100% Countywide Landscaping District AD 1979-3 (LL-2) funds. Proposed assessments for the Countywide Landscape District AD 1979-3 in Fiscal Year 2015-16 will be a total of $1,353,297.12.
The existing Countywide Landscaping District contains thirty (30) Benefit Zones. The proposed assessments for LL-2 are for the purpose of collecting assessments from the property owners within each Benefit Zone to maintain existing facilities (such as frontage/median landscaping and park and recreational facilities) within the various Benefit Zones. The improvements to be maintained are typically installed by developers in conformance with their Conditions of Approval when the subdivision was built.
The Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 requires that an updated Engineer’s Report be prepared to set assessment rates each fiscal year. In addition, any new Benefit Zones or annexations of additional property into an existing Benefit Zone, also require an Engineer’s Report to be generated. The Resolution of Initiation directed the preparation of a Preliminary Engineer’s Report for LL-2 and was adopted by the Board of Supervisors through Resolution No. 2015/93 on March 31, 2015. The Resolution of Intention to accept the Preliminary Engineer’s Report and set the Public Hearing date was approved by the Board of Supervisors through Resolution No. 2015/149 on May 12, 2015.
Attached to this board order is the 2015-16 Final Engineer’s Report including Descriptions (Exhibit A), Budgets (Exhibit B), Assessment Diagrams (Exhibit C) and the Assessment Roll (Exhibit D), which represents any changes that may have been directed by the Board of Supervisors at the Board meeting on May 12, 2015 where the LL-2 Preliminary Engineers report was accepted. The Fiscal Year 2015-2016 assessments are based on information in the Final Engineer’s Report for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. Assessments are calculated by considering all anticipated expenditures for maintenance, utilities and administration. Any excess dollars from previous fiscal years are carried forward and the assessment amounts are adjusted accordingly. The assessment rates may change from fiscal year to fiscal year, dependent upon improvements to be constructed and maintenance to be performed; however, the assessments cannot exceed the maximum amount set when the Benefit Zone was originally formed, plus an annual cost of living adjustment, if applicable. Of the 30 Benefit Zones, eight have assessments which may be adjusted annually per the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco Bay Area - All Urban Consumers. The proposed assessments being levied for each Benefit Zone for Fiscal Year 2015-2016 are either at, or below, the maximum assessment rates. The assessment amounts proposed, in accordance with the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, have been presented in the Preliminary and Final Engineer's Reports filed with the Board on May 12, 2015 and June 16, 2015, respectively, and the June 16, 2015 public hearing was publicly noticed.
Without Board of Supervisors’ approval there would be no acceptance of the Final Engineer’s report and the assessment of levies for the Countywide Landscape District AD 1979-3 (LL-2) for Fiscal Year 2015-2016 would not be authorized on the tax roll, thus funds would not be available to maintain the landscaping and other improvements in the Benefit Zones throughout the County.