REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 17, 2026
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Public Hearing on Proposed Dissolution of Various County Service Area Road Districts
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of Board Governed County Service Area 70 and Zones R-15, R-20, R-26, and R-29:
1. Conduct a public hearing, to hear and consider the dissolution of the following County Service Area 70 Zones:
a. County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 Landers.
b. County Service Area 70, Zone R-20 Flamingo Heights.
c. County Service Area 70, Zone R-26 Yucca Mesa West.
d. County Service Area 70, Zone R-29 Yucca Mesa East.
2. Determine if a written majority protest from registered voters residing within each Zone exists to the proposed dissolution for the following:
a. County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 Landers.
b. County Service Area 70, Zone R-20 Flamingo Heights.
c. County Service Area 70, Zone R-26 Yucca Mesa West.
d. County Service Area 70, Zone R-29 Yucca Mesa East.
3. If determined that no written majority protest from registered voters residing within each respective Zone exists:
a. Adopt Resolution for County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 (Landers) that:
i. Sets Fiscal Year 2026-27 as the last year to collect the $20 per parcel charge per year.
ii. Directs the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to certify the passage and forward a copy to each of the following:
1. California State Board of Equalization;
2. County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk;
3. County Registrar of Voters; and
4. County Surveyor - Department of Public Works.
b. Adopt Resolution for County Service Area 70, Zone R-20 (Flamingo Heights) that:
i. Sets Fiscal Year 2026-27 as the last year to collect the $15 per parcel charge per year.
ii. Directs the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to certify the passage and forward a copy to each of the following:
1. California State Board of Equalization;
2. County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk;
3. County Registrar of Voters; and
4. County Surveyor - Department of Public Works.
c. Adopt Resolution for County Service Area 70, Zone R-26 (Yucca Mesa West) that:
i. Sets Fiscal Year 2026-27 as the last year to collect the $35 per parcel charge per year.
ii. Directs the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to certify the passage and forward a copy to each of the following:
1. California State Board of Equalization;
2. County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk;
3. County Registrar of Voters; and
4. County Surveyor - Department of Public Works.
d. Adopt Resolution for County Service Area 70, Zone R-29 (Yucca Mesa East) that:
i. Sets Fiscal Year 2026-27 as the last year to collect the $30 per parcel charge per year.
ii. Directs the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to certify the passage and forward a copy to each of the following:
1. California State Board of Equalization;
2. County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk;
3. County Registrar of Voters; and
4. County Surveyor - Department of Public Works.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zones R-15 (Landers), R-20 (Flamingo Heights), R-26 (Yucca Mesa West), and R-29 (Yucca Mesa East) (Zones) are funded through property-related service charges paid by property owners within each respective Zone.
The existing annual property-related service charges of $20 per parcel for Zone R-15, $15 per parcel for Zone R-20, $35 per parcel for Zone R-26, and $30 per parcel for Zone R-29 were applied on the FY 2026-27 tax roll. If the dissolution of the Zones is approved, the annual service charges will not be applied to future tax rolls.
The remaining funds in each respective Zone will be used to pay for any past and current administrative costs, and expenses incurred in connection with the dissolution proceedings. These expenses include staff time, legal review, publication and hearing notices, and property owner notification. If there are remaining funds after these costs have been incurred, services will continue to be provided until each Zone’s respective fund is depleted.
|
County Service Area 70, Zone |
Ending Fund Balance for 2025-26 |
Estimated Collection for 2026-27 |
Estimated Annual Costs for 2026-27 |
Projected Ending Fund Balance for 2026-27 |
|
Zone R-15 (Landers) |
$145,229 |
$68,359 |
$85,510 |
$128,078 |
|
Zone R-20 (Flamingo Heights) |
$34,639 |
$11,157 |
$14,074 |
$31,722 |
|
Zone R-26 (Yucca Mesa - West) |
$22,337 |
$6,280 |
$8,603 |
$20,014 |
|
Zone R-29 (Yucca Mesa - East) |
$28,824 |
$7,425 |
$8,517 |
$27,732 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
County Service Area 70, Zones R-15, R-20, R26, and R-29 were formed to provide road maintenance and dirt road grading services within their respective communities. These services are funded through annual property-related service charges ranging from $15 to $35 per parcel. The charges did not include an inflationary adjustment and have remained unchanged for decades.
Over time, inflation and increased maintenance costs significantly reduce the level of road maintenance and dirt road grading services that could be provided with existing revenues. Following community outreach, the Department of Public Works - Special Districts (Department) initiated Proposition 218 proceedings to determine whether property owners would approve increased annual property-related service charges to provide additional funding for these services.
In 2026, mailed-ballot elections for property owners were conducted for the Zones. The proposed service charge increases for R-15, R-20, R-26, and R-29 did not receive the required majority approval. The Board of Supervisors (Board) accepted the certified election results for R-20, R-26, and R-29 on June 23, 2026 (Item No. 169), and for R-15 on August 4, 2026 (Item No. 91). The existing annual service charges, therefore, remained unchanged. In addition, property owners in R-20, R-26, and R-29 had previously rejected proposed service charge increases in 2017.
Without additional revenue, the Zones do not have sufficient financial resources to sustainably provide the level of road maintenance and dirt road grading services contemplated when they were formed. Following the unsuccessful elections, the Department evaluated the continued operation of the Zones and recommended initiating dissolution proceedings.
On October 6, 2026 (Item No. 44), the Board adopted Resolution Nos. 144 through 147, declaring its intent to dissolve Zones R-15, R-20, R-26, and R-29. The Board also scheduled a public hearing for November 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. to hear and consider testimony from interested parties for or against the proposed dissolution of each Zone and directed that notice of the hearing be provided in accordance Government Code section 25217.
Following the Board’s adoption of resolutions, pursuant to Government Code section 25217, notice of the public hearing was published in The Sun and Hi-Desert Star. The notice was mailed at least 20 days prior to the hearing date to property owners and registered voters residing within the affected Zones and was posted in at least three public places within the boundary of the Zones. As an additional notification measure, notices were provided to utility and service providers serving the affected areas, including Southern California Edison, Southern California Gas Company, Burrtec, Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency, and Frontier Communications. The mailed and posted notice provided information related to the proposed dissolution, the date, time, and location of the public hearing, and the process by which registered voters residing within each Zone could submit written objections to the proposed dissolution.
Approval of the recommended actions will conduct the public hearing and allow the Board to receive and consider testimony regarding the proposed dissolution of Zones R-15, R-20, R26, and R-29. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board will determine whether a majority written protest from registered voters residing within each Zone exists. Pursuant to Government Code section 25217.1, if the Board determines that more than 50 percent of the total number of registered voters residing within the Zone have filed written objections, then the Board must determine that a majority protest exists and terminate the dissolution proceedings. For any Zone in which a majority written protest from registered voters residing within the Zone does not exist, the Board may consider adopting the applicable Resolution ordering dissolution.
The proposed Resolutions, if adopted, would dissolve Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zones R-15 (Landers), R-20 (Flamingo Heights), R-26 (Yucca Mesa West), and R-29 (Yucca Mesa East). If dissolution is ordered, Zone-funded road maintenance and dirt road grading will continue only to the extent that Zone funds remain available. Once Zone-funded services cease, property owners will be responsible for maintaining access to their properties, including maintenance of private roadways serving that access.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Curtis, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 19, 2026; and County Finance and Administrative (Scott Bruckner, Administrative Analyst, 387-4020) on October 28, 2026.