What is a Landscape Maintenance District (LMD)?
The City of Santa Clarita is responsible for administering and managing 61 LMD zones. Each LMD zone confers a special benefit upon properties through the installation and maintenance of landscape and ornamental features.
The City’s collective LMD operation encompasses over 2,300 acres of landscape areas including street medians, parkways, side-panels, 3 parks, numerous monument signs, more than 29 miles of paseos, approximately 60,000 trees, and 46 miles of landscaped medians.
How is the LMD Operation Funded?
Approximately 50,000 property owners (inclusive of homes and businesses) are located within, and financially contribute, to one or more LMD zones by way of a special assessment authorized by the 1972 Landscape and Lighting Act. This Act requires assessments generated within a specific geographical benefit area may only be spent to support improvements within that specific zone.
Each of the City’s 61 LMD zones are managed in a financially independent manner. View the LMD Annual Budget – By Zone.
History
The first LMD zones were created in 1972 by the County of Los Angeles and were located in the Old Orchard area of Valencia. The assessment paid by these property owners continues to be used to maintain landscaping in and around the Valencia Paseo System. Today there are 61 financially independent LMD zones located throughout the entire community. Originally managed by Los Angeles County, the administrative and operational responsibilities were transferred by the County to the City in 1997.
In the 25 years since taking responsibility for managing these LMDs, the total number of individual LMD zones and the overall footprint of these landscape improvements have significantly increased resulting in the beautiful community residents have come to expect and enjoy.
