County Service Area 2 (CSA 2) was established in 1973 before the Board of Yuba County Supervisors (Resolution 1973-306). There are 121 parcels in the CSA, and a special assessment is assessed at $200 for developed property and $100 for undeveloped property, paid annually on the property tax rolls. Assessment funds are deposited into a CSA 2 holding fund managed by the County. Funds are used to construct and maintain roadways like Regent Way, Winding Way, Westwood Trail, Amoruso Lane, and nearly 10 other roadways within the CSA.
In 1999, a Proposition 218 election was held and included a three-assessment increase option:
- No rate increase, but include modifications by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
- Increase rates by $50 per parcel.
- Include CPI and the new rate increase.
Residents of the CSA advised that it was desirable to increase the revenue available for road construction and maintenance within the CSA. In March 1999, the special election did not pass.
In 2015, residents of the CSA approached Yuba County to propose a joint property owner and CSA cost share program to pave Winding Way, Westwood Trail, and Regent Way with asphalt (Resolution 2015-111). The residents collected $95,000 through private donations and used the amount for roadway paving improvements. The paving project conducted then is nearing its useful lifespan.
Today, the rates remain the same as the original CSA formation 1973. With the limited special assessments collected over the years, roads cannot be safely maintained. The County plans to hold a Proposition 218 vote to increase the assessments for road construction in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. If the County cannot properly maintain a safe roadway with CSA funds, dissolution of the CSA and formation of a private homeowner’s association (HOA) may be a viable option.
A committee was formed to focus on working to help with roadway improvements alongside the County. The committee will assist the County in managing the maintenance recommendations of the existing gravel and asphalt roads along roadways. The newly formed CSA 2 committee would have more resident members' support to increase improvements for roadway safety.
Many CSA 2 roads were originally chip-sealed and have exceeded their intended lifespan. Chip-seal is a temporary roadway surface, and over time, the roads have continued to deteriorate. Ongoing patching is no longer cost-effective, and resurfacing is needed.
The County is responsible for managing roadway construction and maintenance by soliciting contracts from licensed contractors to complete the work using CSA funds. Road funds are unusable for County Service Areas.
Unfortunately, the annual CSA 2 assessment has not increased since 1973 and has not kept pace with inflation. The CSA collects approximately $22,000 per year, which is insufficient to resurface all the roads in need.
The County is evaluating a potential assessment increase for CSA 2 to help fund future roadway maintenance and improvements. Before any assessment increase could move forward, the item would need to be presented to the Board of Supervisors, and the required Proposition 218 process would need to be initiated.
If approved to proceed, the process would include preparation of an engineer’s report to determine the assessment amount needed for roadway maintenance and construction.
The proposed increase may also include future CPI adjustments so the CSA can better keep up with rising costs and the maintenance of roads over time.
Under CSA and Proposition 218 requirements, an assessment increase must be approved by a majority of returned ballots from property owners within CSA 2. If a Proposition 218 is held and the increase is not approved, the County may consider dissolving CSA 2. If that occurs, the community may need to form a new committee or other structure to address road maintenance needs. Without additional funding, the roadway maintenance issue will remain unresolved, and some roads may not receive maintenance.
The overall goal of an assessment increase is to provide adequate funding to improve CSA 2 roadways with new pavement.
Stay tuned for additional information.
Chipseal: This low-cost pavement uses oil impregnated with sand and/or gravel. Rices Crossing Road is an example of a double-chip seal road. Regent Way, Vega Way, and Amoroso Lane were paved between 1992 and 1995 using a chipseal coating. This type of road is designed to last from 8 to 10 years.
Asphalt: This is a more expensive pavement with different thicknesses and is what most county roads are paved with. It is designed to last 25 to 30 years, depending on thickness, amount of use, and the subgrade.
Concrete: This is the most expensive pavement and is mainly used in freeway construction.
For a rough comparison, asphalt paving costs about $130,000 per mile. Chipseal is around 1/3 less.
- Sign up for emergency alerts and look up your evacuation zone at BePreparedYuba.org
- Work to ensure your own personal fire preparedness. Tips from CALFIRE HERE.
- Make your home more resilient. Tips from CALFIRE HERE.
- Stay informed through firewise neighborhood groups, like the Yuba Watershed Protection Fire Safe Council.