If you’re watching new homes in Shafter’s Mission Lakes area, the October council paperwork raises two separate questions: what happened to the development agreement, and what might appear as a special tax on a future property?
The City Council heard the revised agreement in October and placed its approving ordinance on the agenda for adoption. A maintenance tax for Tract 7461 remains proposed. The revised impact fees are paid by owners or builders when building permits are issued; the proposed special tax would be levied on the lots in Tract 7461.
What was on the council’s October agendas?
Ordinance No. 780, approving Development Agreement No. 25-22, was introduced on October 6, 2026 and was on the October 20, 2026 City Council agenda for second reading and adoption. The October 20 minutes had not been posted when this was written.
That is where things stood on October 27, 2026. An agenda entry for adoption doesn’t establish the outcome of that meeting.
You can check the City of Shafter agenda portal for the minutes and later records. The October 20 agenda and packet list the ordinance as consent item 7. When asking the city about the agreement, use both numbers: Ordinance No. 780 and Development Agreement No. 25-22.
How much development does Mission Lakes include?
The Mission Lakes Specific Plan covers 1,357 gross acres and includes 5,334 single-family and multi-family dwelling units.
The area is generally on the north side of 7th Standard Road, west of the Calloway Canal. Its land use designation and zoning are SP, or Specific Plan.
The plan also includes:
- 68 acres of public parks.
- 129 acres of commercial development.
- One 25-acre middle school site and one 15-acre elementary school site.
- 72 acres of road right-of-way.
Those figures describe the plan’s scale. For a purchase tied to a particular lot, ask the builder what the plan documents show around that lot and what the city can confirm about the school sites.
According to the staff report, the agreement doesn’t increase the maximum of 5,334 residential units analyzed in the 2005 General Plan Update Program EIR and addendum.
Why did the agreement come back after May?
The agreement returned because city staff determined that some proposed impact fees were too low to adequately offset public improvement costs.
The Planning Commission recommended approval on April 14, 2026. After staff identified the fee issue, the council continued the item on May 19, 2026. The Planning Commission recommended the revised agreement on September 8, 2026, before the October council consideration.
Development Agreement No. 25-22 replaces Development Agreement No. 06-03, dated October 11, 2006. The staff report describes its objective as providing assurances about proceeding under existing policies, rules, regulations and approval conditions, thereby vesting certain development rights.
The ordinance also identifies payment of park fees, traffic fees and other city fees and requirements as a purpose of the agreement. You can read that context in the October 6 agenda packet.
What are the revised per-home impact fees?
The October 6 staff report states revised fees per dwelling unit, payable by the owners or builders to the city when building permits are issued.
| Fee | Earlier proposal | Revised amount |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic Impact Fee | No more than $15,000 | Minimum $8,200.00 and no more than $15,000.00 |
| Park Impact Fee | No more than $6,000 | $13,662.00, with an annual escalator adjusted July 1 |
| Sewer Impact/Capacity Fee | No more than $10,000 | Minimum $12,000.00 and no more than $20,000.00 |
| Additional Impact Fees | No more than $20,000 | No more than $15,000.00 |
The sewer fee’s revised name accounts for the cost of upgrading the existing sewer treatment plant.
These are not charges you pay directly as the buyer. Nor does the staff report establish that they raise a home’s price. Ask the builder which agreement and fee schedule apply to the home’s building permit, and ask the city to confirm the applicable amounts.
What is the proposed tax for Tract 7461?
Proposed Community Facilities District No. 0817 would levy a maintenance special tax on Tract 7461, with a stated charge of $510.90 per lot in Fiscal Year 2026-27 dollars.
The proposal covers about 82.53 gross acres and 281 proposed residential units within Mission Lakes. Resolution No. 3119 declares the city’s intention to establish the district under the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982.
Its purpose is to fund maintenance of parks, landscaping, parkways, trails, median islands, public lighting and street lights. Estimated annual operation and maintenance costs are $143,563 in Fiscal Year 2026-27 dollars, spread among the 281 lots.
If adopted, the property would become subject to the tax in Fiscal Year 2027-28. The stated adjustment allows increases of up to $4 for every $100 of the tax each year, tied to the consumer price index, if deemed necessary, starting in Fiscal Year 2027-28.
For background on the district terminology, see the Mello-Roos guide.
When is the hearing, and what remains proposed?
Community Facilities District No. 0817 is proposed. The City Council set a public hearing for 6:00 p.m. on November 17, 2026.
The hearing is at City Hall. The council will also conduct a special election so affected property owners can vote. According to the staff report, the current landowner is the builder that owns the tract.
A. had been comparing the monthly costs at Mission Lakes when he noticed that the numbers from two different conversations did not quite match. The home price was straightforward. The impact fees and possible maintenance tax were not. He wanted to know which costs had already been established, which belonged to the development agreement, and which were still only being proposed. What began as a discussion about choosing a floor plan became a much more important conversation about the expenses that could remain after closing.
What should you ask before choosing a lot?
Ask the seller or builder to identify the lot’s district, its current special tax and its school district.
Keep those questions specific:
- Is this lot in CFD No. 0817 or another district?
- What is the current special tax for this lot, and what document confirms it?
- Which school district applies to this property?
The agreement says school impact fees for the area go to the Norris and/or Richland School District. That wording doesn’t resolve the district question for an individual lot.
If you’re comparing purchase options, the builder closeouts versus resale guide can accompany those questions. Keep the supplemental property tax bill guide handy when reviewing the property’s tax documents.
The short version
Mission Lakes has a revised development agreement moving through the October council process and a separate proposed maintenance district for Tract 7461.
Confirm the ordinance’s outcome through the city record. Then ask about the actual lot: district boundaries, current special tax and school district. The owners or builders pay the impact fees at building permit issuance.
This guide is educational, not legal or tax advice.
If a future purchase also involves valuing a home, use the home value tool.
Common questions
Was Ordinance No. 780 adopted on October 20?
It was on the October 20, 2026 City Council agenda for second reading and adoption. The October 20 minutes had not been posted when this was written.
Do buyers pay the revised Mission Lakes impact fees directly?
The owners or builders pay these fees to the city when building permits are issued. They are not a separate bill to the buyer.
What is the proposed CFD No. 0817 tax?
The stated charge is $510.90 per lot in Fiscal Year 2026-27 dollars, effective Fiscal Year 2027-28 if adopted. Annual increases could be up to $4 for every $100 of the tax, tied to the consumer price index, if deemed necessary.
Does proposed CFD No. 0817 cover all of Mission Lakes?
The proposal covers Tract 7461, about 82.53 gross acres with 281 proposed residential units. Ask the seller or builder whether a particular lot is in CFD No. 0817 or another district.
