Updated February 12, 2024
On November 15, 2023 the LAFCo Commission voted unanimously, 6-0, to adopt Resolution No. 1312 approving the City of East Palo Alto’s (City) proposal to establish the East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD) as a subsidiary district of the City. Approval of this proposal will not alter the boundaries of EPASD or the sewer services provided by EPASD. Revenue collected by EPASD will be maintained separately from the City’s General fund and can only be used for sewer operations and maintenance.
A 30-day reconsideration period followed the Commission’s approval and ended December 15, 2023. LAFCo received a request for reconsideration from EPASD that was heard by the Commission at a Special Meeting on February 7, 2024. The Commission voted unanimously, 7-0, to deny EPASD’s request for reconsideration and adopt Resolution No. 1315 disapproving the request for reconsideration relating to the establishment of EPASD as a subsidiary district of the City of East Palo Alto.
Protest Period
LAFCo has set the required protest period for the proposal to establish EPASD as a subsidiary district of the City. The protest period will begin on February 12, 2024 and end with a protest hearing on May 22, 2024 at 2:30pm in the East Palo Alto City Council Chambers at 2415 University Avenue, East Palo Alto, CA. During the protest period, landowners and registered voters within the affected territory area may submit written protest to the proposal.
Written protest must include the assessor parcel number (APN) if submitted by a landowner OR the residence street address if submitted by a registered voter. The protest form must also include an original wet-ink signature and date, and all signatures must be dated after the publication of the notice of protest hearing. Written protests may be mailed or hand‐delivered in advance of the hearing to the LAFCo office (455 County Center, 2nd Floor, Redwood City, CA 96063) no later than 4:00 p.m. on the last business day (May 21) preceding the protest hearing. All other written protests must be hand delivered to LAFCo staff at the protest hearing on May 22, 2024 at 2:30pm before the protest hearing is closed.
Protest Forms are posted here, as well as on the Forms & Application Materials page. Detailed instructions on how and when to submit written protest are included in the Protest Notices.
The Protest Hearing to consider the above the proposal to establish EPASD as a subsidiary district of the City was noticed in the San Mateo County Times and Palo Alto Daily Post on February 12, 2024 and in the Almanac on February 16, 2024. Notices were also sent to affected agencies and interested parties on February 12, 2024.
History & background
On June 15, 2022 the Commission reviewed and approved the Municipal Service Review (MSR) for the City of East Palo Alto, East Palo Alto Sanitary District and West Bay Sanitary District.
On November 10, 2022, a proposal (LAFCo File No. 22-09) was submitted to San Mateo LAFCo to establish the East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD), an independent special district, as a subsidiary district of the City of East Palo Alto (City)..
The proposal submitted by the City included a resolution of application, application materials, a plan for service, a capital improvement plan, and a proposed budget for EPASD operations and maintenance and capital improvements.
On June 15, 2023 San Mateo LAFCo issued a Certificate of Filing for LAFCo File No. 22-09, a proposal to establish the East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD) as a subsidiary district of the City of East Palo Alto. The application contains the required information and data as required by San Mateo LAFCo and State Law.
On July 12, 2023 the East Palo Alto Sanitary District Board adopted a resolution of intent to submit an alternative proposal to File No. 22-09 - A proposal to establish East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD), and independent special district, as a subsidiary district of the City of East Palo Alto (City). The resolution was submitted to LAFCo on July 13, 2023.
On September 19, 2023 the East Palo Alto Sanitary District (EPASD) submitted an alternative application to LAFCo regarding the City's subsidiary district proposal. The application proposed to 1) retain EPASD current governance structure, 2) amend its Sphere of Influence to be coterminous with EPASD boundaries, and 3) remove EPASD's territory from the Sphere of Influence of the West Bay Sanitary District. The application and supporting documents can be viewed at the link below:
East Palo Alto Sanitary District Alternative Application
The City’s proposal and EPASD’s alternative application were presented to the Commission at the Special LAFCo meeting held at the East Palo Alto City Hall on November 15, 2023.