◈ Homepage — https://www.fresnolafco.org/Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Home Governance Maps Applications & Documents Resources About Us Contact Us FAQs Stop automatic slide show LAFCO Commission Hearing Fresno LAFCo meets the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30 PM Maps Agency Boundary Maps Our Mission Questions, Comments, Concerns? Please contact us to schedule a meeting. READ MORE » LAFCO Commission Fresno LAFCO meets the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30 PM in the Board of Supervisors Chambers. READ MORE » LAFCO Staff READ MORE » QUICKLINKS LAFCO Commission Hearing Agency Boundary Maps Frequently Asked Questions LAFCO COMMISSION HEARING Most Recent Agenda COPYRIGHT © 2026 FRESNO LAFCO 1401 FULTON STREET, SUITE 800, FRESNO CA 93721 TELEPHONE (559) 600-0604 PRIVACY POLICY DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT POWERED BY STREAMLINE | SIGN IN ◈ Interior Pages — 10 pages crawledMSR - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links MSR Sphere of Influence Update and Municipal Service Review Program See: Approved Municipal Service Reviews (MSR Reports, below) & MSR Status Summary The Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Act) requires LAFCo to review and update, as necessary, each local agency’s Sphere of Influence (SOI) before January 1, 2008, and every five years thereafter. As part of the SOI update, the Commission must consider and prepare a written statement of its determinations which are summarized as follows: The present and planned land uses in the area, including agricultural and open-space lands. The present and probable need for public facilities and services in the area. The present capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services that the agency provides or is authorized to provide. The existence of any social or economic communities of interest in the area if the commission determines that they are relevant to the agency. For a city or special district that provides public facilities or services related to sewers, municipal and industrial water, or structural fire protection, the present and probable need for those public facilities and services of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within the existing sphere of influence. Prior to, or in conjunction with an agency’s SOI update, LAFCo is required to conduct a Municipal Service Review (MSR) for each agency. A MSR is a comprehensive review of an agency’s ability to provide service(s) to those persons and businesses within its current boundaries. Per the Act, the Commission prepares written statements of its determinations with respect to each of the following factors: Growth and population projections for the affected area. The location and characteristics of any disadvantaged unincorporated communities within or contiguous to the SOI. Present and planned capacity of public facilities and adequacy of public services, including infrastructure needs or deficiencies. Financial ability of agencies to provide services. Status of, and opportunities for, shared facilities. Accountability for community service needs, including governmental structure and operational efficiencies. Any other matter related to effective or efficient service delivery, as required by commission policy. The Commission's Municipal Service Review Policy establishes the MSR Program's goal: "...To provide cities and special districts with an assessment on their provision of services, make recommendations regarding areas of improvement, and determine whether or not an agency is equipped to effectively provide services within its existing or expanded SOI." The Commission determines the SOI boundary for local agencies under LAFCo's jurisdiction. The SOI is a planning boundary outside an agency's service area that means, a plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local agency. The Commission adopts, updates, and evaluates an SOI using a 20-year planning horizon. An SOI is the Commission's best estimate of the probable service area for an agency over time, depending upon information collected during the MSR update process. (For text of the law, see the Government Code, Sections 56425; 56430; and Fresno LAFCo Policies, Standards and Procedures Manual - Policy 107.) MSR Reports Approved Municipal Service Reviews Read more » Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in × Search results Search Search Close About LAFCO - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs About Us Our Mission Commission Staff About LAFCO History After World War II, California experienced dramatic growth in population and economic development. With this boom came a demand for housing, jobs, and public services. To accommodate this demand, the state approved the formation of many new local government agencies, often with little forethought as to the ultimate governance structures in a given region. The lack of coordination and adequate planning led to a multitude of overlapping, inefficient jurisdictional and service boundaries, and the premature conversion/loss of California’s agricultural