HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008 03 10 Public Hearing 500.1 Presentation from Government Services Group Regarding Fire Assessment ProgramCOMMISSION AGENDA
ITEM 500.1
Consent
Informational
Public Hearin X
Re ular
March 10, 2008 MGR. r(/ /DEPT.
Regular Meeting Authorization
REQUEST: City Manager requesting the City Commission hear a presentation from
Government Services Group regarding Assessment Rates for the Fire Assessment Program in the
City of Winter Springs.
PURPOSE: This agenda item is needed for the City Commission to hear a presentation from
representatives of Government Services Group (GSG) regarding Assessment Rates for the Fire
Assessment Program in the City of Winter Springs.
CONSIDERATIONS:
On March 10, 2008, the Commission will be presented for consideration Ordinance 2008-01 which
provides for the implementation of a Fire Assessment Program in the City of Winter Springs. Upon
adoption of the Assessment Ordinance, the next step in executing the program is for the Commission to
consider an Initial Rate Resolution for purposes of setting the initial Fire Assessment Rates. This
Resolution will be presented for consideration on March 24, 2008.
In consideration of the assessment rates, the Commission will be presented with two "methodology"
options to choose from, summarized as follows:
Option 1
This option represents the rate structure and methodology previously presented to the
Commission (e.g., residential rate = $194).
Option 2
This option involves assessing residential rates based on the size (square footage) of the
home. This methodology has been recently developed by GSG.
In their presentation this evening, GSG representatives will discuss each methodology in detail including
the assessment rate structure associated with each methodology, and answer any questions the
Commission may have.
FUNDING:
n/a.
RECOMMENDATION:
The City Manager recommends that the City Commission hear the presentation from Government
Services Group regarding the status of Assessment Rates the implementation of a Fire Assessment
Program in the City of Winter Springs and provide any comments or direction it desires.
ATTACHMENTS:
COMMISSION ACTION:
Date: March 10, 2008
The following document was given to the City
Commission and shown at the March 10, 2008
City Commission Regular Meeting during the
discussion of Public Hearings Agenda Items
"500.1" and "500.2 ".
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GSG
CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FL
FIRE DEPARTMENT
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
WORKSHOP
March 10, 2008
Presented by:
Government Services Group, Inc.
1500 Mahan Drive, Suite 250
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
(850) 681-3717
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Topics of Discussion
• Special Assessments -Case Law Criteria
• Data Components
• Apportionment Methodology
• Remaining Issues
• Policy Direction
• Schedule
GSG
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Case Law Requirements
• Special Benefit to Property
and
• Fair and Reasonable Apportionment
GSG
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Fair and Reasonable
Apportionment
GSG
• Logically and factually driven method must be
developed to spread the costs among the
benefited properties.
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• Does method of apportionment make sense in
terms of what is being provided?
• Legislative determination receives judicial
deference.
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GSG
Data Components of the
Apportionment Methodology
• Service Delivery
• Fire Department Budget
• Time in Service/Incident Data
- Man hours expended on incidents
• Ad Valorem Tax Roll
- Assignment of buildings to hazard classes
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Service Delivery
GSG
• City's integrated fire rescue service delivery
requires us to isolate EMS time in service and
costs from analysis
• City's service delivery (staffing and equipment)
based upon anticipated fire flow required to
serve properties determined based on hazard
classification and size
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GSG
Demand-Capacity
Apportionment Methodology
Two Step Process
1. Cost apportionment uses historical demand for
service by property use categories based on the
time in service or number of man hours per
incident
2. Parcel apportionment uses the number of
capacity units based on fire flow requirements
for building size and hazard class
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Cost Apportionment
GSG
• Assigns fire (non-EMS) incident time in service
to property use categories
• Time in service is based on the number of
man-hours spent on each incident
• Applies the percentages of time in service per
property category to assessable budget
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Cost Apportionment: G S G
Based On Historical Demand
For Fire Services
Single
Resid
7C
Multi Family
Residential
12%
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4% ~ ~®
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GSG
Cost Apportionment
Percent of Portion of
Property Category Man Hours Man Hours Budget
Single Family Residential 999.2 79.08% $2,293,194
Multi-Family Residential 151.1
Commercial 49.9
Industrial/Warehouse 8.9
Institutional 54.5
Tota I 1,263.6
11.96% $346,779
3.95% $114,522
0.70% $20,426
4.31% $125,079
100.00% $2,900,000
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Parcel Apportionment
Uses NFPA 1142
• Assigns hazard class to each building use
• Uses actual square footage of buildings
GSG
• Uses formula to calculate fire flow assignment
based on hazard class and building square
footage
• Resu It is presented as ca pacity u n its
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Capacity Units
GSG
• Fire Department's initial response equals 300
gallons per minute (gpm) of effective fire flow.
• Each capacity unit equates to the fire
department's capability to effectively deliver
300 gpms.
• Capacity Unit sizes vary by hazard class
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Hazard Class
GSG
NFPA 1142, Chapter 5, classifies property uses
into hazard classes ranging from 7 (lowest risk-
examples: residential, schools, office buildings) to
3 (highest risk-examples: flour mill, sawmill)
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• The fire flow capacity necessary for a structure
~ varies depending on the hazard class
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G3G
Hazard Class Examples
• Class 7-Residential, hotel, nursing home, school, office
- Up to 1199 sq ft = 300 gpm or Z Capacity Unit
• Class 6-Bakery, barber shop, church, gas station, city building
- Up to 899 sq ft = 300 gpm or Z Capacity Unit
• Class 5-Restaurant, laundry, nursery
- Up to 699 sq ft = 300 gpm or Z Capacity Unit
• Class 4-Warehouse, department store, exhibition hall, paper
mill
- Up to 499 sq ft = 300 gpm or Z Capacity Unit
• Class 3-Sawmill, flour mill, plastic processing
- Up to 399 sq ft = 300 gpm or 1 Capacity Unit
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GSG
Implementation Schedule
City Adopts Ordinance (2nd Reading) at Public Hearing March 10, 2008
City Adopts Initial Assessment Resolution March 24, 2008
GSG Prints and Stuffs Notices March 25-April 4, 2008
GSG Mails First Class Notices to Affected Property Owners April 7, 2008
City Publishes Public Hearing to Adopt Final Assessment Resolution April 7, 2008
City Adopts Final Assessment Resolution April 28, 2008
Separate Bills Mailed to Property Owners May 2, 2008
Deadline for Full Payment to receive discount By May 30, 2008
Deadline for First Installment (no discount) May 30, 2008
Second Installment June 30, 2008
City adopts Preliminary Assessment Resolution July 14, 2008
Third Installment July 30, 2008
Assessments Delinquent July 31, 2008
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