Landscape and Lighting Assessment Information

Funding for Maintaining Your Parks, Nature Spaces, Trails and Streetscapes 

Residents of Elk Grove enjoy award-winning recreation facilities, including 107 parks, 785 acres of park and nature space, 362 acres of streetscapes and 18 miles of trails. These facilities are constructed and maintained by Cosumnes Community Services District (Cosumnes CSD). 

Parks, streetscapes and trails are funded through assessments approved by a vote of property owners, known as Landscape and Lighting (L&L) assessments.

How Maintenance is Funded

In Elk Grove, maintenance for parks, nature spaces, trails, and streetscapes is funded through Landscape and lighting (L&L) assessments, which are included in your annual property tax bill.

Assessment rates vary depending on the facilities near your property. These rates were originally set many years ago and may be adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Any increase beyond the CPI requires approval from property owners.

Over time, CPI-based increases haven't kept up with rising costs. To maintain service levels and financial stability, most property owners will need to consider approving an L&L assessment rate increase.

Benefit Zone Assessment Chart (PDF)

Benefit Zones and L&L Assessments

These landscape assessments are collected in 13 benefit zones (BZs) throughout the District to support the facilities in that zone. In addition, there are six “overlays” (smaller zones within the primary zones) in which subsets of property owners have approved an additional assessment to maintain or expand parks located in their neighborhoods. 

Each benefit zone has a unique assessment amount that reflects the number and size of its parks, trails and streetscapes, relative to the number of homes, apartments, and commercial properties in that zone.

Please review our annual engineer’s report for more information on how L&L assessment rates are calculated:

23 LL District Map

Proposition 218

California voters passed Proposition 218, the “Right to Vote on Taxes Act” in November 1996. This constitutional amendment protects taxpayers by limiting the methods by which local governments can create or increase taxes, fees and charges without taxpayer consent. Proposition 218 requires voter approval prior to imposition or increase of general taxes, assessments, and certain user fees.

Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972

The Landscape and Lighting Act of 1972 (PDF) (Streets & Highways §22500) allows local governmental agencies to form Landscape & Lighting (L&L) Maintenance Districts for the purpose of financing the costs and expenses of landscaping and lighting public areas. This act can be used by public agencies such as cities, counties, and special districts to fund services including, but not limited to, the installation and maintenance of landscaping, park amenities, general lighting, traffic lights, recreational areas, and public restrooms.