About LAFCO  | Current Commission Information

The Local Agency Formation Commission was created by the Legislature in 1963 to discourage urban sprawl and encourage the orderly formation and development of local government agencies. There is a LAFCO in each county in California except the City and County of San Francisco. LAFCO is a seven-member Commission comprised of two city council members (chosen by the Council of Mayors), two county supervisor members (chosen by the Board of Supervisors), two special district members (chosen by Independent Special District election), and one public member (chosen by the members of the Commission).

LAFCO has four major functions under State law:

1. To review and approve or disapprove proposals for changes in the boundaries or organization of cities and special districts in the county (including annexations to or detachments from cities and districts, incorporations of cities, formations of districts, and the dissolution, consolidation or merger of special districts), applications for activation of special district latent powers, and applications to provide service outside of a city or district boundary;
   
   
2. To establish and periodically update the sphere of influence or planned service area boundary for each city and special district;
   
   
3. To initiate and assist in studies of existing local government agencies with the goal of improving the efficiency and reducing the costs of providing urban services; and
   
   
4. To provide assistance to other governmental agencies and the public concerning changes in local government organization and boundaries.