PRD Program Options Outreach

On June 30, 2021, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) directed staff to return with options to amend the County’s Permanent Road Division (PRD) Program to ensure that PRD Zones are adequately funded to provide road maintenance services to sustain a standard road condition.

** UPDATE as of November 9, 2023 **

County staff presented amendments to Board Policy J-16: Use of Permanent Road Division Zones for Maintenance of Local Roads on November 8, 2023. The recommended amendments include providing clarity on the roles and responsibilities of the road committee members, extending repayment term for funds loaned to PRD Zones, and increasing the maximum loan limit PRD Zones can borrow from the County’s PRD loan program were approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The updated version of Board Policy J-16 will now read as follows: Proposed Board Policy J-16.

November 8th, 2023 Meeting Minute Order No.5

** UPDATE as of October 9, 2023 **

County staff will present amendments to Board Policy J-16: Use of Permanent Road Division Zones for Maintenance of Local Roads on November 8, 2023. The recommended amendments include providing clarity on the roles and responsibilities of the road committee members, extending repayment term for funds loaned to PRD Zones, and increasing the maximum loan limit PRD Zones can borrow from the County’s PRD loan program.

To gather feedback and suggestions from property owners on the PRD Program, Department of Public Works (DPW) staff hosted a series of workshops between October 2021 and April 2022.  In total, 12 workshops were conducted in English and Spanish with approximately 400 people in attendance. In addition, DPW hosted “open houses” where over 280 individual inquiries were addressed through virtual video chats, phone conversations, and email exchanges. Stakeholders expressed support for the PRD Program services and the recommended amendments to the Policy.

Stakeholders expressed support for the PRD Program services and the recommended amendments to the Policy. The proposed amendments, summarized below, do not include establishing a minimum road condition standard for PRD Zones. The proposed amendments will not result in higher PRD Zone assessment rates and may improve funding and maintenance options for some PRD Zones.

The proposed changes are summarized below:

Clarify the Role of Road Committees.

• Define the role of road committees as volunteers who gather and provide community input regarding road maintenance to County staff. County staff consider the community input when making the final decisions on road work projects.
• Road committees play a valuable role within PRD Zones by engaging with property owners and addressing inquiries which helps keep administrative costs low.
• Road committees act as liaisons to the County by providing important information on community priorities, service requests, and road conditions, particularly during emergencies. 
  
• This recommendation is based on stakeholder input that highlighted concerns that the existing informal committees could make decisions about road work priorities without requirements to communicate with all property owners, provide opportunities for equitable participation, or to have equitable representation for different areas of the PRD Zone.

Clarify Formation and Rate Increase Costs Repayment Term as up to 10 Years.

• The PRD Program includes services for the formation of new zones, increasing assessment rates to fund road work, and a loan program. These services are funded by the County’s General Purpose Revenue and are repaid through PRD Zone revenues.
• State law mandates a repayment term not to exceed ten years[1] for funds loaned to PRD Zones, but allows Counties to establish a shorter repayment term. Board Policy J-16 specifies a five-year repayment term for loan costs and does not specify a repayment term for formation and rate increase costs.
• Allowing repayment to occur over at 10-year term will improve affordability, timeliness, and community access to the PRD Program, enabling faster repairs and other capital improvements. Additionally, it will encourage greater participation, especially among property owners in underserved communities, by reducing annual payments.

Increase Loan Limit from $100,000 to $150,000 for Projects up to $500,000 and Increase Loan Repayment Term from 5 Years to up to 10 Years. 

• The PRD Loan Program, established in 1998[2], allows PRD Zones to borrow funds from the PRD ISF to expedite road improvement work. Currently, loan limits are set at $100,000 for project costs under $500,000, and $200,000 for costs exceeding $500,000, with a five-year repayment requirement.
• The recommended changes will increase the ability to complete PRD Zone repairs and emergency work more quickly, improve the affordability of loans, and increase accessibility for PRD Zones to utilize the Loan Program

Property Owners are Invited to Participate in the Board Hearing

Individuals are invited to participate in the meeting.  Any person wishing to speak to the Board on a specific agenda item must file a written ‘Request to Speak’ form prior to 9 a.m. on the day of the hearing. Please check the meeting status before November 6th for any changes that may occur.  You may also contact the Clerk of the Board at (619) 531-5434 or at PublicComment@sdcounty.ca.gov.

The participation options are detailed below and on the County’s website at: www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cob/bosa.html.

Submit a Letter: You can submit letters by mail or e-mail, and they must be received no later than 9:00 a.m. on November 8, 2023.  Submit letters to the Clerk of the Board at PublicComment@sdcounty.ca.gov or County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway, Room 402, San Diego, CA 92101. Please be sure to include your name, a statement that you own property within a PRD Zone, and the address and parcel number of your property (if known).

Watch or Listen to the Live Meeting: You can listen to the live public meeting by calling (619) 531-4716 or watch the hearing online through the County News Center at www.countynewscenter.com/cnc-tv-live/  or on the local TV channels: Cox 24 (South) or 19 (North); Spectrum 24 or 85. The meeting will also broadcast through a variety of services listed here: www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/general/board-meeting-video.html.

Submit Comments Electronically: You can submit comments electronically once the meeting agenda is released, typically the Wednesday before the meeting. The eComments are sent to the Board and the Chief Administrative Officer for their review before the hearing. Please be sure to include your name, a statement that you own property within a PRD Zone, and the address and parcel number of your property (if known). To submit e-comments visit www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/bos/ecomment.html.

Language Translation Services: Spanish language translation services for public speakers are available. Additional languages including Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Korean, Persian (incl. Farsi, Dari), Somali, Spanish, Filipino (Tagalog), and Vietnamese may be made available upon request at least 72 hours prior to the meeting by calling (619) 531-5434 or emailing PublicComment@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Accessibility: To the extent reasonably possible, requests for accommodation or assistance should be submitted at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting so that arrangements can be made.  Submit your request describing the type of assistance needed by calling (619) 531-5434 (voice) or (619) 531-4803 (TTY) or emailing PublicComment@sdcounty.ca.gov. Individuals requiring sign language interpreters should contact the Countywide ADA Title II Coordinator at (619) 531-4908. 

Other Options Evaluated for Program Improvement

In June, 2021 the San Diego County Board of Supervisors directed staff to return with options to amend Board Policy J-16 “to ensure the Permanent Road Division Zones are adequately funded to ensure satisfactory road maintenance and repair to sustain a specific Pavement Condition Index (PCI) level as determined by staff.” Staff developed options to meet the Board’s direction, including options to establish a road condition requirement measured by Pavement Condition Index (PCI).  PCI measures road smoothness and pavement surface distress.  The County has a PCI Goal of 70 for County-maintained roads in the unincorporated area, which is considered a “good” condition.  

The proposed amendment to Policy J-16, which will be heard by the Board on November 8, 2023, does not include establishing a PCI standard for PRD Zone roads. 

We look forward to your feedback.  Property owners can contact us by phone, email, mail, or through the virtual public meetings and virtual video chats.

 PRD Program Updates. Click to subscribe for news and information.