Hike in Landscape Fees Being Weighed
The fees that residents pay for the upkeep of street lights, parks and beaches would rise for the second year in a row under the budget being considered by city officials.
Lighting and landscaping district fees would go up $6.73 a year to about $93 a household, according to the fiscal 1996-97 proposal introduced at this week’s City Council meeting.
The increase would be mainly to cover an addition to Richard T. Steed Memorial Park, street landscaping for Colony Cove bluff stabilization and the addition of medians, said Bruce Wegner, director of the beaches, parks and recreation department.
The fee was raised $16 for the current fiscal year to cover the maintenance of a 3-mile ridge-line trail at Rancho San Clemente and the openings of two city parks.
The prospect of paying more drew a protest from some residents. One of them, Jim Hill, said the council is not being fiscally responsible if it asks the community to pay for projects that the city cannot afford.
“If the maintenance funds are not currently available, do not build or rework a park,” Hill told the council.
A public hearing on the issue is set for July 3.
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