Brief

The Bureau of Street Lighting initiated an ordinance to establish a street lighting district covering Victory Boulevard and Gaviota Avenue. Council adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, by a vote of 14-0-1. The Mayor received the file on May 13 and had until May 26 to act. The ordinance was published and became effective on May 28, 2026, creating a designated lighting maintenance and service area in that corridor.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting established a small street lighting maintenance assessment district on Victory Boulevard, covering a 150-foot stretch from 248 to 398 feet east of Gaviota Avenue in Council District 6. The district was triggered by a private development project and covers just one streetlight serving two adjacent multi-family residential parcels. The total annual assessment for fiscal year 2025-2026 is $2,477.89, split between the two property owners: Casa Victory LLC at 15931 Victory Boulevard ($1,415.94) and Lake Balboa Apts LLC at 15943 Victory Boulevard ($1,061.95). Both parcels are approximately 0.41 acres and classified as multi-family residential. The assessments were calculated using the Bureau's standard methodology under Proposition 218, which requires that charges reflect only the special benefit each property receives from the nearby lighting system, not general public benefit. Assessments are based on equivalent dwelling units, benefit zones, and adjustment factors for partial lighting coverage and lot shape. Both parcels fall under Zone 3, the rate category for modern lighting on arterial streets, set at $226.55 per equivalent dwelling unit. The estimated annual operating cost breaks down to roughly $1,073 for electric energy, $996 for maintenance, and $409 for incidentals. Proposition 218 required the City to conduct a property owner ballot before levying the assessments. Upon Council adoption of the Ordinance of Intention, the Bureau was directed to mail notices and ballots to the two affected property owners. The City Clerk was then responsible for counting, certifying, and reporting the ballot results to Council. Under the weighted ballot rules, a majority of weighted yes votes would allow the assessments to be confirmed; a majority of weighted no votes would require the district to be abandoned and the lighting system removed from service or left unconstructed. The Bureau also cast ballots in favor of the assessments for any Council-controlled public properties in the district, consistent with a City policy adopted in 1998. The ordinance allows annual assessment increases of up to the Los Angeles-area Consumer Price Index without further notice or ballot, and permits the district's administration to be combined with other lighting districts in the future. Council voted 14-0-1 to adopt the ordinance on May 12, 2026. The file was transmitted to the Mayor on May 13 and the ordinance took effect May 28, 2026.

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

Documents (5)

• 2026-05-28 Final Ordinance of Intention No. 188933 · other
• 2026-05-18 Declaration of Posting · 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