Lynnwood Fire Department Service Delivery Options Community Meeting October 14, 2015.

Lynnwood Fire DepartmentService Delivery Options

Community Meeting October 14, 2015

Welcome

• Emergency fire and medical response, the readiness of our public safety responders, and fiscal responsibility is of utmost importance to the City of Lynnwood.

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Overview of Today’s Meeting

• Community Service Needs

• Lynnwood Fire Department

• Operations

• Budget

• Services

• Service Delivery Options

• Partnership Opportunities

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Our Community Vision

Lynnwood Moving Forward: Our Community Vision

The City of Lynnwood will be a regional model for a sustainable, vibrant community with engaged citizens and an accountable government.

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• Vibrant City Center

• Encourage economic development

• Promote high quality, sustainable development and design

• Protect residential areas from commercial use

• Continue to provide quality response times for fire, paramedics, and police

Future Projected Growth

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2011 Actual 2025 2035 2011-2035Change

Population 35,860 43,782 54,404 51.7%

Employment 24,226 38,550 42,229 74.1%

Housing Units 14,947 -- 22,840 52.8%

• Lynnwood’s population is estimated to increase by more than 50% by 2035

Regional Growth Center

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• Accommodate future population and employment growth

• Focus growth around transit, transportation

• Protect single family neighborhoods

City Center

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• City Center is a sub-area of the regional growth center

• City Center Plan is to create a compact, mix-use and lively City Center

• Two multi-family housing projects began this year

City Center

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City Center Senior Apartments – under construction

City Center

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CityCenter Apartments – under construction

Highway 99 / SWIFT Bus Service

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• Highway 99 Revitalization Strategies

• Mixed-use development encouraged

• Transit and transportation infrastructure

Fire Stations in Lynnwood & Fire District #1

Fire Stations Served by District #1Lynnwood Fire Stations

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Current Lynnwood Staffing: Fire Stations 14 & 15

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Required Fire Response Staffing: Residential

Equipment # Firefighters

3 Engines 9

1 Ladders 4

2 Battalion 2

1 Ambulance 2

Total 17

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Required Fire Response Staffing: Commercial

Equipment # Firefighters

4 Engines 12

2 Ladders 8

2 Battalion 2

1 Ambulance 2

Total 24

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Apartment Fire on 40th Ave W – Sept. 12, 2015

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2 alarms 8 engines on scene, 1 Engine moved up to Lynnwood covering calls 28 FF’s

3 Ladders Companies 12 FF’s2 Medic Units 4 FF’s

1 MSO 1 FF3 Battalion Chiefs 3 =48 Lynnwood had 7 on scene

Lynnwood Fire Department Budget

20152016

20172018

20192020

2021 $-

$2,000,000.00

$4,000,000.00

$6,000,000.00

$8,000,000.00

$10,000,000.00

$12,000,000.00

$14,000,000.00

$16,000,000.00

$18,000,000.00

$20,000,000.00

Fire Department Costs with Additional Requirements to Accommodate Growth & Property Tax Revenues

Base Plus Additional Requirements

$6.26 Millionincrea

se

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Current Situation

• Lynnwood’s level of fire service delivery does not meet current operational needs

• The cost of current fire service delivery is predicted to increase $6.2 million by 2020

• Additional revenues will also be required to accommodate projected citywide growth

• How do we address this situation?

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Fire Service Options

1. Status Quo: City Provides Services

2. Contract with Fire District #1

3. Annex Into Fire District #1

4. Create a Regional Fire Authority

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Status Quo: City Provides Service• Additional revenues are

necessary to meet service demands

• The cost of fire service delivery is predicted to increase by $6.2 million per year by 2020

• Property tax levy lift required to fund increased costs

• Levy lift requires voter approval 2015

20162017

20182019

20202021

$-

$2,000,000.00

$4,000,000.00

$6,000,000.00

$8,000,000.00

$10,000,000.00

$12,000,000.00

$14,000,000.00

$16,000,000.00

$18,000,000.00

$20,000,000.00

Fire Department Costs with Addi-tional Requirements to Accom-modate Growth & Property Tax

Revenues

Base Plus Additional Requirements

$6.26 Millionincrea

se

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City Contracts with Fire District #1

• City Council and Fire District #1 approve inter-local agreement

• Fire District #1 provides service to the City

• Contract reflects cost of service

• City General Fund Pays the Contract Cost:• Levy lift to fund increased cost of service • Levy lift requires voter approval

• Cities contracting with Fire District #1: Edmonds, Mountlake Terrance, and Brier

