City Manager (Speaker 9) outlined a resident-initiated request to add playground equipment and a half-court basketball court at Swanson Park and described the Proposition 218 process: hire an assessment-district engineer to prepare a cost and assessment-rate report, publish notices and conduct a 40–45 day ballot, then hold a public hearing to tabulate ballots. Speaker 9 said a majority-protest threshold (more than 50% protesting) would prevent the improvements.

Council and staff discussed whether the cost of the engineer’s report would be borne by the Westwood district or by general funds. Speaker 9 said any assessment cost would be confined to that district unless the council chose otherwise and that the additional improvements, if approved by voters, would be added to the district’s maintenance assessment.

Councilmember (Speaker 2) moved to direct staff to begin the Prop 218 process for the Westwood Country Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District; Speaker 4 seconded and the motion passed on a voice vote.

Questions from council and the public included whether the project should be a half court or full court; staff said the size decision could be shaped by resident input before the ballot and could be reflected in the engineer’s report.

Next steps: staff will initiate the engineer’s report, refine cost estimates, and return with draft materials for the ballot process and public hearing.


Speakers

- Speaker 9 — City Manager (first ref: SEG 1200)
- Speaker 2 — Councilmember (mover of motion; first ref: SEG 1287)
- Speaker 4 — Councilmember Stroman (second; first ref: SEG 015)


Authorities

- Proposition 218 assessment-district process (referenced by Speaker 9)


Clarifying details

- Ballot window: staff said the ballot period would be roughly 40–45 days followed by a public hearing.
- Engineer report: staff said a landscape and lighting district assessment engineer would prepare costs and a recommended assessment rate; if improvements proceed, maintenance costs would be rolled into the district’s annual assessment.


Actions

- prop218_westwood_initiate: {"kind":"motion","motion":"Direct staff to begin the Prop 218 process to provide the swing set and half-court improvements for the Westwood Country Landscape And Lighting Maintenance District.","mover":"Speaker 2","second":"Speaker 4","vote_record":[],"tally":{},"outcome":"approved","notes":"Approved by voice vote; no roll-call tally recorded in transcript."}


Provenance

- topicintro: SEG 1200
- topfinish: SEG 1296