Council approves increases for multiple landscaping-and-lighting districts to shore up reserves

Oakdale City Council on Monday adopted resolutions levying annual assessments for several landscaping-and-lighting maintenance districts after staff said long-term capital needs and higher operating costs required modest assessment increases.

Staff presented engineer's reports for Bridal Ridge, The Vineyards, Birchell Hill and several smaller districts. The Bridal Ridge district (1,163 parcels) would see an assessment of $620.50, an $18.06 increase aimed at covering irrigation, electricity and landscaping labor and to build a projected reserve of about $243,000 for future tree and capital work. Staff said Birchell Hill is projected to run a small deficit this year and that increases are intended to restore fiscal stability.

Albert, the staff presenter, said the districts have faced sustained cost pressure: "The largest costs are irrigation, electricity and the landscaping that provides for the staffing that maintains the landscaping," and that some districts ran deficits in prior years but are now rebuilding reserves.

Council discussed alternatives including removing water-intensive turf in parkway strips, using drought-tolerant plantings, and exploring mechanized mowing or other cost efficiencies. One council member asked whether turning maintenance responsibility back to property owners was a viable long-term option; staff said legal and administrative hurdles make that route difficult in many areas.

The council recorded a recusal for the Bridal Ridge vote by a council member who lives in that district; the Bridal Ridge levy passed 3-1 with one recusal. The Vineyards and other presented levies passed by roll call (votes recorded in the meeting transcript), generally with majority support.

Public comment during the hearings included concerns from residents about tree planting and sidewalk damage tied to aging urban trees, and requests for transparent information on how assessments are calculated and what neighborhood services the funds will directly support.

What comes next: The assessments will be placed on property tax rolls as required by state law unless reversed on future council action. Staff said dollars raised will primarily cover operating costs and build a reserve to fund capital work such as major tree maintenance and irrigation replacements in coming years.