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FINANCIAL STATEMENT <br /> Funding of these GHADs will have a minimal financial impact on the City. The City pays <br /> for two parcels within the Laurel Creek Estates assessment ($816), one parcel within <br /> the Moller Ranch District ($124), and one parcel within the Oak Tree Farm District <br /> assessment ($335) as the City owns parcels of land within these districts. These parcels <br /> contain public facilities, such as water tanks and pump stations. <br /> The City's cost to administer the four GHADs is funded by the assessments. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> GHAD - Purposes and Description <br /> Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts (GHADs) are authorized by California Public <br /> Resources Code §26500. Like any special assessment district, a GHAD assesses <br /> property owners for a benefit they receive that is special to them. GHADs are formed to <br /> prevent, mitigate, abate, or control a geologic hazard within the district. A "geologic <br /> hazard" is an actual or threatened landslide, land subsidence, soil erosion, or other <br /> movement of land. Movement of land or damage due to an earthquake is specifically <br /> exempted from coverage by the GHAD. <br /> GHADs are formed when a geotechnical investigation at the time of development <br /> reveals areas within the development that are unsuitable for housing or other structures <br /> due to evidence of prior or suspected earth movement. These undevelopable areas <br /> within the project are set aside as open space based upon the findings of the <br /> investigation. The developer is then obligated to construct infrastructure designed to <br /> lessen the likelihood that earth movement will occur or to minimize damage to <br /> developed areas should earth movement occur. The infrastructure often includes slope <br /> stabilization measures such as drainage ditches, pipe networks, and hillside armoring. <br /> The GHAD is the funding mechanism to operate, monitor, maintain, repair, and <br /> eventually replace the slope stabilization infrastructure or repair soil movement or <br /> landslides, should they occur. <br /> Ownership of the open space areas is generally deeded to the City or, in some cases, <br /> to the development's homeowners association. In either scenario, City Council has <br /> been designated as the Board of Directors for each GHAD. The developers, as <br /> authorized by the Board of Directors, established initial assessments based upon "Plan <br /> of Control" documents created for each GHAD. The Plan of Control documents utilized <br /> each development's original construction plans as the basis for the monitoring, <br /> maintenance and repair plan. The developers then deposited funding into a reserve as <br /> "seed money" for the eventual capital replacement needs. After establishment of each <br /> GHAD, annual assessments have been collected from property owners at the same <br /> time and in the same manner as property taxes. <br /> Page 2 of 5 <br />