Area (NPDES) Fund 245 and will be utilized for operating costs, including personnel, materials, and supplies to operate the program.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061 (b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action merely authorizes and requests that the Riverside County levy and collect the annual assessment in the amount of $10 per Benefit Assessment Unit and there is no possibility that adopting this action will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: ERMA MONTANO, SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST
REVIEWED BY: KIM SITTON, FINANCE DIRECTOR
Attachments:
1. Exhibit 1 - Resolution No. 2024-005