Municipal Services Review

Click here for the Municipal Services Review

On September 26, 2000, Governor Gray Davis signed into law AB 2838 titled the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (CKH Act) and it was codified as California Government Code (GC) §56000.  This law states that in order to prepare and update a Sphere of Influence, Local Agency Formation Commissions (LAFCOs) are required to first conduct a Municipal Service Review of the municipal services provided in a, city, county or other appropriate designated area.

The term “municipal services” generally refers to the full range of services that a public agency provides or is authorized to provide. The review must present information on future projections and plans tied to the 5-10 and 30-year sphere horizons and must demonstrate that adequate services can be provided.  An important part of the review process is the public workshops which will include all stakeholders within the geographic area being reviewed.  This allows LAFCO and the service providers to more effectively accomplish mutual public service objectives while preserving important agricultural and open space resources.

As part of its review of municipal services and in accordance locally established “Municipal Service Review Policies and Procedures, updated December 14, 2014” the San Joaquin LAFCO is required to prepare a written statement of its determination with respect to each of the following six (6) categories:

• Growth and population projections for the Area.
• Location and Characteristics of any Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities within or Contiguous to the Sphere of Influence.
• Present and planned capacity for public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs and deficiencies.
• Financial ability of the agency to provide service.
• Status of and opportunities for shared facilities.
• Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies.

Each municipality in the San Joaquin County LAFCO is required to have an MSR prepared once every five years, at such time as the SOI is amended and prior to the consideration of any new annexations.  The City of Lathrop’s MSR is due to LAFCO to support modifications in the adopted growth horizons and to support the future annexation of key projects into Lathrop.  The administrative draft versions of the Municipal Service Review and Sphere of Influence Plan were reviewed, commented and edited by City Departments, the Police Department, the Lathrop-Manteca Fire District, French Camp Fire and the San Joaquin LAFCO staff.  This final version of the Lathrop MSR, incorporates staff’s comments and has been prepared to meet the above determinations required by the LAFCO.  The MSR affirms the City’s ability to provide adequate services to existing and future populations within the City Limits and SOI.    Please refer to the attached MSR and SOI Plan document for the full evaluation of services.

Sphere of Influence (SOI)

The San Joaquin LAFCO is also required to adopt a Sphere of Influence (SOI) boundary map for each local governmental agency within its jurisdiction.  An SOI is defined as a “plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local agency as determined by LAFCO.  LAFCOs and local agencies use SOIs to:

• Promote orderly growth and urban development.
• Promote cooperative planning efforts among cities, the county and special districts.
• Serve as a master plan for future local government reorganization.
• Guide consideration of proposals and studies for changes or organization and reorganization.

Concurrent with the MSR, the City of Lathrop is asking LAFCO to reaffirm Lathrop’s existing SOI and to modify the growth horizons in two areas which would allow consideration for annexation of the South Lathrop Specific Plan area as well as lands north of Roth Road.  It should be noted that no changes to the existing SOI boundaries are being requested at this time.  Please refer to the attached MSR and SOI Plan document for mapping diagrams of the existing City Limits and SOI.