OVERVIEW OF
LANDSCAPE AND LIGHTING ASSESSMENT DISTRICT 79-2
Landscape and Lighting Assessment District No. 79-2 (LLAD 79-2) was formed by City Council in 1979 pursuant to the State of California Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972.
The district consolidated several previously established 1911 Act maintenance districts into a single assessment district for the purpose of funding landscaping and street lighting improvements that provide special benefit to properties within the district.
In 1996 district was restructured into 35 landscape benefit zones and six lighting benefit zones. Four additional landscape benefit zones have been added since that time. In 1998, property owners approved assessments for landscaping and lighting through a ballot proceeding conducted pursuant to Proposition 218. The ballot proceeding also authorized an annual assessment adjustment equal to the greater of three percent or Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Concurrent with the FY 2026-27 annual levy initiation proceedings, the City will present the proposed creation of Landscape Benefit Zone 40 for City Council consideration under a separate Annexation Engineer’s Report and separate resolutions.
Establishment of the zone and any related assessments would be subject to completion of the required Proposition 218 property owner ballot proceeding and approval through those separate actions.
Of approximately 43,600 parcels within the city limits, about 19,250 (44 percent) are in a landscape maintenance zone, and about 36,500 (84 percent) are in a lighting maintenance zone.
LLAD 79-2 funds the maintenance of public landscaping and lighting improvements throughout the City. The City maintains approximately 17.5 million square feet of landscaping in public areas such as arterial street medians, slopes adjacent to streets, open spaces, and public buildings. The City also maintains over 27,000 street trees, nearly 8,000 streetlights, 136 traffic signals, and 40 lighted pedestrian crossings along public streets.
Funding for district services is derived primarily from LLAD assessments and ad valorem tax revenues, with the City’s General Fund supporting maintenance costs that exceed available district revenues.
Assessments are based on a weighting factor (Equivalent Benefit Unit, or EBU) to identify the parcel’s proportionate special benefit. A typical single-family residential property is assigned an EBU of 1.00, and all other property types are assigned EBU’s proportionate to the special benefits they receive as compared to a single-family residential property.
The Proposed FY 2026-27 budget for landscape maintenance is approximately $10.3 million, with $5.7 million funded through LLAD 79-2 assessments, $594,000 from ad valorem revenues, and $4.6 million from the General Fund. The Proposed FY 2026-27 budget for street lighting and traffic signal electrical, maintenance and capital costs is approximately $2.4 million, with $614,000, funded through LLAD 79-2 assessments, and $1.1 million from ad valorem revenues. Proposed annual assessments for landscaping range from $58.62 to $624.28 per EBU. For FY 2026-27, the annual assessment for lighting increased by 3.02 percent to $20.92 per EBU.
DPW: 830-40\ev\Council\2026\041426\ LLAD 79-2 Initiate Proceedings Att 1.docx ATTACHMENT #1