Commission Meeting Agenda Item

WHEREAS, the Town Commission adopted Resolution 2003-101, electing to use the uniform method of collecting non-ad valorem special assessments for Fire Protection Services for that portion of the Town of Lady Lake located within The Villages and certain parcels in close proximity to The Villages identified as The Villages Fire Protection Special Assessment District, referred to herein as The Villages Fire Protection District or The Villages Fire Protection Special Assessment District; and

WHEREAS, the Town Commission has executed an Interlocal agreement with the Villages Center Community Development District, referred to herein as the District, wherein the District provides Fire Protection Services within The Villages Fire Protection District and the Town remits fire protection assessments to the District as compensation for said services; and

WHEREAS, the Town Commission adopted Ordinance 2003-14, which was amended by Ordinance 2005-08, setting forth the authority for the creation of The Villages Fire Protection District and prescribing the administrative process for preparing the assessment roll, adopting an assessment rate, providing notice of the assessment rate to property owners, and describing the method of collection and use of assessments; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with Resolution 2003-101 and Ordinance 2005-08, the Town has identified those properties that will receive special benefits from the provisions of Fire Protection Services, and pursuant to information provided by the District, has estimated the tentative cost of providing Fire Protection Services to said properties; and

WHEREAS, the District has apportioned the tentative cost of proving Fire Protection Services to residential and non-residential property, and proposed a rate of $124.00 per residential unit and a range of four to 29 cents per square foot of non-residential property as shown on Exhibit A; and

WHEREAS, the Town Manager and the District have established an initial assessment roll identifying all property within The Villages Fire Protection District that will receive special benefits from the provision of Fire Protection Services; and

WHEREAS, the final rate of assessment for properties within The Villages Fire Protection District will be established by the Town Commission at a public hearing on September 4, 2019 upon the adoption of a Final Assessment Resolution, and said rates will not exceed the maximum rates set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, notice of the September 4, 2019 public hearing shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in Lake County at least twenty calendar days prior to said hearing, and individual notices via TRIM notices shall be mailed to owners of property identified on the initial assessment roll providing notification of the public hearing.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Town Commission of the Town of Lady Lake, Florida, that:

1. The Town Commission of Lady Lake has established a special assessment district within The Villages’ portion of the Town and certain parcels in close proximity thereto as described in Ordinance 2005-08, wherein Fire Protection Services are provided to residential and non-residential property pursuant to an Interlocal agreement between the Town and the District.
2. The Fire Protection Services provided within The Villages Fire Protection District include fire prevention, fire suppression, cause and origin, rescue/first responder services as to non-fire related emergencies, the inspection of residential and commercial structures as deemed necessary by the District or as requested by the Town, and the review of blueprints and similar documents with regard to fire safety codes and regulations.
3. The District has estimated that the preliminary cost to be assessed for Fire Protection Services to be approximately $1,083,184.00, which represents the estimated Fire Protection Services assessment revenue to be collected within The Villages Fire Protection District for fiscal year October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020.
4. The Town Commission has determined that the assessment costs shall be apportioned between residential and non-residential property based upon the classification of each parcel and the number of billing units contained therein.
5. The preliminary estimated cost of providing Fire Protection Services to residential properties has been determined to be $124.00 per residential unit or billing unit. The preliminary estimated cost of providing Fire Protection Services to non-residential properties has been determined to be 29 cents per square foot for commercial property, four cents per square foot for industrial/warehouse property, and 29 cents per square foot for institutional property.
6. The Town Commission has proposed that the preliminary rates set forth above shall be the maximum rates that are necessary to provide Fire Protection Services in the fiscal year October 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020, and the Town Commission has determined that the Fire Protection Services assessments shall not exceed the rates contained herein.
7. The Town Commission has directed the Town Manager and the District to prepare an initial assessment roll by identifying the properties within The Villages Fire Protection District that will receive a special benefit from the provision of Fire Protection Services therein; to mail notices to the owners of said properties notifying them of the public hearing set for September 4, 2019, at which time a Final Assessment Resolution establishing assessment rates within The Villages Fire Protection District will be considered for adoption; and to publish notice of public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation at least twenty calendar days prior to said hearing.
8. This Resolution shall become effective upon adoption.