The Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District's historic functions are explained in the following text, reproduced from a February 14, 2006 Agenda Report to the City Administrator prepared by the City Budget Office and Public Works Agency:
Revenue from the current Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District (LLAD) supports park maintenance, street lighting and roadway landscaping. The importance of the LLAD can best be illustrated through a description of the many functions that are funded by this revenue stream:
- LLAD funds pay for the landscape maintenance staff that maintains 134 parks and
public grounds, and nearly 100 landscaped street medians. Maintenance duties
include removing trash and litter; repairing and replacing irrigation systems; mowing
turf: replacing plants, shrubs and turf. - LLAD funds provide tree-related services, including tree inspections, planting, watering, re-staking, mulching and weeding, fertilization, insect and disease control, pruning, and hazardous tree removal.
- LLAD funds pays for the electrical staff that maintains 36,219 streetlights, including 2,500 calls for streetlight repair annually. Maintenance includes replacing failed lamps, and fixtures, cleaning the fixture lens, refractor and photo controls, and inspecting and maintaining the wiring connections and fuses.
- LLAD pays the PG&E bills for streetlights and park facilities' electrical costs.
- LLAD pays for the more than 132 million gallons of water that are used annually to irrigate parks and medians.
- LLAD funds maintain ball fields and specialized turf, including soccer, football, baseball, lawn bowling and the Snow Park putting green. Maintenance includes mowing, fertilizing, irrigating, removing litter for turf and as-recommended maintenance for synthetic turf.
- LLAD funds maintain recreation centers, restrooms, tennis courts and children's play equipment in City parks. Maintenance includes making repairs as necessary to a variety of fixtures in parks including; water fountains, fountains, picnic tables, bleachers, field lighting, tot lot equipment, benches and restroom fixtures and plumbing. Maintenance and repairs are also performed at recreational facilities in parks. These include heating systems, painting, plumbing, electrical and carpentry work.
- LLAD pays for custodial services at 25 recreation centers and 28 stand-alone restroom facilities at ball fields and parks. Custodial services at recreation centers include vacuuming, sweeping and mopping floors; cleaning and dusting rooms; collecting trash and recycling from containers as well as monthly, quarterly and annual deep cleaning. Custodial repairs at stand-alone restrooms include hosing down of walls, fixtures and floors, replenishing dispensers, disinfecting fixtures and removing trash.
- LLAD funds maintain five swimming pools, including water quality testing, application of chemicals, maintenance of mechanical systems, and cleaning of decks, locker rooms and shower areas.