Staff Report
PREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY
Director of Parks and Public Works
Reviewed by: Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance
Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● 408-354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 04/17/2018
ITEM NO: 03
DATE: APRIL 3, 2018
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DESCRIBING IMPROVEMENTS AND DIRECTING
PREPARATION OF THE TOWN ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR
2018/19 FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1
AND 2
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) describing improvements and directing preparation of the
Town Engineer’s report for Fiscal Year 2018/19 for Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts
No. 1 and 2.
BACKGROUND:
The Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (Streets and Highways Code Section 22500) allows
local government agencies to form Landscape and Lighting Maintenance Districts for financing
the costs and expenses for landscaping and lighting public areas.
In the early 1990’s the Town established two Landscape and Lighting Districts comprised of six
zones, five of which are in District No. 1, and one that is in District No. 2. Diagrams of the six
zones are included in this report (Attachments 2.1-2.6). Property owners in each district pay an
annual assessment on their property tax bill for the maintenance of common area landscaping
or lighting.
The majority of the landscape and lighting services within the districts are provided by a
contractor retained and managed directly by the Town on behalf of the property owners, with
some maintenance services also provided by Town staff.
PAGE 2 OF 3
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DESCRIBING IMPROVEMENTS AND DIRECTING
PREPARATION OF THE TOWN ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR
2018/19 FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1
AND 2
APRIL 3, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\04-17-18\03 LLD\03 Staff Report Landscape and Lighting FINAL.docx 4/10/2018 3:57 PM SH
BACKGROUND (cont’d):
Each year, the Town Council levies the assessments and reconfirms the districts by a series of
Resolutions and Public Hearing. The process, which is set by the Landscaping and Lighting Act
of 1972 (Streets and Highways Code Section 22500) includes the following steps:
1. Council adopts resolution Describing Improvements and Directing the Preparation of the
Engineer’s Report for FY 2018/19 – April 17, 2018.
2. Council adopts resolutions Approving the 2018/19 Preliminary Engineer’s Report,
Intention to Levy and Collect Assessments, and to Set Public Hearing to Consider the
Proposed Assessments – May 1, 2018.
3. Council conducts public hearing and then adopts resolution Confirming the Assessment
Diagrams and Levying and Authorizing Collection of Assessments for FY 2018/19 – June
19, 2018.
Provisions of SB 919 (the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act) adopted by the
California State Legislature in 1997 (Chapter 38, Stats. 1997) are implemented during the
renewal process. Proposition 218 becomes applicable only when increases in the current
assessment rates are contemplated, due primarily to rising maintenance costs and increases in
the costs of water and power. If that were to take place, the above noted process will be
modified by introducing a mail-in balloting procedure for each zone that begins after the items
in step 2 are approved by Council and concludes at the close of the public hearing.
At the conclusion of step 3, the Clerk Administrator transmits the assessment amounts to the
County Auditor which appear as a separate item on the property tax bill for each parcel.
DISCUSSION:
Streets & Highways Code Section 22622 states, “The legislative body shall adopt a resolution
which shall generally describe any proposed new improvements or any substantial changes in
existing improvements and order the engineer to prepare and to file a report in accordance with
Article 4 (commencing with Section 22565).”
The resolution attached references a description of improvements (services) to be provided to
the districts and directs the preparation of the Engineer’s Report.
PAGE 3 OF 3
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION DESCRIBING IMPROVEMENTS AND DIRECTING
PREPARATION OF THE TOWN ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR
2018/19 FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1
AND 2
APRIL 3, 2018
S:\COUNCIL REPORTS\2018\04-17-18\03 LLD\03 Staff Report Landscape and Lighting FINAL.docx 4/10/2018 3:57 PM SH
CONCLUSION:
Adopt a resolution describing improvements and directing preparation of the Town Engineer’s
report for Fiscal Year 2018/19 for Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts No. 1 and 2.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Town’s Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts do not impact the Town’s General
Fund. The impact of any proposed changes to District budgets on the assessments of individual
property owners will be will be provided in the Engineer’s Report.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. Resolution Describing Improvements and Directing Preparation of Engineer’s Report for
Fiscal Year 2018/19.
2. Diagrams of Benefit Zones for Landscape and Lighting Districts No. 1 and 2 (labeled as
Attachments 2.1 through 2.6)