Supervisors approve Street Lighting District rates

On July 13, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, who also serve as the board of the San Diego County Street Lighting District, approved the street lighting district’s annual assessment for properties in Zone A of that district.

The approved assessment amount of $6.48 per benefit unit for Fiscal Year 2011-12 is unchanged from the previous fiscal year and has not increased since 2008. The county’s Department of Public Works, which operates the San Diego County Street Lighting District, has adopted a policy of slight annual increases to keep pace with energy costs rather than a large increase as was the case in 2004. Stabilized energy, labor, and material costs have allowed the assessment rate to remain unchanged in recent years.

Other factors enabling the Department of Public Works to maintain the street lights without an assessment increase include development of geographic information system applications, a countywide contract to quicken mobilization and replacement of damaged facilities, and specialized software for formula computation and parcel charges. An anti-theft program has reduced the unauthorized removal of copper wire since 2008, and when streetlights are damaged by automobiles the Department of Public Works has been seeking reimbursement from drivers’ insurance companies.

The San Diego County Street Lighting District was formed in September 1987. The district itself includes the entirety of unincorporated San Diego County; Zone A covers parcels which benefit from street lights in the district while Zone B consists of the remainder of the district. Properties can be added into Zone A either by a majority weighted vote of property owners or as a condition of a discretionary permit. Zone A covers more than 100,000 benefit units and 200,000 customers.

The district operates approximately 10,000 lights, some of which are owned by the county and some of which are owned by San Diego Gas & Electric but for which the San Diego County Street Lighting District pays the electricity costs. Zone A includes 774 street lights in Fallbrook, 77 in Bonsall, and seven in Rainbow.

In 1987, the voters approved an assessment rate of up to $25 per year per benefit unit, with a single-family home equating to one benefit unit, although in 1990 the fee was reduced from $23 to $2.50 per benefit unit. That $2.50 assessment remained unchanged until 2004, when rising energy costs and a state budget shift from special districts did not allow increased efficiency to offset the additional expenses. The assessment was increased to $5.33 per benefit unit for Fiscal Year 2004-05, $5.60 for 2005-06, $5.88 for 2006-07, $6.17 for 2007-08, and $6.48 for 2008-09.

On May 25, the county supervisors set the July 13 hearing date and also approved the Engineer’s Report for the street lighting district.