Important Information on ABX1 29
Many residents in the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District live within the “State Responsibility Area” or SRA. These residents will soon receive a notice in the mail from the State Board of Equalization alerting them that a fee will be levied for fire prevention services. This is the result of legislation that was recently signed into law.
The notice will advise them that they will be charged $115 for each habitable structure on their property. This fee is a result of a trailer bill, ABX1 29. The funds will be going to CAL-Fire. This fee is not an assessment from your local fire agency or the County of Santa Barbara. Requests for exemption or clarification should be directed to CAL-Fire and the BOE. Their contact information can be found at www.boe.ca.gov or 888-310-6447.
Property owners that live within a city limit of Carpinteria will not be affected by this fee. In general those properties affected are north of State Hwy 192 or Foothill Road.The actual bills are scheduled to be sent out beginning on August 13, 2012. They estimate that all bills will be sent out by October 2012.
Complete information about the new fee can be found at the California Fire Prevention Fee website www.firepreventionfee.org.