City of Visalia
707 W. Acequia Avenue
Visalia, CA 93291
April 19. 2024
HOMEOWNER
ADDRESS
VISALIA, CA 93291
Subject: The City requests residents to approve a $587.10 per year assessment increase over the next eight fiscal years for the Marseille 95-02 District to include an eight year landscape enhancement project in your neighborhood and maintain your landscape and lighting district.
Dear Property Owner:
This letter includes a ballot on the back of this page. The City is asking you to consider an assessment increase for common area landscaping and lighting for your neighborhood. The increase includes an eight-year landscape enhancement project in your neighborhood and updated utility and maintenance costs that have occurred since the Marseille 95 -02 District was formed . You will be asked to either approve or reject the proposal.
The City manages the maintenance of the common area landscape and lighting in your neighborhood, funded by a benefit assessment which appears annually on your property tax bill. The maintained landscaping and improvements visually enhance your neighborhood, add value to the surrounding properties, and increase your quality of life.
To fiscally manage your District and complete an enhancement project that will include irrigation updates and a new drought tolerant landscape in the common area landscape of the Marseille District, City staff is requesting an increase to your current assessment. The City is requesting you to consider and return the enclosed ballot indicating your choice, either approving or rejecting the increase. The ballot approval will allow the City to make changes in the assessment fee to complete the 8- year enhancement project by increasing the Marseille District’s finances. Upon completion of the eighth year, the assessment fee will be reduced to reflect the updated utility and maintenance costs.
The property owners have a choice of completing the landscape enhancement project and increasing current maintenance/utility cost. If there is not a majority vote by the property owners to approve the 2024/25 increase, the landscape enhancement project would not be completed and the Marseille District would not generate sufficient funds for any type of improvements or be able to remain at the current maintenance level.
Proposal: Approve an increase for your District for fiscal year 2024/25 of a new total annual amount of $764.02 per year or $63.67 per month for the first 8 years, on year 9 it will reduce to $375.46 per year or $31.29 per month
City of Visalia City Clerk’s Office
220 N. Santa Fe
Visalia, CA 93291
April 19. 2024
City of Visalia City Clerk’s Office
220 N. Santa Fe
Visalia, CA 93291
Attn: Marseille 95-02, District Ballot
BALLOT INSTRUCTIONS
Completion and Return Instructions:
1. Fill out the ballot at the bottom of this page. Be sure to mark your choice, sign, and date the ballot. (The ballot will not be counted without your signature)
2. Insert this page into the provided return envelope.
3. Place appropriate postage on the return envelope and mail it.
4. In order to be counted, the ballot must arrive at the above address (City Clerk’s Office) on or before 5:00 pm, June 3, 2024.
5. ALTERNATIVED DELIVERY: you may also hand deliver the ballot to the City Clerk’s office at 220 N. Santa Fe, on or before 5:00 pm, June 3, 2024. If delivered in person, the ballot must be in a sealed envelope, or it cannot be accepted.
If you have any questions or concerns about the ballot process or Benefit Assessment Increase Allowance, please contact Azalia Chavez, Financial Analyst at (559) 713- 4316 or by email at [email protected].
BALLOT
Proposal: Approve an increase for your District for fiscal year 2024/25 of a total annual amount of $764.02 per year or $63.67 per month for the first 8 years, on year 9 it will reduce to $375.46 per year or $31.29 per month.
HOMEOWNER, owning property located at ADDRESS in the Marselle 95- 02 Landscape & Lighting Assessment Maintenance District:
(Check one) Approve Reject
_____________________________________________ _______________________ Property Owner Signature Date
MARSEILLE DISTRICT (95-02)
The City is proposing an increased assessment and an automatic Benefit Assessment Increase Allowance in order to keep up with maintenance costs for the common areas in your District, work toward eliminating a projected deficit cash balance of ($35,641.89) and to eventually create a small reserve to help offset any future unexpected maintenance costs. Keeping the landscaping and common areas maintained helps to keep neighborhoods looking good and helps to increase property values. Currently your District is comprised of 175 lots, with current year benefit assessments of $28,147.00. At the ending of the last fiscal year, the district had a deficit balance of ($6,584.99). This year the deficit is projected to increase to ($35,641.89), detailed as follows:
As you can see, the Annual Benefit Assessment Revenue is not enough to cover the expenditures for the district.
In addition, last year the district incurred professional services costs of $6,004.29 that included entryway lighting and other miscellaneous repairs, tree maintenance costs of $11,200.00, and an increase in the landscape maintenance contract that set the district back. If approved, the total annual assessment would increase to $133,702.76 for the entire district, which is equivalent to $ 764.02 annually per lot or $63.67 monthly per lot
for the first 8 years, reducing to $375.46 per year or $31.29 per month after completion of the eighth year . You would see this increase on your County of Tulare real property tax bill, listed as VISALIA LAND & LIGHT.
On the previous page is a ballot which gives you, the property owner, certain options:
1. Yes, I approve of the proposed Increase . If a majority of the returned ballots select this option, it will allow the City to complete an enhancement project that will include irrigation updates and a new drought tolerant landscape in the common area landscape of the Marseille District. It will also allow the City to update utility and maintenance costs and eliminate the projected cash balance deficit .
2. N o, I do not approve of the proposed Increase . If a majority of the returned ballots select this option, the City would not complete the landscape enhancement project, the Marseille District would not generate sufficient funds for any type of improvements and would continue to face a cash balance deficit that could result in reduced services in the future.
PUBLIC HEARING
The Public Hearing for this proposal will be held on Monday, June 3, 2024 in the City Council Chambers at 707 W. Acequia, Visalia, CA, and is scheduled at the beginning of the City Council Regular Session, at approximately 7:00 pm. The ballots will be counted and the results delivered to City Council at the end of the Regular S ession of the City Council Meeting that same evening. At this meeting, affected citizens will have an opportunity to speak to the Council, and may also change their ballot vote if desired.