Legislative Policies

1.1.    LAFCO PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY

1. Support legislation that enhances LAFCO authority and powers to carry out the legislative findings and authority in Government Code §56000 et seq. Oppose legislation that diminishes LAFCO authority.
2. Support authority for each LAFCO to establish local policies to apply Government Code §56000 et seq. based on local needs and conditions. Oppose any limitations to that authority.
3. Oppose additional LAFCO responsibilities that require expansion of current local funding sources. Oppose unrelated responsibilities that dilute LAFCO ability to meet its primary mission.
4. Support alignment of responsibilities and authority of LAFCO and regional agencies that may have overlapping responsibilities in orderly growth, agricultural and open space preservation, and municipal service delivery. Oppose legislation or policies that create conflicts or hamper those responsibilities.
5. Oppose grants of special status to any individual agency or proposal to circumvent the LAFCO process.
6. Support individual commissioner responsibility that allows each commissioner to independently vote his or her conscience on issues affecting his or her own jurisdiction.

1.2.   LAFCO ORGANIZATION

1. Support LAFCO independence from local agencies.
2. Oppose the re-composition of any LAFCO to create special seats and recognize the importance of balanced representation provided by cities, the county, the public, and special districts in advancing the public interest.
3. Support representation of special districts on all LAFCOs in counties with independent districts and oppose removal of special districts from any LAFCO.
4. Support communication and collaborative decision-making among neighboring LAFCOs when growth pressures and multicounty agencies extend beyond an individual LAFCO’s boundaries.

1.3.   AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN SPACE PROTECTION

1. Support legislation that clarifies LAFCO authority to identify, encourage and ensure the preservation of agricultural and open space lands.
2. Encourage a consistent definition of agricultural and open space lands.
3. Support policies that encourage cities, counties, and special districts to discourage development on all types of agricultural lands, including prime agricultural lands and open space lands.
4. Support policies and tools that protect all types of agricultural lands, including prime agricultural lands and open space lands.
5. Support the continuance of the Williamson Act and restoration of program funding through State subvention payments.

1.4.   ORDERLY GROWTH

1. Support the recognition and use of spheres of influence as a planning tool pertaining to growth and development, and the preservation of agricultural and open space lands.
2. Support recognition of LAFCO spheres of influence by other agencies involved in determining and developing long-term growth and infrastructure plans.
3.  Support orderly boundaries of local agencies and the elimination of islands within the sphere of influence and boundaries of agencies.
4. Support communication among cities, counties, special districts, stakeholders and affected parties through a collaborative process that resolves service, infrastructure, housing, land use, and fiscal issues, prior to application to LAFCO.
5. Support cooperation between counties and cities on decisions related to development within a city’s designated sphere of influence.
6. Support cooperation between cities and special districts on decisions related to development within city and district spheres of influence that overlap.
7. Support the recognition of extreme natural disasters and disaster preparedness when considering growth and service delivery issues.

1.5.   SERVICE DELIVERY AND LOCAL AGENCY EFFECTIVENESS

1. Support the use of LAFCO resources to review Regional Transportation Plans, with a focus on sustainable communities strategies and other growth plans to ensure reliable services, orderly growth, and conformity with LAFCO’s legislative mandates. Support efforts that enhance meaningful collaboration between LAFCOs and regional planning agencies.
2. Support LAFCO authority as the preferred method of local governance. Support the availability of LAFCO tools that provide options for local governance and efficient service delivery, including the authority to impose conditions that assure a proposal’s conformity with LAFCO’s legislative mandates.
3. Support a deliberative and open process for the creation or reorganization of local governments that evaluates the proposed new or successor agency’s long-term financial viability, governance structure and ability to efficiently deliver proposed services.
4. Support the availability of tools for LAFCO to insure equitable distribution of revenues to local government agencies consistent with their service delivery responsibilities.
5. Support legislation and collaborative efforts among agencies and LAFCOs that encourage opportunities for sharing of services, staff, and facilities to provide more efficient and cost-effective services.