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Scotts Valley council adopts Pinewood Estates landscaping assessment; resident urges higher fee
Summary
The Scotts Valley City Council unanimously approved a resolution to levy the Pinewood Estates landscaping maintenance assessment, continuing a flat $240 annual charge per parcel. A Pinewood resident asked the city to pursue a higher fee or additional services and was told any increase would require a property-owner vote under Proposition 218.
The Scotts Valley City Council unanimously approved a resolution to levy the Pinewood Estates Landscaping Maintenance Assessment, continuing a flat $240 annual charge per parcel in the district.
The assessment, formed in 1987 under the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972, funds routine upkeep of frontage landscaping and a stormwater detention area along Lakewood Lane. City staff told the council the district’s annual budget for the coming fiscal year will cover basic contract maintenance and utility costs but will not add services beyond the amount already collected.
Public works director Rodolfo Onchi presented the engineering report to the council, saying the district collects $5,810 in total assessments for the year. He reported that maintenance services are roughly $2,000 and irrigation and power costs are close to $4,000, leaving the program operating at the level of the current flat fee with no escalation built into the assessment.
A Pinewood resident, Vin Theon, told the council he is "willing to pay even more to get the job properly done," and described recurring debris buildup and limited contractor visits. Onchi confirmed the current contractor, KND, is under a three-year agreement with an option to extend; under the existing contract and the assessment’s revenue the contractor is limited to about monthly visits.
The city attorney advised the council that any permanent increase to the assessment would require property-owner approval under Proposition 218; that vote would be limited to the parcels in the district rather than a citywide ballot. Council members and staff encouraged neighbors to organize and work with city staff if they wish to pursue an increased assessment, dissolution of the district, or other arrangements.
The council adopted Resolution No. 1213.390.2 ordering and authorizing levy and collection of the assessments for fiscal year 2025–26. The motion passed unanimously; no written majority protest was recorded during the public hearing.
Going forward, staff said it will continue to collect the assessment at the current rate and offered to meet with Pinewood property owners to discuss options for additional services or a formal assessment increase process.
