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2 <br /> <br />City of Pleasanton <br />Landscape Maintenance District No. 1984-1, Ponderosa Engineer’s Report, Fiscal Year 2024-25 <br />Over the years, operational costs and utility costs have increased, however the <br />assessment revenues have remained the same. The fiscal year 2024-25 total <br />assessment revenue will not be sufficient to fund the maintenance of all common areas, <br />including water costs, county assessment fees, city administration fees, replacement of <br />plantings, irrigation systems, and other district improvements. The Engineer’s Report <br />projects a shortage that will require the City to reduce landscape maintenance and <br />water use so that maintenance costs remain below assessments. <br /> <br />An increase in the annual assessment will be necessary to meet the maintenance <br />standards of the District into the future. The city can no longer subsidize staff <br />administration time or the consultant fees for a Proposition 218-compliant vote. The <br />consultant fees for the Proposition 218-compliant vote will cost approximately $40,000 <br />and will come out of the reserve fund. Water costs, which require a significant portion of <br />the LMD budget, increased thirty percent starting in calendar year 2024, are scheduled <br />to be increased another twelve percent in 2025, and are projected to continue to <br />increase in future years to pay for necessary infrastructure and treatment costs. <br /> <br />The rate increases will have a significant impact to the LMD budget and continued cuts <br />in maintenance will be required to pay for the increased water and maintenance costs. <br />The landscape will continue to decline well below the necessary maintenance standards <br />of the district established by Ordinances 1102 and 1174. This can open the district up to <br />fines or litigation. To limit liability for the district, staff is pursuing a Proposition 218- <br />compliant vote for 2025/26. It will be necessary for the city to continue to pursue a <br />proposition 218-compliant vote, incurring significant consultant costs each time, until a <br />sustainable assessment has been agreed to by property owners. <br /> <br />If additional funding from a new or increased assessment is not implemented, the City <br />will be forced to continue to reduce maintenance and postpone facilities upgrades, <br />resulting in a continuing deterioration of the grounds and facilities. <br /> <br />Engineer’s Report and Continuation of Assessments <br />Each year for which the assessments will be continued, the City Council must direct the <br />preparation of an Engineer's Report, budgets, and proposed assessments for the <br />upcoming fiscal year. After the Engineer's Report is completed, the City Council may <br />preliminarily approve the Engineer's Report and proposed assessments and establish <br />the date for a public hearing on the continuation of the assessments. This Report was <br />prepared pursuant to the direction of the City Council. <br /> <br />This Engineer’s Report ("Report") was prepared to establish the budget for the <br />continued maintenance, improvements, and services (“Improvements”) that would be <br />funded by the proposed fiscal year 2024-25 assessments, determine the benefits <br />received by property from the Improvements, and the method of assessment <br />apportionment to lots and parcels within the Maintenance District. This Report and the <br />proposed assessments have been made pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act <br />of 1972, Part 2 of Division 15 of the California Streets and Highways Code ("Act") and <br />Article XIIID of the California Constitution (“Article”). <br />Page 283 of 720