Solano County Public Facilities Fees

1.   What are Public Facilites Fees?

Solano County’s Public Facilities Fees are an impact fee.  An impact fee is a commonly used and well-accepted means for mitigating the impacts crated by future growth.  Public agencies regularly levy impact fees on new development to fund a variety of public facilities.  Solano County has an established, successful Public Facilities Fee (PFF) program.  Its success is due in part to the County’s investment in new facilities, use of debt financing, and timely provision of facilities to maintain the County’s quality of life.

Government Code section 66000, et. seq. provides for the establishment and collection of Public Facilities Fees to fund County facilities to meet future county growth requirements. Solano County Public Facilities Fee is also authorized by Chapter 11, Article X of the Solano County Code and Resolution 2019-156 as adopted by the Solano County Board of Supervisors.

2.   Why are they needed?

The County of Solano continues to face challenges associated with funding public facilities to accommodate growth.  Since the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, property tax revenues have been inadequate for capital funding, federal and state assistance has not replaced the decline in local revenue sources, and a two-thirds vote to approve bonds is difficult to obtain.  These funding shortfalls have caused declining facility standards (i.e., the ratio of facility capacity to service population), which has accelerated the rate of physical deterioration, increased operating costs, and reduced efficiency of many departments.  Given these funding difficulties in the face of continued growth, the County requires new development to fund its fair share of facilities necessary to accommodate it through the payment of fees.

3.   What are the fees used for?

The Public Facilities Fee is used to fund future public facilities and improvements needs caused by development within Solano County.  The fee is comprised of several key county functions, including:

 §  Public Protection (including Courts)

§  Health and Social Services

§  Library

§  General Government

§  Transportation

Public Protection fee revenues are used to expand and construct adult and juvenile detention buildings, district attorney office space, and other justice facilities.

Health and Social Services fee revenues are used for the expansion of clinic and laboratory space and social services facilities.

Library fee revenues are used to expand library buildings, book holdings, audio/visual and computer equipment, and automation systems.

General Government fee revenues are used for the purchase and development of parkland, expansion and construction of offices and warehouses, and administrative items such as computers and County general purpose vehicles.

Transportation fee revenues are used for regional roads and road improvements, county roads and transit projects.

 

4.   What are the previous Public Facilities Fee Rates? 

Solano County updates it Public Facilities Fees each year to reflect an annual cost adjustment to ensure that the program reflects the current cost of construction and appropriate fees.  The fees are different for the incorporated versus unincorporated portions of the County. The PFF from December 3, 2013 (old). See 2019 fees below under section 7 & 8.

Attached are links to the Board Report, including Attachments:

Here is a link to a table with the 2014 Solano County Public Facilities Fees (old), See 2019 fees below under section 7 & 8
    
        
Public Facilities Fee Summary 

5.   2013 Nexus Report.

California Code requires a Nexus Report to be prepared at least every 5 years.

Solano County adopted the Nexus Report on December 3, 2013 (old) and June 2019 (new).  Attached are links to the Board Reports, including Attachments:

 
6.   How are the Public Facilities Fees used?

An Annual Disclosure and Review of Public Facility Fee collection and disbursement is required by Section 66006(b) of the Government Code.  The review is presented to the Board of Supervisors annually and is due within 180 days of the complication of the prior Fiscal Year.  A review of the Fiscal Year 2014/15 PFF (old, see 2019 fees below under section 7 & 8) went to the Board on December 3, 2013 with a description of the fees listed above.

 

7.   What is the Solano County 5-year Capital Facilities Improvement Plan (Current Fees)?

Key to determining future Solano County facilities needs is a documented Capital Facilities Improvement Plan.  Per Section 60002 of the Public Contract Code, the 5-Year Capital Facilities Improvement Plan (CIP) must be updated annually.  The plan, entitled Solano County 5-Year Capital Facilities Improvement Plan, was last updated on June 4, 2019. 


8.   Public review of updated June 2019 Public Facilities Fee Study.

  9.   What Occupancy Classification do I apply to what Public Facility Fee Category.