Item 4: Ordinance on Withdrawals from Special Districts

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Public Hearing: An Ordinance Providing for Withdrawal of Territories from the River Road Water District And The River Road Park And Recreation District, And From The Santa Clara Water District Meeting Date: February 19, 2008 Agenda Item Number: 4 Department: Planning and Development Staff Contact: Kurt Yeiter www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: (541) 682-8379 ISSUE STATEMENT Pursuant to Oregon Revised Statutes, Chapter 222, territories annexed to cities are withdrawn from special service districts through a separate process after the annexation of those areas becomes effective. The City Council is asked to adopt the attached ordinance providing for the withdrawal from special service districts of recently annexed territory. BACKGROUND Withdrawals from special districts routinely come before the council on an annual basis. Properties annexed during the previous year are batched together to facilitate this process. The current batch contains 33 annexation requests made by property owners in 2007 for which withdrawals are needed. This action removes these properties from the listed special districts because the City has assumed the responsibility for providing these services following annexation. Withdrawal of properties from rural fire protection districts occurs automatically upon annexation, while a separate process is required by state law for withdrawals from a water supply district, sanitary district, or park and recreation district. Annexation of the subject parcels was initiated by the property owners, in most cases to facilitate development. Inclusion of the subject parcels on City tax rolls, and withdrawal from special district taxation was anticipated by the applicants as part of the annexation process. Public notice of this hearing was published and posted as required by state law. The attached ordinance (Attachment A) describes the affected properties and withdraws them from special districts. On February 25, 2008, the council will be asked to determine whether the withdrawals are or are not in the City’s best interest. If the withdrawals are found to be in the City’s best interest, the ordinance should be adopted to make the withdrawals effective. Withdrawals are time-sensitive. The Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 222 provides that if the withdrawal is not approved or enacted prior to March 31, 2008, the withdrawal does not become effective until July 1 of the following year. If the withdrawal is not effective by July 1, these properties will remain on the tax roll of the special service districts that no longer provide services to the property. Enacting the withdrawal ordinance prior to March 31, 2008, will result in the withdrawals taking effect L:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M080219\S0802194.doc