CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
ENGINEER'S REPORT FOR
LANDSCAPE & LIGHTING MAINTENANCE DISTRICT NO. 1 (LLMD)
FISCAL YEAR 2022-23
SECTION 1. AUTHORITY FOR REPORT
This report is prepared pursuant to the "Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972" and Article XIIID, Section 4, of the California Constitution (Proposition 218). As required by said Act, an Assessment Diagram (on file in the Office of the City Clerk at the City Hall of Signal Hill) is attached as Exhibit "A" hereto showing the Maintenance District and the boundaries and dimensions of the respective parcels of land within said District as the same existed at the time of the Resolution of Intention and the initiation of these proceedings, and each parcel has been given a separate number upon said diagram.
Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District No. 1, an assessment district, provides funding for the maintenance of landscaped areas owned by the City of Signal Hill or provided for by easements to the City of Signal Hill, the landscaping of open space easements and easements which are located in public rights-of-way in the City of Signal Hill.
SECTION 2. PLANS & SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS
Landscaping
Servicing means, the furnishing of water for the irrigation of said landscaping, or the maintenance of any other improvements within the landscape areas.
Maintenance means, the furnishing of services and materials for the ordinary and usual maintenance, operation and servicing of any improvement, including:
1. Repair, removal or replacement of all or any part of any landscape improvement, including walls and fencing.
2. Providing for the life, growth, health and beauty of landscaping, including without limitation, cultivation, irrigation, trimming, spraying, fertilizing, or treating for disease or injury.
3. The removal of trimmings, rubbish, debris and other solid waste.
Attachment E
The plans and specifications for the irrigation and landscaping were prepared by the developer and previously approved by the City Engineer. These plans and specifications will serve as the benchmark for landscape maintenance standards. Landscaping generally consists of trees, shrubs, ground cover, automatic irrigation, turf, and perimeter walls along the length of the tract facing Temple Avenue, on landscape easement areas and public entry easement areas within Tract 48512. This will include those areas within Public Right-of-Way (including the median island on 20th Street and areas adjacent to perimeter tract walls as such walls are shown on preliminary grading plan and Conceptual Landscape Plans.) Reference is hereby made to the said plans and specifications for the exact location and nature of the landscaping improvements. Said plans and specifications by reference are hereby made a part of this report and are on file in the City Clerk's Office in City Hall and are available for public inspection.
Condition No. 3 of the amended Site Plan and Design Review 89-15 "Conditions of Approval" makes the oil operator solely responsible for the cost of replacing and maintaining landscaping of Lots 17, 43, 73 and 79. The requirements of oil facility servicing presents heavy additional landscaping requirements for the oil lots. Regular well servicing requires the use of large heavy equipment, which can do extensive damage to grass and other landscaping. In addition, oil spills can regularly occur during work on oil production facilities. Spilled oil presents additional maintenance and landscaping replacement requirements since oil has the tendency to kill or damage surrounding landscaping. To guarantee this conformance, said oil operator has posted a $15,000 cash deposit as surety. The City (as manager of the District) can withdraw from this account any funds necessary to correct landscape damage that may be caused by routine maintenance of oil rigs. Regular landscape maintenance is collected through the assessment to the District.
Landscaping in the right-of-way of Temple Avenue on the east side, adjacent to Tract No. 48512, for the entire length of said tract will be maintained by the Lighting and Landscape Maintenance District No. 1 and funded by same.
Lighting
Street lighting is not included in the district since lighting is standard throughout the remainder of the City.
SECTION 3. FINDINGS OF SPECIAL BENEFIT
Proposition 218 requires that only "special" benefits are assessable and an agency must separate the general benefits from the special benefits conferred on a parcel. The City has determined that the landscaped areas owned by the City of Signal Hill or provided for by easements to the City of Signal Hill, the landscaping of open space easements and easements which are located in public rights-of-way in the City of Signal Hill, provides at least the following special benefits to all parcels within the tract boundary: 1) That the landscaping is a direct enhancement to the value of each parcel; 2) That the subdivision will be more attractive and create a higher demand for prospective home buyers; 3) That the landscaping will create a sense of well-being and feeling of community to each property owner; and 4) That home buyers will
prefer to own a home within this subdivision rather than another non-landscaped project in another location.