and open-space lands. Recognizing this problem, in 1959, Governor Edmund G. Brown, Sr. appointed the Commission on Metropolitan Area Problems. The Commission's charge was to study and make recommendations on the "misuse of land resources" and the growing complexity of local governmental jurisdictions. The Commission's recommendations on local governmental reorganization were introduced in the Legislature in 1963, resulting in the creation of Local Agency Formation Commissions, or "LAFCo", operating in each county except San Francisco. From 1963-1985, LAFCos administered a complicated series of statutory laws and three enabling acts, the Knox-Nisbet Act, the Municipal Organization Act (MORGA) and the District Reorganization Act. Confusion over the application of these laws led to a reform movement that produced the first consolidated LAFCo Act, the Cortese-Knox Local Government Reorganization Act of 1985. In 1997, a new call for reform in local government resulted in the formation, by the Legislature, of the Commission on Local Governance in the 21st Century. After many months canvassing the state, the Commission recommended changes to the laws governing LAFCos in its comprehensive report “Growth Within Bounds.” These recommendations became the foundation for the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (CKH Act), an act that mandates greater independence for LAFCos and further clarifies their purpose and mission. In response to both the passage of the CKH Act and to local needs to address certain service provision issues, San Francisco LAFCo was formed in 2000. Today, there is a LAFCo in each of California’s 58 counties. Objectives To Encourage the Orderly Formation of Local Governmental Agencies LAFCos review proposals for the formation of new local governmental agencies and for changes in the organization of existing agencies. There are 58 LAFCos working with nearly 3,500 governmental agencies (400+ cities, and 3,000+ special districts). Agency boundaries are often unrelated to one another and sometimes overlap at random, often leading to higher service costs to the taxpayer and general confusion regarding service area boundaries. LAFCo decisions strive to balance the competing needs in California for efficient services, affordable housing, economic opportunity, and conservation of natural resources. To Preserve Agricultural Land Resources LAFCo must consider the effect that any proposal will produce on existing agricultural lands. By guiding development toward vacant urban land and away from agricultural preserves, LAFCo assists with the preservation of our valuable agricultural resources. To Discourage Urban Sprawl Urban sprawl can best be described as irregular and disorganized growth occurring without apparent design or plan. This pattern of development is characterized by the inefficient delivery of urban services (police, fire, water, and sanitation) and the unnecessary loss of agricultural resources and open space lands. By discouraging sprawl, LAFCo limits the misuse of land resources and promotes a more efficient system of local governmental agencies. Composition The composition of LAFCo varies from county to county. Nearly all LAFCos are composed of two members from the Board of Supervisors and two members from the city councils in that county. Many commissions also have two members from the independent special districts in that county. In turn, these members select a representative of the general public – an individual who is not seated on any elected body. For each category represented on LAFCo, there is an alternate member. Alternate members may attend LAFCo meetings and participate in the discussion of items, but they only vote on items when a regular member from their category is absent. Some LAFCos, including Los Angeles, Sacramento, Santa Clara, Kern, and San Diego, have, through special legislation, reserved a seat on the Commission for a representative from the county's major city. Each agency that is eligible to have one of its officials seated on the Commission must contribute to the LAFCo budget. The amount of this contribution is determined by statute, and varies in each county. Responsibilities LAFCos are responsible for coordinating logical and timely changes in local governmental boundaries, conducting special studies that review ways to reorganize, simplify, and streamline governmental structure and preparing a sphere of influence for each city and special district within each county. The Commission's efforts are directed toward seeing that services are provided efficiently and economically while agricultural and open-space lands are protected. To better inform itself and the community as it seeks to exercise its charge, each LAFCo must conduct service reviews to evaluate the provision of municipal services within each county. Authority Boundary Changes LAFCos regulate, through approval or denial, the boundary changes proposed by other public agencies or individuals. LAFCos do not have the power to initiate boundary changes on their own, except for proposals involving the dissolution or consolidation