BAYSIDE LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING FY 2023-24
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT No. 2005-1 PART D
13 methodology stated herein. The method for spreading the cost s to each parcel is based on an Equivalent Residential Unit (ERU) factor.
1. Single-Family Residences
Neighborhood Improvements. Although the individual parcel size, building square footage and population for each parcel may va ry from parcel to parcel the benefit received is approximately the same from the improvements. Even though a residential parcel may have more buildin g square footage than another it does not necessarily mean that the larger home receives a greater benefit. Therefore one (1) residential parcel shall be equal to one (1) ERU.
2. Multi-Family Residential / Deed-Restricted Affordable Housing Units The special benefit received by Multi-fam ily Residential (MFR) units (including condominiums) may be determi ned by comparing them to SFRs. Benefits per dwelling unit are observed to be greater for SFR units than for MFR units. MFR units receive decreased benefits per dwelling unit from the improvements in terms of property benefit because the number of units supporting t he fixed improvements is larger than for SFR detached units. On the other hand MF R units receive increased benefits from parks and recreation facilities. The Urban Land Institute has established a series of land use intensity ratings, whic h indicate the smalle r units require more public open space and recreational areas per unit than do SFR parcels.
An average SFR lot in the City of Hercul es has approximately 6,000 sq. ft. One can assume the average building area of a SFR unit will be 2,300 square feet and MFR unit to be 900 square feet. Based upon density studies for neighboring communities, it is reasonable to assume that SFR and MFR will have 3 and 2 persons per unit, respectively. It is reasonable to assume that a vacant lot will require 25% the maintenance effort for an improved (occupi ed) lot. The remaining 75% of the benefit may be said to be related to parcel use. Equivalent Residential Units (ERU) for MFR units are calculated as follows:
Relative Benefits = 0.25 (Lot Area / Person) + 0.75 (Bldg. Area / Person) (SFR Lot Area / Person) (SFR Bldg. Area / Person)
Assume MFR = 2,600 SF Lot / Unit
900 SFBldg. / Unit
2.0 Persons per Unit
Assume SFR = 6,000 SF Lot / Unit
2,300 SFBldg. / Unit
3.0 Persons per Unit
Benefit = 0.25 (2,600 / 2) + 0.75 (900 / 2)
(6,000 / 3) (2,300 / 3)
MFR Benefit = 0.16 + 0.44 = 0.60 ERU
BAYSIDE LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING FY 2023-24
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT No. 2005-1 PART D
14 Deed-restricted affordable housing units, by virtue of the non-profit use to which they have been indefinitely committed, are deprived from receiving comparable economic benefit from distr ict improvements. Therefore, deed-restricted affordable hous ing units will be assessed at 50% of the assessment for MFR units, reflecting this reduced special benefit, or = 0.60 x 50% = 0.30 ERU per unit. There are currently no MFR units in the District that have been classified as deed-restricted affordable housing.
3. Commercial Property
Use of a commercial property is measured in terms of whether or not a parcel ha s
been improved (built upon) or not. If a structure exists then the parcel is perceived to benefit from user benefit s afforded the parcel by landscaping and lighting improvements as well as the benefits to the underlying land. Therefore, improved commercial properties are assessed one (1) ERU per acre of land.
4. Vacant (Unimproved) Land
This underlying benefit of parks and recreat ion facilities, public landscaping weed abatement and streetlighting accrues to the land and relates to the permanent nature of certain improvement s. The maintenance effort is of benefit to all land within the District. The minimum level of maintenance r equired to preserve street landscaping, lighting, park and recreation facilities in t he District is estimat ed to be 25% of the required for build-out maintenance cost. Accordingly, the estimated benefit received by an unimproved parcel of land within an approved development potential is 25% of that received by an improved parcel, equal in size. This assumes that unimproved land will have no use of the facilities. Therefore, vacant (unimproved) land is assessed at 25% of the developed ERU rate for the property.
5. Public Properties
City parks benefit from the neighborhood services prov ided by the neighborhood in which they are located. The benefit received is closely related to the improved frontage and not the area of the lot or the building. If one assumes that the depth of a standard lot in the City is 100 feet, the number of ERU’s corresponding to this frontage benefit would be equal to the street frontage of the park or recreat ion facility times 100 feet divided by 8,485, the average size of a SFR in Hercules. This same frontage benefit analysis is used for other public properties in the City of Hercules. Therefore, improved public properties are assigned ERUs using the following formula:
Lot Frontage x 100 / 8,485 = ERUs
Open space in residential neighborhoods ma y be seen to benefit from the safety provided to the land by streetlighting but not from other user re lated services. The ERU for public open space are therefore estimated to be equal to the parcel frontage times 100 feet of lot depth times 25% divided by 8,485. Therefore, open space parcels are assigned ERUs using the following formula: