What is LAFCO?
LAFCO is an acronym for Local Agency Formation Commission. It is a regulatory agency with countywide jurisdiction, established by state law to discourage urban sprawl and to encourage orderly and efficient provision of services, such as water, sewer, fire protection, etc.

Is LAFCO a County Department?
No. LAFCO is a state mandated agency.

What does LAFCO do?
LAFCO is responsible for reviewing and approving proposed jurisdictional boundary changes, including annexations and detachments of territory to and/or from cities and special districts, incorporations of new cities, formations of new special districts, and consolidations, mergers, and dissolutions of existing districts. In addition, LAFCO must review and approve contractual service agreements, determine spheres of influence for each city and district, and may initiate proposals involving district consolidation, dissolution, establishment of subsidiary districts, mergers, and reorganizations (combinations of these jurisdictional changes).

Who are the members of LAFCO?
El Dorado LAFCO is composed of seven regular Commissioners: two members from the Board of Supervisors; two members who represent cities; two members who represent special districts; and one public member who represents the public as a whole.  There are four alternate Commissioners; one from each of the above membership categories.  LAFCO employs an independent staff headed by an Executive Officer.

When and where does the Commission meet?
The Commission meets the fourth Wednesday of every month at 5:30 PM in Building A at the El Dorado County Government Center in the Board of Supervisors Meeting Room, located at 330 Fair Lane, Placerville, CA 95667.

How long will it take to process my project?
If your project is considered routine and is non-controversial, processing time is approximately 3 to 4 months after a complete set of application materials have been submitted to LAFCO.  More complex proposals may take additional time to process.

Is the public notified about LAFCO actions?
State law requires that LAFCO notify affected agencies and the public regarding most jurisdictional boundary change projects.  Notification of a pending project is made to County departments, interested individuals and local governmental agencies.  In addition, comments are solicited from community groups as well as agencies that may potentially be affected.  LAFCO must also wait until information is returned from the County Assessor, Auditor-Controller and various state agencies before a proposal may be scheduled for a public hearing.

Does LAFCO charge a fee to process jurisdictional boundary change projects?
State law authorizes LAFCO to charge the estimated reasonable cost to process jurisdictional boundary change projects

What is a sphere of influence?
A sphere of influence is a planning tool adopted and used by LAFCO to designate the future boundary and service area for a city or special district.

Can a sphere of influence be changed?
Yes.  LAFCO may amend and update spheres of influence.

Is LAFCO required to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)?
Yes. LAFCO must comply with CEQA.

What if I don’t want to annex?
Property owners in an area have the right to protest a proposed annexation and, if the protest is sufficiently large, they may vote on whether to annex their area. 

If my neighborhood annexes into a city, will my County Supervisor still represent me?
El Dorado County Supervisors represent all residents of El Dorado County and are always interested in hearing citizen’s concerns and questions.  Your Supervisor will continue to represent you after annexation.
[ Click here to find your County Supervisor ] 

If my property is annexed into the City of Placerville or City of South Lake Tahoe, will my taxes increase?
Under the California Constitution, your property cannot be assessed at more than 1% of its value. However, special property assessments may apply in both City and County territory. If you now have extra assessments for costs incurred by special districts such as the El Dorado Irrigation District, school districts, the El Dorado County Water Agency, or the Los Rios Community College District, these charges will remain the same after annexation. Depending upon your property's location, special assessments for services such as park and recreation will be removed from your property tax bill upon annexation because the City provides these services at no extra charge.