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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01201999 Perlin Staff ReportSARATOGA CITY COUNCIL EXECUTIVE SUMMARY NO. AGENDA ITEM MEETING DATE: JANUARY 20, 1999 CITY MANAGER: ORIGINATING DEPT.: CITY MANAGER DEPT. HEAD: SUBJECT: Resolution of Intention to annex properties into Landscaping & Lighting Assessment District LLA-1 for FY 99-00 (Horseshoe Drive) RECOMMENDED MOTION(S): Move to adopt the Resolution of Intention. REPORT SUMMARY: For almost the past year, staff has been working with representatives of the property owners in the Horseshoe Drive neighborhood who have expressed an interest in completing a beautification project along Saratoga-Los Gatos Road between the two entrances to their neighborhood. The project involves the development and implementation of a landscaping plan within the wide dirt shoulder area outside of the vehicular travel lanes where large vehicles are regularly parked and construction debris is often stored. The plan has already been prepared by a landscape architect retained directly by the homeowners, and has been submitted to both the City and Caltrans for review. Preliminary cost estimates from landscape contractors to install the landscape improvements have been secured along with estimates for ongoing maintenance. Based on the figures received to date and internal polling of the property owners, there appears to be a high level of interest to initiate the project through the City's existing Landscaping & Lighting Assessment District. Under this approach, the property owners would vote to assess themselves the necessary amounts to fund both the initial capital cost of the improvements, and the first year of the ongoing maintenance costs. In subsequent years, the property owners would be assessed only for the annual maintenance costs. These assessments would be placed on the property tax bills, collected by the County with the property taxes, remitted to the City, and paid to contractors hired and overseen by the City to perform the work. To accomplish what the property owners want, it is first necessary to annex the properties benefiting from the project into the LL&A District. Fortunately, this process can be combined with the annual process of renewing of the District which will begin shortly. To begin the annexation process, it is necessary for the City Council to adopt a Resolution of Intention which describes the project in general terms and directs the preparation of an "Engineer's Report" which defines the project in much greater detail including an itemization of costs and a calculation of the assessments. Once the Engineer's report is preliminarily approved by the City Council, a balloting process following the requirements of Proposition 218 will occur, after which it will be determined whether the annexation of the properties into the District and collection of assessments can occur. Given past successes with these types of projects in other parts of town, it is recommended that the Council adopt the Resolution of Intention at this time to at least begin the annexation process. This entire process takes between 3 and 4 months during which it can be abandoned if the level of support for the project falls. FISCAL IMPACTS: None to the City. All of the costs associated with the installation and maintenance of the improvements, along with the City's costs to administer the LL&A District, are recovered through the assessments collected from the benefiting property owners. ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT: Nothing additional at this time, although the property owners within the Horseshoe Drive neighborhood have been kept well informed on the status of the project by the project steering committee. Eventually, noticing required under Government Code statutes pertaining to assessment district annexations will be required. This generally means that a formal Notice of Proposed Assessment will be sent to each property owner along with specific information about the project and the assessment amounts, and a ballot to cast a vote in support of or opposition to the annexation proposal. CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ACTING ON RECOMMENDED MOTION(S): The Resolution will not be adopted and the annexation process will not commence. FOLLOW UP ACTIONS: The Engineer's Report will be prepared and submitted to the Council. ATTACHMENTS: 1. Resolution o£ Intention (NOTE - TO BE DELIVERED NEXT WEEK) 2. Vicinity Map.