In order to comply with the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, the City Council must hold a public hearing to confirm assessments and to notify property owners. In addition, Section 22566 of the CA Streets and Highway Code requires the City Engineer to prepare a report of the City’s intention to levy assessments for the following fiscal year. Each fiscal year, there are four assessment districts in Sierra Madre that are submitted. They are:
Santa Anita/Arno Lighting Maintenance – District No. 1; Fane Street/Windwood Lane Landscaping Maintenance (Established 1980) – District No.2; Central Business District Landscaping Maintenance (Established 1982) – District No.3 (Established 1982); and Central Business Parking District (Established 1992) – District No.5 . All four of these assessment districts have expenses that exceed the revenue they generate (see Staff Report for details).
In addition, there are two sewer assessment districts, the East Montecito Sewer Assessment district (Established 2004),the East Bonita Sewer Assessment District (Established 2006). According to the staff report, the Council is not required to hold public hearings and set the assessment amounts for these districts because the terms of the districts and the amount of the assessments were set at the time of the formation of the two districts. No information is given in the staff report as to the expenses and revenue of these two assessment districts.
There are also three Municipal Lighting and Maintenance Districts, SM Lighting and Maintenance District 3, Zone A, SM Lighting and Maintenance District 3, Zone B, and SM Lighting and Maintenance District 1. These three districts were established in the 1960s.
District 1 consists of residential parcels in Tract 15709, on the east side of town. Parcels in this district are assessed about 17 cents per $100 of assessed value. Revenues for District 1 are just under $10,800 and expenses are just under $8,900, creating a surplus of just over $1,900.
District A consists of certain commercial parcels on West Sierra Madre Blvd., which are assessed about 31 cents per $100 of assessed value, generating revenue of $1,545. Expenses though, are nearly four times that much, at just over $6,000, leaving a shortfall of just over $4,500.
District B is also commercial parcels, some on West Sierra Madre Blvd., and some on Baldwin Ave. These parcels are also charged 31 cents per $100 of assessed value, with revenue of just over $6,000. But the district expenses exceed $16,600, leaving a shortfall of more than $10,500 dollars.
Staff is recommending adoption of all of the resolutions associated with this agenda item, one to initiate assessment proceedings and directing the City Engineer to prepare and file an Engineer’s report, a second to approve the Engineer’s Report, and a third levying the assessments. You can view the staff report for this Agenda item here.