HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 09a - Citywide Street Lighting Assessment DistrictResolution No. 7510 – Citywide Street
Lighting Assessment District
June 20, 2023
Page 1 of 4
DATE: June 20, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Paul Cranmer, Public Works Services Director
By: Jeramie Brogan, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION NO. 7510 CONFIRMING THE ENGINEER’S REPORT FOR
THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF THE ARCADIA CITYWIDE LIGHTING
DISTRICT NO. 1 AND THE ASSOCIATED ASSESSMENT DIAGRAM;
AND ORDERING THE LEVY AND COLLECTION OF ASSESSMENTS
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-24
CEQA: Not a project
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
The Citywide Lighting District No. 1 (“Citywide Lighting District” or “District”) was formed
in the City of Arcadia pursuant to state law for the purpose of partially funding the ongoing
operation, maintenance, and servicing of the City’s street lighting system. At the June 6,
2023, City Council Meeting, the City Council adopted Resolution Numbers 7503 through
7505, which initiated the proceedings for the annual levy and collection of assessments,
approved the preliminary Engineer’s Report, and set the public hearing for the June 20,
2023, City Council Meeting. The purpose of the public hearing is to allow the public an
opportunity to provide comments regarding the levy and collection of the Citywide Lighting
District.
Upon conclusion of the public hearing, it is recommended that the City Council adopt
Resolution No. 7510 confirming the Engineer’s Report for the levy and collection of the
Arcadia Citywide Lighting District No. 1 and the Associated Assessment Diagram; and
ordering the levy and collection of assessments for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
BACKGROUND
The City’s original Street Lighting District was established through the Street Lighting Act
of 1919 in the early 1950s and was set to expire on June 30, 2010. This would have
resulted in a loss of approximately $420,000 in annual revenue to the City beginning in
Fiscal Year 2010-11. To address this issue, in 2009, the City Council directed the
formation of a Citywide Lighting District via the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972.
Under this Act, assessments are based on the special benefit that street lighting provides
Resolution No. 7510 – Citywide Street
Lighting Assessment District
June 20, 2023
Page 2 of 4
to properties within the Citywide Lighting District area. Proposition 218 noticing and
balloting requirements were met, and on August 3, 2010, the City Council by Resolution,
adopted the Engineer’s Report for the formation of the Citywide Lighting District and
approved the levy and collection of assessments beginning in Fiscal Year 2010-11.
To ensure appropriate allocation and annual levy of assessments based on proportional
special benefits, the Citywide Lighting District established two benefit zones to separate
general benefit and special benefit.
• Zone 1 includes properties along major thoroughfares and includes parcels that
receive the general benefit of street lighting along arterial streets.
• Zone 2 includes properties in residential neighborhoods that specifically benefit
from maintenance of street lighting on local streets.
In addition to the use of zones, an equivalent benefit unit (“EBU”) methodology was
established to reflect the proportional special benefit of each parcel. The proportional
special benefit calculation for each parcel is determined by land use, number of units, and
acreage. Furthermore, a benefit multiplier factor is also employed to account for varying
density levels of street lighting within the City, which ranges from a standard level of street
lighting to no street lighting. Some areas in the City were developed with less lighting on
their streets. These sparsely lit neighborhoods still receive special benefits from their local
lights even though their overall lighting density is less than those streets with full lighting.
They receive 20% of the standard lighting density and pay 20% of the annual assessment
rate. Properties in areas of the City that do not have street lighting do not pay a street
lighting assessment fee. This methodology has been in place since Fiscal Year 2010-11.
Moreover, as part of the District formation, an assessment range formula was also
developed to provide reasonable increases and inflationary adjustments that are
associated with providing improvements for the Citywide Lighting District. The maximum
rates for the Citywide Lighting District are adjusted annually and are calculated
independently of the Citywide Lighting District’s annual budget. Although the City is
allowed to increase the annual assessment rates to the maximum, the proposed property
owners’ assessment rate will not increase to the Maximum Assessment Rate allowed. In
fact, the City has consistently kept the assessment rates lower than the allowed
inflationary assessment rates, resulting in substantial savings to property owners over the
years when compared to the Maximum Assessment Rates allowed.
DISCUSSION
The City’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 proposed Budget for the Lighting District is $1,446,600,
of which $1,221,158 has been determined to be of special benefit to properties within the
Citywide Lighting District based on the assessment methodology. However, the District
Resolution No. 7510 – Citywide Street
Lighting Assessment District
June 20, 2023
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was established to fund only a portion of this amount. Specifically, the City will be
contributing approximately 60%, or $862,224, of the total street lighting budget, while the
property owners (“District”) will pay about 40%, or $584,376, of street lighting costs. As
proposed, the Citywide Lighting District budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24 includes an
increase of 7.08%, or $95,700. The increase is primarily due to an increase in electricity
costs and contract services. As a result, for Fiscal Year 2023-24, the annual assessment
rate for a single-family property owner in Zone 1 will increase from $21.50 to $23.00; and
for a single-family property owner in Zone 2, the annual assessment rate will increase
from $36.60 to $39.16.
Using a single-family property as the baseline for the assessment, the table below shows
the annual assessment rates levied in Fiscal Year 2022-23, and the proposed Fiscal Year
2023-24 annual assessment rates for Zones 1 and 2:
Pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, notice for the date of the public
hearing was published on June 8, 2023. As of the preparation date of this staff report, the
City has not received any opposition to the proposed assessment rates for Fiscal Year
2023-24. Fees can only be adopted after the conclusion of the public hearing.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitute a project under the California Environmental
Quality Act (“CEQA”) under Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines, and it can be
seen with certainty that it will have no impact on the environment. Thus, this matter is
exempt under CEQA.
FISCAL IMPACT
Fees collected under the Citywide Lighting District will help defray the total maintenance
costs of lighting in the subject areas. Upon conclusion of the public hearing and adoption
of the engineer’s report, a total of $584,376 will be levied and collected under the Citywide
FY 22-23
Assessment
Rate
FY 23-24
Assessment
Rate
Maximum
Allowed
Assessment
Rate
Lighting District Total
Budget
$1,350,900 $1,446,600 $1,446,600
Zone 1 (Arterial Lights)
Sparse Lighting
$21.50
($4.30)
$23.00
($4.60)
$24.55
Zone 2 (Local Lights)
Sparse Lighting
$36.60
($7.32)
$39.16
($7.83)
$41.75
Resolution No. 7510 – Citywide Street
Lighting Assessment District
June 20, 2023
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Lighting District. The levy will not exceed the cost of providing the subject services to the
areas nor will the levy exceed the Maximum Assessment Rates allowed. The levy has
been set to ensure that the cost to the property owner does not exceed the special benefit
to that property. Based on the recommended assessments, the City of Arcadia will
contribute $862,224 to the street lighting system in Fiscal Year 2023-24.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that the Resolution is exempt under
the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) and adopt Resolution No. 7510
confirming the Engineer’s Report for the levy and collection of the Arcadia Citywide
Lighting District No. 1 and the associated Assessment Diagram; and ordering the levy
and collection of assessments for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
Attachment: Resolution No. 7510