Assessment Districts (L.M.A.D./ D.F.A.D./ M.A.D.)

Proposition 218 is the "Right to Vote on Taxes Act" that was passed by California voters in November 1996. It impacts the L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D.’s in the City, because it does not allow the City to increase assessment rates for L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D.’s without submitting the proposed increase in assessments to the owners of property within the L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. The aforementioned assessment ballot procedure allows the owners to express their support for, or opposition to, the proposed increase in the assessments applicable to their properties.

Depending on the improvements within a particular L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D., assessments will pay for street light and traffic signal installation and maintenance, water, electric and other landscaping, utilities, paint, fertilizer, plant material, sand and soil, irrigation repair, pest control, small equipment and hand tools, electrical/plumbing parts, playground parts, janitorial supplies, equipment rental, equipment/vehicle maintenance, landscape maintenance contracts, tree maintenance contracts, mowing contracts, backflow testing, pocket park maintenance, paseo maintenance and repair, vandalism and graffiti repair, security and site lighting repair, and a portion of City staff salaries/benefits (both administrative & field staff) who work on the District.

To maximize efficiency and quality, the City uses the services of landscape maintenance contractors and City crews for all regularly scheduled landscape, drainage and “pocket” park area maintenance.

• Improved visual aesthetic appeal of nearby parcels, medians, paseos and pocket parks,
• Improved dust control and erosion resistance,
• Improved drainage and flood control,
• Enhanced desirability of properties and property values,
• Generally reduced property related crimes, particularly vandalism, as a result of a well-maintained neighborhood,
• Moderate temperatures and enhanced noise attenuation from well maintained
  landscaping, Unique identity and character of each community, and improved access to health and fitness opportunities.

The LMADs are governed by the legal requirements of Proposition 218 (Article XIIID of the California Constitution) as well as the provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (the "1972 Act"). Every year, the City, in its role as administrator of the various L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. levies an assessment on each parcel within each L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D., in accordance with existing law, based upon the special benefit that each such parcel receives from the improvements to be maintained from the proceeds of such assessments.

The revenues collected for each L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. are intended for use within the boundaries of the L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. from which it is collected. Ever since Proposition 218 was approved by the voters in 1996, increased assessment rates cannot be levied without submitting the proposed increases to the property owners within the affected L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. in an assessment ballot procedure for property owner approval.

Each L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. is administered by Public Works City Hall staff that is responsible for ensuring that all parcels within each L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. are accurately assessed annually on the tax roll for the special benefit received by such parcels from the improvements for such L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. The revenues received are only expended for the improvements that specially benefit the parcels within the respective L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. The City's Public Works Department administers all the maintenance contracts and supervises in-house and contracted maintenance staff.

There are 8 L.M.A.D.s, 3 D.F.A.D.s and, 2 M.A.D.s as follows:

Landscape Maintenance Assessment Districts (L.M.A.D.):

1. L.M.A.D. #1—City Wide
2. L.M.A.D. #2—Eagle Ranch
3. L.M.A.D. #3—Brentwood
4. L.M.A.D. #4—Old Town
5. L.M.A.D. #5—Vista Verde
6. L.M.A.D. #6—City Wide II
7. L.M.A.D. #7—Talon Ranch
8. L.M.A.D. #8—West Creek

Drainage Facilities Assessment Districts (D.F.A.D.):

1. D.F.A.D. #1—City Wide
2. D.F.A.D. #2—Vista Verde
3. D.F.A.D. #3—West Creek

Maintenance Assessment Districts (M.A.D.) include “Pocket” Park areas:

1. M.A.D. #1—Las Haciendas
2. M.A.D. #2—Vista Del Valle

The City of Victorville, by Council Policy No. CP-88-2, requires that arterial streets, drainage, and “pocket” park areas be screened from residential developments by a masonry wall, per City standards. The City policy requires that the area between the wall and the adjacent sidewalk be landscaped. In addition, a method for the perpetual maintenance of the wall and landscaping must be adopted by either a Home Owner’s Association (H.O.A.) or incorporated into the appropriate Landscape, Drainage or Maintenance Assessment District administered by the City.

When the development of a neighborhood in the community is identified to be a special benefit by certain improvements such as “pocket” park areas, landscaped sidewalks and paseo walkways and drainage facilities, property owners in the identified special benefit area are assessed to pay the costs of the continual maintenance of the special benefit improvements.

Each L.M.A.D./D.F.A.D./M.A.D. is formed when a residential or commercial project is first developed pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (the “1972 Act”). The “1972 Act” allows the City of Victorville to levy an annual assessment for the continual maintenance of the special benefit improvements to the property owners who reside within a landscape, drainage or maintenance district and the annual assessment is placed on the property owner’s tax bill.