Tustin Landscape and Lighting District (TLLD)

About the TLLD

In the 1980s,  the Tustin Ranch area was under planning, leading to the formation of the Tustin Landscape and Lighting District (District) in 1985. This maintenance district was established to enhance the character of our neighborhoods by ensuring continuous maintenance and improvement of lighting and landscaping along city streets within Tustin Ranch.  As property developed in the Tustin Ranch area, it was required to be annexed to the District. Today, the District includes 5,704 parcels encompassing 457.186 acres.  

The City, under the provisions of the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972 (’72 Act) and the provisions of the California Constitution, Article XIII D (commonly known as “Proposition 218” or “Prop 218”), annually levies and collects special assessments for the District to fund and maintain the various landscaping and lighting improvements that provide special benefits to properties within Tustin Ranch. 

What the District Maintains

The District is responsible for maintaining landscaping along parkways, trails, and slopes, as well as street lighting on major roads and within residential neighborhoods. These improvements are located within public rights-of-way and dedicated easements.

What the District Does Not Maintain

The District does not install or maintain public parks or landscaped median islands in roadways.

Engineer's Reports

Historical Overview

For nearly 30 years, from 1997 to 2025, assessments barely changed, while costs for water, electricity, and maintenance rose significantly. The cost of maintaining landscaping and lighting in Tustin Ranch has exceeded the revenue collected through assessments.  Since 2021, services have been reduced to stretch limited revenues. Property owners previously voted on a proposed rate increase, but there were not sufficient votes to increase assessments. As a result, the City Council adopted a reduced maintenance plan, which is updated each year to stay within the available budget.  

To stretch limited funds, service levels have been reduced:Tustin Ranch -11

  • Landscape maintenance is performed every 8 weeks instead of every 4  weeks

  • Plant and tree replacement has been suspended

  • Tree trimming occurs every 3 years instead of every 2 years

  • Irrigation is limited, keeping plants alive through the hottest months but leaving them stressed in late spring and early summer

2025 Proposed Reassessment District 

Even with reduced maintenance services, the District continues to face a funding shortfall. Over the years, the cost of maintaining landscaping and lighting has increased faster than the current assessment rates, leaving the district without sufficient reserves to cover ongoing expenses. 

To address this issue, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-59 on October 7, 2025, and scheduled a Public Hearing for Tuesday, December 2, 2025. At this hearing, the Council will consider establishing the proposed Tustin Landscape & Lighting Reassessment District 2025, which would provide the funding necessary to restore service levels and fund much-needed improvement projects. To view the meeting and agenda report, click here. 

During the week of October 13, 2025, property owners will receive a ballot in the mail to vote on replacing the existing district with the proposed assessment district. The new district has adjusted rates designed to realign revenues with the actual costs of maintaining and improving neighborhood landscaping and lighting. Ballots will be tabulated at the Public Hearing on December 2, 2025.

Proposed Five-Year Assessment Schedule

Benefit Area FY 2025-26 
(Current)		FY 2026-27
(Proposed)		FY 2027-28
(Proposed)		FY 2028-29
(Proposed)		FY 2029-30
(Proposed)		FY 2030-31
(Proposed)
A$7.58$7.81$8.63$9.46$10.42$11.45
B$106.97$124.80$150.58$171.62$202.17$224.21
C$140.01$149.06$177.40$201.02$234.53$259.78

Note: Rates are per Equivalent Dwelling Unit. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

  • What is a Landscape and Lighting Assessment District?
    • A Landscape Maintenance and Lighting District is created to pay for the costs of ongoing maintenance and improvement of public landscaping and lighting 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.
    • Each district is created through formation proceedings (also known as a vote of the affected property owners) pursuant to the Landscaping and Lighting Act of 1972.  This usually occurs at the time a residential or commercial project is first developed.  The Act allows a local agency to levy an annual assessment for the maintenance of the community improvements, based on special benefit directly or indirectly, to the property owners within a Landscape Maintenance and Lighting  District.  Annual assessments are paid as part of a line item on individual property tax bills.
  • How does the District benefit our community?
    • The District ensures lighting and landscaping are maintained and updated along city streets within the District boundary. This includes lighting improvements, irrigation upgrades and replacements, and planting and maintaining trees, shrubs, and other plants. 
    • Some projects, such as conversion to LED lights and landscaping at major intersections, are easily visible to the public. Others may be less noticeable but provide value to the community, such as planting groundcover to control erosion and reduce watering needs. 
  • How is the District different from other City lighting and landscape programs?
    • The District allows the Tustin Ranch community to receive more landscaping and lighting maintenance and improvements than other areas of the City. Only the people who live in the District benefit from the enhancements.
  • How do I know if I live within the benefit area?
  • What does my District assessment pay for? 
    • The district assessment provides for landscaping and lighting in the Tustin Ranch area; landscape improvements along slopes and parkways; and costs associated with water, electricity, and contracted labor for landscape, tree trimming, litter control, weed abatement, and other general maintenance services.
  • How will the funds be used if the if the Majority Votes YES ? 
    • The new revenue will be used to increase maintenance service levels and resume landscape and maintenance improvement projects in the district.   This includes more frequent landscape maintenance and tree trimming, resuming the annual plant replacement program, and once again implementing irrigation schedules that ensure plant material always thrives.  This new revenue will only benefit Tustin Ranch and will only be used for maintenance and improvement projects in the district. 
  • What will happen if the if the Majority Votes NO?  
    • If the ballot measure does not pass, property owners will continue to pay their current assessment rate, and the District will continue to in a deficit, relying on reduced services and deferred maintenance.  As a result, there will be funding to invest in landscaping, lighting, or maintenance improvements in your neighborhood.
  • When will my ballot be mailed, and when is my ballot due? 
    • Ballots will be mailed to every property owner in the Tustin Landscape Lighting District during the week of October 13, 2025. The ballot must be completed and returned to Tustin City Hall by the public hearing date of December 2, 2025, at which time the returned ballots will be opened and counted during the public City Council Meeting.

Contact Information

For more information or questions, contact us at tlld@tustinca.org or (714) 573-3030.