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Council receives LLMD update; city reports $36,000 grant preapproval to remove turf and save water
Summary
City engineer reported a Landscape and Lighting Maintenance District update outlining water-cost pressures, Proposition 218 constraints, and a recent preapproval for a $36,000 turf-removal grant for Zone 3; council received and filed the report and discussed outreach and potential Proposition 218 measures.
City engineer Cody Howling briefed the City Council on March 16 about the status of La Vernes Landscape and Lighting Maintenance Districts (LLMDs), flagging rising water costs, Proposition 218 assessment limits and a grant preapproval to remove turf in one zone.
Howling described three active LLMDs (districts 6, 7 and 8) and multiple zones within them, explained that most zones assign assessments equally across properties and noted that Proposition 218 limits increase options for raising assessments except where a CPI or voter-approved mechanism already exists. He said water-rate increases and the state requirement (as cited in the staff presentation) to remove nonfunctional turf will affect future budgets.
As a near-term relief strategy, Howling told council staff received preapproval for a grant of $36,000 for Zone 3 (Wheeler/Tabor) to remove turf, replace irrigation and replant with California native species, which staff said should yield significant water savings. The city has submitted a similar turf-removal grant application for the Rancho La Verne area (Zone 4-1) but had not received an award at the time of the meeting.
Howling walked the council through the districtsfinancial picture: many zones currently have expenditures that outpace revenues and some draw on reserves or general-fund contributions to cover staffing and operations. He described service-level reductions and targeted water reductions in zones that previously rejected assessment increases in Proposition 218 ballots.
Council members discussed differences between zones focused on fuel modification (fuel-mod) and those focused on beautification; several members stressed clear, earlier communication to residents before future Proposition 218 ballots so voters understand what assessments pay for. Staff said it plans more targeted outreach, social-media efforts and in-person meetings to improve community understanding and will return with more proposals and any recommendations for ballot measures.
Council received and filed the LLMD update; staff has indicated it will pursue grants and report back with further plans for fiscal 2026-27.