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Annexing Into Fire District #1

• City Annexes into Fire District #1• Voter approval required

• Fire District #1 provides service

• City residents pay Fire District #1 property tax assessment

• The cost to the city’s General Fund is reduced

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Cities Annexed Into Fire DistrictsPierce County• Lakewood 59,097• Puyallup 38,609• University Place 32,040• Bonney Lake 18,289• Edgewood 9,591• Sumner 9,589• Fife 9,421• Gig Harbor 7,798• Orting 7,023• Roy 804

Kitsap County• Bainbridge 23,196• Port Orchard 12,959• Poulsbo 9,509

Spokane County• Spokane Valley 91,113

King County• Federal Way 92,734• Shoreline 54,790• Des Moines 30,687• Kenmore 21,611• Covington 18,830• Lake Forest Park 13,091• Enumclaw 11,479• Woodinville 11,318• Duvall 7,464• Normandy Park 6,557

Snohomish County• Lake Stevens 29,949• Monroe 17,724• Snohomish 9,401• Granite Falls 3,438• Goldbar 2,084• Darrington 1,362• Index 186

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Regional Fire Authority

What is a Regional Fire Authority (RFA)?

• A Regional Fire Authority (RFA) is a special purpose district created by a vote of the people.

• State law provides the framework for cities, towns and fire

districts to consider forming an RFA as a way to gain service efficiencies through consolidation while retaining local control.

• RFA funding source is a property tax levied by the RFA

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It’s a Journey

Discussions of including Lynnwood in a Snohomish County Regionalization in the past 43 years:

• 1972• 1984• 1991• 1992• 2000

• 2006• 2009• 2010• 2013• 2015

Prop 747 was voted in 2001: 1% cap on property tax restricts City revenue to fund fire service from general fund

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Washington State Legislature Findings - RFA52.26.010

Findings.

The legislature finds that:

(1) The ability to respond to emergency situations by many of Washington state's fire protection jurisdictions has not kept up with the state's needs, particularly in urban regions;

(2) Providing a fire protection service system requires a shared partnership and responsibility among the federal, state, local, and regional governments and the private sector;

(3) There are efficiencies to be gained by regional fire protection service delivery while retaining local control; and

(4) Timely development of significant projects can best be achieved through enhanced funding options for regional fire protection service agencies, using already existing taxing authority to address fire protection emergency service needs and new authority to address critical fire protection projects and emergency services.

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Partnerships Create Opportunity

From the Association of Washington Cities: Forming Mutual Partnerships; A Practical Guide• Improve Service• Reduce Costs• Cost Stabilization• Cost Avoidance• Service Enhancements• Shared specialized Equipment and Personnel• Solve Common Problems• Better Match, Service Delivery Geographic Area

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RFAs in Washington

• Kent Fire Authority

• Valley Regional Fire Authority

• South East Thurston Regional Fire Authority

• Riverside Fire Authority

• West Thurston Regional Fire Authority

• North County Fire Authority

• West Benton Regional Fire Authority

• North Mason Regional Fire Authority

• South Whatcom Regional Fire Authority

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Creating a Regional Fire Authority

• City and Fire District #1 agree to create an RFA• Request voter approval

• Citizens vote on the creation of an RFA

• City and Fire District #1 merge into the RFA

• RFA collects new property tax assessment from property owners within the RFA Boundary

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Effects of Varying City Levy Rates to Average Home Owner’s Property Tax Bill

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2015 Data Current Property Tax

Rate

Impact of Rate for RFA

Maximum Rates

Impact of Rate for RFA City Rate

at $1.00 per $1,000 AV

Rate to Keep Taxes Equal to Current Amount Paid by

Homeowner

City EMS Levy Rate $0.4657 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00

General Operating $1.9847 $1.60 $1.00 $.045

RFA Rate (Maximum) $0.00 $2.00 $2.00 $2.00

Total Rate $2.4504 $3.60 $3.00 $2.45

Property Tax on Average Home ($248,800)

City: $610RFA: 0Total: $610

City: $398RFA: 498Total: $896

City: $249RFA: 498Total: $747

City: $112RFA: 498Total: $610

Revenue to the City Used to Fund Other Services

$11,691,352 $7,633,953 $4,771,221 $2,147,049

Next Steps

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• Public Outreach – Community Meetings• Evaluating Financial Impacts – 3rd Party Review• Evaluate Service Delivery Impacts• Council Review and Decision to Proceed • Public Vote if Annexation or RFA Determined

Appropriate

Thank you

Questions & Comments

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