Brief

The Bureau of Street Lighting initiated a proposal to establish a lighting district covering the Columbus Avenue and Acre Street area. Council adopted the ordinance on May 12, 2026, and the Mayor did not veto it. After procedural reconsiderations in August, Council re-adopted the item on September 15, 2026, by a vote of 14-0-1, again subject to reconsideration under Council Rule 51. The ordinance is now in effect as of May 28, 2026.

Full summary

The Bureau of Street Lighting proposed a new lighting maintenance assessment district for Columbus Avenue and Acre Street, covering 21 parcels. Under Proposition 218, the city is required to notify affected property owners and conduct a weighted ballot process before imposing any new assessment. Each property owner received a ballot weighted by the dollar amount of their proposed annual assessment, with the total proposed district assessment coming to roughly $3,597 per year. The ballot process failed decisively. Of the 11 ballots cast, 9 voted no and only 2 voted yes. Weighted by assessment amount, the no votes represented 84 percent of the dollars cast, versus 16 percent for yes. City Clerk Patrice Y. Lattimore certified these results on August 20, 2026, and formally notified Council that a majority protest exists under Proposition 218, meaning the city is legally barred from imposing the assessment. The Clerk recommended that Council find the majority protest, adopt an abandoning ordinance, and direct the Bureau of Street Lighting to ensure no streetlights are installed or, if already installed, that they be removed from service. Despite that outcome, the file's procedural history has an earlier chapter. Council had initially adopted the underlying lighting district measure on May 12, 2026, and an ordinance took effect May 28, 2026 — before the Proposition 218 ballot results were in. Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Nithya Raman moved to reconsider the item on August 12, 2026, along with a batch of similar lighting district files, and Council voted 13-0-2 on August 18 to continue the hearing and schedule the abandoning ordinance for presentation on September 15, 2026. The file is now on a path toward formal abandonment, pending that ordinance presentation.

Activity (16)

• 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 City Clerk adopted item, subject to reconsideration, pursuant to Council Rule 51.
• 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.
• 2026-03-18 Bureau of Street Lighting document(s) referred to Council.
• 2026-03-18 Document submitted by Bureau of Street Lighting, dated March 11, 2026.

Documents (11)

• 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. 188934 · other
• 2026-05-18 Declaration of Posting · other
• 2026-05-15 Mayor Concurrence/Council Action · other
• 2026-05-12 Speaker Card(s) · speaker_card
• 2026-03-11 Attachment to Report dated 3-11-26 - Draft Ordinance of Intention · attachment
• 2026-03-11 Report from Bureau of Street Lighting · report

Council votes (4)

• 2026-09-15 Vote — 14-0-1 · Regular
• 2026-08-18 Vote — 13-0-2 · Regular
• 2026-08-12 Reconsidered from Previous m — 14-0-1 · Regular
• 2026-05-12 Adopted — 14-0-1 · Regular