ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: June 10, 2026 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent Calendar Public Hearing TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Phillip Burns, Public Works Director
DATE: May 12, 2026
SUBJECT: Public Hearing to consider the Fiscal Year 2026–27 Assessments and Tax Collection for 28 Traffic Signal Maintenance Districts
Resolution approving and adopting the Development Services Director’s Report for twenty-eight (28) Traffic Signal Maintenance Districts (“TSMD” herein) and the 2026- 2027 CMD budget confirming the assessments and authorizing the collection of assessments by the Kern County Tax Collector.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends receiving protest statements (if any), overriding protests (if any) and adopting the resolution.
BACKGROUND:
On September 28, 1994, the City Council passed Resolution No. 161-94 which instituted the collection of maintenance and operating costs for convenience traffic signals through maintenance districts. A convenience traffic signal is a traffic signal not required by the traffic authority to regulate traffic flow, but is a traffic signal installed solely at the discretion of the developer of a commercial site. Under the user-pay concept, the private property owner deriving benefits bears the costs of maintenance and operation of convenience traffic signals through assessments with the Kern County Tax Collector. Maintenance and operation of these traffic signals is performed by City forces or by private contractor.
On May 27, 2026, the City Council approved Resolution of Intention 2262, preliminarily confirming, approving, and adopting the Development Services Director’s Report and the fiscal year 2026 - 2027 budget for the Traffic Signal Maintenance District (TSMD). The traffic signal assessment rates have increased to $4,131.81 for each signal systems maintenance and operation for fiscal year 2026 - 2027, which reflects a 3.40% increase from the previous fiscal year’s rate was $3,995.95. Said increased amount is based annually by the increase of the cost-of-living increase reflected in the Los Angeles – Long Beach – Anaheim/All Urban Consumers Consumer Price Index (CPI) measured from March 2025 CPI to the March 2026 CPI difference. The resolution of intention set the public comment hearing date for June 10, 2026. Notice of the hearing has been published in accordance with Chapter 13.04 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code in the manner required by law. As of the date of this administrative report, City staff has not received any public comments regarding the above-noted conditions.
This hearing is to consider public comment only on the following: the fairness of the benefit formula; the amount of any parcel of property to be assessed; and the reservation by the City of right to allow for a convenience traffic signal. As of the date of this administrative report, City staff has not received any protests or public comments regarding the above-noted conditions.
This resolution confirms the 2026 - 2027 Traffic Signal Maintenance Districts’ assessments and authorizes collection of the assessments by the Kern County Tax Collector.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The revenue from Traffic Signal Maintenance Districts supports ongoing maintenance in the districts for the year. There is no City General fund impact.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Safety and Resilience
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Exhibit 1 – Director’s Report Traffic
3. Exhibit A – Director’s Report Benefit Formula
4. Exhibit B – Director’s Report Budget