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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrd 2026-3626ORDINANCE NO. 3626 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA, ACTING AS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY OF COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO. 97-2 (PRESERVE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT) OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHORIZING THE LEVY OF SPECIAL TAXES IN IMPROVEMENT AREA “D,” ANNEXATION NO. 1 OF SUCH COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT WHEREAS, the City Council (“City Council”) of the City of Chula Vista, California (“City”), has undertaken proceedings to designate an improvement area to an existing community facilities district and annex certain property thereto, held a public hearing, conducted an election and received a favorable vote from the qualified electors authorizing the levy of Special Taxes in said improvement area, all as authorized pursuant to the terms and provisions of the “Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982”, being Chapter 2.5, Part 1. Division 2, Title 5 of the Government Code of the State of California (the “Act”). The community facilities district and the improvement area are known as Community Facilities District No. 97-2 (“CFD No. 97-2”) and Improvement Area “D,” respectively, and the territory annexed thereto is referred to as Annexation No. 1 (“Territory”). NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Chula Vista does ordain as follows: Section I. This City Council does, by the passage of this Ordinance, authorize the levy of Special Taxes on taxable properties located within Improvement Area “D” of CFD No. 97-2, including the Territory, pursuant to the Rate and Method of Apportionment of Special Tax for Improvement Area “D” of CFD No. 97-2 as set forth in Exhibit “A” attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference (“Rate and Method”). Section II. This City Council, acting as the legislative body of CFD No. 97-2, is hereby further authorized, by resolution, to annually determine the Special Tax (as defined in the Rate and Method) to be levied within Improvement Area “D” of CFD No. 97-2 for the then current tax year and future tax years; provided, however, the Special Tax to be levied shall not exceed the maximum Special Tax authorized to be levied pursuant to the Rate and Method. Section III. The Special Taxes herein authorized to be levied, to the extent possible, shall be collected in the same manner as ordinary ad valorem property taxes are collected and shall be subject to the same penalties and the same procedure, sale and lien priority in any case of delinquency as applicable for ad valorem taxes; provided, however, Improvement Area “D” of CFD No. 97-2 may utilize a direct billing procedure for any Special Taxes that cannot be collected on the County of San Diego tax roll or may, by resolution, elect to collect the Special Taxes at a different time or in a different manner if necessary to meet its financial obligations. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 2 Section IV. The Special Taxes authorized to be levied shall be secured by the lien imposed pursuant to Section 3114.5 and 3115.5 of the California Streets and Highways Code, which lien shall be a continuing lien and shall secure each levy of the Special Taxes. Section V. Severability. If any portion of this Ordinance, or its application to any person or circumstance, is for any reason held to be invalid, unenforceable or unconstitutional, by a court of competent jurisdiction, that portion shall be deemed severable, and such invalidity, unenforceability or unconstitutionality shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining portions of the Ordinance, or its application to any other person or circumstance. The City Council of the City of Chula Vista hereby declares that it would have adopted each section, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance, irrespective of the fact that any one or more other sections, sentences, clauses or phrases of the Ordinance be declared invalid, unenforceable or unconstitutional. Section VI. Construction. The City Council of the City of Chula Vista intends this Ordinance to supplement, not to duplicate or contradict, applicable state and federal law and this Ordinance shall be construed in light of that intent. Section VII. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force on the thirtieth day after its final passage. Section VIII. Publication. