The Board of Directors of Santa Clara County Fire Department will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, related to creation of a new service Zone to encompass the lands of the South County Fire District. Creation of Service Zone 4 will allow Santa Clara County Fire Department to re-establish the existing South County Fire District development impact mitigation fee, which was established in 2005 to help fund fire protection facilities and equipment to serve new development projects in the service area. This existing fee is only imposed on new development. Establishment of Zone 4 restricts the revenues derived from this fee to benefit the service zone.
The action to hold this public hearing was approved by the Board of Directors on January 28, 2025. The public hearing does not authorize any new or increased fees or taxes.
In November 1993, voters approved Proposition 172, a half-cent sales tax to ensure a minimum level of funding for public safety services. This tax was expressly adopted to help offset a portion of the losses to counties and cities as a result of property tax shifts away from those local governments to fund the State's obligations for schools. Only those counties and cities that faced those property tax reductions are eligible to receive Prop. 172 funds.
For the County of Santa Clara, all of these revenues are used to support public safety services in the Sheriff’s Office, including supporting jail operations, the Probation Department, the District Attorney’s Office, and the Public Defender’s Office. The Fire Districts, which are separate legal entities from the County, do not receive any Prop.172 funds and also did not experience the property tax shifts that Prop. 172 was designed to help offset. Any change in the allocation of Prop. 172 funds would necessarily require a commensurate decrease in allocations to other County departments providing core County services, such as the District Attorney or Sheriff's Office, and is therefore the functional equivalent to a subsidy from the County General Fund.
Yes, all residents will still have fire service. Residents who had previously received fire services from the South County Fire District will begin receiving services from the Santa Clara County Fire Department upon reorganization of the Districts, which will bring financial stability while maintaining high quality fire service.
There will be no change to the services provided by the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. The South County Fire District territory only covers unincorporated portions of the county. The new fire service provider, Santa Clara County Fire Department, will continue to respond into the adjacent areas when mutual aid is necessary.
This change will have no impact on the residents currently served by the Santa Clara County Fire Department. All service levels will be maintained.
This action will not impact the property taxes of anyone in Santa Clara County. Property taxes cannot be increased beyond the limits approved when voters passed Proposition 13. Upon annexation, the portion of property tax previously directed to the South County Fire District will be received by the Santa Clara County Fire Department and used to provide fire protection services. The Board approved a resolution officially recognizing this action on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 (Item No. 58).
Residents will continue to use 9-1-1 for all emergencies, regardless of the service provider. Communications dispatchers will ensure that all calls are answered and responded to by the appropriate agency. This reorganization will integrate the routing of 911 calls for fire, public safety, and emergency medical services through 911 County Communications, increasing efficiency of emergency response services.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal FIRE) continues to have responsibility for wildfire protection and suppression in State Responsibility Areas (SRAs). These wildfire services will continue in Santa Clara County, including south county. The current SRA map shows that Cal FIRE is responsible for fire suppression and protection in the bulk of lands in south Santa Clara County. Santa Clara County Fire Department has prepared a more detailed map showing just the areas in south county, with the State Responsibility Area surrounded in yellow. Cal FIRE presence will be maintained in the area, specifically for wildland fire protection, and Cal FIRE remains the contracted fire service provider for the city of Morgan Hill. There are approximately 30 firefighters who will no longer be needed to support the South Santa Clara County contract, but those staff will be absorbed in other operations within Cal FIRE. In addition, administrative support staff that presently serve the South County Fire District will be redirected to other vacant positions in Cal FIRE.
Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility Area - Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County Fire Department is committed to engaging with the South Santa Clara County Fire District Volunteer Program (Company 70), the volunteer fire company that presently provides support to the South County Fire District.
The Pacheco Fire Station is a Cal FIRE-owned and operated station. This station is typically only funded by the State to be open during declared fire season by firefighters trained to provide basic life support (BLS) services. Through a separate contract with the South County Fire District, the station has been open year-round and staffed by firefighters capable of providing BLS and advanced life support (ALS) services to the community, similar to the services that are provided by a paramedic. The County has asked Cal FIRE to maintain the existing “Amador Agreement” to provide year-round services at the higher level of service and has initiated talks with Cal FIRE to maintain the present level of services from the Pacheco Fire Station. The County remains committed to ensuring these enhanced emergency response services are provided to the residents and visitors to the area served by that station.
Santa Clara County Fire Department will maintain fire services out of the existing Masten Fire Station (located at 10810 No Name Uno, Gilroy, CA 95020) and Treehaven Fire Station (located at 3050 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy, CA 95020). Santa Clara County Fire Department is planning to utilize a temporary fire station to serve residents in the northern area of the region.
South County Fire District owns its existing physical resources, known as assets, such as fire engines and tools. Upon annexation approval, all assets will be transferred to Santa Clara County Fire Department, including fire engines, firefighting tools, extraction equipment (e.g., the jaws of life), and breathing apparatus. Santa Clara County Fire Department will also utilize its own current equipment.
The County made this recommendation to ensure the fiscal solvency and continued ability to provide adequate fire protection to the residents of South County. For many years, due to significant cost increases by Cal FIRE, the South County Fire District has been in a deteriorating financial condition. This action will provide long-term fiscal stability. In addition, the dissolution of the South County Fire District and the annexation of its territories to Santa Clara County Fire Department will allow resource allocation decisions to be made using a coordinated countywide strategic approach that maximizes the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies, leverages the excellence of nationally accredited service from the Santa Clara County Fire Department, and provides a more integrated regional approach to fire services. This action is also being brought forward consistent with longstanding and repeated recommendations from the Management Auditor, LAFCO service reviews, and other analyses over the last 15 years that have identified significant structural concerns with the South County Fire District and suggested consolidation into Santa Clara County Fire Department as a long-term strategy.
