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The end of World War II saw California experiencing a tremendous population increase, which resulted in the sporadic formation of cities and special service districts. The results of this development boom became evident as more of California's agricultural land was converted to urban uses. Premature and unplanned development created inefficient, expensive systems of delivering public services using various small units of local government. In 1959, in recognition of this problem Governor Edmund G, Brown appointed the Commission on Metropolitan Area Problems. The Commission's charge was to study and make recommendations on the "misuse of land resources" and the growing complexity of overlapping, local governmental jurisdictions. The Commission's recommendations on local governmental reorganization were introduced in the Legislature in 1963, resulting in the creation Local Agency Formation Commission, or "LAFCOs", operating in each County except San Francisco. In 1965 the Legislature approved the District Reorganization Act (DRA). This Act combined separate laws governing special district boundaries into a single law. Another law, the Municipal Organization Act of 1977 (MORGA) consolidated various laws on city incorporation and annexation into one law. These three laws contained many parallel and duplicative provisions. However, similar procedures varied slightly from one law to another, and the procedures necessary for one type of boundary change were found in vastly different sections of the three laws. Although MORGA was the most current revision of city annexation statutes, many cities in the state were required to use DRA so that areas being annexed could be simultaneously detached from special districts. All three laws contained application and hearing procedures for LAFCOs , but there were inconsistencies among them. This made city and district boundary changes unnecessarily confusing and complicated for local agencies and LAFCOs, as well as for residents and property owners. Cortese-Knox Local Governmental Reorganization Act of 1985 The Cortese-Knox Local Government Reorganization Act of 1985 followed several years of cooperative effort between Assembly Member Dominic Cortese, former Chair of the Assembly Local Government Committee and the California Association of Local Agency Formation Commissions (CALAFCO). The Act, which became operative January 1, 1986, consolidated the three major laws used by California's local governments for boundary changes into single, unified law. Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCOs) have numerous powers under the Aact, but those of primary concern are the power to act on local agency boundary changes and to adopt spheres of influence for local agencies. The primary objectives of LAFCOs are to encourage the orderly formation of local government agencies, to preserve agricultural and open space land, and to discourage urban sprawl. Purpose of the Sphere
The Humboldt County Local Agency Formation Commission is
required to adopt a sphere of influence for each local governmental agency
within its jurisdiction. A sphere of influence is defined as a "plan for
the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local government agency
as determined by the commission:" (Per Section 56076 of the Government
Code).
A sphere is primarily a planning tool that provides
guidance in reviewing individual proposals, promotes efficient provision of
organized community services, and prevents duplication of services. Inclusion
within an agency's sphere does not indicate that an affected area
automatically will be annexed; an adopted sphere of influence is only one of
several factors the Commission must consider in reviewing proposed changes of
organization.
In determining a sphere of influence, the Commission is
required to consider and make written determinations with respect to the
following factors, (Per Section 56425 of the Government Code):
The present and planned land uses in the area, including agricultural
and open space lands. The present and probable need for public facilities and services in the
area. Sphere of Influence Determinations There are three different types of sphere of influence
designations. These are
An expanded sphere of influence which implies that the district will,
at some time be expected to expand its physical boundaries and service
area. A zero sphere of influence which indicates that future
dissolution of this district is either anticipated or desired. A Status quo sphere of influence which indicates the district does
not want or cannot provide services outside the districts current
service area. In spheres of this nature, district boundaries and sphere
boundaries are coterminous.
The Miranda Community Services District (CSD) is located in
South-central Humboldt County, 50 miles Southeast of the City of Eureka and 15
miles north of Garberville, along the South Fork of the Eel River. It covers
an area of approximately one half square mile or 280 acres and serves an
estimated population of 400. Humboldt Redwoods State Park provides a
contiguous boundary around Miranda and State Highway 101 runs directly through
the center of the Community Services District Principal Act District Powers
The principal act for the district may be found in
Government Code Section 61000-61936. This division is known as the Community
Services Districts Act. Appendix 11 includes a detailed description of
the services provided by the Community Services Districts.
