The Solana Beach City Council voted July 15 to approve a resolution accepting the final Coastal Rail Trail Maintenance District engineer’s report and collecting annual assessments for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The assessment for a single family home in Zone 1 of the district, which includes properties within blocks of the trail, is $26.04, according to the city. For Zone 2, including properties “close to but not adjacent” to the trail, the assessment is $17.36. For properties in Zone 3, located east of Interstate 5 and farthest away, it is $4.34. The assessments represent a 2% increase.
“When the District was formed, property owners approved the assessment formula and maximum assessment amount in the Engineering Report,” according to a council agenda report. “The approved formula allows for an annual adjustment to the maximum assessment rate based on the lesser of the San Diego consumer price index or 2%, without requiring a new property owner ballot procedure. The methodology for calculating the assessment amount for each parcel is based on land use and proximity to the CRT.”
The funding from residents goes toward the landscaping, lighting and other costs of maintaining the Coastal Rail Trail.
The Coastal Rail Trail Maintenance District was formed in 2006 by the City Council.
“The District was formed to provide dedicated funding for landscaping and maintenance services for the City’s 1.7-mile portion of the Coastal Rail Trail, which extends from Via de la Valle at the south City boundary north to Ocean Street near the north City boundary,” according to the council agenda report.