Assessment Districts

Through the City of Carpinteria’s Landscape Maintenance District (LMD), the City continually provides a wide array of landscaping services that works to reduce wildfire risk through brush, weed, and other fuels management.

Specifically, funding generated by this City assessment helps: 1) prevent trash, litter and debris from accumulating in landscaped areas of Carpinteria, which may enter storm drains and end up in coastal waters and on beaches; 2) maintain landscaping of city medians, parkways, sidewalks and other public spaces; and 3) maintain trees on city streets, medians and other public spaces within the assessment district.

Our Challenges:

With the support of our community, the Landscape Maintenance District (LMD) was established in 1996 (nearly 30 years ago). Since that time, however, assessment rates have not been increased while the costs associated with providing these services have increased by 479.7%, resulting in a growing funding deficit for the services provided by the Landscape Maintenance District.

Over the years, the City has supplemented funds from its General Fund budget to fill the gap in funding for the Landscape Maintenance District. The City projects that in the next several years it may have to reduce the available city budget by over a million dollars annually. This could mean reductions to services, including public safety, street maintenance, parks, and recreational programs in order to continue shifting funds to support the underfunded Landscape Maintenance District.

To  ensure continued financial support for the City Landscape Maintenance District, the City of Carpinteria needs additional funding.

• FACT: Assessment rates and revenues have remained flat since 1996 when the local minimum wage was $6.50/hour and gas cost less than $2.00/gallon (on average). Costs have risen significantly since then, and despite the City reducing other services to cover these costs, the City still projects a budget shortfall in the coming years.
• FACT: Public landscaping services include maintenance and irrigation of trees, plants, shrubs, hedges, and other groundcover. These services also include removing landscaping debris from City drainage systems, maintenance of sidewalks and bikeways, and weed and graffiti abatement.
• FACT: The City currently supports landscaping services for approximately 184 acres of public land, not including parks. The Casitas Pass Road and the Via Real Triangle, the Costal Vista Trail, and the Santa Monica Creek Trail are some of the larger areas where the City manages landscaping services.
• FACT: As our climate continues to change, and summers continue to get hotter, tree coverage is a vital tool that the City has to combat some of the worst effects of heat. Studies have shown that increased tree coverage across communities reduces the effects of heat waves by cooling the surrounding areas.
• FACT: Safe, clean and well-maintained public landscaping along streets, trails, and public parking areas help maintain the quality of life and make our community a desirable place to live.
• FACT: City landscaping services help provide a benefit to Carpinteria residents, businesses and visitors through an improved pedestrian experience, increased fire abatement, support of community sustainability and environmental goals, and safer, better vehicle outcomes for drivers and bicyclists.
• FACT: The City has sought to maintain landscaping services at current levels without increasing property taxes. Despite efforts to cut costs and maintain tight cost controls, without additional funding to cover the increasing city landscape maintenance costs, the City of Carpinteria will need to revise its landscape maintenance budget for these services.

Identified Solution:

To continue the maintenance, operation and servicing of landscaped areas that directly benefit assessed parcels within the City of Carpinteria, the City is proposing the formation of an updated Landscape Maintenance District in compliance with Proposition 218.

What the updated Landscape Maintenance District proposes to fund:

• Continued maintenance to help reduce wildfire risk through brush, weed and other fuels management and abatement in landscaped public areas within the district.
• Continued maintenance to help prevent trash, litter and debris from accumulating in landscaped areas which may enter storm drains and end up in coastal waters and on beaches.

• Continued landscaping maintenance/servicing of street trees, landscaped medians, parkways, sidewalks and other public spaces that provide a direct and proportional benefit to properties within the district.

Proposition 218 Ballot Proceeding:

California’s Proposition 218 (the “Taxpayers Right to Vote on Taxes Act”), which was approved by voters across the state in 1996 as an amendment to the California Constitution, requires a “mail ballot proceeding” among local property owners (not registered voters) for any proposed new or increased assessment. Formation of an updated Landscape Maintenance District will be conducted according to the requirements established by Proposition 218, including providing all  property owners located within the district the opportunity to vote on the proposed assessment. For example, a ballot and notice will be mailed to all property owners who would be asked to pay the proposed Landscape Maintenance District No. 2025-1 assessment. If the proposed assessment is approved, it would replace the existing assessment that was established in 1996. The replacement District would establish updated assessments that more accurately reflect current costs and ensure long-term program sustainability. If the proposed ballot proceeding to replace the existing Landscape Maintenance District passed, it would be adjusted to $165.76/per year (or $13.81/per month) for City of Carpinteria single family residential property owners within the District, with an annual adjustment provision equal to the greater of 3% or the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, not to exceed 6%.

The assessment also includes accountability requirements so that funds are used as promised, with public disclosure of all spending and annual independent audits which will be available online. No funds from this assessment would go to the City’s General Fund.

View a printable Information Sheet for LMD here.

Every year through the City of Carpinteria Winter Protection Berm Assessment District No. 5, the City constructs a berm to help protect public and private property from high tides and winter storms. The berm helps preserve the integrity of the homes and businesses that are near the shore. The berm is typically built in October or November and dismantled the following March every year.