Background Information
Formation of the Miranda CSD
The Miranda Community Services District was declared formed
in January of 1964 after a successful special election was held. The District
was established in order to supply the residents of Miranda with potable
water. Powers of sewerage collection and treatment along with fire protection
were authorized to the District through elections at later dates.
Governing Board
The Miranda Community Services District is an Independent
District. The five member Board of Directors is elected at large for a
term of four years.
District Services and Assets
The Miranda CSD provides Fire Protection, Water, and Sewer
Services. Fire Protection Services
Miranda Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) provides a full
range of structural and watershed fire protection as well as emergency medical
response. The Miranda Volunteer Fire Department fire fighting force is an
all-volunteer staff comprised of ten people. The District manages the fire
department.
The MVFDDistrict operates from a fire station located on
School Road supplying first responder emergency medical assistance with support
fromand is serviced by Garberville Ambulance Service. MVFD responds to
approximately 48 calls per year of which 30 are medical responses and the
remaining 18 are auto or structure in nature. The response time from receiving
the call to arriving on the scene can range from a few minutes up to ten
minutes. The primary source of funding is a fee imposed by the District along
with donations.
The major apparatus that the Miranda Volunteer Fire
Department utilizes includes one 1970 Ford fire truck, one 1966 International
fire truck and one 1985 3/4 ton Dodge quick attack medical fire truck..
The trucks haves been outfitted with protective outer gear, helmets, gloves,
boots and breathing apparatus for each crew member.
The Miranda Volunteer Fire Department response area goes
outside their district, they respond to calls along the Avenue north to Cathay
Road, west to Salmon Creek and south to Fish Creek.
The Miranda Community Services District is the only public
water supplier in the Miranda area. The District supplies waters for domestic,
irrigation, sanitation, commercial, fire protection and recreational uses.
The District obtains its water from two wells located in the
southwest portion of Miranda. The District has reported that these wells are
capable of providing 110 and 115 gpm. The wells pump water from the under flow,
which flows through the sand and gravel layers beneath the South Fork of the Eel
River.
The average daily demand on the District water system is
55,000 - 60,000 gallons per day (gpd) and the maximum daily demand is about
200,000 gpd during the late summer months of August and September. The District
currently maintains a 200,000 gallon water tank just above town.
The Miranda Community Services District has 135 water meters
in place as of July 1998, with a capacity for 150 hookups. District records
indicate that only 88 residents are serviced by the sewage collection system,
which has a design capacity for 60,000 gpd. Currently the collection system is
operating at approximately 44% of capacity; and could maintain 112 additional
sewer connections.
Sewer
The wastewater collection system terminates into community
septic tanks, recirculation sand filters treat the effluent, afterwards, the
effluent is chlorinated and stored in a settling pond. The treated effluent then
leaches from the pond into the gravel layers underlying the river. District Finances and Revenues
Total Operating Expenses 48,700 26,400 $ 75,100 Total Non-Operating Expenses 6,300 10,500 $ 16,800 Total Fixed Assets 1,500 1,500 $ 3,000 Total Long-Term Debt 1,400 4,000 $ 5,400 Total Expenditures 57,900 42,400 $ 100,300
Revenues
$ 110,300
The Miranda Community Services District receives the
majority of its operating revenues through the sale of its services. A one-
percent property tax, which equates to roughly $15,000 per year, is also a
source of revenue. Miranda has incurred an outstanding debt balance of
approximately $318,000, consisting of grants and loans from the Farm Home
Act and Davis Grunsky Act.
Other Service Providers within District
The County of Humboldt provides Miranda with general
governmental and law enforcement services.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
provides fire suppression services for the Public and Natural Resource Lands
surrounding Miranda. The California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection has an automatic aid agreement with the Miranda Fire A sphere of influence providesmeans a plan for the
probable physical boundaries and service area of a local agency, as determined
by the Local Agency Formation Commissionthe Commission.
