Item Number: 13
City Council / Board of Directors
Written Communications
Meeting of: April 2, 2024
Submitted By:
Keith Metzler, City Manager
Subject:
Citywide Landscaping Beautification and Upkeep
Recommendation:
Any action is at the discretion of your Honorable City Council Fiscal Impact:
No fiscal impact at this time.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal A: Financial Sustainability; Strategy 6. Evaluate underfunded Landscape Maintenance Assessment District to improve ability to finance desired City beautification projects.
Background:
At the June 6 th. 2023 City Council Meeting, the then Mayor Debra Jones, requested an item to be brought back to the City Council to determine whether it should take a position on a citywide landscaping and beautification and upkeep, regardless of respective LMAD deficiencies.
Discussion:
Since requested by the City Council, staff have researched the matter surrounding the status of our Landscape Maintenance and Assessment Districts (LMADs). A more detailed analysis has been attached in memorandum format. In summary, 4 of 8 LMADs were formed without the legal authority to annually apply an inflator to keep up with annual costs associated with the maintenance and upkeep of our LMADs. LMADs 1-4 which include certain citywide properties; Eagle Ranch, Brentwood, and Old Town are the four areas in the City that have experienced a reduction in service since costs have outpaced the revenue generated from those districts.
3 5
6 0
Staff have recently applied for and have been awarded certain grant funds to pilot the introduction of alternative landscaping materials to LMADs to beautify and reduce maintenance related costs. While staff intends to continue with this effort, the effort will take an undetermined amount of time to get caught up. To accelerate efforts, remaining options include, promoting greater awareness among property owners that they can initiate a protest vote to help correct the methodology in which property owners are assessed for the special benefit of common landscaping, annex into the more self- sufficient LMAD #6 or consider using discretionary funds of the City, such as general funds or Measure P funds to address the need.
Staff remains available for any questions or comments you may have.
Attachments: A. February 22nd, 2024, Memorandum