Board approves creation of Service Zone 4 to continue South County fire mitigation fee; no new tax

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors on April 22 adopted a resolution creating Service Zone 4 to encompass the former South Santa Clara County Fire Protection District, a move county officials said will preserve existing local fire mitigation fees and bring South County fire services under the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District.

County Executive James Williams told the board the change is an implementation step following the district's dissolution and LAFCO's earlier approval; he said, "This item does not create any new taxes, does not create a new fee. This item does allow for the continuation of the existing, fire mitigation fee in South County." The board voted 5-0 to adopt the resolution.

Why it matters: the action is intended to keep a locally imposed mitigation fee in place for properties in the former South County district so that funds set aside to offset new development's fire impacts can be collected and spent without interruption. County staff emphasized this was a procedural step tied to the district dissolution and not a new tax or fee increase.

What the board heard: county staff and the Santa Clara County Fire Department presented a three-part description of fire prevention work the department plans to extend in South County: inspections (deputy fire marshals and engine companies visiting at-risk properties), community education (expanded public outreach and programs such as ready/Set/Go and CPR training) and fuels reduction (the county's fuels crews and partnerships to thin vegetation in the wildland-urban interface). Deputy Fire Chief Brian Glass described the department's pre-fire management and wildfire resilience program and noted the fuels-reduction crews have been expanded from grant-funded pilot activity into an ongoing county function.

Supervisors acknowledged public questions about outreach and transitional logistics. Several supervisors and staff said they expected service levels to be maintained or enhanced after the transition because county fire brings additional resources and centralized deployment. Williams and the fire chief said route and staffing adjustments were scheduled with a July 1 effective date tied to the district dissolution.

Formal action and vote: the board "adopt[ed] the resolution of the Board of Directors of the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District making findings, terminations and ordering the creation of Service Zone 4 for the former territory of South Santa Clara County Fire District." The motion was moved by Vice President Sylvia Arenas, seconded by Supervisor Allenberg, and carried 5-0 (Supervisor Abeycoca: aye; Supervisor Young: yes; Supervisor Ellenberg: yes; Vice President Arenas: yes; President Otto Lee: yes).

What happens next: staff said the mitigation fee will continue to be administered and periodically updated; no new fee or tax was created by this action. The department will proceed with transition planning, outreach in South County and the transfer of local operations into county fire command.

Ending: Supervisors and staff said they would continue local outreach describing changes to service providers and residents and monitor the transition in the first months after the July 1 effective date.