of special districts and the merging of subsidiary districts. Typical applicants might include: Individual home owners requesting annexation to a sewer district due to a failing septic system. Developers seeking annexation to cities in order to obtain urban services for new housing. Cities wishing to annex pockets or "islands" of unincorporated land located within their borders in order to avoid duplication of services with the county. Sphere of Influence Studies In 1972, LAFCos were given the power to determine spheres of influence for all local governmental agencies. A sphere of influence is a planning boundary outside of an agency’s legal boundary (such as the city limit line) that designates the agency’s probable future boundary and service area. Factors considered in a sphere of influence review focus on the current and future land use, the current and future need and capacity for service, and any relevant communities of interest. With the passage of the CKH Act, spheres for all cities and special districts are reviewed every five years. The purpose of the sphere of influence is to ensure the provision of efficient services while discouraging urban sprawl and the premature conversion of agricultural and open space lands by preventing overlapping jurisdictions and duplication of services. Commissions cannot tell agencies what their planning goals should be. Rather, on a regional level, LAFCOs coordinate the orderly development of a community through reconciling differences between agency plans so that the most efficient urban service arrangements are created for the benefit of area residents and property owners. Service Reviews Municipal Service Reviews (MSR) were added to LAFCo's mandate with the passage of the CKH Act in 2000. A service review is a comprehensive study designed to better inform L Accessibility Statement Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs Website Accessibility Statement If you need any special assistance or accommodations: Contact our compliance support team online with your request Contact our compliance support team via telephone at: (888) 765-1970 Request Live Assistance We provide on-demand live visual interpreters through Aira in an effort to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act. 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If you need assistance or accommodations while accessing content on this website, please contact our Compliance Coordinator via the form below: Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in LAFCO Commission Hearing - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs Governance Hearings LAFCO Commission Hearing Hearing Information 2026 LAFCo Hearing Calendar Hearing Location and Time: Hearings are held at 1:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month in the Board of Supervisors Chambers located in the Hall of Records, 3rd Floor 2281 Tulare St Fresno, CA 93721 Click here for map 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 May 13 2026 LAFCO Commission Hearing Meeting Agenda NP Notice May 2026 Combined Agenda Packet.pdf Panoche Drainage District NOE - AD-25-01 Reedley NOD - RO-26-03 City of Kerman Service Plan for RO-26-01 Kerman NOD RO-26-01 Read more » Apr 8 2026 LAFCO Commission Hearing Meeting Agenda April 2026 Hearing Notice April 2026 Agenda Packet Audio Read more » Mar 11 2026 LAFCO Commission Hearing Meeting Agenda March 2026 Final Agenda Packet Read more » Feb 11 2026 LAFCO Commission Hearing Meeting Agenda Notice- Feburary 2026 February 2026 Combined Agenda Packet Audio- February 2026 Read more » Jan 14 2026 LAFCO Commission Hearing Meeting Agenda Combined Agenda Packet- January 2026 Audio Read more » Hearings Archive Read more » Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in × Search results Search Search Close Resources - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links Resources SoCalGas Information Request Applications and Documents LAFCO Applications and documents. Read more » Documents For Public Review Read more » Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Information LAFCO Information on Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities. Read more » Maps Boundary maps of local agencies. Read more » Links External links to local agencies and resources. Read more » Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in × Search results Search Search Close Governance - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs Governance Hearings Governance LAFCO Commission Hearing Hearing Location and Time: Read more » LAFCO Commission Fresno LAFCO meets the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30 PM in the Board of Supervisors Chambers. Read more » LAFCO Staff Read more » Transparency LAFCo is dedicated to operating in a transparent manner, and posts relevant financial and operational documents to our site as they become available. Read more » Our Mission Read more » Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in × Search results Search Search Close Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Information - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Information