LAFCO considered all of the following factors and made the
following written determinations in adopting the sphere of influence for the
Miranda CSD.
Present Land Use
The Miranda Community Services District is bounded on
its northern and western boundaries by public lands (Humboldt Redwoods
State Park), on its southwestern boundary by the South Fork of the Eel
River, and on the east by steep slopes and lands in Timber Production
Zones.
Approximately 64 percent of the land in Miranda is used
for resource production, 11 percent for public facilities and 25 percent
for residential or commercial. Currently there are 140 housing units in
the area.
Miranda is rated with a High Fire Hazard rating. All of
the land in Miranda is within the State Responsibility Area (SRA), as
mapped by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. See
Figure 3.
Miranda has a total of 174 parcels in the community
services district, as illustrated in Figure 4.
The physical features and predominance of public lands
in the territory surrounding the Miranda Community Services District do
much to define an appropriate sSphere of iInfluence for the District. In
general, public land and land that will not be extensively developed will
not need to be included within the boundaries and service area of the
District. Likewise, services should not be extended to or through areas
intended for continued resource production. The proximity of such services
can lead to the premature conversion of resource lands to other uses
because of increased property values and tax assessments.
Planned Land Use
The Draft Avenue of the Giants Community Plan of 1999 has
identified many goals and objectives for the Miranda Community, which
include:
Promoting tourism, Developing a multi-use recreational trail system, fisheries restoration, Business development, and Upgrading community infrastructure and public services, (including the
establishment of year-round fire protection through an Amador agreement
with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection).
The Draft Plan includes the following "Community
Vision" for Miranda:
"In the future, Miranda will continue to be a quiet
community with distinct residential, commercial and recreation areas. The
local school will be modernized, computerized, and safe with a track,
re-oriented ball field and a pool. There will be community facilities
including a community park/playground, public restrooms and a community
center. Better transportation and parking will exist in and around the
community, making it easier to get to work. There will be safe speeds along
the Avenue, with consistent law enforcement and improved signage. The
drainage ways will be improved and maintained, and utilities will be
underground. There will be sewer service for everyone.
The business community will be thriving and will have
improved storefronts and placards and a unique style. There will be an
increased focus on eco-tourism, as well as unique festivals and events.
Miranda will be promoted as a weekend retreat for Eureka/Humboldt residents
and will have more "Bay Area" bus tours. Bed and Breakfast Inns
will be linked to the pathway so that visitors will be able to hike or bike
in from the Avenue. There will be a multi-use pathway along the Avenue as
well as new paths in the Albee Creek area and concessions."
The Draft Community Plan also includes the following
policies which limit the development potential in Miranda:
2500.12: Subdivision of parcels designated AL 20 and AR
(5-20 ) shall require a master development plan including road capacity and
analysis of build-out impacts as part of initial application.
4500:4 "No new subdivision which creates parcels of
less than 2.5 acres shall be approved on lands designated Residential Low
Density (RL 1-5) until no service moratoria are in effect and/or until
adequate private or publicly maintained water and wastewater disposal
systems are available to such lands.
4500:5 No new subdivision which creates parcels of less
than 0.5 acres shall be approved on lands designated Residential Low Density
(RL) until no service moratoria are in effect and/or until adequate private
or publicly maintained water and wastewater disposal systems are available
to such lands.
Finally, the following table illustrates the Draft
Community Plan’s proposed land use and development potential for the
Miranda area.
Miranda Proposed Land use Summary and Potential Build-Out*
Proposed Land Use Designation Total Acres Percent of Total Density Range Maximum Potential Units In CSD Timber (T) 144 8 160-20ac/du 1-7 Agricultural Lands (AL 40) 66 4 40 ac/du 2 Agricultural Rural (AR 5-20) 263 15 20-5 ac/du 13-53 60 Residential Low Density (RL) 123 7 4 ac/du 492 123 Conservation Floodplain (CF) 193 11 0 0 26 Agricultural Lands (AL 20) 470 27 20 ac/du 14-60 Commercial Services (CS) 38 2 N/A +/- 32 38 Commercial Recreation (CR) 8 .5 N/A +/- 6 8 Public Facilities (PF) 191 11 N/A 25 Public Lands (P) 241 14 N/A Total 1842 100 570-616 280
*Figure 5 illustrates the proposed land use
designations in the Avenue of the Giants Community Draft Plan.
