Oceanside

Three hours of testimony from a standing-room-only crowd of 300 Wednesday night persuaded the City Council to kill plans for a citywide assessment district for lighting and landscaping.

The proposal, rejected unanimously, would have consolidated eight existing lighting districts and six landscape maintenance districts into one super-district. It was billed as an effort to streamline services, save money and spread the cost of public facilities more equitably.

City staff members recommended the change in part because, under the current system, residents in certain districts shoulder costs for lighting and landscaping along major thoroughfares used by property owners throughout the city. That arrangement, staff members contended, is unfair.

But the large majority of those who turned out for Wednesday’s hearing strongly opposed the new district. Many protested that the city would use the district as a taxing vehicle to finance other projects, like the proposed new civic center.