Senate Bill 244 (Wolk), passed in 2011, was significant for LAFCo-related legislation. Under SB 244, the Legislature found that cities, counties, and LAFCos need to invest in these communities and begin to address the complex legal, financial, and political barriers that contribute to regional inequity and infrastructure deficits within Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities ("DUCs"). Under SB 224, LAFCOs are required to identify DUCs as part of the following procedures: - Municipal Service Review Determinations, - Sphere of Influence Determinations, and - Proposed annexations hreater than 10 acres to cities. A DUC is defined by Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 ("CKH") as an inhabited territory (meaning territory within which there reside 12 or more registered voters), or as determined by LAFCo policy, that constitutes all or a portion of a "disadvantaged community" as defined by section 79505.5 of Water Code. The State Water Code defines a "disadvantaged community" as a community with an annual median household income ("MHI") that is less than 80 percent of the statewide annual median household income. On January 9, 2013, Fresno LAFCo exercised its powers under CKH and adopted local policy which refined the DUC defintion within Fresno LAFCo's jurisdiction. Fresno LAFCo's DUC Policy characterizes DUCs as at least 15 dwelling units at a density not less than one unit per acre. Additionally, LAFCo's policy includes "Legacy Communities" which is defined as a geographically isolated community that meets the DUC criteria, is at least 50 years old, and is beyond the adopted SOI of any City. In 2015, Fresno LAFCo adopted its first DUC database. On February 12, 2020, Fresno LAFCo comprehensively updated its DUC database based upon updates demographic datasets to estimate median household income levels within the County of Fresno. The 2020 DUC database relies upon information collected through the Commission's Municipal Service Review Program, sphere of influence update program, and demographic information obtained from the United States Census Bureau Americans Community Surveys, five-year reports for years 2012-2016. If your proposal consists of either an annexation to a city, or a sphere of influence update for a local agency that provides sewer, municipal and industrial water, or structural fire protection, you are encouraged to review the 2020 DUC Database and consult with staff prior to filing an application with LAFCo. The Fresno LAFCo 2020 DUC Database is available through the link below. Fresno LAFCo 2020 DUC Database Additional Resources: Senate Bill 244 Chaptered LAFCo - Government Code Section 56033.5 Cities - Government Code Section 65302.10 Office of Planning and Research: Technical Advisory - SB 244: Land Use, General Plans, and Disadvantaged Communities Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in × Search results Search Search Close Streamline Streamline Technology for Special Districts Log in Email Password Remember me Forgot your password? Sign in as Streamline staff Our Mission - Fresno LAFCo Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Our Mission The mission of Fresno Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) is to serve the residents of Fresno County and the State of California by discouraging urban sprawl and encouraging the efficient and orderly formation and growth of local agencies. Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in × Search results Search Search Close District Transparency Skip to main content Contact Us Search: Search Toggle navigation Home Governance Hearings Maps Applications & Documents Applications & Documents Resources Special District Information Municipal Service Reviews Annexations Island Annexations Documents for Public Review Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities Links About Us Our Mission Commission Staff Contact Us FAQs District Transparency Our district is dedicated to operating in a transparent manner, and posts relevant financial and operational documents to our site as they become available. Information Where to find it Contact Information On File 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno, CA, 93721 CA (559) 600-0604 [email protected] Mission Statement Our Mission Staff Members LAFCO Staff Services/Functions and Service Area Services Service Area Map Maps SB 272 Enterprise System Catalog Applications and Documents Board Overview LAFCO Commission Board Meetings LAFCO Commission Hearing Meeting Minutes Archive LAFCO Commission Hearing Current Agency Budget Budgets Financial Audit Budgets Board Member and Staff Compensation Commission Compensation Financial Transaction Report Commission Financial Information Brown Act Compliance Policy Applications and Documents Board Meeting Recordings LAFCO Commission Hearing Community Transparency Review Checklists Transparency Copyright © 2026 Fresno LAFCo 1401 Fulton Street, Suite 800, Fresno CA 93721 Telephone (559) 600-0604 Privacy Policy District Transparency Website Accessibility Statement Powered by Streamline | Sign in