Common Questions Regarding Annexation to Calleguas MWD

• When is Annexation necessary? If you plan to develop land not already within the service area of Calleguas (and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California) and expect the project to receive water provided even partly by one of Calleguas’ member purveyors, annexation to Calleguas is required before a building permit is issued and water service established. Land served entirely by private wells, or by other agencies not associated with Calleguas need not annex to Calleguas.
  
  
• How do I determine if my land is within Calleguas’ service area? The easiest method is to look at the property tax bill for the parcel. Virtually all land annexed to Calleguas is assessed with the Standby Charge, a small parcel charge that will appear on the right hand side of the tax bill under Special Assessments. If the Calleguas Standby Charge is listed, the land is within the District. If not, the land is probably outside the District.
  
  
• What costs are associated with annexation? There are three categories of cost to consider. Administrative expenses begin at about $14,000 and include such expenses as application fees to other agencies, the preparation of a map and legal description and staff time at Calleguas. Administrative costs vary, but do not increase rapidly as an annexation grows larger. They may also be shared by multiple properties in a single annexation. In addition, Calleguas and Metropolitan impose annexation fees that presently total $5,351 per acre. In rare instances, the back-tax fee formula is applied to assessed valuation as an alternative fee. Click here for more detail. Finally, once annexed, the project will also bear the Capital Construction Charge when building permits are applied for. Click here for Capital Construction Charge information.
  
  
• How long does annexation take? At a minimum, eight and a half months from the day an applicant delivers a deposit for the administrative expenses and key information. Nine months or slightly more is typical and delays in obtaining necessary documents or municipal approvals are common. Click here for more detail.
  
  
• How do I start the process? Call, write or e-mail (cjohnson@calleguas.com) Calleguas with the identification (Assessor’s Parcel Number(s), address, legal description) of the land in question, a brief description of the proposed project and the status of the project. Calleguas will provide a detailed written response that will enumerate the documents and information required to initiate annexation, and an estimate of expenses and fees for the particular land involved.
  
  

You are welcome to call with other questions at 805 579-7129.