Agenda Item No: N.4
AGENDA REPORT
DATE: April 1, 2025
TO: Mayor and Council
FROM: David Gassaway, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolution 2025-50 CM Memorandum of Understanding with Solano County and Solano Land Trust
Authorizing Execution of a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Solano and the Solano Land Trust for Pass-Through of Funding from Fairfield Community Facilities District #2 (North Cordelia Open Space) Regarding Funding for Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park
Funding Source: Community Facilities District #2 (North Cordelia Open Space)
Contact: David Gassaway, (707) 428-7400
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Approve resolution.
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The City of Fairfield (City), County of Solano (County), and Solano Land Trust (SLT ) tentatively agreed to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to improve efficiency and formalize a process for the pass through of special tax revenues from Community Facilities District #2 - North Cordelia Open Space (CFD #2) to SLT for the maintenance and preservation of open space in the Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park (Patwino Park).
DISCUSSION
In 1989, the City established CFD #2 for the purpose of financing the acquisition of land within the Green Valley area for public open space or recreation and for the maintenance of such lands.
Subsequently, the City, County, and SLT entered into an Open Space Agreement, dated October 16 ,1990, to transfer special tax proceeds from CFD #2 to SLT to acquire, own and maintain open space land in the Green Valley area. The Open Space Agreement also included funding from the County to SLT for the same purposes as CFD #2.
In 2011 and 2012, SLT acquired land in the County to develop the Patwino Park open space area.
In 2023, the county and SLT entered into an agreement in which the County agreed to provide maintenance, operations, and management support to SLT for Patwino Park.
Historically, SLT has submitted formal requests to both the City and County to release funding for the acquisition of the open space lands for Patwino Park. Now that Patwino Park is developed and operating, SLT would be required to annually prepare a formal funding request to submit to both the City and County separately, who would then each require funding authorization from City Council and County Board of Supervisors. This process is cumbersome for all parties involved.
To improve the efficient request and transfer of funds for annual operations and maintenance of Patwino Park, the parties negotiated an MOU (Attachment 3) to clearly identify an administrative process for the annual pass-through of eligible funding for CFD #2 from the City and funding from the County.
The MOU stipulates that the parties will cooperatively prepare an annual budget by April 30 of each year, the County will invoice SLT for operations and maintenance services of Patwino Park by October 15 of each year, and SLT will invoice the City for CFD #2 funding by November 15 annually. SLT must account for CFD #2 funds separately and provide a report to the City by September 30 of each year. The term of the MOU continues through July 25, 2033, unless amended, terminated, or extended by all parties.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
CFD #2 (Fund 326) has a fund balance of $2,726,642, with annual assessment revenue estimated at around $600,000. Annual funding to SLT is based on annual operational costs for Patwino Park.
PUBLIC CONTACT/ADVISORY BODY RECOMMENDATION
N/A
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
The council may deny authorization of the MOU. Doing so will maintain the status quo of annual funding requests from SLT in an inefficient manner.
COORDINATED WITH
City Attorney’s Office, Finance Department, County of Solano, and Solano Land Trust
STAFF CONTACT
David Gassaway, City Manager
(707) 428-7400
[email protected]
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 2: Proposed Resolution
Attachment 3: Proposed Memorandum of Understanding