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same to be published or posted according to law. [SIGNATURES ON THE FOLLOWING PAGE] Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 3 Presented by Approved as to form by Roy Sapa’u Marco A. Verdugo Deputy City Manager/Director of Development City Attorney Services PASSED, APPROVED, and ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Chula Vista, California, this 18th day of August 2026, by the following vote: AYES: Councilmembers: Chavez, Fernandez, Inzunza, Preciado, and McCann NAYS: Councilmembers: None ABSENT: Councilmembers: None John McCann, Mayor ATTEST: Kerry K. Bigelow, MMC, City Clerk STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO ) CITY OF CHULA VISTA ) I, Kerry K. Bigelow, City Clerk of Chula Vista, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance No. 3626 had its first reading at a regular meeting held on the 11th day of August 2026, and its second reading and adoption at a regular meeting of said City Council held on the 18th day of August 2026 and was duly published in summary form in accordance with the requirements of state law and the City Charter. Dated Kerry K. Bigelow, MMC, City Clerk Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC 9/1/2026 Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 4 EXHIBIT “A” RATE AND METHOD OF APPORTIONMENT OF SPECIAL TAX FOR COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT NO. 97-2 (PRESERVE MAINTENANCE DISTRICT) IMPROVEMENT AREA D OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA, COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA A Special Tax of Community Facilities District No. 97-2 (Preserve Maintenance District) of the City of Chula Vista ("CFD") shall be levied on all Assessor's Parcels in Improvement Area D of the CFD and collected each Fiscal Year commencing with Fiscal Year 2025-2026 in an amount determined through the application of the rate and method of apportionment of the Special Tax set forth below. All of the real property within Improvement Area D of the CFD, unless exempted by law or by the provisions hereof, shall be taxed for the purposes, to the extent and in the manner herein provided. A. Definitions The terms hereinafter set forth have the following meanings: "Acre or Acreage" means the land area of an Assessor’s Parcel as shown on an Assessor's Parcel Map, or if the land area is not shown on an Assessor's Parcel Map, the land area shown on the applicable Final Subdivision Map, other final map, other parcel map, other condominium plan, or functionally equivalent map or instrument recorded in the Office of the County Recorder. The Acreage of a Parcel shall be calculated to the nearest one-hundredth (1/100) of an acre. The square footage of an Assessor's Parcel is equal to the Acreage multiplied by 43,560. "Act" means the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982, as amended, being Chapter 2.5, Part 1, Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code of the State of California. "Administrative Expenses" means the actual or estimated costs incurred by the City, acting for and on behalf of the CFD as the administrator thereof, to determine, levy and collect the Special Taxes, including salaries of City employees and a proportionate amount of the City’s general administrative overhead related thereto, and the fees of consultants and legal counsel providing services related to the administration of the CFD; the costs of collecting installments of the Special Taxes; and any other costs required to administer Area D of the CFD as determined by the City. "Assessor's Parcel" or “Parcel” means a lot or parcel shown in an Assessor's Parcel Map with an assigned assessor's parcel number. "Assessor's Parcel Map" means an official map of the Assessor of the County designating parcels by assessor's parcel number. "CFD Administrator" means an official of the City, or designee thereof, responsible for determining the Special Tax Requirement and providing for the levy and collection of the Special Taxes. "CFD" means Community Facilities District No. 97-2 (Preserve Maintenance District) of the City of Chula Vista. "City" means the City of Chula Vista. "City Clerk" means the City Clerk for the City of Chula Vista or his or her designee. "City Manager" means the City Manager for the City of Chula Vista or his or her designee. "Council" means the City Council of the City of Chula Vista, acting as the legislative body of the CFD. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 5 "County" means the County of San Diego, California. "Fiscal Year" means the period starting July 1 and ending on the following June 30. "Improvement Area D" or "Area D" means Improvement Area D of the CFD, as identified on the boundary map for the CFD as amended from time to time. “Initial Maintenance Period” means a minimum period of five (5) Fiscal Years commencing with Fiscal Year 2026-2027 until the Fiscal Year in which the City formally accepts the public improvements associated with Improvement Area D, for ongoing long-term management and periodic costs. During this period, the Special Tax may be levied at a reduced level, as determined by the City, for the purpose of partially funding maintenance obligations and establishing a Long-Term Management Reserve Fund to support long-term management costs. "Long-Term Management Plan" means the “Eastlake Storage Mitigation Project Long-Term Management Plan” dated June 2025, prepared for the mitigation site located within the Salt Creek riparian corridor in the Otay Ranch Preserve (the “Mitigation Site”), "Long-Term Management Program" means the perpetual management, maintenance, monitoring, reporting, and adaptive management activities required to be performed pursuant to the applicable Long- Term Management Plan, including but