While the Board of Commissioners of the South County Fire District will no longer exist upon annexation of the District, the Santa Clara County Fire Department will engage a transitional advisory group, including existing and former commissioners, to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
Santa Clara County LAFCO has issued a Certificate of Filing, certifying that the reorganization and sphere of influence amendment application submitted by the County and Santa Clara County Fire Department is complete. It is anticipated that LAFCO will hold a public hearing on this item at its Commission meeting scheduled for scheduled for Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 1:15 pm in the Board of Supervisors Chambers at the County Government Center, 70 W Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110.
Additional details can be found on the LAFCO website.
The Board of Directors of Santa Clara County Fire Department will be holding a public hearing on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, related to creation of a new service Zone to represent the lands previously part of the South County Fire District. Creation of Service Zone 4 will cover the former territory of the South County Fire District and will allow Santa Clara County Fire Department the option to readopt an updated version of the existing fire protection mitigation fee. South County Fire District’s current fire protection mitigation fee was established in 2005 to ensure there are adequate fire protection facilities and equipment available to serve new development projects in the service area. This existing fee is only imposed on new development.
Yes, there are many opportunities for community input. The San Martin Neighborhood Association is hosting a town hall meeting at the San Martin Lions Hall, located at 12415 Murphy Ave., San Martin, CA 95046, on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. to provide information regarding the pending annexation and an opportunity for community input. Staff from the County and the Santa Clara County Fire Department will be on hand to address questions and concerns.
County Administration is also working with Supervisor Arenas’s office and the city of Morgan Hill to hold a community outreach meeting for residents in that area. Additional details will be shared when they are known.
In addition, residents are welcome to participate in the conversations at public meetings outlined in the question above pertaining to next steps. Additional public meetings will be updated in the Next Steps section as they become available.
The South Santa Clara County Fire District began levying a Development Mitigation Fee for Fire Protection Services in January 2005. The Fee is subject to review every five years to evaluate the amount of the fee and update the proportional share of cost allocation related to new development. The next planned review is anticipated in fall 2025. The aim of these fees are to ensure new development pay an equitable share of the cost of public improvements needed to mitigate the impacts of the new development. The District is allowed to use the fee revenue to fund fire protection facilities and equipment expansion that serve the new development.
Upon annexation, the Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District plans to maintain the Development Impact Fee for the former South Santa Clara County Fire District territories. Actions approved by the Board of Supervisors, serving as the Board of Directors, and Santa Clara County LAFCO allow for the transfer of Development Mitigation Fees revenues from South Santa Clara County Fire District to Central Fire Protection District upon dissolution and annexation. Any modifications to the existing fee would go through a formal public review process.
Here is a link to the Previous Fee review.
The County remains committed to maintaining farmland and open spaces in the southern part of the county, which is critical to the long-range planning goals for the region and the county as a whole.
The latest projections provided by Cal FIRE staff for the financial forecast for the South Santa Clara County Fire District show that the current fiscal year (FY 2024-2025) expenditures exceed revenues by an estimated $1.3 million. The latest projection for FY 2025-2026 shows expenditures exceeding revenue by $4 million. The starting fund balance for the South Santa Clara County Fire District in the current fiscal year is just over $5 million, meaning that the longest the South County Fire District could remain fiscally solvent is through June 30, 2026, but these projections do not allow for the needed purchase of a new fire engine nor a water tender. Given the rapidly deteriorating fiscal situation, the Board of Directors voted to pursue the dissolution of the South Santa Clara County Fire District and the annexation of its territory to the Central Fire Protection District now.
Yes, both Districts have their financial audits available online for the public to see.
You can find the annual financial audits for the Santa Clara County Fire Department on its website:
Key Reports and Documents - Santa Clara County Fire Department
You can find the annual financial audits for the South County Fire District on its website:
Please visit the Department of Tax and Collections website (Distribution of property tax | Department of Tax and Collections | County of Santa Clara). From this page, you can click on a link on the bottom right that reads “Look up your property’s tax distribution.” From this link, you can enter your property address, Assessors Parcel Number (APN), or Tax Rate Area and get a detailed breakdown of how the property taxes are distributed.
Santa Clara County’s Weed Abatement Program (Weed Abatement | Weed Abatement | County of Santa Clara) allows the public to report overgrown vegetation that is suspected of being a fire hazard via email or via a form on the website.
The Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District will also be hosting office hours at the Sig Sanchez Government Center, 80 Highland Avenue, Building K, in San Martin, starting the week of March 10. Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District staff will be available during the office hours to answer any questions from South County residents regarding the upcoming transition of services. The planned office hours schedule is provided below and is also posted on the public-facing website at: https://www.sccfd.org/southcounty. Additional office hours will be scheduled and posted on the website.
- Tuesday, March 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, March 14, 2025: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, March 17, 2025: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, March 19, 2025: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 25, 2025: 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 26, 2025: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday, April 2, 2025: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, April 4, 2025: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, April 8, 2025: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, April 11, 2025: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Monday, April 14, 2025: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Friday, April 18, 2025: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Monday, April 21, 2025: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday, April 25, 2025: 1 p.m.– 4 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 30, 2025: 1 p.m.– 4 p.m.
- Friday, May 2, 2025: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Monday, May 5, 2025: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday, May 9, 2025: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Tuesday, May 13, 2025: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
- Friday, May 16, 2025: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Santa Clara County Fire Department has also established a website for Frequently Asked Questions related to the consolidation and services provided by the Department. Additional details can be found on its website at https://www.sccfd.org/southcounty.