Archives: FAQs

Contract services breakdown

Fire Services: Over two-thirds of the Town’s contract service expenditures are dedicated to fire services. The Town is a member of the Ross Valley Fire Department (RVFD) Joint Powers Authority, which provides fire protection services to Fairfax, Ross, San Anselmo, and Sleepy Hollow. Legal Services: The Town contracts with Public Agency Law and Best, Best, … Continued

Expenditure catagories

Approximately 33% of General Fund expenditures are for salaries and benefits. Contractual services represent approximately 34% of expenditures, which includes Fire services. Other Operating expenses include those costs not classified as professional service such as retiree health payments, liability/workers compensation insurance, and chipper days.

How town funds are spent

Police and Fire represent nearly 60% of general fund expenditures. Non-departmental expenses reflect those expenses not attributed to departments such as liability/workers compensation insurance, litigation fees, animal control services, and retiree health contributions. General Administration includes Finance, Town Manager, Town Clerk, and Human Resources functions.

Where does the money come from?

Property and sales taxes combined typically represent over 60-70% of the Town’s total sources of revenue. Other sources of revenue include a mix of local taxes, Measure F funds, and service charges, such as Planning and Building permit fees.

What is a General Plan?

A general plan serves as a local government’s blueprint for how the city and/or county will grow and develop and includes seven mandatory elements: land use, transportation, conservation, noise, open space, safety, and housing. The Town of Fairfax General Plan also includes an optional element specific to the mixed-use central area of the Town: the Town … Continued

Land Use Element

The Land Use Element provides a guide to the general public, the Council and Planning Commission, to appointed committees and boards and to the Town Manager, Planning Director and staff as to the ultimate pattern of development for the Town in the future. The Land Use Element has the broadest scope of all of the … Continued

Housing Element

The Housing Element is distinct from the other elements as it is subject to detailed legal requirements regarding its content, particularly its policies and programs. The Housing Element is required, by state law, to be updated every five years, and must be reviewed and certified by the Department of Housing and Community Development. This requirement … Continued

Safety Element

A city’s safety element establishes policies and programs to protect the community from risks associated with seismic, geologic, flood, and wildfire hazards, as well as from other concerns such as drought. The current process underway will update the Safety Element to meet new requirements enacted under State law and to align it with the Town’s … Continued

Circulation Element

The Circulation Element is more than a transportation plan for vehicles. The Town’s substantial commitment to transit, bicycle and pedestrian systems is also reflected in this element. The Land Use Element and the Circulation Element are bound together by state law. This element also has direct relationships to the Housing, Open Space and Safety Elements. … Continued

Town Center Element

The Town Center Element is an optional element, not required by State law that has been included in the General Plan as a result of ideas generated during the community- based workshops. This element is a subset of both the Land Use Element and the Circulation Element. This element is specific to the mixed-use central … Continued

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