CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: April 21, 2026
=========================================================================================== To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Oriana Hart – Public Works Director
Ana Kwong – Administrative Services Director
Subject: FY2026-27 Street Lighting Assessment District
=========================================================================================== RECOMMENDATION:
The item is to request City Council Consider Approve and Adopt the Resolution Approving the appointment of NBS in preparation of the annual FY2026-27 Lighting Assessment District in accordance with provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act 1972 (henceforth “the Act”) of the California Streets and Highways Code.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Tonight’s item is requesting the City of Sebastopol City Council adopt resolution appointing the Engineer of Work, directing the preparation of the annual Engineer’s Report and describing the potential changes to the City of Sebastopol’s Fiscal Year 2026-27 Lighting Assessment District in accordance with provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Sebastopol utilizes a Lighting Special Assessment District (Assessment District) in accordance with the provisions of the Act to fund the operation and maintenance of the Citywide street light system. The boundaries of the Assessment District basically follow the City limit boundaries. The funding sourcesfor the Assessment District costs are the assessment levies placed on the parcels within the Assessment District. The parcels are assessed through a required annual process that begins by tonight’s City Council action. In order to levy and collect the annual assessments, the City is required by Section 22622 of the Act to first adopt a resolution appointing the Engineer of Work, directing the preparation of the annual Engineer’s Report and describing the potential changes to the Assessment District for the upcoming fiscal year.
ANALYSIS:
This firm NBS will develop the Engineer’s Reports for these upcoming proceedings and has the experience and expertise necessary to perform the work required. The action requested tonight is to authorize staff to begin this required annual process. The effect of adopting this resolution is to instruct the Engineer of Work to analyze and compute the assessments that would be levied in FY2026-27 if the City Council approves the Engineer’s Report at a future meeting by adopting the Resolution of Intention. The Council can make changes to the Engineer’s Report up to and including the Public Hearing planned for June 2, 2026. The action plan/procedure for FY 2026-27 levy of annual assessments for the City’s Assessment District is as follows:
The City Council adopts the attached Resolution tonight (April 21, 2026) appointing the Engineer of Work, directing the preparation of the Engineer’s Report and describing any potential changes to the Assessment District. This action initiates the annual process.
The City Council, at a meeting planned for May 19, 2026, adopts a Resolution preliminarily approving the Engineer’s Report and a Resolution of Intention to levy and collect assessments for FY 2026-27. The City Council can preliminarily approve the Engineer’s Report as filed, or modify it and preliminarily approve it as modified.
Agenda Item Number 5 Agenda Item Number 5
City Council Meeting Packet for April 21, 2026
The City Council holds a Public Hearing planned for June 2, 2026, and upon its conclusion, may adopt a Resolution confirming the assessments (either as preliminarily approved at its May 19, 2026 meeting or as modified by the City Council at the conclusion of the Public Hearing). The adoption of the resolution shall constitute authorization to levy and collect assessments for FY 2026-27.
The above annual action plan/procedure is required by the Act .
BUDGET COMMITTEE REVIEW
This item was not reviewed by the Budget Committee.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS/PRIORITIES/AND OR GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
Goal 5 – Long Term Financial Sustainability
Achieving Greater Fiscal Resilience and Long Term Fiscal Sustainability
FISCAL IMPACT:
Should the Council approve the item this evening, the cost for NBS to manage the entire process is estimated at $8,000, which is included in the Lighting Assessment District FY25-26 budget. The collection of revenue for the district is $94,458.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment on this item. However, if staff receives public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of thisstaff report, such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
This item has been noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to schedule meeting date.
OPTIONS:
Staff did not consider options as this annual proceeding is required by the provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act 1972 (henceforth “the Act”) of the California Streets and Highways Code.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution
APPROVALS:
Department Head Approval: Approval Date: __4/8/2026____ CEQA Determination (Planning): Approval Date: ___N/A_______ The proposed action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Administrative Services (Financial) Approval Date: 4/8/26 Costs authorized in City Approved Budget: Yes ☐ No ☐ N/A Account Code (f applicable) 215-00-00-4210
City Attorney Approval: Approval Date: ____4/14/26____
City Manager Approval: Approval Date: ____4/14/26____
Agenda Item Number 5
Agenda Item Number 5
City Council Meeting Packet for April 21, 2026
RESOLUTION NO. XXXX-2026
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL APPOINTING THE ENGINEER OF WORK AND DIRECTING THE PREPARATION AND FILING OF THE ENGINEER’S REPORT AND DESCRIBING THE POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL’S FISCAL YEAR 2026-27 LIGHTING SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT (PURSUANT TO THE LANDSCAPING AND LIGHTING ACT OF 1972) WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 22622 of the Streets and Highways Code, the City Council must annually appoint the Engineer of Work and direct the preparation and filing of the annual Engineer’s Report in order to levy and collect assessments for any following fiscal year: and WHEREAS, NBS, has the expertise and experience in the proceedings of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972; and
WHEREAS, there may be potential changes to FY 2026-27 Assessment District as a result of parcels which may be subdivided and/or changes in parcel classifications since last year’s levying of assessments.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Sebastopol hereby appoints NBS as the Engineer of Work for the City of Sebastopol's Fiscal Year 2026-27 Lighting Special Assessment District and is hereby directed to prepare and file the annual Engineer’s Report, including any changes, pursuant to Section 22622 of the California Streets and Highway Code.
PASSED AND ADOPTED, by the CITY COUNCIL of THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, COUNTY OF SONOMA, of STATE OF CALIFORNIA on this 21st day of April 2026.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted by the City of Sebastopol City Council by the following vote:
VOTE:
Yes:
Noes:
Absent:
Abstain:
APPROVE: _______________________________________________________ Mayor Jill McLewis
ATTEST: ________________________________________________________ Mary Gourley, Assistant City Manager/City Clerk, MMC
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________________________________ Alex Mog, City Attorney
Agenda Item Number 5
Agenda Item Number 5
City Council Meeting Packet for April 21, 2026