Brief

The Bureau of Street Lighting initiated an ordinance to establish a lighting district covering Haskell Avenue and Vincennes Street. Council first adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, which became effective May 28, 2026. The item returned to Council on September 15, 2026, where it was adopted again by a 14-0-1 vote, subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51. The ordinance is now final.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting proposed creating a special street lighting maintenance assessment district for Haskell Avenue and Vincennes Street, under which property owners within the district would be assessed annually to fund lighting installation and upkeep. As required by Proposition 218, the City notified affected property owners and provided each with an assessment ballot weighted by their parcel's proposed assessment amount. The Proposition 218 ballot process revealed that the district effectively covers a single parcel, owned by the Edmond Manouchehri Co. Trust, with a proposed annual assessment of $251.51. That sole property owner voted no, producing a 100 percent weighted rejection of the proposed assessment. The City Clerk certified the results on August 20, 2026, and formally reported to Council that a majority protest existed, meaning the City is legally barred under Proposition 218 from imposing the assessment. The Clerk recommended that Council find the majority protest, adopt an abandoning ordinance, and instruct the Bureau of Street Lighting to ensure streetlights are not installed — or are removed if already in place. The ordinance had an earlier procedural arc: Council first adopted it on May 12, 2026, and it was published with an effective date of May 28. The item then returned to Council in August after Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Nithya Raman moved to reconsider this file along with a batch of similar lighting district items from the August 11 meeting. Following multiple continuances, the final hearing was held August 18, 2026, at which the ballot result was presented. Council then adopted the abandoning ordinance on September 15, 2026, by a 14-0-1 vote, subject to reconsideration. The practical effect is that no lighting assessment district will be established at this location and any streetlights associated with the proposal must be removed or left uninstalled.

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.
• 2026-03-13 Bureau of Street Lighting document(s) referred to Council.
• 2026-03-12 Document submitted by Bureau of Street Lighting, dated February 18, 2026.

Documents (12)

• 2026-09-15 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-08-20 Report from City Clerk · report
• 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. 188931 · other
• 2026-05-18 Declaration of Posting · other
• 2026-05-15 Mayor Concurrence/Council Action · other
• 2026-05-12 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-02-18 Attachment to Report dated 2-18-26 - Draft Ordinance of Intention · attachment
• 2026-02-18 Report from Bureau of Street Lighting · report

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