Agenda Item: 1
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
PUBLIC HEARINGS
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: February 24, 2026
SUBJECT: SANTA CLARITA LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING DISTRICT
ANNEXATION NO. 2025-1
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Services
PRESENTER: Andrew Adams
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Conduct a public hearing, open, and tabulate ballots.
2. Adopt resolutions approving the Engineer’s Report for the annexation of specific parcels throughout the City of Santa Clarita into the Santa Clarita Streetlight Maintenance District, Zone B, and declaring the results of the majority protest proceedings; and, if no majority protest exists, order the levies beginning Fiscal Year 2026-27. If a majority protest exists, no further action will be required.
BACKGROUND
On December 9, 2025, the City Council adopted procedural resolutions initiating proceedings for Santa Clarita Landscaping and Lighting District (LLD) Annexation No. 2025-1 (SMD Annexation L-101) and ratified the Resolution of Intention for the proposed annexation. These actions also set a public hearing for February 24, 2026. Individual ballots associated with SMD Annexation L-101 were mailed to all affected property owners at least 45 days prior to today’s public hearing.
The Streetlight Maintenance District (SMD) is responsible for funding the operation, maintenance, and administration of the City’s streetlighting system, which includes approximately 18,750 streetlights, 17,791 of which were acquired from Southern California Edison in 2018. The presence of the City’s streetlight system confers a distinct and special benefit to all parcels proposed for annexation into SMD Zone B.
SMD Annexation L-101 encompasses approximately 81.914 acres and includes 14 development projects, each tied to a specific Master Case entitlement. The Master Cases proposed for annexation include:
• MC 18-235: Sierra West Senior Living Facility
• MC 25-008: River Walk Mixed Use
• MC 21-165: Single-Family Residence, Atwood Boulevard
• MC 21-205: Riverview Community
• MC 21-238: Garden Terrace Restaurant, Lyons Avenue and Main Street
• MC 21-239: Commercial Expansion, Walnut Street
• MC 22-004: Starbucks Drive-Thru, McBean Parkway
• MC 22-026: Commercial Building, Pine Street
• MC 22-034: Jack in the Box Remodel, Crossglade Avenue
• MC 22-244: McDonald’s, Newhall Avenue
• MC 23-027: School District Facility, Ruether Avenue
• MC 24-117: Car Wash, Center Pointe Parkway
• MC 24-212: Automated Car Wash, Valley Center Drive
• MC 25-089: Hartwell Mixed Use
Several parcels currently located within Street Lighting Zone A are proposed to be transferred into Zone B, while all remaining identified parcels—currently outside any lighting district—will be annexed directly into Zone B.
As part of this ballot process, property owners within the proposed annexation area are subject to annexation into SMD Zone B pursuant to the conditions of approval associated with their respective development entitlements; however, the levy of assessments remains subject to approval through the Proposition 218 ballot process. Consistent with Proposition 218 requirements, property owners are participating in the assessment ballot process to authorize the maximum annual assessments established in the draft Engineer’s Report, based on the proportional special benefits received. The City does not levy streetlighting assessments on vacant parcels; therefore, any vacant parcels included in this annexation will continue to receive a zero-dollar assessment until such time as the parcels are improved.
Consistent with the draft Engineer’s Report, the maximum assessment rate for Streetlight Maintenance District (SMD) Zone B for Fiscal Year 2025–26 is $105.43 per Equivalent Benefit Unit. The assessments proposed as part of Annexation L-101 will not exceed this established maximum rate and will be levied proportionally based on the special benefit conferred to each parcel, in accordance with the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 and Article XIII D of the California Constitution.
The SMD is governed by the laws of the State of California, including the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, Part 2, Division 15 of the California Streets and Highways Code commencing with Section 22500, and in accordance with Article XIII D of the California Constitution and the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act.
These laws prescribe the procedural steps required to annex parcels into a special district, including the requirement for an assessment ballot process involving affected property owners and the scheduling of a public hearing.
Property owner protest ballots received prior to the close of today’s February 24, 2026, public hearing will be opened and tabulated to determine whether a majority protest exists, as defined in Article XIII D of the California Constitution. A majority protest exists if ballots submitted in opposition to the assessment exceed the ballots submitted in favor of the assessment, weighted according to the proportional financial obligation of each parcel.
In tabulating the ballots, each ballot will be weighted based on its proportional share of the proposed assessment. The recommended actions are in full compliance with the requirements of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 and the Proposition 218 Omnibus Implementation Act.
Upon tabulation of assessment ballots, should a majority protest among all parcel owners returning ballots not exist, the City Council will adopt a resolution approving the Engineer’s Report and ordering the annexation of parcels into SMD Zone B commencing in Fiscal Year 2026–27.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other direction as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Costs associated with preparation of the Engineer’s Report and balloting process are $10,000 and will be borne by the applicants conditioned to annex into the LLD.
ATTACHMENTS
Notice of Public Hearing
Resolution - Approving Engineer's Report & Annexation - SMD L-101 Resolution - Declaring Results - SMD L-101
Annexation No. 2025-1 Engineer's Report (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)