City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Kevin Werner, City Administrator
Date: 06/09/2026
Subject: Lighting District - 2nd & 3rd Annual Resolution RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Requesting Council adopt the Resolution approving the City Engineer’s Preliminary Report for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 pertaining to the annual assessments for Assessment District No. 05-1 (City of Ripon Lighting District), declaring its intention to levy and collect the annual assessments for the maintenance of certain improvements previously approved as part of the formation of the assessment district, and setting the time and place for a Public Hearing thereon.
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to the provision of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, Part 2, Division 15 of the Streets and Highways Code of the State of California and Proposition 218, the City Council undertook proceedings as outlined below for the formation of the City of Ripon Lighting District.
At the October 19, 2004 City Council meeting, Council adopted Resolution No. 04-60 proposing the formation of a new assessment district and directing the City Engineer to prepare a report in connection with the proposed formation of the assessment district.
At the November 2, 2004 City Council meeting, Council adopted Resolution No. 04-66 approving the Engineer’s Report in connection with the proposed formation of the assessment district, declaring its intention to form an assessment district and setting a time and place for a public hearing.
On November 20, 2004, the City of Ripon, by and through the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, held a public hearing on the issues of formation of the proposed new assessment district, to be called the Ripon Lighting District and to be governed by this City Council (previously governed by the County of San Joaquin), and the proposed increase of the annual assessment from $25.00 to $42.00 upon assessable lots and parcels of land.
At the December 7, 2004 City Council meeting, Council adopted Resolution No. 04-70 ordering the formation of the Ripon Lighting District and increasing the annual assessment upon assessable lots and parcel of land within the Ripon Lighting District from $25.00 to $42.00 effective July 1, 2005.
At the February 4, 2005 City Council meeting, Council adopted Resolution No. 05-02 renaming the “Ripon Lighting District” to the “City of Ripon Lighting District”.
Upon formation of an assessment district, the City is required to go through a process to approve the levying of the annual assessment district fees. The following table outlines the steps required to approve the levying of the annual assessments.
Annual Levy of Lighting District Assessment Check List
Step Description
1 City Council initiates the Lighting District proceedings and adopts a resolution directing City Engineer to prepare the Engineer’s Report pertaining to the annual assessments. (1st Annual Resolution)
2 City Council adopts (1) a resolution giving preliminary approval of the Engineer’s Report, and (2) a resolution declaring its intention to order the levy and collection of the annual assessments and setting a time and place for a public hearing. (2nd & 3rd Annual Resolution)
3 City Council adopts a resolution determining the amount of and approving the levy and collection of the annual assessments. (4th Annual Resolution) 4 City submits required documents to County to levy annual assessments for the coming fiscal year.
The attached resolution is the 2
nd step in the process to levy assessments for the City of Ripon Lighting District for the coming fiscal year.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Ripon Lighting District (District) provides street lighting in Ripon city limits. The District was formed pursuant to provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972.
Property tax assessments are used to pay for the expenses of maintaining and operating the District’s street lighting system. Maintenance and operating expenses include the repair, replacement, rehabilitation fund, power, and supervision necessary to operate and maintain these public improvements. Assessments are apportioned to each property based on the benefit received. Assessments are collected by placement upon the San Joaquin County property tax roll. The current property tax assessment is $42 per single-family equivalent (SFE). This amount has been in place since 2004 and no increases have been approved as part of the District.
The City of Ripon took over the District from San Joaquin County in 2004. When the City took over the District, certain start-up expenses were made that resulted in a negative fund balance.
At that time, it was believed the assessment was sufficient where the revenue received each year would eventually eliminate the negative fund balance. The negative fund balance has been eliminated, but with the increase in expenses since 2004, the revenue will need to be adjusted in the future to prevent a structural deficit in the fund.
The figure below shows a summary of the revenue, expenses, and fund balance since the fund was taken over by the City of Ripon.
The following table summarizes the projected fiscal year 2026-27 financials for the City of Ripon Lighting District.
