YORBA LINDA : Proposed Assessment Changes Under Fire

Residents are questioning a proposal to establish a citywide assessment district to pay for landscaping on main streets.

Assessment fees currently vary by zone. The new plan would charge each resident $37.88 per parcel per year for landscaping of main streets and $15.02 for lighting. Costs for residents on the east side of the city would drop somewhat, but westside residents, who now pay nothing for landscaping, would be assessed for that.

Additional fees for local landscaping still would vary throughout the city, but the city maintains the proposed plan would help lower landscaping costs and equalize fees among residents.

Resident Todd Tande expressed support for the plan, but added that if westside residents will now be asked to pay for public landscaping on main streets, it is important to continue adding landscaping to westside areas that now lack it.

“This is a move toward equity, so I would support this citywide effort toward arterials,” said Tande. “But I think all citizens should have arterial landscaping in their area as well.”

Resident Lee Day said the public did not receive proper notice of the change, which was posted in a newspaper advertisement.

She said she was skeptical that the proposed plan would actually save money.

“I have been told costs will be much less, because the assessments will be spread citywide,” Day said. “But I find that hard to believe.”