CHAPTER 9. Pajaro Valley Health Care District [32498.5. - 32498.9.]

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC 9.

in effect

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 32498.5. Section 32498.5.

(a) A local hospital district designated as the Pajaro Valley Health Care District is hereby formed within the Counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey. The Pajaro Valley Health Care District may be organized, incorporated, and managed as provided in this division, and may exercise the powers granted or necessarily implied by this division, only if the relevant county board of supervisors chooses to appoint an initial board of directors, as described in Section 32100. All other provisions of this division apply to the Pajaro Valley Health Care District, except as provided in this chapter. (b) The territory of the district shall be the following area: Situated in the Counties of Santa Cruz and Monterey, State of California; being all the lands within the boundary of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, excepting the lands to the north and west of the following described line: beginning at a point on the edge of the Pacific Ocean at the intersection with the projected centerline of Aptos Beach Drive; thence along said projected centerline to the intersection of the centerline of Aptos Beach Drive and the centerline of Rio Del Mar Boulevard; thence along the centerline of Rio Del Mar Boulevard in a northeasterly direction to the intersection of the centerline of Rio Del Mar Boulevard and the centerline of Bonita Drive; thence along the centerline of Bonita Drive in a westerly direction to the intersection of the centerline of Bonita Drive and the centerline of Freedom Boulevard; thence along the centerline of Freedom Boulevard in a northerly and easterly direction to the intersection of the centerline of Freedom Boulevard and the centerline of Hames Road; thence along the centerline of Hames Road in an easterly direction to the end of the centerline of Hames Road and the beginning of the centerline of Browns Valley Road; thence along the centerline of Browns Valley Road in a northerly and easterly direction to the end of the centerline of Browns Valley Road and the beginning of the centerline of Hazel Dell Road; thence along the centerline of Hazel Dell Road in an easterly and southerly direction to the intersection of the centerline of Hazel Dell Road and the centerline of Mount Madonna Road; thence along the centerline of Mount Madonna Road in a southerly direction to the intersection of the centerline of Mount Madonna Road and the centerline of Gaffey Road; thence along the centerline of Gaffey Road 1300 feet, more or less, in an easterly direction to a point on the centerline of Gaffey Road; thence leaving the centerline of Gaffey Road 90 feet, more or less, in a northeasterly direction to a point on the Santa Cruz County line. (c) Following the formation of the district, the Cortese-Knox-Hertzberg Local Government Reorganization Act of 2000 (Division 3 (commencing with Section 56000) of Title 5 of the Government Code) governs any change of organization.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 32498.6. Section 32498.6.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, within five years of the date of the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Pajaro Valley Health Care District, the board of directors shall adopt a resolution to divide the district into zones and number the zones consecutively. (b) In establishing these zones, the board of directors shall provide for representation in accordance with demographic and geographic factors of the entire area of the district, including population factors. The board of directors shall fix the time and place for a hearing on the proposed establishment of zones. At this hearing, any elector of the district may present their views and plans in relation to the proposed zoning, but the board of directors shall not be bound thereby and their decision, in the resolution adopted, shall be final. (c) The zones shall be effective for the next district election after the resolution of the board of directors for which there is time to implement the zones and elections within the zones.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 32498.7. Section 32498.7.

(a) The district shall notify the County of Santa Cruz local agency formation commission (LAFCO) of when the district, or any other entity, acquires the Watsonville Community Hospital. (b) If the district does not acquire the Watsonville Community Hospital through the bankruptcy proceeding pursuant to Chapter 11 (commencing with Section 1101) of Title 11 of the United States Code by January 1, 2024, the LAFCO shall order the dissolution of the district.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 32498.8. Section 32498.8.

(a) The district shall notify the Santa Cruz County local agency formation commission if the district sells the Watsonville Community Hospital to another entity or stops providing health care services at the facility. (b) If the commission receives notification subject to subdivision (a), it shall order the dissolution of the district. (c) The dissolution of the district pursuant to this section is not subject to any of the following: (1) Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 57000) to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 57176), inclusive, of Part 4 of Division 3 of Title 5 of the Government Code. (2) Determinations pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 56881 of the Government Code. (3) Requirements for commission-initiated changes of organization described in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 56375 of the Government Code. (4) Sections 99 and 99.01 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Cal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 32498.9. Section 32498.9.

(a) Within one year of the district’s date of formation, the Santa Cruz County local agency formation commission shall develop and determine a sphere of influence for the district pursuant to Section 56426.5 of the Government Code, unless the district is dissolved before that date. (b) The district shall make annual reports to the commission, by December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2024, regarding health care service provision within the boundaries of the district, using the indices outlined in paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 56430 of the Government Code, unless the district is dissolved before the date the report is required. (c) By December 31, 2025, and by December 31 every five years thereafter, the commission shall conduct a municipal service review regarding health care service provision within the boundaries of the district pursuant to Section 56430 of the Government Code, unless the district is dissolved before the date the municipal service review is required.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026