Welcome to the Santa Cruz Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) website. This website continues to be a work in progress. If you happen to find a broken link, or you cannot find or access the information you are looking for, please call 831-454-2055. The Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) was created by State law in 1963 to regulate the boundaries of cities and special districts. Each of the 58 counties in California have a LAFCO. The objectives of LAFCO are:

• to encourage efficient service areas for services provided by cities, counties, and special districts;
• to guide urban development away from prime agricultural lands and open space resources;
• to promote orderly growth; and
• to discourage urban sprawl.

The LAFCO Commission in Santa Cruz County is comprised of seven members: two city council members chosen by the mayors of the cities in the County (City Selection Committee), two County supervisors chosen by the Board of Supervisors, two special district board members chosen by the twenty-four independent special district board chairpersons in the County, and a public member chosen by the other members of LAFCO. As a public agency, LAFCO discusses and acts upon its business monthly in open public meetings. We welcome your interest and participation in the important matters under study by LAFCO.