Council Clears Up to $45M in Francis Ranch Mello-Roos Bonds

Dublin's City Council on Oct. 6, 2026, unanimously authorized up to $45M in special tax bonds that will repay the developer of Francis Ranch for roads, parks and fees. Francis Ranch homeowners, not the city, will carry the debt for 30 years. The council also signed a one-year animal shelter deal that raises Dublin's costs and sets up a showdown over shelter outcomes in 2027.

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• Up to $45M in Francis Ranch Mello-Roos bonds approved 4-0, with an estimated $37M to $40M to reimburse developers
• Vice Mayor challenges reimbursing development fees; staff says the 2023 formation documents allowed it
• Animal shelter costs jump about 41% after Livermore's exit, to roughly $471,000 a year
• One-year county shelter deal gives the next council leverage on pricing, ownership and a 24% euthanasia rate
• Public commenter questions immigration status of people involved in Sports Ground shooting; councilmember objects

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1 Big Thing: Homeowners Will Repay Francis Ranch Infrastructure

The basics: A Community Facilities District, or Mello-Roos district, lets a city levy a special property tax inside a defined area to finance public facilities. Dublin formed CFD No. 2023-1, originally called East Ranch, in December 2023. It had authority to borrow but had not sold any bonds.

Why it matters: The 165-acre district will have 573 homes, two neighborhood parks and a 2-acre public site. Its owners will repay the bonds through special taxes. The 18 affordable units are exempt.

Where things stand: Finance Director Jay Baxter and municipal advisor Eunju Riordan of Fieldman Rollup and Associates presented the deal. The bonds are non-rated and capped at $45M. Staff's state-required SB 450 estimate puts the actual size near $37M. Other terms:

• Maximum true interest cost of 7% and an underwriter's discount of up to 1.25%
• A 30-year term with debt service rising 2% a year
• A reserve fund of about one year's payments and interest capitalized through Sept. 1, 2027
• An estimated value-to-lien ratio of about 20.64 to 1

U.S. Bank will serve as fiscal agent and Piper Sandler as underwriter.

The district is more than 75% built. "195 homes have been sold. 421 building permits have been pulled," said Riordan. Trumark is the lead developer and has sold two neighborhoods to Taylor Morrison.

"The bond proceeds will be used primarily to reimburse the developers for eligible public facility costs and development fees that have already been paid," Riordan said.

The other side: That last phrase drew pushback. "I believe we said development fees were not part of the bond list," said Vice Mayor Jean Josey. Staff later confirmed that the 2023 formation documents included fees. They said her recollection likely concerned a different project.

Councilmember Michael McCorriston asked why the cap sits well above the SB 450 estimate. Riordan said caps are typically set 15% to 20% higher to allow for interest-rate swings.

Councilmember Kashef Qaadri asked several questions, some on behalf of absent Councilmember John Morada. One was why the city should sell now, when only 195 of 573 homes have sold. "If rates increase, that would mean that the proceeds to developers would decrease," Riordan said. On default risk, she said, "If there's a default on a particular property, it will not impact the city's credit." She estimated the effective tax rate at 1.49%, below the 1.58% cap.

Mayor Sherry Hu asked how the tax applies to parcels sold to other builders. "The reimbursement would go to the party who actually paid for the public infrastructure," said special tax consultant Susan Goodwin of Goodwin Consulting. She explained that the tax is secured by the land.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: McCorriston moved the resolution, which passed on a roll call vote (For: 4, McCorriston, Qaadri, Josey, Hu; Against: 0; Absent: 1, Morada).

• Developers: Trumark and any other builders that paid for infrastructure recover their costs.
• Homeowners: Current and future Francis Ranch owners take on decades of special-tax payments.
• City: Dublin's general fund and credit rating stay insulated from the debt.

What's next: The preliminary official statement was set for release the day after the meeting. Staff estimated the bond sale for Oct. 14, with closing about two weeks later.

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Shelter Deal Survives Livermore's Exit, for Now

Why it matters: Livermore left the East County Animal Shelter partnership effective July 1, 2025. Costs are split by the number of live animals each city handles, so Dublin's share rose from 14.72% to 18.99%. "In dollars, you're looking at about $333,000 last fiscal year to about $471,000 this fiscal year," said Senior Management Analyst Jordan Foss.

