Ridgecrest council sets June 18 hearing to continue drainage assessment district process

The Ridgecrest City Council voted Wednesday to direct staff to prepare an engineer—s report and set a public hearing for June 18 on the proposed levy and collection of assessments for Drainage Benefit Assessment District 2016-1 for fiscal year 2025-26.

The action, approved unanimously, does not levy new assessments. Staff said the vote simply places the proposed assessment on the June 18 agenda so the public and property owners can comment before the council makes any levy decision.

Travis Reid, a city staff member speaking on the item, told the council the drainage assessment covers drainage infrastructure in newer areas around College Heights Boulevard, including a D.R. Horton tract and other adjacent vacant parcels. "What's covered in these are anything and everything that you can think of that's related to drainage. The sump that you see when you drive up College Heights Boulevard, as well as storm drain, and, slope embankments," Reid said. He emphasized the item before the council was only to set the public hearing and that no immediate assessment would be imposed.

A councilmember noted a clerical error in the draft resolution that listed the public hearing date as June 4, 2024; the council corrected the date to June 18, 2025 before voting. No members of the public spoke on the item at the meeting.

By setting the hearing, the city will publish the engineer's report and allow property owners to appear and comment or file protests at the June 18 meeting. If the council later chooses to impose or adjust assessments, that would require additional formal action following the public hearing.

The council approved the motion to set the hearing and authorize staff to prepare the engineer's report by a 5-0 vote.

Council members and staff said they wanted property owners and other stakeholders to have the opportunity to review the engineer—s report and speak at the hearing before the council decided on any levy.