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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Approval of the Final Engineer’s Report and Ordering the Levy and Collection of Annual Assessments for the North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
1. Resolution Approving the Engineer’s Annual Levy Report for the City of Glendale’s North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
2. Resolution Ordering the Levy and Collection of the City of Glendale’s North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Public Hearing
Approved for July 9, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District (“District”) was formed on January 9, 2007 pursuant to the Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972, Part 2 of Division 15, of the California Streets and Highway Code. There are five Zones within the boundaries of the District and they receive differing degrees of benefit from the improvements and services to be provided. On June 25, 2024, the City Council adopted resolutions to initiate proceeding and declare its intention to continue the levy in FY 2024-
25. This report includes resolutions to approve the final Engineer’s Report for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 (“Engineer’s Report”) and a resolution ordering the levy. The levy currently funds landscaping maintenance and irrigation, mechanical weeding services and pest control, litter abatement and tree maintenance.
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff respectfully recommends the City Council approve the following:
1. Resolution approving the Engineer’s Annual Levy Report for the City of Glendale’s North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District for Fiscal Year 2024-25; and
2. Resolution Ordering the Levy and Collection of the City of Glendale’s North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
ANALYSIS
San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District (“District”) was formed on January 9, 2007 pursuant to the Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972, Part 2 of Division 15, of the California Streets and Highway Code. The District includes the parcels of land bounded by Linden Avenue to the North, San Fernando Road to the East (including properties on the east side of San Fernando Road), Fairmont Avenue and State Route 134 to the South and Interstate 5 to the West.
There are five Zones within the boundaries of the District and they receive differing degrees of benefit from the improvements and services to be provided. Under the 1972 Act, the District is authorized to fund, service and/or maintain the following improvements:
•Lawn/ground cover, shrub, and tree care including weeding, pruning and feeding; •Hardscape maintenance including sweeping/cleaning and debris collection; •Water costs including water usage and irrigation maintenance and repair; and •Maintenance costs for site amenities that may include but are not limited to benches, trash receptacles and lighting.
On June 25, 2024, the City Council adopted resolutions that initiated proceedings, preliminarily approved the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Engineer’s Report, declared its intention to levy and collect assessments and charges, and appointed a time and place to hear objections to the North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District for Fiscal Year 2024-25.
The Engineer’s Report defines the boundaries of the District, describes the benefits, identifies the costs associated with these improvements, and lists the parcels and owner of record with the amount of the assessment. It also provides an annual update of the District including proposed expenses and revenues, including the proposed assessments to be levied on the Los Angeles County tax roll for Fiscal Year 2024-25. In addition, the Engineer’s Report contains a budget for which all parcels within the District will be assessed based on their geographical proximity to the various improvement projects planned for the area. The five Zones within the District were created to account for varying levels of landscape improvements; including amount, type, and frequency of maintenance. For example, Zone 1 (east and west side of San Fernando Road) has different amounts and types of public landscaping than Zone 4 which includes the GC3 campus.
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To establish the annual assessment amount for each parcel within each of the five Zones, the assessment rate for each Zone is calculated by dividing the net cost budgeted for that zone (“Balance to Levy”) by the Total EBU (assessed acreage) for all benefitting properties within each respective Zone. This Assessment Rate is then applied back to each parcel’s assigned EBU (individual acreage) to determine the parcel’s proportionate benefit and assessment obligation for the improvements.
The following formulas are used to calculate each parcel’s Levy Amount (proportional assessment obligation) for each Zone.
Total Balance to Levy (Zone Budget)/Total EBU (Acres) = Assessment Rate per EBU Assessment Rate per EBU x Parcel’s EBU = Parcel Assessment The Engineer’s Report includes Fiscal Year 2024-25 assessments as well as an estimate for the assessment at full build-out. The established rates are for the following Zones for Fiscal Year 2024-25:
Fiscal Year 2024-25 Levy/EBU
• Zone 1: $826.82
• Zone 2: $82.69
• Zone 3: $82.80
• Zone 4: $128.22
• Zone 5: $241.88
The North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District is an assessment district. The proportional assessment calculated for each parcel will be applied to the Los Angeles County Tax Rolls for Fiscal Year 2024-25. The total assessment for Fiscal Year 2024-25 is approximately $70,000 (Exhibit A, Engineer’s Report) which is the same as last year. The funds collected from property owners will be used mainly for landscaping, irrigation, debris collection and maintenance of zones in the San Fernando Road Corridor Project Area. These services are provided by multiple contractors working in this area on a regular basis including West Coast Arborists, Inc. for tree maintenance; Parkwood Landscape Maintenance, Inc. for landscape maintenance services and litter control and Pest Options, Inc. for weed control services.
Long-term, staff is looking at potentially using these funds to replace landscaping in some areas in the district and to refurbish the street furniture on San Fernando Road. The funds are accounted in Fund 2530 and the appropriation of these funds is incorporated during the annual budget process.
Over the past year, funds collected from this levy has been used to plant six trees, prune 633 trees and remove seven trees in the district. All city-owned trees in the district are pruned every six years, with this maintenance taking place during this FY. Last year the levy also funded approximately 10 hours per month of targeted weed control visits.
Additionally, it funded monthly litter collection, shrub vine and tree maintenance, ground 4{{section.number}}a
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cover maintenance and irrigation system maintenance for public landscaped areas on San Fernando Road, Flower Street, Fairmont Avenue and the Fairmont Bridge.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
This staff report includes a public hearing. The public hearing affords property owners in the district to object to continuation of the levy as well as other interested parties to express their views on the landscape maintenance district.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This item is considered a ministerial activity and therefore, not subject to CEQA review.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
This item is exempt from campaign disclosure requirements.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1: Deny the attached resolutions terminating the North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District Levy.
Alternative 2: The City Council may consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Daniel Hernandez, Interim Director of Public Works
Prepared by:
Shea Eccleston-Banwer, Senior Public Works Manager
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: City of Glendale Annual Engineer’s Report: North San Fernando Road Corridor Landscape Maintenance District- 2024-25 Engineer’s Annual Levy Report.