REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF BOARD GOVERNED COUNTY SERVICE AREAS
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 4, 2026
FROM
NOEL CASTILLO, Director, Department of Public Works - Special Districts
SUBJECT
Title
Accept Certified Election Results and Various Actions Pertaining to Adjusted Property Related Service Charge for Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 (Landers)
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Acting as the governing body of Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 (Landers):
1. Adopt the certified results of the mailed ballot property owner election held on July 6, 2026, regarding the proposed adjustment of an annual property related service charge was not approved, with 437 votes in favor (45.1%) and 532 votes opposed, rejecting the proposed increase from $20 per parcel per year to an adjusted amount of $75 per parcel per year.
2. Determine that the proposed adjusted property-related service charge for Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 (Landers) was not approved by the mailed ballot property owner election and therefore shall not be adopted or placed on the 2026-27 tax roll.
3. Direct the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector that the existing annual property-related service charge shall remain in effect for Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zone R15 (Landers) of $20 per parcel per year, unless and until lawfully changed by future Board of Supervisors’ action.
(Presenter: Noel Castillo, Director, 387-7906)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). All costs associated with the property-related service charge adjustment of Board Governed County Service Area 70, Zone R-15 (Landers) (Zone) will be paid by the property owners within the Zone.
Based on the certified results of the mailed ballot property owner election held on July 6, 2026, the proposed increase for the Zone was not approved. The existing rate of $20 will continue unchanged.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On July 9, 1984, the Zone was formed to provide road maintenance and dirt road grading services for approximately 164 miles of dirt roads in the Landers area. When the Zone was formed, an annual service charge of $20 per parcel was established. However, there was no inflationary factor built into the service charge and, therefore, the annual charge has remained unchanged for 42 years. If an inflationary factor of 3% had been included, the per parcel service charge would currently be approximately $75 per year. Over the past 42 years, rising inflation has steadily increased costs; however, without a corresponding increase in revenue, the Zone has experienced a reduction in the level of services provided. Current funding only supports limited emergency grading after major storms. Without immediate action to increase the annual service charge the Zone’s long-term sustainability and solvency is threatened. The increased service charge was intended to generate enough revenue to restore routine grading, storm-related cleanup, and ongoing road maintenance services to the Zone.
Property owners residing in the Zone were contacted by the Department of Public Works - Special Districts (Department) in 2025 to discuss the levels of service in their Zone. Following the meetings, informational letters, and a public hearing notice letter, pursuant to Proposition 218 requirements, regarding the proposed adjustment to the property-related service charge an additional notice was mailed on April 2, 2026 to the record owner of each identified parcel upon which the service charge was proposed for imposition. The notice included the amount of the proposed charge to be imposed upon each parcel within the Zone; basis upon which the amount of the proposed charge was calculated; reason for the charge; and notice of the May 19, 2026 public hearing date, time, and location.
On May 19, 2026 (Item No. 102), the Board of Supervisors (Board) conducted the public hearing for the proposed increased property related service charge to hear and consider all protests against the proposed property-related service charge adjustment. Following the close of the public hearing and the count of all written protests received, the Board determined that no majority protest existed for the Zone. The Board then adopted Resolution No. 2026-55 authorizing a mailed ballot election of property owners, pursuant to the requirements of Proposition 218 and California Constitution, Article XIIID, section 6 (c), to establish the service charge revision of $75 per parcel effective 2026-27. The Resolution established July 3, 2026, or any day thereafter, as the mailed ballot election to be voted on by property owners within the Zone.
An independent election provider mailed ballots to affected property owners on June 1, 2026. The election concluded on July 6, 2026. The certified results show 437 votes in favor of the proposed adjustment (45.1%) and 532 votes opposed (54.9%). Because the proposal did not receive the required majority approval, the proposed adjustment was not approved.
Accordingly, the proposed $75-per-parcel annual charge will not be adopted or included on the 2026-27 property tax roll. The existing $20-per-parcel annual property-related service charge will remain in effect, unless and until it is lawfully changed or discontinued through a future Board action. Road grading and maintenance will continue only to the extent supported by available Zone revenues. Because the proposed service charge adjustment was not approved, available revenues are expected to be insufficient to support routine road grading and maintenance services.
Given that the proposed increase for the Zone was not approved, the Department will begin the necessary preliminary steps to present the matter to the Board to consider whether dissolution of the Zone is in the public interest, pursuant to the procedures set forth in the County Service Area Law. These steps include consulting with County Counsel regarding the procedural requirements and timeline. The Department will notify property owners, as appropriate, regarding future proceedings and return to the Board with recommendations for its consideration, determination, and approval.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Aaron Gest, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 17, 2026; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Franciliza Zyss, Deputy Chief, 382-3176) on July 7, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Dalton, Administrative Analyst, 387-5005) on July 17, 2026.