Our Challenge:

With the support of our community, Winter Berm District No. 5.  was established in 1992 (33 years ago). Since that time, however, assessment rates have not been increased, while construction, maintenance, management, contingency and emergency response costs have increased by 275% (from $25,300 in 1992 to $94,771 in 2025).

As a result, the City has supplemented funds from its General Fund budget to fill the gap in funding for the Winter Berm. The City projects that in the next several years it may have to reduce the available city budget by over a million dollars annually. This could mean reductions to services, including public safety, street maintenance, parks, and recreational programs in order to continue shifting funds to support the underfunded Winter Berm District.

In order to ensure continued financial support for the berm’s yearly construction, to expand the existing Winter Berm District to include all at risk properties, and avoid reductions to other services, the City of Carpinteria needs additional funding.

• FACT: Prior to 1992, frequent winter storm surges (or floods) caused significant property damage to parcels along the ocean front of the city. The damage spurred the City of Carpinteria and property owners to invest in the berm in order to provide protection from high tides and storm surges during the winter months.
• FACT: Since 1992 the Berm has protected homes and businesses near the ocean front from countless storms, saving property owners costs for repairs and renovations.
• FACT: In 2023, a strong storm caused a minor breach in the berm. Additional investment in our winter berm to prevent future breaches like the one we saw in 2023 is needed.
• FACT: Winter storms are becoming more severe and unpredictable. With a greater variance of winter storms, additional funding is needed to better protect the property nearest the Carpinteria City Beach.
• FACT: The berm helps protect property values and provides potential reductions in flood insurance premiums.
• FACT: A new flood risk analysis shows that a larger number of properties at or near the shoreline are at risk of flooding than were previously determined in 1992 when the Berm District boundaries were drawn. Currently, the Winter Berm District only contains 80 parcels as part of the special district. Meanwhile, the new flood risk analysis indicates that 394 parcels are at risk of significant flooding during winter storms and high tides.

Identified Solution: 

The berm program consists of seasonal construction and removal of an earthen berm approximately 1,375 feet in length along the Carpinteria City Beach. Once constructed, the berm must be monitored, maintained, and repaired during the winter storm season to ensure that it provides reliable protection.

Emergency response activities are often required during significant weather events to reinforce the structure and prevent overtopping or erosion. In addition to physical construction and maintenance, the program requires administrative oversight, compliance with legal noticing and reporting obligations, and the management of contractual and budgetary responsibilities. A contingency allocation is also necessary to address unforeseen events such as unusually severe storms.

To appropriately fund the continued yearly construction, maintenance, management, contingency and emergency response of the berm, the City of Carpinteria is considering the formation of a replacement assessment district, the Carpinteria Coastal Berm Assessment District, which would require a Proposition 218 ballot proceeding. The replacement District would establish updated assessments that more accurately reflect current costs and ensure long-term program sustainability. Formation of the Coastal Berm Assessment District would replace the levy of assessments within the existing District beginning in Fiscal Year 2026/27. All costs associated with berm construction, maintenance, and emergency response would be consolidated into a single, updated assessment.

California Proposition 218 (the “Taxpayers Right to Vote on Taxes Act”), which was approved by voters across the state in 1996 as an amendment to the California Constitution, requires a mail ballot proceeding among local property owners (not registered voters) for any proposed new or increased assessment. Formation of an updated Winter Protection Berm Assessment District will be conducted according to the requirements established by Proposition 218, including providing all property owners located within the district the opportunity to vote on the proposed assessment. For example, ballot and notice will be mailed to all property owners who would be asked to pay the proposed assessment for the Coastal Berm Assessment District No. 5. If the  proposed assessment is approved, it would replace the existing assessment that was established in 1992.  The replacement District would establish updated assessments that more accurately reflect current costs and ensure long-term program sustainability. If the proposed ballot proceeding to replace the existing Winter Protection Berm Assessment District passed, the proposed maximum assessment (Rate per Equivalent Benefit Unit) would be $235.42/ per year (or $19.62/ per month), with an annual adjustment provision equal to the greater of 3% or the percentage change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, not to exceed 6%.

Without the improvements, the adjacent neighborhoods and properties (subject parcels) face a substantially higher risk of flooding, structural damage, erosion, and associated financial losses. By contrast, the presence of the berm directly mitigates that exposure, resulting in tangible, parcel-specific advantages, including:

• Reduced risk of property damage and associated repair or replacement costs due to storm-driven wave action and coastal flooding;
• Lower likelihood of personal financial losses, business interruption, or displacement resulting from flood events;
• Potential reductions in flood insurance premiums, where applicable, due to demonstrated flood protection measures in place; and
• Preservation or enhancement of long-term property value as a result of improved site stability and reduced hazard designation.

By law, funds from this assessment can only be used to provide services within the Coastal Berm Assessment District boundaries. No funds from this assessment would go to the City’s General Fund. The budget for maintenance and services funded by this assessment would be provided to the public annually.

View a printable Information Sheet for Winter Berm here.