Figure 4. Miranda Zoning
2. "The present and probable
need for public
facilities and services in the area."
The following demographic data was prepared to help draft
the Community Plan and is important for understanding the probable need for
public facilities and services in Miranda.
Year Community Services District Population Community Services District Area
(Approximate Acres) 1980 325 280 Acres 1990 300 280 Acres 1998 400 280 Acres 2008 426 280 Acres
The residents of the Miranda area will continue to
require water service, sewage treatment and fire protection services as
currently provided by the Miranda Community Services District. Future
types and densities of development will not be sufficient to warrant major
changes in service provision (i.e. city incorporation). Figure 5
illustrates the relative fire hazards within and adjacent to the Miranda
Community Services District.
While the Volunteer Fire Fighters currently meet the
basic fire protection and emergency medical response needs of the people
who live in the Miranda, there is a need to improve winter time fire
protection services.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection maintains a fire station in Weott. Most of the Planning area is
within the response area of the Weott station, except for Phillipsville
which is closer to Garberville. Generally, there is 24 hour a day
availability from June 1 through November 1. During the winter period, CDF
will respond if personnel are available in the station. CDF has automatic
aid agreements with each volunteer fire department on the Avenue of the
Giants (Redcrest, Weott, Myers Flat, and Miranda).
The Draft Community Plan proposes year-round fire
protection, emergency response and training services from the Weott CDF
station. An Amador Plan would be established as part of the Avenue of
Giants Community Plan update to extend mutual aid agreements between local
volunteer fire departments and CDF.
The combined communities have generated an action plan,
and are planning on applying for grants to cover the cost of the first 2
years of Amador project operation. Concurrently, the communities may form
a County benefit assessment district, or request the formation of a
Dependent County Service Area through LAFCo. The California Department of
Forestry and Fire Protection maintains a fire station in Weott. Generally,
there is 24 hour a day availability from June 1 through November 1. During
the winter period, CDF will respond if personnel are available in the
station. CDF has automatic aid agreements with each volunteer fire
department on the Avenue of the Giants (Redcrest, Miranda, Myers Flat, and
Fruitland Ridge).
The District will need to continue upgrading the water
system to meet the present and probable need for water and sewer services.
There is a possibility for potential development along
Logan Road to the northeast, and along Avenue of Giants to the south.
Future development along either or both roads may prompt the need for
District service extensions into these areas.
District representatives take great pride in delivering
sewer, water and fire protection services with relatively low monthly
service rates. They employ practical improvement and maintenance
strategies to keep rates down. Typical water rates for single family users
run from $10 - $30 per month, and sewer rates run $15 - $30. The District
will continue to employ "low-tech" strategies in maintaining
existing service levels and rates of service.
Miranda Volunteer Fire Department provides a full range
of structural and watershed fire protection as well as emergency medical
response. The Miranda Volunteer Fire Department fire fighting force is an
all-volunteer staff comprised of ten people. The District manages the fire
department.
The District operates from a fire station located on
School Road supplying first responder emergency medical assistance and is
serviced by Garberville Ambulance Service. MVFD responds to approximately
48?? calls per year of which 30?? are medical responses and the remaining
18?? are auto or structure in nature. The response time from receiving the
call to arriving on the scene can range from a few minutes up to ten
minutes. The primary source of funding is a fee imposed by the District
along with donations.
The major apparatus that the Miranda Volunteer Fire
Department utilizes includes one 1970 Ford fire truck, one 1966
International fire truck and one 1985 3/4 ton Dodge quick attack medical
fire truck.. The trucks has been outfitted with protective outer
gear, helmets, gloves, boots and breathing apparatus for each crew member.