EXPENDITURES
Cost of Energy for current Street Light Inventory (MID & PG&E): $185,000 City of Ripon Maintenance & Administrative Costs: $156,000 Total Expenditures $341,000
REVENUE
Property Taxes & Miscellaneous: $ 53,000
Proposed Assessment ($42/Single-Family Equiv.): $283,710 Total Revenue $336,710
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Attachments:
1. Engineers Report_Lighting District FY26-27
RESOLUTION NO. 26-21
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RIPON APPROVING THE CITY ENGINEER’S PRELIMINARY
REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026-2027 PERTAINING TO
THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENTS FOR ASSESSMENT
DISTRICT NO. 05-1, CITY OF RIPON, COUNTY OF SAN
JOAQUIN, CALIFORNIA, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE
CITY OF RIPON LIGHTING DISTRICT; DECLARING ITS
INTENTION TO LEVY AND COLLECT ANNUAL
ASSESSMENTS FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL AS PART OF THE FORMATION OF SAID
ASSESSMENT DISTRICT; AND SETTING A TIME AND
PLACE FOR A PUBLIC HEARING THEREON
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution No. 26-3, entitled “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Ripon directing the City Engineer to prepare on behalf of the City of Ripon the Engineer’s Report for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Pertaining to the Annual Assessments for Assessment District No. 05-1, City of Ripon, County of San Joaquin, California, commonly known as City of Ripon Lighting District,” the City Engineer was directed to prepare and file with the City Clerk an annual report in accordance with the provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the City Engineer has now prepared his report in accordance with the provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, as amended, pertaining to the levying of the annual assessments for the fiscal year 2026-2027, within the boundaries of said assessment district and on the real property located therein. Said report was filed with the City Clerk on the 9 th day of June 2026; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has now examined said report pertaining to the levying of an annual assessment for the maintenance of the improvements previously installed within Assessment District No. 05-1.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Ripon as follows:
1. Assessment District No. 05-1 is commonly known as the City of Ripon Lighting District. Its location and boundaries are described in Resolution of Intention No. 04-66 of the City Council, dated November 2, 2004, and are shown on the assessment diagram and boundary map therefor. The District consists of all lots contained within the City of Ripon Lighting District and all proposed future lots as shown on the assessment diagram and boundary map. The report of the City Engineer contains a full and detailed description of the improvements, the boundaries of Assessment District No. 05-1 and any zones therein, and the proposed assessments upon assessable lots and parcels of land within the District.
2. The City Council hereby approves and adopts the report of the City Engineer for Assessment District No. 05-1 pertaining to the proposed annual assessments within the District, filed with the City Clerk on the 9
th day of June, 2026.
3. The City Council finds that the public interest and convenience require, and thus the City Council intends to levy and collect assessments within Assessment District No. 05-1 for the fiscal year 2026-2027 as stated in the report of the City Engineer.
4. No substantial changes are proposed to the existing improvements or the maintenance thereof within Assessment District No. 05-1. The levying and collection of the assessments as set forth in the report of the City Engineer are for the maintenance of improvements previously installed within Assessment District No. 05-1.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as follows:
1. Notice is hereby given that the 14th day of July, 2026, at the hour of 6 PM, in the Council Chambers, Ripon City Hall, 259 N. Wilma Avenue, Ripon, California, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, is the time and place fixed by this Council for hearing any protests or objections regarding the proposed levy of annual assessments for Assessment District No. 05-1 as set forth in the report of the City Engineer and any other matters contained therein.
Any person wishing to object may file a written protest with the City Clerk prior to the time set for the public hearing or may appear and be heard at the time and place specified herein.
2. The City Clerk is hereby authorized and directed to publish a copy of this Resolution in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Ripon at least once. Such publication shall be completed at least ten (10) days prior to the date of public hearing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Ripon this 9th day of June, 2026, by the following vote:
RESULT: ADOPTED BY CONSENT VOTE [UNANIMOUS]
MOVER: Leo Zuber, Council Member
SECONDER:Michael Restuccia, Council Member
AYES: Barton, Uecker, Restuccia, Zuber, de Graaf
THE CITY OF RIPON,
A Municipal Corporation
By ________________________________
GARY BARTON, Mayor
ATTEST:
By: ___________________________
LISA ROOS, City Clerk