not limited to, invasive species control, trash removal, site access control, biological monitoring, reporting, and as-needed remedial or adaptive management actions necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability, habitat function, and regulatory compliance of preserve and mitigation areas following completion of Initial Maintenance Period and monitoring requirements. "Long-Term Management Fund Requirement" means, for any Fiscal Year, an amount equal to the Improvement Area D’s fair share of the budgeted costs of the Long -Term Management Program. Each Improvement Area’s “fair share” shall be based on its proportionate benefit, acreage, or other allocation methodology as determined in accordance with the applicable Rate and Method of Apportionment. “Long-Term Management Reserve Fund” means, fund established and maintained by the CFD to accumulate amounts over time to pay for periodic, non-annual, and as-needed costs of the Long-Term Management Program that are not incurred on an annual basis, including, without limitation, adaptive management measures, remedial actions, revegetation, increased monitoring, repair or replacement of site improvements, to the extent such costs are identified in the Long -Term Management Plan as occurring on a periodic or as-needed basis. “Long-Term Management Reserve Fund Requirement” means, for any Fiscal Year, the amount determined by the CFD Administrator to be deposited into the Long-Term Management Reserve Fund, based on the annualized costs of periodic and non -annual activities identified in the Long-Term Management Plan, such that sufficient funds are available when such costs are incurred. "Management Fund" means a fund that shall be maintained within the CFD for each Fiscal Year to pay the costs of the Long-Term Management Program for the Mitigation Site, including ongoing management, maintenance, monitoring, reporting, and adaptive management activities, together with applicable Administrative Expenses. "Maximum Special Tax" means the maximum Special Tax, determined in accordance with Section C below that may be levied in any Fiscal Year on any Assessor’s Parcel of Taxable Property. "Special Tax" means the Special Tax levied pursuant to the provisions of sections C and D below in each Fiscal Year on each Assessor's Parcel of Developed Property and Undeveloped Property in Area D to fund the Special Tax Requirement. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 6 "Special Tax Requirement" means for any Fiscal Year for Area D the amount required to be levied in such Fiscal Year to: (i) pay the Long-Term Management Fund Requirement; (ii) pay any amounts required to establish or replenish the Long-Term Management Reserve Fund to the Long-Term Management Reserve Fund Requirement; (iii) Administrative Expenses; and (iv) pay for reasonably anticipated delinquent Special Taxes based on the delinquency rate for Special Taxes levied in the previous Fiscal Year. "State" means the State of California. "Taxable Property" means all of the Assessor's Parcels within the boundaries of Area D of the CFD that are not exempt from the Special Tax pursuant to law or as defined below. B. Assignment to Categories of Special Tax Each Fiscal Year, using the definitions above, all property within Improvement Area D of the CFD shall be classified as Taxable Property or Exempt Property. Taxable Property shall be subject to Special Taxes pursuant to Sections C and D below. C. Maximum Special Tax Rate Taxable Category The Maximum Special Tax for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 are the rates set forth in Table 1 below. TABLE 1 Maximum Special Tax Community Facilities District No. 97-2 Improvement Area D (Fiscal Year 2025-2026) Long Term Management Fund Requirement Long Term Management Reserve Fund Requirement & Administrative Expenses Total Long-Term Management Program Costs $990 / acre $473 / acre $1,463 / acre Exempt Category The Exempt Category includes each property owned, conveyed or irrevocably offered for dedication to a public agency, or land which is in the public right-of-way, unmanned utility easements which make utilization for other than the purpose set forth in the easement impractical, common areas, private streets and parks, and open space lots, and any property that is otherwise exempt from the levy of special taxes pursuant to Government Code Section 53340(c) (“Exempt Category”). Annual Escalation of Maximum Special Tax The Maximum Special Tax as shown in the tables above that may be levied on each Assessor’s Parcel in Improvement Area D, shall be increased each Fiscal Year beginning in Fiscal Year 2026-2027 and thereafter by a factor equal to the annual percentage change in the San Diego Metropolitan Area Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI -U, All Items) or zero percent (0%), whichever is greater. