South Melrose Landscape Maintenance District Assessment Ballot Results & Impact
The City’s proposal earlier this year for a new South Melrose Landscape Maintenance Assessment District failed to gain the majority support needed to pass.
The new assessment district was proposed to fill a funding gap between current revenues and today’s costs for tree trimming and landscape maintenance services in South Melrose. The existing annual assessment paid by property owners is based on operating costs in 1989 (when the original assessment district was established) and falls short of the necessary funding to meet today’s higher costs.
As a result, the following service cuts are anticipated for South Melrose:
- Landscape maintenance service will be reduced from every other week to once a month
- Watering will be cut in half
- Tree trimming will be on a 20-year cycle with the current budget, down from proposed 4-year cycle
The City of Vista Department of Public Works staff will work to the best of its ability with existing revenues to provide tree trimming, irrigation, debris removal and other landscaping services along South Melrose streets and in public areas; however, the shortfall of approximately $101,000 represents a 50% reduction versus the proposed Landscape Maintenance District’s budget.
Feel free to email CivicMic with any questions at contact@civicmic.com.
When was the vote for the increase, I was not even aware of it as well as most of my neighbors were not aware of this, so, it sounds like a vote that didn’t approve the landscape on S Melrose was not representative of our area, can it be retaken and better notification given?
Thanks,
Sam Hershey
Sam,
Ballots were mailed to all property owners in South Melrose for the proposed new assessment district at the end of March with a deadline of May 14th to be received by the City. The outer envelope looked like the attached image.
Approximately 30% of those who received ballots voted on this issue. Feel free to send us your address at contact@civicmic.com if you’d like us to confirm that you were on the mailing list.
I do recall receiving this now and I did vote positively for this, disappointed it didn’t pass!
Thanks, Sam. It is unfortunate. We will keep you posted regarding any future developments on this issue!