Tulare County to collect Terrabella sewer fees on property tax roll after public hearing

TULARE — The Tulare County Board of Supervisors voted to collect wastewater service fees for the Terrabella Sewer Maintenance District on the property tax roll beginning in fiscal year 2025–26, after staff reported no valid majority protests at a public hearing.

Denise England of the Resource Management Agency told the board the district currently serves about 520 accounts, that rates were approved in mid‑July on a five‑year increase schedule, and that the district had about $23,000 in delinquencies (roughly 16%) rolled onto the tax roll on July 22 for the prior fiscal year. England said the change aims to improve collectability and reduce delinquencies.

England said the county conducted mailed and published notices in July and that the auditor needs the list by Aug. 11 to place the charges on the 2025–26 tax roll. She cited the statutory authority in the Health and Safety Code and the Government Code for collecting such fees on the tax roll.

The clerk reported the county received no protests that constituted a majority of affected parcels; the board therefore adopted the tax‑roll collection option. Supervisor Dennis Townsend moved to adopt the collection; Supervisor Shuckling seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

Board members said collecting fees through the tax roll aligns fees with property taxation mechanisms that ensure higher collection rates and noted that unpaid tax‑rolled charges can result in tax‑related collection processes. The board directed staff to proceed with the auditor’s timelines and to notify affected property owners accordingly.