LA Council Watch

← All files

Santa Monica Boulevard / Wilton Place / Lighting District

Council File 26-0900-S1

Approved — the city has established a lighting maintenance assessment district covering 14 parcels near Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilton Place, with annual assessments ranging from under $100 to $5,000 per property to fund ongoing street lighting upkeep.

Introduced
2026-01-20
Last changed
2026-09-15
Status
open
Expires
2028-09-15
Initiated by
Bureau of Street Lighting

Brief

The Bureau of Street Lighting initiated this file in January 2026 to establish a lighting district covering Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilton Place. Council adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, and it became effective May 28. The file was reconsidered in August and readopted on September 15, 2026 by a 14-0-1 vote, subject to the standard reconsideration rule. The ordinance is now final.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting proposed creating the Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilton Place Lighting Maintenance Assessment District, which imposes annual assessments on 14 parcels in the area to fund ongoing street lighting maintenance. The district covers properties near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilton Place, with individual assessments ranging from under $100 to nearly $5,000 depending on parcel size and use. Total annual assessments across the district amount to roughly $7,872. As required by Proposition 218, the City notified all affected property owners and conducted a weighted ballot proceeding in which each owner's vote counted proportionally to their assessment amount. Seven of the 14 parcels cast ballots by the August 18, 2026 deadline. Although five ballots were cast against the assessment and only two in favor, the weighted results told a different story: the two yes votes carried $5,075 in assessment weight, representing 77 percent of the weighted ballots cast, while the five no votes totaled only $1,498. The largest single parcel owner, Santa Monica Boulevard Owner LLC, cast a yes vote worth nearly $4,984 on its own. The City Clerk certified the results and recommended that Council deny the protests and adopt the levying ordinance. Council first adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, and it took effect May 28. The file was then reconsidered in August on a motion by Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Nithya Raman, who moved to reconsider this and several related lighting district files from the August 11 Council meeting. After the Clerk completed ballot tabulation and submitted certified results, Council held a final hearing and readopted the ordinance on September 15, 2026 by a vote of 14-0-1. The ordinance levies the assessments and orders maintenance of the lighting system.

Activity (15)

  • 2026-09-15 Council adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
  • 2026-08-21 City Clerk 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.
  • 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 (12)

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

View on CFMS →