Where things stand: Dublin has contracted with Alameda County since 1982, and the Sheriff's Office has run the shelter since 1996. The new agreement with the county and Pleasanton keeps services the same. It runs one year, with two optional one-year extensions that require all parties to agree. A budget change adds about $175,000.

The short term is deliberate. Foss said the county wants to discuss changes to the pricing structure and to who owns the facility. Livermore still owns its equity share but cannot force a buyout. Foss said Livermore's exit was not mainly about money: "In discussions, it really was aesthetics." Livermore's main comparison was the neighboring East Bay SPCA.

The other side: Josey pressed on outcomes. In 2025 the county shelter adopted out 26% of its animals, returned 17% to owners, transferred 34% to rescue groups and euthanized about 24%. At the SPCA, the euthanasia rate is roughly 5% and the adoption rate about 85%. "It's not apples to apples," Foss said, because the SPCA takes only dogs and cats.

Alternatives are thin. The SPCA is full, and Fremont and Oakland would cost about the same. "The fact that Livermore has withdrawn doesn't mean that we believe we should withdraw," said the City Manager, who cited county upgrades to flooring, the boiler, kennels and landscaping. She added, "We don't have other options, but we're not dissatisfied."

"I think we should be a little bit dissatisfied with the euthanasia rate and the adoption rates," Josey replied. She urged the city to partner with the county to improve both. Qaadri suggested promoting adoptions through the Dublin Digest and social media.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Josey moved approval, which passed by unanimous voice vote (For: 4; Against: 0; Absent: 1, Morada). Pet owners keep the same services. Taxpayers absorb the higher share, with the full cost expected in fiscal year 2027-28 if the deal is extended.

What's next: The Pleasanton City Council and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors must still approve the agreement. Josey noted that next year's council will decide whether Dublin makes a change similar to Livermore's.

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Sports Ground Shooting Spills Into Public Comment

Hu opened the domestic violence proclamation by addressing the shooting. "I want to acknowledge the recent horrific incident at the Dublin Sports Ground, a place where our families come together to play and connect," said Mayor Sherry Hu. She noted the case is moving through the courts.

During public comment, public commenter Brent Sanji said city leaders had been silent on the shooting. He made claims about the people involved that were not verified at the meeting. He also referenced the mayor's immigrant background and the city's stance on ICE. "I want to know if these people are in our country legally," Sanji said.

The City Manager said the city issued a statement after Dublin Police Services released its own. "I made a statement on behalf of the city in our Dublin Digest tonight," she said, adding, "But we're going to let the investigation run its course."

A councilmember then rose on a point of personal privilege. "I don't think it's fair for someone to attack your ethnicity or status," the councilmember told the mayor.

Separately, Mike Grant, owner of Guns Unlimited Repair and Firearms Training, criticized SB 2's concealed-carry limits in parks, libraries and government buildings. "When seconds count, police are minutes away," Grant said. The council took no action on either comment.

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Minor Items

• Staff raises: On consent, the council added a 1.5% cost-of-living raise on top of the 1.7% already given to department heads and executives, plus a 1.7% raise for the City Manager. Both are retroactive to July 1, 2026. Josey called this year's February inflation figure, which sets the city's formula, "clearly an anomaly."
• Sunflower Hill at Grace Pointe: The council approved amended affordable housing, sale and lease agreements with Sunflower Grace, L.P., and accepted a land dedication for a 1.88-acre Dublin Centre site.
• Governance updates: The council finalized repeal of the Human Services Commission code chapter, updated the conflict-of-interest code and approved a fourth amendment with Civica Law Group.
• Domestic violence nonprofits: Narika reported serving nearly 1,000 survivors a year. Maitri cited 135 domestic violence-related homicides statewide in 2025. Tri-Valley Haven said its new shelter will house 50% more clients.
• Proclamations: The council recognized Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month, Arts and Humanities Month and World Polio Day.

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Looking Ahead

Cooling centers at the Dublin Senior Center, the library and the Shannon Community Center stay open through Thursday, Oct. 8. The free "Wellness in Our Backyard" fair runs Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Don Biddle Park. The city-supported Dublin Diwali Mela follows on Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.