City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: May 16, 2022
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: René L. Mendez, City Manager
SUBJECT: Resolutions Providing Preliminary Approval of Engineer's Reports and Setting Dare for Approval of Levy and Collection of Assessments
RECOMMENDATION
Consider and adopt:
1. Resolution No. 2022-21 Designating Engineer of Work and District Counsel;
2. Resolutions No. 2022-22 and 2022-23 Regarding California Breeze Assessment Districts;
3. Resolutions No. 2022-24 and 2022-25 Regarding Canyon Creek Assessment Districts;
4. Resolutions No. 2022-26 and 2022-27 Regarding Industrial Park Assessment Districts; and
5. Resolutions No. 2022-28 and 2022-29 Regarding Cipriani Assessment Districts.
BACKGROUND
The City has a number of established assessment districts in various locations throughout the City, formed in accordance with the provisions of the Lighting and Landscaping Act of 1972 or the Benefit Assessment Act of 1982. These districts serve to provide funds to finance the costs associated with the maintenance of district improvements. By law, the City is required to schedule hearings to set the annual assessments for each district. Once again, consulting City Engineer Harris & Associates has prepared Engineer’s Reports containing information about each of the assessment districts, the improvements to be served through the collection of the assessments, and the actual amount of each assessment on each impacted parcel. Copies of the Engineer’s Reports were filed with the City Clerk on or about April 27, 2022, and are available for review upon request.
The attached resolutions designate the “Engineer of Work” and District Counsel for the districts, provide for preliminary approval of the Engineer’s Reports for each of the identified assessment districts, declare AGENDA
ITEM
12 the Council’s intent to confirm the district diagrams and levy assessments, and set a public hearing date of Monday, June 6, 2022, for consideration, approval and levying of the assessments.
With the exception of the California Breeze Districts, which do not have an allowable CPI inflator, the Maximum Assessment in each District is adjusted by the applicable CPI for the previous year. The Maximum Assessment in each District represents the maximum assessment that can be imposed in a given year. This year, the CPI for the previous year was unavailable at the time the Engineer’s Reports were being prepared so the Engineer has used a placeholder of 8% for the purpose of preliminary calculations. The Maximum Assessments and the proposed annual assessments for the districts will be adjusted, as necessary, when the final CPI is available.
There is no proposed change in the assessments from last year for any of the Parks and Open Spaces or Benefit Assessment Districts. The assessment increases that were made last year appear to have adequately addressed increased labor and material costs and the need to maintain adequate capital reserve fund balances for both Fiscal Years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.
REVIEW & ANALYSIS
Explain Recommendation and How it Supports the Vision
Gonzales will continue to be a safe, clean, family-friendly community, diverse in its heritage, and committed to working collaboratively to preserve and retain its small town charm.
Explain: The assessments fund the maintenance of various improvements located within the involved subdivisions. Regular and routine maintenance of such improvements helps to preserve the safe and attractive environment the City strives to provide for its citizens.
Explain how the Recommendation Directly Implements the Mission The City Council and Staff of the City of Gonzales will realize our Vision by providing the leadership, commitment and resources necessary to provide excellent services that enhance the quality of life of our diverse community. X Yes ___ No
Explain: Collection of the assessments will provide financing for the maintenance of a variety of improvements that enhance the quality of life in both the involved subdivisions and the City as a whole.
City services will be delivered in a cost-effective, respectful and friendly manner to ensure the safety and well being of the residents and the promotion of business, recreational, housing and employment opportunities in an environmentally sustainable manner. X Yes ___ No Explain: The proposed assessments will allow the City to maintain a variety of improvements that ensure residential safety and promote local housing opportunities by maintaining a healthy housing stock.
Strong fiscal policies allow us to provide appropriate infrastructure for:
• Public Safety X Yes No NA
• Housing X Yes No NA
• Recreation Yes No X NA
• Environment Yes No X NA
• Education Yes No X NA
Explain: The creation and annual collection of assessments enables the City to maintain improvements vital to public safety and the ongoing well-being of portions of the City’s housing stock.
ALTERNATIVES
None at this time.
BUDGET IMPACT
The City will have to incur the cost of subdivision maintenance, or allow the same to lapse, if the assessments are not approved and levied.
CONCLUSION
The Council should initiate the first step in its annual process of considering and levying assessments in various assessment districts in the City. Said assessments provide the City with the means of covering the costs of maintenance responsibilities for improvements in each district.
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2022-21