Brief

The Bureau of Street Lighting initiated an ordinance establishing a lighting district along Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilton Place. The City Council adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026 by a vote of 14-0-1. The ordinance was published and became effective on May 28, 2026. The Mayor had until May 26 to act on the measure.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting established a new street lighting maintenance assessment district covering portions of Santa Monica Boulevard, Wilton Place, and Virginia Avenue in Council District 13, triggered by a private development project at the intersection. The district encompasses 16 streetlights and 14 assessed parcels, with total annual assessments of $7,871.70 for fiscal year 2025-2026. The largest single assessment — $4,984.10, or about 63% of the total — falls on the commercial parcel at 5643 Santa Monica Boulevard, a 4.7-acre property owned by Santa Monica Boulevard Owner LLC. The remaining assessments are distributed among 13 residential parcels on Virginia Avenue and Wilton Place, ranging from roughly $91 to $510 per parcel depending on land use, lot size, and frontage. Assessments are calculated using the Bureau's standard methodology, which weights each parcel by equivalent dwelling units, benefit zone, and adjustment factors including lot shape and partial lighting. All 14 parcels fall within Benefit Zone 3, the rate for modern lighting on arterial streets, set at $226.55 per equivalent dwelling unit for 2025-2026 after a 3.3% CPI adjustment. The entire cost of operating and maintaining the lighting system is charged to the assessed properties with no contribution from the City's general fund. Future assessments may increase annually by no more than the Los Angeles-area Consumer Price Index without a new property owner vote. Under Proposition 218, property owners in the district received ballots and notices before the City Council could confirm the assessments. The ordinance specifies that if weighted yes votes equal or exceed weighted no votes, the Council confirms the assessments and the lighting system proceeds; a weighted no majority would require the City to abandon the district and remove or forgo the lighting system. The Bureau of Street Lighting casts yes ballots on behalf of all City-controlled public properties in the district as a matter of Council policy. The Bureau submitted its report and supporting engineer's report to Council on January 14, 2026. The Council adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, by a vote of 14-0-1, and the ordinance took effect on May 28, 2026. The file remains open through May 2028.

Activity (6)

• 2026-05-18 Ordinance posted/published. Ordinance effective date: May 28, 2026.
• 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.
• 2026-01-20 Bureau of Street Lighting document(s) referred to Council.
• 2026-01-20 Document submitted by Bureau of Street Lighting, dated January 14, 2026.

Documents (5)

• 2026-05-28 Final Ordinance of Intention No. 188926 · other
• 2026-05-18 Declaration of Posting · other
• 2026-05-12 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-01-14 Report from Bureau of Street Lighting · report
• 2026-01-14 Attachment to Report dated 1-14-26 - Draft Ordinance of Intention · attachment