Financing Open Space and Watershed Acquisition in California

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1 1 Financing Open Space and Watershed Acquisition in California Rachel Dinno Director for Government Relations The Trust for Public Land Peggy Chiu Western States Research Director The Trust for Public Land 16 th Annual Livable Communities Conference March 17,

2 Conserving Land for People The Trust for Public Land conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places, ensuring livable communities for generations to come. TPL Mission Statement 3 TPL s Conservation Services Conservation Vision Helping communities develop implementation strategies for their open space goals. Conservation Finance Helping government partners, land trusts and communities to create funding for land conservation. Conservation Transactions Helping government partners, land trusts and communities to evaluate and purchase land. Conservation Values Helping people to realize the value of parks and conserved land. 4 2

3 TPL s Conservation Finance Program TPL Track Record ( ) Land Conservation Funds Passed: $24.4 billion 84% Approval Rate of 388 Measures 5 Who is Creating Funding? Since 1996, Voters Have Approved 1,071 Open Space Ballot Measures, Authorizing $24.4 Billion in Conservation Funding* Successful Measures 100% = 1,071 State 3% County 18% Cons. Funds Approved 100% = $27.3 B 42% Municipal 76% 34% Special District 3% 23% 1% Analysis of Land Vote data by Peter Szabo for the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation *Note: This does not include legislatively authorized spending programs, such as those in Florida, New York, and Maryland, which were not submitted directly to voters 6 3

4 State & Local Conservation Funding Sources State General Obligation Bonds Lottery Proceeds Transfer Taxes License Plate Programs Local General Obligation Bonds Dedicated Property Taxes Dedicated Sales Taxes Budget Appropriations 7 Public-Private Partnerships Between governmental entities and private, nonprofit organizations Joins private desires and public goals Examples of Potential Partners Land trusts Neighborhood and community groups Foundations National conservation organizations Landowner groups 8 4

5 Voter Support for Conservation Purposes Drinking Water Water Quality/Rivers/Streams Natural Lands/Areas Wildlife 89% 87% 84% 84% Purpose Preserve Historic Lands Public Access (w ater) Farms/Ranchland Park Improvement (General) Scenic View s Open Space 78% 75% 75% 74% 72% 71% Acquisition of Specifically Named Parcel/Area 69% Bike, hike, w alk, ride trails 69% Land for Parks/Brow nfield Redevelopment 61% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Percent Support Based on 26 polls conducted by the Trust for Public Land, Dec Dec Using Proposition 218 Fees for Open Space and Watershed Protection 10 5

6 Local Conservation Financing in CA Usually taxes, bonds, and dedicated revenue Creates opportunities for local governments to meet local priorities and exercise local responsibilities for land protection Examples Local option sales tax General obligation bonds Budget appropriations Impact Fees Utility Taxes Hotel Taxes 11 What are Proposition 218 Fees? Benefit or Special Assessments Property-Related Fees Parcel Taxes 12 6

7 Who may impose Prop 218 fees? General law cities Charter cities (if charter so provides) Counties Special districts Any other local or regional governmental entity 13 What is a Benefit Assessment? Annual charge on property, not people Based on the special benefit received by the property Usually defined geographically Not based on value of property 14 7

8 Assessments may fund Ongoing public services, O&M Capital Improvements Equipment Land Acquisitions Bonded improvements/acquisitions Pay as you go 15 Common Uses of Assessments Infrastructure Roads, sidewalks, sewers, drainage, water, utilities Landscaping and Lighting Flood Control Fire Suppression Parks and Open Space 16 8

9 Implementation of an Assessment Detailed engineer s report Identify benefited parcels Notice of proposed assessment & Mail-in Ballot Public hearing w/in 45 days of notice Consider protests Tabulate ballots Weighted majority required for approval 17 Where Assessments are used for parks and open space Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District Twain Harte Community Services District Santa Monica Mountains Placer County Park and Recreation District Santa Clara County? 18 9

10 What is a Property-Related Fee? Imposed upon a person as an incident of property ownership Includes user fees & charges, not taxes or assessments Relates proportionally to cost of service 19 Limitations to Prop-Related Fee May only be expended for stated purpose May not be based on potential or future use of a service May not be used for general government services 20 10

11 Common Uses of Prop-Related Fees Storm drainage fees Storm water control Sewer Water, including metered rates for H20 consumption Refuse collection by government agency 21 Implementation of Prop-Related Fee Identify the parcels Calculate the fee Written notice to property owners Public hearing w/in 45 days of notice Written protests by majority Election w/in 45 days after public hearing Simple majority vote of property owners OR 2/3 of electorate residing in affected area 22 11

12 Where Prop-Related Fees may be used for parks and open space Upcoming Los Angeles County measure 23 Parcel Tax Special tax per Proposition 218 Must be applied uniformly to all taxpayers or property 24 12

13 Common Uses of Parcel Tax Parks and open space Fire protection Schools 25 Implementation of a Parcel Tax Calculate rate Election 2/3 voter approval required 26 13

14 Where Parcel Taxes are used Santa Monica Marinwood Community Services District Davis Monrovia San Carlos 27 Critical Steps for a Successful Ballot Measure Step 1: Feasibility Research Step 2: Public Opinion Survey Step 3: Program Recommendations Step 4: Ballot Question Step 5: Public Education/ Campaign 28 14

15 Examples of Watershed Funding