SECTION 4. METHOD OF APPORTIONMENT
The net amount to be assessed upon the parcels within the District is apportioned by a formula and method, which fairly distributes the amount of benefit among all assessable parcels.
The formula used to calculate the amount spread to all parcels within the District for landscaping begins with the basic assessment unit (U). The basic assessment unit is given a value of one (1) for a single family detached residential parcel. From this base, the remaining parcels are related according to their equivalent benefit within the District. The Assessment Formula is as follows:
The basis for benefit to the significant land uses is as follows:
FORMULA
A.* Improvement on their property = 25% Surcharge
B. Oil Lots = 50% Surcharge Basic Rate
C. Basic Assessment = Basic Rate
* Not including little "V" tree wells or strips on outside of boundary walls.
NUMBER OF LOTS BY FORMULA
A. 17
B. 5
C. 73
LOTS IDENTIFIED
A. Lots 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21, 28, 53, 62, 75, 76, 77 & 78 B. Lots 1, 17, 43, 73 & 79
C. Lots 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39,40,41,42,44,45,46,47,48,49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 64, 65,66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 74, 80, 81, 82, 83,"84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94,
95. Four (4) of the five lots identified in "Easement B" will revert to normal lots once oil pumps are abandoned. Lots 17, 43, 73, and 79 will be assessed a 50 percent surcharge.
The other lot identified in "Easement B", Lot 1, is currently used for oil pumping.
Once abandoned, Lot 1 will revert to a normal assessable parcel with a 25 percent surcharge.
SECTION 5. ASSESSMENT
The landscaping was developed and is maintained for the benefit and enjoyment of all the properties included within the assessment district boundaries. The estimated spread of assessments (shown below) is based on the estimated budget shown as Exhibit "B".
SPREAD OF ASSESSMENTS
District 1 (95 Lots) Proposed Budget $ 66,217.18
Landscaping Units (LDSC) To Be Spread = (1.0*73)+(1.25*17)+(1.5*5) “U” = $ 702.57
1.25 “U” = $ 878.21
1.5 “U” = $ 1,053.86
Landscaping Lots @ i Total
Bas. LDSC 73 @ $702.57 = $51,287.61
1.25 Sur. LDSC 17 @ $878.21 = $14,929.57
1.5 Sur. LDSC* 5 @ $0 = $0
TOTAL TO BE ASSESSED: $66,217.18
* Not being assessed
SECTION 6. CONSUMER'S PRICE INDEX
The annual All-Urban Consumer's Price Index (CPI) inflation factor for the Los AngelesLong Beach-Anaheim, CA Area has been adopted by the City Council as a method for determining the automatic annual inflation increase allowed each subsequent year for the annual Engineer's Report and the annual tax roll assessments (effective July 1 annually). This year the inflation factor is 8.5 percent (see Exhibit C). With the 8.5 percent rate adjustment, the new basic assessment unit (U) is $702.57.
DATED: May 24, 2022
_____________________________
Jeffrey M. Cooper
No. 31572
CITY OF SIGNAL HILL
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Exhibit “A”
Exhibit “B”
Landscape & Lighting Maintenance District No. 1
Estimated Budget Fiscal Year 2022-23
Revenue
Number of
Lots by
FY 2022-23 Assessment
Type of Lot Type Parcel Fee Revenue
Basic Lot 73 $702.57 $51,287.61
Lot w/ Landscape (25% Surcharge) 17 $878.21 $14,929.57
Oil Lots (50% Surcharge) 5 $0 $0
Total 95 $66,217.18
Expense
Expense Description
Acct No.
260-40
FY 2022-23
Proposed
Admin Wages Cost 5110 $ 20,410
Contract Services - General 5400 $ 9,565
Utility Services 5512 $ 7,866
Maintenance & Supplies 5520 $ 4,000
Lawn Care Services 5530 $ 16,736
General Supplies 5740 $ 100
Total $ 58,677
Exhibit “C”