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CC - PUBLIC HEARING: Declare the Results of the Assessment Ballot Tabulation for West Washington Benefit Assessment District No. 3 and, if there is no Majority Protest, Adopt a Resolution Ordering the Improvements, Services and Annual Levy.
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Meeting Date: August 26, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Elaine Warner/Community Development Department
Todd Tipton/Community Development Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5777
(310) 253-5783
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [X] Action Item: [] Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (08/21/19); Publication in Culver City News (08/01/19); Notification to Affected Property Owners (6/24/19)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (08/20/19)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council conclude the public hearing, declare the results of the assessment ballot tabulation for West Washington Benefit Assessment District No. 3 (District) and, if there is no majority protest, adopt a resolution ordering the improvements, services and annual levy for Fiscal Year 2019/2020.
PROCEDURE:
The following steps were completed on August 12, 2019 and do not need to be repeated:
1. Mayor sought a motion to receive and file the affidavits of publication and posting of notices and correspondence received in response to the public hearing notices; and,
2. Mayor sought a motion to open the public hearing and continue it to August 26, 2019.
The following steps will be completed on August 26, 2019:
3. Mayor declares the public hearing was opened on August 12, 2019 and continued to August 26, 2019;
4. Mayor calls for a staff report, if needed, and Council Members pose questions to staff as desired;
5. Mayor invites those present and interested to provide public comment on this subject;
6. Mayor seeks a motion to close the public hearing after all public testimony has been presented; and,
7. City Council discusses the item and arrives at its decision
BACKGROUND
Special benefit assessment districts are formed in order to fund median maintenance, repairs, utility costs and administration. Property owners are assessed based upon a formula that considers building square footage, linear front footage and land use type among other things. The District is being formed to fund the maintenance and repair of the seven proposed medians.
In May 2017, the City Council authorized staff to complete plans for seven landscaped medians on Washington Boulevard between Beethoven Street and Glencoe Avenue. The landscaped medians have been a benefit to the commercial areas in which they are located and generally enhance the commercial corridor by softening the street edge, providing traffic calming and in some cases offering storm water capture for landscape irrigation.
DISCUSSION
On May 28, 2019, the City Council approved the Engineer's Report, declared its intention to (1) form the assessment district, (2) set the date, time and place for this public hearing and (3) direct staff to send out the notice and ballot to all record property owners in compliance with Proposition 218 and Article XIIID of the California Constitution. Per Council’s direction, ballots were issued on June 24, 2019.
If more than 50% of the ballots returned support formation of the District, the Council may adopt a resolution ordering the improvements, services, and annual levy.
If more than 50% of the ballots returned do not support formation of the District (majority protest), the District cannot be formed. If this occurs, the Council may direct staff to pursue the formation of an alternative Washington Boulevard assessment district where there is property owner support.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The Engineer’s Report for Fiscal Year 2019/2020 estimates the annual maintenance costs for water, electricity, administrative services, and landscape maintenance and repairs to be $30,550, which is the initial Maximum Assessment. The Maximum Assessment is determined when a district is formed.
If the District passes, the City will be required to contribute approximately $2,630 as its General Benefit obligation per Article XIIID of the California Constitution. General Benefits must be funded by the City and are those derived by the vehicles passing through the district or parcels at the periphery of the district. Special Benefits are those that improve the aesthetics and economic activity to parcels within the district.
Due to the unusual municipal boundary along Washington Boulevard, approximately 9,025 square feet of property located in the City of Los Angeles is proposed to be assessed as part of the District. Two property owners are requesting that the portion of their buildings in Los Angeles not be assessed. If the District passes and the City Council wishes to consider the property owner’s request, Culver City could assume the property owner’s portion of the levy as part of its General Benefit, which would increase the City’s $2,630 cost by $306 per year.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2019-08-26_ATT_Engineer’s Report
2. 2019-08-26_ATT_Proposed Resolution
MOTION
That the City Council:
Declare the results of the assessment ballot tabulation for West Washington Benefit Assessment District No. 3 and, if there’s no majority protest, adopt a resolution ordering the improvements, services and annual levy for West Washington Benefit Assessment District No. 3.