10 neighborhoods face dark times

Ten neighborhoods around Surprise could go dark at night soon unless they form streetlight districts and pay to keep their areas illuminated.

City officials are mailing out information this week to the affected pockets in the community. Without the creation of Street Light Improvement Districts, lights could be turned off after June 30.

"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 the 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."

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, officials said.

Five of the affected neighborhoods are in the Original Town Site section of the city. 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 says.