Editor’s note:

Homeowners in the city of Santa Clarita already pay stormwater pollution prevention fees to the agency that provides flood control services within the city – the city of Santa Clarita.

The county is considering levying a new stormwater pollution prevention fee called “Clean Water, Clean Beaches” on all SCV residents, regardless of whether they live inside or outside of the city.

“This new fee will essentially be double taxation for property owners within the City of Santa Clarita,” Mayor Bob Kellar said.

City residents who don’t want to subsidize stormwater pollution prevention in other parts of the county are encouraged to attend the meeting in downtown Los Angeles referenced below.

City press release follows:

On Tuesday, March 12, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the proposed Clean Water, Clean Beaches measure.  Community members are invited to attend and may address the board on whether the measure should move forward to an election.

Clean Water, Clean Beaches was proposed by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District to address storm water runoff pollution to county beaches and to comply with clean water mandates established by the state under the federal Clean Water Act.

The proposed measure assesses a fee on parcels within the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, based on the amount of runoff generated by each property.

As such, Clean Water, Clean Beaches is subject to Prop 218, under The California Constitution, and must go through a two-step approval process, which includes a public hearing and an election.

The initial public hearing took place on January 15th and was continued until March 12th.  If the Board of Supervisors does not receive protests from a majority of parcel owners by the close of the public hearing, they may determine to move the measure to a formal election.  Parcel owners can still submit a protest form or letter until the close of the hearing by mail to “Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors, P.O. Box 866006 Los Angeles, CA 90086” or in person to “Executive Officer, Board of Supervisors, Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, Room 383, 500 West Temple Street Los Angeles, CA.”

For more information on the proposed Clean Water, Clean Beaches measure, including background about the measure and a printable, sample public hearing notice and protest form that can be mailed in, please visit www.lacountycleanwater.org.  Please be sure to include your APN number (Assessor’s Parcel Number) and the parcel address on any submitted protest forms or letters.