Landscaping costs remain on city's front burner

Issues relating to the Landscape Maintenance Assessment District remain on the front-burner as Yorba Linda enters the new year facing increased expenses for the budget-strapped zones

One matter involves claims for damages filed by 44 homeowners and another is a sizeable increase in the cost to maintain landscape zones on the city's east and southeast sides.

The homeowner claimants allege the district failed to provide landscaping benefits in exchange for assessments paid in 2001-11, according to a report from Mark Aalders, assistant to the city manager.

The City Council denied the claims on a 5-0 vote, giving the residents six months to file lawsuits. Similar claims previously filed by the Rancho Dominguez and Green Hills community associations were settled for more than $750,000.

A $120,831 yearly increase to maintain a package of eastside landscape zones could presage similar jumps as contracts for other zones come due, according to another report presented to council members.

Council awarded the eastside contract to low bidder Merchants Landscape Services of Santa Ana for $337,546, compared to the previous year's cost of $216,715. The contract is for three years and can be extended in two-year increments up to three times.

“Offering vendors the potential for longer term contracts allows them to purchase equipment with less risks and develop crew structures that can be more stable so the contract becomes more attractive to bidders,” the assessment district's manager, Bruce Carleton, reported.

Interestingly, the new bid process became necessary when the previous vendor, Valley Crest Landscape Maintenance of Anaheim, didn't seek an extension of the contract won with a low bid in 2012, and only three firms bid for the contract that begins Feb. 1.

The “reduced number of bidders reflects a trend that contractors are not as hungry for municipal work as they were when the economy was in a distressed state at the last bid,” Carleton noted.

Another reason for the increased cost, stated Carleton: “The need to conserve water, as it has in many areas of Yorba Linda, has (led) to the loss of ground covers, which are thirsty in nature” so “the effort to control weeds becomes more labor intensive.”

Funding will come from assessments collected in five eastern landscape zones through the county's property tax rolls, supplemented by transfers from the city's general fund reserves.

Generally, all property owners pay assessments for landscaping along major streets, but only about half of the city's properties are located in the 29 “special benefit” zones with extra costs.

Another new expenditure is $15,000 to produce and mail “outreach documents” from the eight-member citizens committee formulating strategies to address the district's funding woes.

Reminder: The public is invited to my presentation at the Yorba Linda Historical Society 7 p.m. Monday at the Community Center.