Landscape and Lighting (L&L) benefit assessments paid by property owners are the predominant source of funding to maintain parks, including asset replacement, irrigation, tree and shrub pruning and sport court resurfacing. These assessments are collected in 13 “benefit zones” throughout the District. There are also six "overlay" assessment districts, wherein smaller segments of property owners within one of the 13 benefit zones have voted to pay an additional assessment to fund maintenance at park facilities within their immediate neighborhood.
Each benefit zone has a unique assessment based on the special benefit provided by its landscape features and maintenance services. Under California law, assessments may not be increased without the approval of a weighted majority vote of property owners in that benefit zone. This process is conducted by mail, and each property owner’s vote is weighted based on the total amount of the assessment on that owner’s property. Without the approval of property owners, existing service level reductions will continue and development of new parks will be indefinitely postponed in an effort to maintain a balanced budget.