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 7 D. Method of Apportionment of the Special Tax During the Initial Maintenance Period During the Initial Maintenance Period, the Special Tax shall be levied at a reduced level, as determined annually by the City, sufficient to fund a portion of the Special Tax Requirement and to establish and build the Long-Term Management Reserve Fund. The City shall determine the percentage of the Maximum Special Tax to be levied during the Initial Maintenance Period based on anticipated future maintenance costs and required reserve levels, provided the Special Tax during the Initial Maintenance Period shall not exceed the Special Tax Requirement. The Special Tax shall be apportioned to Parcels in accordance with the methodology set forth in Steps 1 through 3 below, after applying such reduced levy. Following the Initial Maintenance Period Commencing in the first Fiscal Year following the Initial Maintenance Period, the Special Tax shall be levied up to the full amount necessary to fund the Special Tax Requirement and shall be apportioned to Parcels in accordance with Steps 1 through 3 below. Step 1: Determine the maximum revenue that could be generated by applying the Maximum Special Tax rates set forth in Table 1 (as such rates may be annually escalated pursuant to Section C) to all Parcels. Step 2: If the total revenue calculated in Step 1 is greater than the Special Tax Requirement for Improvement Area D, reduce the Special Tax for each Parcel proportionately so that the total Special Tax levy for the Fiscal Year is equal to the Special Tax Requirement. Step 3: In the event that the Special Tax Requirement for Improvement Area D includes amounts attributable to delinquent Special Taxes from the prior Fiscal Year, the City shall determine the amount of such delinquent Special Taxes and may identify the Parcels and owners associated with such delinquencies. To the extent permitted by law, the City may levy and collect such delinquent amounts from the applicable Parcels and/or owners. Any remaining portion of the Special Tax Requirement shall be allocated and levied in accordance with Steps 1 through 2 above. Notwithstanding the above, under no circumstances will the Special Tax levied against any Assessor’s Parcel be increased by more than ten percent (10%) annually up to the Maximum Special Tax as a consequence of delinquency or default by the owner of any other Assessor's Parcel within Area D of the CFD. E. Appeals Any landowner or resident who pays the Special Tax and believes that the amount of the Special Tax levied on their Assessor’s Parcel is in error shall first consult with the CFD Administrator regarding such errors. If following such consultation, the CFD Administrator determines that an error has occurred; the CFD Administrator may amend the amount of the Special Tax levied on such Assessor’s Parcel. If following such consultation and action, if any, by the CFD Administrator, the landowner or resident believes such error still exists; such person may file a written notice with the City Clerk of the City appealing the amount of the Special Tax levied on such Assessor’s Parcel. Upon receipt of any such notice, the City Clerk shall forward a copy of such notice to the City Manager who shall establish as part of the proceedings and administration of the CFD, a special three-member Review/Appeal Committee. The Review/Appeal Committee may establish such procedures, as it deems necessary to undertake review of any such appeal. The Review/Appeal Committee shall interpret this Rate and Method of Apportionment and make determinations relative to the annual administration of the Special Tax and any landowner or resident appeals, as herein specified. The decision of the Review/Appeal Committee shall be final and binding to all persons. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 8 F. Manner of Collection Special Taxes levied pursuant to Section D above shall be collected in the same manner and at the same time as ordinary ad valorem property taxes; provided, however, that the CFD Administrator may directly bill the Special Tax, may collect Special Taxes at a different time or in a different manner if necessary to meet the financial obligations of Area D of the CFD or as otherwise determined appropriate by the CFD Administrator. G. Term of Special Tax Taxable Property in Improvement Area D of the CFD shall remain subject to the Special Tax in perpetuity. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC Ordinance No. 3626 Page No. 9 Attachment A Description of Long-Term Management Plan Implement the monitoring, maintenance, reporting, and adaptive management activities required under the Long-Term Management Plan for the Salt Creek Mitigation Site including but not limited to, invasive species control, trash removal, site access control, biological monitoring, reporting, and as-needed remedial or adaptive management actions necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability, habitat function, and regulatory compliance of preserve and mitigation areas following completion of initial mitigation and monitoring requirements. The activities described above are limited to those discrete tasks identified in the Long -Term Management Plan and are intended to ensure the long-term sustainability and ecological function of the Mitigation Site in perpetuity following completion of initial mitigation and monitoring requirements. Docusign Envelope ID: E5EC8BFF-EE72-8BE8-8164-434D8ACDD7EC