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Tehama County board adopts 'exhaustion of remedies' ordinance requiring administrative appeals before courts
Summary
The board unanimously adopted Ordinance 2026-1 establishing an administrative‑remedies procedure (hearing officer then Superior Court) for challenges to fees, charges and assessments, clarifying the district’s internal appeal steps and potential legal defenses if procedures are bypassed.
The Tehama County Flood Control and Water Conservation District board voted unanimously April 23 to adopt Ordinance 2026‑1, an uncodified ordinance that establishes administrative remedies and an appeal path property owners must follow before pursuing litigation over district fees, charges or assessments.
Senior deputy county counsel Daniel Klausner explained the ordinance clarifies the procedural steps property owners must take — filing a challenge, requesting a hearing officer determination, and then appealing to the Superior Court if needed — and that the ordinance provides the district with a legal defense if a party seeks court review without following the local administrative process. Director Matt Hansen moved for adoption; Director Greg Jones seconded the motion. The roll-call vote was 5–0 in favor.
During public comment, speakers asked how the ordinance interacts with existing appeal rights and what the district’s timing requirements would be. Counsel said the ordinance sets procedural timeframes for administrative challenges and that, as drafted, the hearing officer’s determination could then be appealed to the Superior Court. Counsel stressed that the ordinance is intended to make the district’s administrative process clear rather than to preclude judicial review in every circumstance.
By adopting the ordinance, the board established a formal local process for resolving disputes over fee determinations and related administrative actions. The ordinance will be published and the district will implement the hearing‑officer contract mechanism described by counsel for administrative hearings.
Next steps: staff will finalize implementing procedures and contract for hearing‑officer services, and the ordinance’s administrative appeal process will be used for future fee determinations under related fee ordinances.