The Miranda Volunteer Fire Department response area goes
outside their district, they respond to calls along the Avenue north to
Cathay Road, west to Salmon Creek and south to Fish Creek.
The Ddistrict obtains its water from two wells located in
the southwest portion of Miranda. The District has reported that these wells
are capable of providing 110 and 115 gpm. The wells pump water from the
underflow, which flows through the sand and gravel layers beneath the South
Fork of the Eel River.
The average daily demand on the District water system is
55,000 - 60,000 gallons per day (gpd) and the maximum daily demand is about
200,000 gpd during the late summer months of August and September. The
District currently maintains a 200,000 gallon water tank just above town.
The Miranda Community Services District has 135 water
meters in place as of July 1998, with a capacity for 150 hookups. The water
service hook-ups are at 90 percent capacity at this time. District records
indicate that only 88 residents are serviced by the sewage collection
system, which has a design capacity for 60,000 gpd. Currently the sewage
collection system is operating at approximately 44% of capacity; and could
maintain 112 additional sewer connections.
The wastewater collection system terminates into
community septic tanks, recirculation sand filters treat the effluent, which
is thenafterwards, the effluent is chlorinated and stored in a settling
pond. The treated effluent then leaches from the pond into the gravel layers
underlying the river.
The residents of the Miranda area share limited social and economic interests with residents of the Phillipsville community located South East of Miranda. This relationship is in part due to the proximity of these two communities to each other and their situation along Avenue of the Giants, located in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park. This limited social and economic relationship is not, however, sufficient to impact the determination of the Miranda Community Services District’s Sphere of Influence at this time. The forestry industry was a leading reason for towns, industries and homes being developed on the narrow river channel on the low terraced lands of the South Fork of the Eel River. Over the years communities like Miranda have come to rely on the economic development of tourism, with tourists seeking summer recreation opportunities and tranquillity of the picturesque rural community. The Miranda C.S.D. also provides Fire Protection Services for the residents within and immediately adjacent to the District Boundaries. Services are provided by ten volunteer fire fighters, who drill in pump operation, fire fighting techniques, and first aid at monthly meetings. The Miranda C.S.D. Fire Department maintains a Mutual Aid Agreement with the Redcrest and Myers Flat Fire Districts as well as the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Miranda CSD will continue to provide fire protection, water, and sewer services to the residents of Miranda, and will remain an important part of the social and economic structure.
Public lands (Humboldt Redwoods State Park) bound the Miranda Community Services District on its northern and western boundaries, on its southwestern boundary by the South Fork of the Eel River, and on the east by topographic conditions and lands in Timber Production Zones. The pPossibility for potential development exists along Logan Road to the northeast and along Avenue of Giants to the south. Future development along either or both roads may prompt the need for District service extensions into these areas. The Miranda C.S.D. is bounded on the West by the South Fork of the Eel River. This in itself would make the extension of services in this direction quite costly. A majority of the remaining lands adjacent to the District are either in public ownership (Humboldt Redwoods State Park) or located within a Timber Production Zone (TPZ). The combination of these factors makes it unlikely that there will be extensive demand or justification for expansion of the District. The residents of Miranda enjoy aan adequate range of services from the Miranda C.S.D. Service levels are adequate to support existing and planned levels of future development. The Miranda C.S.D. appears to be the appropriate vehicle for the provision of theseexisting services. In addition, the District can be authorized to provide additional services in the future if demand warrants and if financially feasible. It is unlikely that population growth in the area will be sufficient to justify city incorporation in Miranda in the foreseeable future. In consideration of the following factors, the local agency
formation commission has determined a status quo sphere of influence
for the Miranda CSD because:
The area adjacent to the district is either public or preserve land which requires fire protection services from CDF and public resource agencies.
Figure 6 illustrates the adopted status quo sphere of
influence for the Miranda CSD.
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