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1. Will contractors be allowed to work on closed Fridays?

Yes, some contractor activities will be allowed on closed Fridays as long as they do not require inspection, do not require traffic control to be set-up, or do not include work in the right-of-way. Some of the activities that will not be allowed are:

• Right-of-way and easement encroachment activities
• Public water or wastewater work by contractors
• Tie-ins
• Shutdowns
• Potholing
• Pressure testing
• Bacti’s
• Jobs that require boring

Deviation will not be permitted without the prior consent of the Engineer, except in emergencies involving immediate hazard to persons or property.

2. How do I report general concerns regarding my neighborhood, such as tree issues, parking problems, and street maintenance needs?

The Staff Directory lists appropriate contact information for many inquiries. In other cases, it is necessary to call 858-668-4700 during regular business hours for personalized customer assistance.

3. What areas of the city does the Landscape Maintenance District cover?

Most public landscaping along Poway’s streets, medians, and entrances to various residential communities is maintained through the LMD. Within these areas, the district is responsible for maintaining all irrigation and sprinkler systems, turf, trees, shrubs, and bushes in medians and public rights-of way.

4. Why are assessments different for each zone?

Each zone is a small geographic area of the city and within those zones there are different types of landscaping that must be maintained. Some of the differences include the age of the landscaping, the amount and type of landscaping, and the size and condition of the landscaping. All of these factors play a role in determining the actual maintenance costs for the landscaping within a particular zone. Additionally, some zones are larger than others and may have more property owners sharing in the costs.

5. Why are there different levels of maintenance throughout the Landscape Maintenance District?

The city has tried to maintain a uniform level of maintenance throughout the landscaped areas. Under Assessment District law, the city can only use funds collected from property owners within a zone for costs associated directly and specifically with that zone. In some zone areas, the assessments allowed by law have not been sufficient to pay for basic maintenance costs; so, essentially, some zones have been “under funded”. This is especially true when considering the costs necessary to replace dying plants and trees, replace or repair vandalized equipment, or renovate older irrigation systems.

6. What is a Landscape Maintenance District?

A Landscape Maintenance District is created to pay for the costs of ongoing maintenance and improvement of public landscaping that provides special benefits to properties in given areas of the city. Special benefits are defined as improvements that increase the desirability or value of property directly associated with the enhanced improvements.

7. How are the assessments determined and set?

Each year the city evaluates the anticipated costs for maintenance for the upcoming year. This evaluation takes into consideration any increases in costs as well as cost savings realized. Some of the costs that are evaluated include: routine maintenance and mowing contracts, equipment repair, weed abatement, shrub and tree pruning, radios and computers, irrigation parts and controllers, water, electricity, fertilizer and other chemicals, vehicles and vehicle maintenance, and other administrative costs to operate the Landscape Maintenance District.

An annual budget is developed using those costs. The total costs are divided among the parcels in each zone based on the proportionate share of benefit received from the improvements. The proposed assessments are then reviewed and approved each year by the City Council during a public hearing process.

8. How is the Landscape Maintenance District funded?

Property owners in the LMD pay an annual assessment for this maintenance. Each property owner is assessed annually for a portion of the maintenance costs in their zone. The assessments are established on a “zone-by-zone” basis and are paid by the property owner through the county's property tax bill.

9. How can I find out if I live in a LMD zone?

The easiest way to determine your zone and its funding level is to call the city's Public Works Department at 858-668-4700.