CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING AGENDA PACKET

Page 2 of 8 performs regular field inspections to ensure satisfactory performance by a City-hired maintenance contractor, completes reviews, addresses complaints or concerns from property owners, and processes progress payments to the contractor. City administration generally includes the following steps: 1. Solicit competitive bids from contractors to perform the required maintenance work 2. Review bids and recommend acceptance of the lowest responsive bid 3. Review maintenance costs, estimate annual costs (water, electricity, etc.) and prepare a budget to be included in the annual Engineer's Report and City budget 4. Prepare the Engineer’s Report for each district disclosing the annual assessment amounts 5. Present the Engineer’s Reports to the City Council during a public hearing 6. Adopt the annual assessments and coordinate with the City’s Finance Department and City Clerk to authorize collection of assessments with the Alameda County Assessor’s Office and receipt of the assessments as special revenue. Effects of Proposition 218 Proposition 218, commonly referred to as the "Right to Vote on Taxes Act," was passed by California voters in November 1996. The Proposition amends the State's Constitution by adding Articles XIII(C) and XIII(D) to do the following: • Limit the authority of local governments (including cities, counties, special districts and school districts) to impose taxes and property-related assessments, fees, and charges; and • Establish procedures for implementing annual assessments which include maintenance assessments for landscaping and lighting maintenance districts. Procedures include a requirement that the city develop an Engineer's Report which identifies the special benefits that will accrue to each property as a result of the assessment. Subject to certain exceptions, it also establishes that the majority of property owners in the district must vote in favor of any proposed increase in an assessment prior to its implementation. To date, the Proposition 218 procedures have not been necessary in Pleasanton as assessments have not been increased since district formation. DISCUSSION The City currently operates five Landscape Maintenance Districts that are assessed. The assessments include an added 1.7 percent to the base assessment as an administration fee imposed by the county. The assessments on the City-owned parcels located within the Ponderosa-Del Prado, Bonde Ranch, Oak Tree Farm, and Moller Ranch districts do not include the 1.7 percent county administration fee as the Finance Department transfers the Page 267 of 720