Council authorizes FY25–26 assessments for Willows landscaping and lighting district

The Willows City Council on June 24 adopted a resolution approving the annual engineer's report, confirming the assessment diagram and authorizing the levy and collection of assessments for fiscal year 2025–26 for the Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District under the state Streets and Highways Code.

Joe Betancourt, who presented the item, described the district as formed in the mid-2000s and composed of three zones: Zone A (Birch Street subdivision), Zone B (around the Walmart development) and Zone C (off Harvest Drive near the cheese factory). Betancourt told the council this is the third and final step in the district’s annual process and noted assessments can rise or fall year to year based on actual costs and reserve levels. He said two of the three zones (A and C) are proposed to increase for the coming fiscal year in part to fund refurbishment of landscaping and irrigation and to support a request for proposals to contract maintenance services.

Betancourt and staff noted the council’s established policy to keep reserves in the 10–20% range for each zone and that staff sometimes uses reserves to offset assessments. The public hearing opened at 6:35 p.m.; no members of the public spoke. Council discussion included reminders that Zone A assessments have been reduced or held steady more often than increased historically and that the proposed changes would restore reserves and cover expected expenses.

A resolution to authorize the levying and collection of assessments for fiscal year 2025–26 was moved, seconded and approved by roll call (5–0). The council directed staff to proceed with the assessment process and with issuing an RFP for landscape maintenance work in the affected zones.