Brief

The Bureau of Street Lighting initiated a proposal to establish a street lighting district for Verdugo Place and Avenue 32. Council initially adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, with the measure becoming effective May 28, 2026. The file then underwent reconsideration in August, with Council reconsidering and continuing hearings across multiple dates (August 11, 12, and 18). On September 15, 2026, Council adopted the item again by a vote of 14-0-1, with one councilmember abstaining. The ordinance remains subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting proposed creating a street lighting maintenance assessment district covering Verdugo Place and Avenue 32. The district would have imposed assessments on six parcels in the area to fund the installation and ongoing maintenance of streetlights, with individual property assessments ranging from roughly $12 to $178 per parcel, totaling $584.32 across the district. As required by Proposition 218, the City mailed notice and weighted assessment ballots to all affected property owners before a final public hearing on August 18, 2026. Of the six parcels, only two returned ballots — both voting no. Because all cast ballots were opposed, the City Clerk certified a majority protest, meaning state law prohibited the City from imposing the assessment. The City Clerk recommended that Council formally find a majority protest, adopt an abandoning ordinance, and instruct the Bureau of Street Lighting to ensure any installed streetlights are removed from service. The procedural path was complicated by a parallel track. Council had originally adopted an ordinance related to the district on May 12, 2026, which became effective May 28, 2026. After the Proposition 218 ballot results came in, Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Nithya Raman moved on August 12, 2026, to reconsider this file along with nine other related lighting district files from the August 11 Council meeting. Hearings were continued through August before the matter returned to Council on September 15, 2026. On September 15, 2026, Council voted 14-0-1 to adopt the item — understood in context to mean adopting the abandoning ordinance and finding of majority protest recommended by the City Clerk. The practical effect is that the proposed Verdugo Place and Avenue 32 lighting district is defunct: no assessment can be levied, and the Bureau of Street Lighting is directed not to install, or to remove, any streetlights associated with the failed district. The adoption remains subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51.

Activity (15)

• 2026-09-15 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-08-21 Bureau of Street Lighting document(s) referred to Council.
• 2026-08-20 Document submitted by City Clerk, dated August 20, 2026.
• 2026-08-18 Council continued hearing and Ordinance to be presented on September 15, 2026.
• 2026-08-14 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 18, 2026.
• 2026-08-12 Council reconsidered the item, and continued the hearing to August 18, 2026 and Ordinance to be presented on September 15, 2026
• 2026-08-11 Council continued hearing and Ordinance to be presented on September 15, 2026 .
• 2026-08-07 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on August 11, 2026.
• 2026-05-18 Ordinance posted/published. Ordinance effective date: May 28, 2026.
• 2026-05-15 Council action final.
• 2026-05-13 City Clerk transmitted file to Mayor. Last day for Mayor to act is May 26, 2026.
• 2026-05-12 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 2026-05-08 City Clerk scheduled item for Council on May 12, 2026.
• 2025-12-17 Bureau of Street Lighting document(s) referred to Council.
• 2025-12-17 Document submitted by Bureau of Street Lighting, dated December 3, 2025.

Documents (13)

• 2026-09-15 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-08-20 Report from City Clerk · report
• 2026-08-18 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-08-12 Communication from Board of Public Works - Assessment Hearing · communication
• 2026-08-12 Motion (Hernandez - Raman) · motion
• 2026-08-11 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-07-01 Communication from Bureau of Street Lighting - Mailing Package · other
• 2026-05-28 Final Ordinance of Intention No. 188935 · other
• 2026-05-18 Declaration of Posting · other
• 2026-05-15 Mayor Concurrence/Council Action · other
• 2026-05-12 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2025-12-03 Report from Bureau of Street Lighting · report
• 2025-12-03 Attachment to Report dated 12-03-25 - Draft Ordinance of Intention · attachment

Council votes (5)

• 2026-09-15 Vote — 14-0-1 · Regular
• 2026-08-18 Vote — 13-0-2 · Regular
• 2026-08-12 Adopted to Continue — 14-0-1 · Regular
• 2026-08-11 Adopted — 14-0-1 · Regular
• 2026-05-12 Adopted — 14-0-1 · Regular