Benefit Zone 3 - Elk Grove/West Vineyard

Funding Challenges within Benefit Zone 3

Benefit Zone 3 (Elk Grove West Vineyard) is not adequately funded. 

There are 10 parks in Benefit Zone 3, in addition to streetscapes and trails. Low assessment rates were established in these two benefit zones about 20 years ago and have not been increased since 1997, except for adjustments tied to the CPI (0.50–2.5 percent in past five years). 

Today, there is a gap between maintenance costs and assessment revenues because water rates and service costs have increased faster than these CPI inflation adjustments.

History

Funding challenges in Benefit Zone 3 are not new. In 2009, property owners in both zones were given an opportunity to approve higher assessments to offset funding shortages for maintaining parks and other facilities. They overwhelming rejected the proposed assessment increase. 

In November 2017, Cosumnes CSD conducted a survey among all property owners in Benefit Zone 3 to determine whether they would support an assessment increase. The survey results were well below the minimum threshold needed for approval. As a result, Cosumnes CSD decided to not proceed with a vote-by-mail procedure pursuant to Prop 218. 

Service Level Reductions

The following reductions have been incorporated in order to minimize the amount of Capital Reserves being used for routine maintenance.

  • Reduced irrigation water at parks.
  • Reduced contracted landscape services at parks, including:
    • Reduced mowing by 50% at non-sports field parks
    • Eliminated fertilization and aeration of turf
    • Eliminated weed control in turf and planters
    • Eliminated shrub pruning

Many of the expenses associated with Benefit Zone 3 are hard costs, or safety-related, and cannot be reduced. The above reductions reduce the gap between expenditures and revenues, but Capital Reserves continue to be necessary to cover the cost of essential maintenance. 

Benefit Zone Information

Benefit Zone 3 - Elk Grove/West Vineyard benefits from having 10 parks totaling 33 acres.  It has the third most parks and park acres in the Cosumnes CSD Park System. Elk Grove/West Vineyard includes eight local parks, one neighborhood park, and one community park. There are 18 acres of streetscapes and trails.

 This Benefit Zone has three areas which receive additional funding through overlay assessments:

  • Camden Estates & Camden Pointe (MacDonald Park)
  • Perry Ranch (Perry Park)
  • Vista Creek (Jordan Family Park)

Because these three areas have additional funding, they are not subject to service reductions. 

Projects

Listed below are the 2021-2022 fiscal year projects staff anticipate completing. Projects are subject to change due to weather and/or unforeseen budgetary changes.

  • Engineered Wood Fiber will be added to parks as needed to maintain a safe depth for playgrounds.
  • The PebbleFlex playground surfaces at Fales and Jordan Family Parks will be resealed.
  • Park furniture, one picnic table and one barbecue, will be installed at Perry Park.
  • Decomposed granite walking paths will be filled and leveled throughout Jordan Family Park.


Note:  Due to limited operational funding and a lack of Capital Reserves in this Benefit Zone, only projects related to health will be completed until additional funding is identified.  This does not apply to the three overlay assessments identified above.

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Parks in Benefit Zone 3

Benefit Zone 3 Map

Benefit Zone 3 Map - Elk Grove/West Vineyard Thumbnail