Fire Reorganization

• The City wants to provide better fire protection and emergency response to everyone, but running our own fire department is getting too expensive for the quality residents deserve. The time it takes for firefighters to respond to emergencies is crucial. The merger will reduce response times. 
• By teaming up with Gold Ridge, Sebastopol can provide better fire protection while spending less City money.
• However, the merger requires extending Gold Ridge’s existing parcel taxes to Sebastopol. These taxes will total approximately $265 per year for a typical single-family home and could vary based on the number of structures on the property. (See detailed explanation of tax in the How does the Gold Ridge tax work? FAQ) It will raise $1.1 million/year. If we did not merge with Gold Ridge, we would still need to adopt a parcel tax of the same amount – plus spend another $1 million/year in City funds. 
• The current fire station – which is 50 years old - needs major upgrades; Gold Ridge to take over responsibility and funding for improvements.
• Gold Ridge has more firefighters and trucks, which means they can respond to emergencies faster and have backup crews ready when needed.

• It will be significantly upgraded, particularly to accommodate the expanded staffing. 
• The fire station will add “Gold Ridge” to its sign, while also keeping "Sebastopol" on the sign - so everyone knows it's still our local station.
• The station will always have at least three firefighters on duty, 24 hours a day. A volunteer firefighter will also be on call most times.  
• The building will add new spaces for firefighters. 
• All the fire trucks will have both Sebastopol and Gold Ridge names on them.

• All our current professional Sebastopol firefighters will have the opportunity to continue as volunteers with current ranks - they'll just work for Gold Ridge instead of the city.
• Our volunteer firefighters can still serve the community as part of Gold Ridge's team. They can wear a special pin showing they're from the Sebastopol Fire Department.

• Running our own fire department at a level of service near what we could do with a merged Department would cost about $4.4 million per year.
• By joining with Gold Ridge, it will cost about $3.3 million, or $1.1 million less. 
• A combined Department will likely not need as many trucks and engines in the future. 

• The Gold Ridge Board is comprised of seven Directors elected in District-wide election to at-large positions serving four-year terms of office. 
• Public Board meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 4500 Hessel Rd. 
• Sebastopol residents will be able to run for the Gold Ridge Board, with the next election in November 2025.

1. March 5, 2025: There will be a public meeting to discuss the plan at LAFCO
2. Voters will have the opportunity to protest the merger with LAFCO. 
3. May 7, 2025: LAFCO will consider any protests. If 25% or more of voters or landowners protest, the merger will go to the voters for an election in November. If the number of protests is less than 25%, the merger will take affect around July 1, 2025. 

A typical single-family home will be charged $265 which is calculated the following way:

1997 Tax:            $20 per single family dwelling ($5 x 4 units of risk)

Measure O:        $45 per improved parcel

Measure E:         $200 per residential parcel 

Totaling:              $265 

If a residential property had an ADU or “accessory dwelling unit” there would be an additional charge of $100. So, a residential property with 1 home and 1 ADU would be charged a total of $365. If there were 2 ADUs, the charge would be $465 and so on.

Gold Ridge Fire Protection District’s special property tax revenue is generated from three voter-approved taxes.  The 1997 tax approved in District Ordinance 96-97-1 is a unit of risk assessment at $5.00 per unit of risk. A typical residential home is 4 units of risk equaling a total charge of $20.00. The 2008 tax Measure O approved in District Ordinance 08-09-1-R is a simple tax applied to improved parcels at the rate of $45.00/parcel. Finally, the 2018 tax Measure E approved in District Ordinance 2019/20-1 is a special tax which is levied at a rate not to exceed $200.00 per assessor's parcel number plus $100.00 per additional unit or site for residential and lodging properties; $300.00 per assessor's parcel plus $0.14 per square foot for commercial, industrial and warehouse property; $50.00 for pastureland; and $100.00 per assessor's parcel for other agricultural and vacant land. This special tax has an inflation adjustment which is applied each year and can be levied at a higher rate should the board vote to do so. Currently, the three special taxes combined, when applied to a typical single-family home, total $265 annually.

Sebastopol is pursuing a reorganization with Gold Ridge to provide better fire protection and emergency response while managing costs. Rising calls for emergency services – up 16% since 2019 – have stretched the Sebastopol department's volunteer model. The reorganization is designed to deliver substantially improved services.

The time it takes for firefighters to respond to emergencies is crucial, and the increased demand on our local volunteer force has seen response times take as much as a minute longer in recent years. The reorganization leverages Gold Ridge's larger scale to provide better coverage, faster response times, and more backup crews when needed. 

Gold Ridge has more firefighters, trucks and equipment, which means they can respond to emergencies faster and have backup crews ready when needed. Previous reorganizations in Sonoma County have demonstrated Gold Ridge can lower response times, meaning residents in crisis get help faster.

The reorganization will also allow for additional resources to anticipate needs in the City, and plan for threats such as wildfires and other natural disasters. It will require extending Gold Ridge’s existing parcel taxes to properties in Sebastopol. These taxes will total approximately $265 per year for a typical single-family home and could vary based on the number of structures on the property. See Question re How Will Gold Ridge Services be Funded?

The reorganization provides more firefighters than Sebastopol could afford alone. The reorganized department will include a Fire Chief, two Division Chiefs, three Battalion Chiefs, Fire Marshall, dedicated support staff, three Fire Captains, three Engineers, three Firefighters, and 30 volunteers. This ensures three career firefighters on duty 24/7 at the Sebastopol station. A standalone department would require a contract for leadership positions, have reduced administrative support, and rely more on volunteers, resulting in inconsistent coverage and potentially higher overtime costs.

All current career Sebastopol firefighters will have the opportunity to continue serving with their current ranks, but as employees of Gold Ridge. Additionally, volunteer firefighters can continue to serve the community as part of Gold Ridge's team.

The Sebastopol fire station, which is 50 years old, will receive significant upgrades after the reorganization. Independent assessments have confirmed that the station needs substantial investment and additional space. Gold Ridge will assume full ownership and responsibility for the necessary improvements to accommodate expanded staffing and services. The station will retain "Sebastopol" in its name while adding "Gold Ridge" to the signage, maintaining local identity.

All Sebastopol Fire trucks and engines will transfer as-is to Gold Ridge and the cost of the new fire engine will be split between Gold Ridge and Sebastopol. In the long run, the reorganized department will likely need to purchase fewer engines and trucks due to economies of scale, representing another source of cost savings.

Funding will come from three sources: City General Fund contribution ($1.1 million), Sonoma County Measure H ($1.1 million), and the Gold Ridge Fire special taxes ($1.1 million).

Sebastopol property owners will pay approximately $265 per year for a typical single-family home under Gold Ridge's existing tax structure. Properties with ADUs would pay an additional $100 per unit. Commercial properties are charged $300 plus fourteen cents per square foot. The levies break down as follows:

The Gold Ridge Fire Protection District Board consists of seven Directors elected in district-wide elections to at-large positions serving four-year terms. Sebastopol residents will become eligible to vote in these elections and can run for board positions, with the next election scheduled for November 2026. Public Board meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 4500 Hessel Road, providing Sebastopol residents with regular opportunities to participate in fire service governance and decision-making.

The Sonoma County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approved the reorganization on March 5, 2025.

Voters now have the opportunity to protest the reorganization with LAFCO, prior to a protest hearing set for May 7, 2025. If less than 25% of voters or property owners file protests by that time, the reorganization will be approved and take effect no later than July 1, 2025.

If more than 25% file protests, a special election will occur in November 2025 to determine the reorganization's fate.