Council approves preliminary engineer's report for all 30 landscape and lighting districts; Natoma Station deficits and Prop 218 outreach highlighted

The Folsom City Council voted unanimously June 10 to adopt Resolution No. 11399, approving the preliminary engineer's report that consolidates all 30 landscape and lighting (L&L) districts and sets the schedule for required Prop 218 proceedings.

The action follows a staff presentation showing several districts have run persistent operating deficits and dwindling account balances, and includes staff's recommendation that the engineer of record include a table in the final report that lists each district's assessment revenue, total expenses and fund balance as of April 30, 2025.

Why it matters: the L&L districts fund neighborhood landscaping, lighting, monumentation and other common-area amenities. Several districts' static assessments—many set before Proposition 218 (1996)—have not kept pace with rising costs, pushing some to consider either higher assessments through a property-owner vote or reduced services. The council's approval starts the formal process that can lead to ballots, further outreach and, if voters reject new assessments, service reductions in affected districts.

Staff presentation and findings Jamieson Larson, senior management analyst for the Parks and Recreation Department, told the council the engineer's report covers all 30 L&L districts and recommends the council approve the preliminary report and direct the engineer to include a revenue/expense table in the final report. "Our recommendations are that the council adopt Resolution 11399," Larson said during the presentation.

Larson presented per-district detail, including current negative account balances…