Surprise to aid residents in keeping streetlights on

Residents in 10 neighborhoods around the city will soon be getting information from Surprise to help them keep their streetlights on. 

The information about forming Street Light Improvement Districts needed to keep streetlights in those neighborhoods illuminated after June 30 will be mailed next week.

“Traditionally, residents pay for the power to keep streetlights on through a SLID, though they may not realize it,” said Surprise Development Engineer Nick Mascia. “It is part of their property tax bill.” 

Mascia said the Surprise Municipal Code requires SLIDs to be formed, but in the case of these 10 neighborhoods, that step was not taken during the development process. 

“The city has been covering the cost for those streetlights, but now it is time to reach out and get SLIDs formed,” Mascia said.

In order to form a SLID, 50 percent plus one of the property owners in the affected area must sign a petition asking the Surprise City Council to form a SLID. If enough signatures are gathered, the council will form the SLID and the costs will be part of residents’ property tax. Cost estimates per parcel per year in the areas range from $21 to $118. The average cost is $46.60 per year.

If not enough signatures are gathered by the June 30 deadline, the streetlights may no longer be illuminated.

Five of the affected neighborhoods are in the Original Town Site section of the city and are known as OTS Residential North, OTS Residential South, OTS Commercial North, OTS Commercial South and OTS Commercial West. Other areas include Coyote Lakes, Kingswood Park Section 16, Bell West Ranch (Cotton Lane), Stone Brook, and Martin Acres/Section 10.

Residents will receive a letter explaining the SLID process as early as this week, Mascias says. 

Residents can also go to a newly launched Web site, www.surpriseaz.com/slidpetition to view maps, download petitions and get all the information needed to take action.

“All property owners really need to do is download the petition, sign it and mail it in to City Hall, and we will take care of the rest,” Mascia said.