Council hears engineer on Landscape & Lighting assessment; no rate increase, $200,000 set for LED streetlight upgrades

The council opened a public hearing on the Landscape & Lighting Assessment District No. 1 for fiscal year 2026–27 and heard a presentation from city engineer Jack Gao, who said the assessment rates remain unchanged and the total proposed assessment is approximately $4,200,000.

Gao described the assessment’s statutory basis (the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972) and the engineer’s methodology for parcel grouping, benefit zones and funding categories. He said the largest budget categories are utilities, maintenance and project expenses and that about 82% of costs relate to utilities, maintenance and project expenses.

Gao highlighted a $200,000 citywide streetlight replacement project that will convert metal‑halide bulbs to LED and is expected to reduce electricity usage by more than 50%. During public comment, residents expressed concern about persistent dark streets (notably Long Beach Boulevard), asked for clearer notices and completion dates, and asked that repair efforts be more equitably distributed rather than repeatedly focusing on the same corridors.

The council closed the hearing after taking testimony and indicated next steps include considering approval of the engineer’s report, ordering the levy and submitting assessments to the county tax roll.

What’s next: Staff will return with any written protests and a recommendation whether to approve the engineer’s report and order collection of the assessments for inclusion on the county tax roll.