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Kern LAFCO approves annexation of three parcels and amends water district sphere of influence
Summary
The Kern Local Agency Formation Commission on May 21 approved Annexation No. 1845—adding three parcels already served by a water district—and separately approved a sphere-of-influence amendment for the district (Item 1846). Staff said the annexation has 100% landowner consent and environmental clearance by notice of exemption.
The Kern Local Agency Formation Commission on May 21 approved Annexation No. 1845, a proposal to add three parcels totaling approximately 22.0 acres into the district’s service area, and separately approved Item 1846, a sphere-of-influence amendment for the same district.
Executive Officer Blair Knox told the commission the annexation would bring into the district parcels the water provider already serves and that the record shows 100% landowner consent. "This annexation brings into the district properties that they have been serving outside the district boundaries. This cleanup is beneficial to all involved," Knox said.
Knox described the properties as currently served by the district’s irrigation-water infrastructure; he said surrounding uses include agriculture, railroad right-of-way and vacant land. He identified Parcel A as being in Tulare County and Parcels B and C as being in Kern County and said the proposal does not change taxation or convert agricultural land. The applicant adopted a notice of exemption for California Environmental Quality Act purposes and staff notified affected and overlapping agencies with no comments received.
Because the annexation met the criteria of Government Code section 56662 (one-hundred percent landowner consent), Knox recommended the commission waive notice, hearing and protest hearing for the annexation and approve the proposed boundary change subject to the executive officer’s conditions. The commission took separate votes on the annexation and the sphere-of-influence amendment and approved both actions by unanimous vote.
The commission’s action formalizes that the district will continue to serve the parcels as it has been doing and aligns legal boundaries with current service. Staff noted a functional overlap with the Kern County Water Agency but said the two entities perform different roles in water delivery.
The executive officer’s staff will prepare the final resolutions and any filings required under the Cortese, Knox, Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act and submit statutory notifications to the Board of Equalization and other affected agencies.
Kern LAFCO recorded the approvals as distinct votes; staff will implement the executive officer conditions before completing the annexation paperwork.
