Staff Report
PREPARED BY: MATT MORLEY
Director of Parks and Public Works
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: 06/20/2017
ITEM NO: 10
DATE: JUNE 5, 2017
TO: MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL
FROM: LAUREL PREVETTI, TOWN MANAGER
SUBJECT: LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1 AND 2
A. ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND
ASSESSMENTS, AND LEVYING AND AUTHORIZING COLLECTION OF
ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 1-BLACKWELL DRIVE BENEFIT ZONE
B. ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND
ASSESSMENTS, AND LEVYING AND AUTHORIZING COLLECTION OF
ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 1-KENNEDY MEADOWS BENEFIT ZONE
C. ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND
ASSESSMENTS, AND LEVYING AND AUTHORIZING COLLECTION OF
ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 1-SANTA ROSA HEIGHTS BENEFIT ZONE
D. ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND
ASSESSMENTS, AND LEVYING AND AUTHORIZING COLLECTION OF
ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 1-VASONA HEIGHTS BENEFIT ZONE
E. ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND
ASSESSMENTS, AND LEVYING AND AUTHORIZING COLLECTION OF
ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 1-HILLBROOK DRIVE BENEFIT ZONE
F. ADOPT A RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE DIAGRAM AND
ASSESSMENTS, AND LEVYING AND AUTHORIZING COLLECTION OF
ASSESSMENTS FOR LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT
NO. 2-GEMINI COURT BENEFIT ZONE
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SUBJECT: LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1 AND 2
JUNE 5, 2017
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RECOMMENDATION:
After opening and closing the public hearing, it is recommended that the Town Council:
1. Adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) confirming the diagram and assessments, and levying
and authorizing collection of assessments for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District
No. 1-Blackwell Drive Benefit Zone.
2. Adopt a resolution (Attachment 2) confirming the diagram and assessments, and levying
and authorizing collection of assessments for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District
No. 1-Kennedy Meadows Benefit Zone.
3. Adopt a resolution (Attachment 3) confirming the diagram and assessments, and levying
and authorizing collection of assessments for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District
No. 1-Santa Rosa Heights Benefit Zone.
4. Adopt a resolution (Attachment 4) confirming the diagram and assessments, and levying
and authorizing collection of assessments for Landscape and Light ing Assessment District
No. 1-Vasona Heights Benefit Zone.
5. Adopt a resolution (Attachment 5) confirming the diagram and assessments, and levying
and authorizing collection of assessments for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District
No. 1-Hillbrook Drive Benefit Zone.
6. Adopt a resolution (Attachment 6) confirming the diagram and assessments, and levying
and authorizing collection of assessments for Landscape and Lighting Assessment District
No. 2-Gemini Court Benefit Zone.
BACKGROUND:
On April 18, 2017, the Town Council initiated the annual process of renewing the Landscape
and Lighting Assessment Districts No. 1 and 2 for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2017. The
Districts are comprised of six distinct zones of benefit, five of which are included in D istrict No.
1, and one included in District No. 2. Maps of each zone are contained in the Engineer’s Report
(Attachment 7). The primary purpose of the Districts is to provide for the ongoing maintenance
and care of landscaped areas that especially benefit the properties within each of the zones.
These services are performed by a contractor retained by the Town on behalf of the property
owners. For a specific description of the services provided in each zone, please refer to the
attached Engineer’s Report.
On May 2, 2017, Council received and approved the Engineer’s Report and adopted Resolutions
confirming diagrams and assessments, and levying and authorizing collection of assessments
for Landscape and Lighting Districts for FY 2017/18, and set June 20, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. as the
date and time for the required Public (Protest) Hearing on the proposed assessments.
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SUBJECT: LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1 AND 2
JUNE 5, 2017
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DISCUSSION:
The Notice of Intention to Levy Annual Assessments was published in the Los Gatos Weekly on
June 9 and June 16, 2017. Additionally, notices of the proposed assessments and of the
scheduled public hearing were mailed to each of the property owners in the Districts, and to
date, no protests or other written communication have been received. If communication is
received prior to the hearing, it will be presented to the Council for consideration at the
hearing.
The following table shows the number of parcels for each benefit zone and the proposed FY
2017/18 assessments:
Benefit Zone No. of Parcels Per Parcel Assessment
Blackwell Drive 5 $632
Kennedy Meadows 15 $685
Santa Rosa Heights 15 $300
Vasona Heights 33 $295
Hillbrook 34 $175
Gemini Court 20 $230
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the Town Council adopt the six resolutions (Attachments 1 -6) to
continue the annual process of renewing the Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts 1 and
2 for Fiscal Year 2017/18.
ALTERNATIVES:
If the Council chooses not to adopt the six resolutions, then the renewal process would halt and
staff would follow the alternative direction given by the Council. If the Council were to decide
not to renew the Assessment Districts, staff would look to Council for a policy direction about
whether the services currently provided by the Districts should continue and how.
The two most likely options that the Council could choose would be to either:
1. Give the responsibility for providing the services back to the property owners within the
districts,
or
2. Assume responsibility for providing the services through the Town’s General Fund
Operating Budget.
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SUBJECT: LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS NO. 1 AND 2
JUNE 5, 2017
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ALTERNATIVES (cont’d):
As the Districts provide for higher levels of landscaping and lighting services within the specific
benefit zones than in other areas of the Town, staff does not recommend either of these two
approaches.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no direct fiscal impacts on the Town's General Fund as a result of administering the
Landscape and Lighting Assessment Districts. All the costs associated with the Districts are
recovered via the assessments levied against the property owners within the Districts. There
are no proposed increases in any of the parcel assessments for FY 2017/18 that would require a
ballot vote under Proposition 218.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachments:
1. Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, and Levying and Authorizing Collection of
Assessments – Blackwell Drive Benefit Zone.
2. Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, and Levying and Authorizing Collection of
Assessments – Kennedy Meadows Drive Benefit Zone.
3. Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, and Levying and Authorizing Collection of
Assessments – Santa Rosa Heights Benefit Zone.
4. Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, and Levying and Authorizing Collection of
Assessments – Vasona Heights Benefit Zone.
5. Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, and Levying and Authorizing Collection of
Assessments – Hillbrook Drive Benefit Zone.
6. Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, and Levying and Authorizing Collection of
Assessments – Gemini Court Benefit Zone.
7. Engineer’s Report for Fiscal Year 2017/18.