On Tuesday, while County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig explained to the board of supervisors how a clerical error resulted in the false description of the proposed Fire Protection Zone FP-5 as 11,215 acres when the true acreage is more than 12,200,000 acres, others in the department prepared for this Friday’s mass mailing of public notices on the proposed expansion. Reporter Mike Lipsitz helps sort it all out…
Despite the error in reported acreage, the proposal to expand Fire Protection District FP-5 to encompass nearly all of the county has always been characterized as just over 19,000 square miles. The proposed expansion comes in response to an almost $30 million budget shortfall facing county fire. The solution is for the owner of every parcel within the 19,000 square mile zone to pay a $157 fee added to their property tax bill. Not yet a done deal, Friday opens a 30-day public protest period and Friday’s public notice mailing will include instructions on how property owners can protest the expansion and fee. If 25 percent of the affected property owners register a protest, then the proposal will go to the ballot as a voter initiative. The protest period ends at the conclusion of a public hearing before the board of supervisors on October 16.
OOPS, FIRE FEE AREA COVERS MILLIONS, NOT THOUSANDS OF ACRES. NOTICES COMING
