There is hereby imposed on each deed, instrument, or writing by which any lands, tenements, or other realty sold within the city shall be granted, assigned, transferred, or otherwise conveyed to, or vested in, the purchaser or purchasers, or any other person or persons, by his or their direction, when the consideration or value of the interest of property conveyed (exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrance remaining thereon at the time of sale) exceeds one hundred dollars, a tax at the rate of twenty-seven and one-half cents for each five hundred dollars or fractional part thereof.
(Ord. 464 § 1, 1967)
This chapter shall be known as the "Real Property Transfer Tax Ordinance of the city of Fountain Valley." The tax imposed by this chapter is imposed pursuant to Part 6.7 (commencing with Section 11901), entitled Documentary Stamp Act, of Division 2 of the Revenue and Taxation Code of California and subject to, and applicable only in accordance with, all of the provisions of said act, and no levy prohibited by said act is hereby imposed and no tax is hereby imposed which is not in conformity with said act, including the following provisions thereof:
(1) 
"11912. Any tax imposed pursuant to Section 11911 shall be paid by any person who makes, signs, or issues any document or instrument subject to the tax, or for whose use or benefit the same is made, signed or issued.
(2) 
"11921. Any tax imposed pursuant to this part shall not apply to any instrument in writing given to secure a debt.
(3) 
"Any deed, instrument or writing to which the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof, any state or territory, or political subdivision thereof, is a party shall be exempt from the tax imposed pursuant to this Article when the exempt agency is acquiring title.
(4) 
"11923. Any tax imposed pursuant to this part shall not apply to the making, delivering or filing of conveyances to make effective any plan or reorganization or adjustment
(a) 
Confirmed under the Federal Bankruptcy Act, as amended;
(b) 
Approved in an equity receivership proceeding in a court involving a railroad corporation, as defined in subdivision (m) of Section 205 of Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended;
(c) 
Approved in an equity receivership proceeding in a court involving a corporation, as defined in subdivision (3) of Section 506 of Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended; or
(d) 
Whereby a mere change in identity, form or place of organization is effected.
Subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, of this section shall only apply if the making, delivery or filing of instruments of transfer or conveyances occurs within five years from the date of such confirmation, approval or change.
(5) 
"11924. Any tax imposed pursuant to this part shall not apply to the making or delivery of conveyances to make effective any order of the Securities and Exchange Commission, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1083 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; but only if
(a) 
The order of the Securities and Exchange Commission in obedience to which such conveyance is made recites that such conveyance is necessary or appropriate to effectuate the provisions of Section 79k of Title 15 of the United States Code, relating to the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935;
(b) 
Such order specifies the property which is ordered to be conveyed;
(c) 
Such conveyance is made in obedience to such order.
(6) 
"11925.
(a) 
In the case of any realty held by a partnership, no levy shall be imposed pursuant to this part by reason of any transfer of an interest in a partnership or otherwise, if
(1) 
Such partnership (or another partnership) is considered a continuing partnership within the meaning of Section 708 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954; and
(2) 
Such continuing partnership continues to hold the realty concerned.
(b) 
If there is a termination of any partnership within the meaning of Section 708 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, for purposes of this part, such partnership shall be treated as having executed an instrument whereby there was conveyed, for fair market value (exclusive of the value of any lien or encumbrance remaining thereon), all realty held by such partnership at the time of such termination.
(c) 
Not more than one tax shall be imposed pursuant to this part by a county, city and county or city by reason of a termination described in subdivision (b), and any transfer pursuant thereto, with respect to the realty held by such partnership at the time of such termination.
(7) 
"11932. ... The county shall collect all taxes imposed pursuant to this part and the county auditor shall allocate the proceeds as follows:...
(2) 
All money which relates to transfers of real property located in a city which imposes a tax on transfers of real property pursuant to this part shall be allocated one-half to such city and one-half to the county.
(8) 
"11935. Claims for refunds of taxes imposed pursuant to this part shall be governed by the provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 5096) of Part 9 of Division 1 of this code."
(Ord. 464 § 3, 1967; Ord. 554 § 1, 1969)
The provisions of this chapter shall be operative on and after 12.01 a.m. on January 1, 1968, in the event the said Documentary Stamp Act of the state authorizing such tax and an ordinance of the county imposing a documentary stamp tax pursuant to such authority, is then operative and in the event that the Congress of the United States has not provided on or before January 1, 1968, for a tax on transfers of real property. The provisions of this chapter shall be operative at all times and only during such time as the said Documentary Stamp Act of the state and any ordinance of the county passed pursuant thereto, are operative. If the Congress of the United States imposes a tax on transfers of real property after January 1, 1968, this ordinance shall have no operative effect on and after the first day of the fiscal year which follows the date such federal tax is imposed.
(Ord. 464 § 4, 1967)
The city clerk shall mail two copies of the ordinance codified herein to the Orange County board of supervisors, recorder, tax collector and auditor.
(Ord. 464 § 5, 1967)