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The proposed project is eligible for assessments according to the City of Arden Hills Assessment <br /> Policy. Per City policy, a portion of the street improvements will be assessed to the benefitting <br /> properties. Along with assessments, street costs will be financed through the PIR fund and the <br /> General Fund. Utility improvements will be funded from the appropriate Enterprise Fund, and <br /> are not assessable. <br /> PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENTS <br /> Assessments will be levied to the benefitting properties as outlined in Minnesota State Statute <br /> Chapter 429 and the City's Assessment Policy. The City's policy is to assess 50% of the overall <br /> street improvements costs including contingencies and overhead to the benefitting properties. <br /> The assessed amount is levied on a unit basis. The policy also includes a provision that states that <br /> the City Council may deviate from any portion of the Assessment policy as deemed appropriate. <br /> The City Council can choose to base the assessment on actual contract prices or on the estimated <br /> prices in this report. Estimated construction costs are estimates only, all of the factors that affect <br /> construction prices cannot be predicted. If the assessments are based on estimated construction <br /> costs, there is a possibility of over-assessing residents if the bid prices come in lower than <br /> anticipated. If bids come in higher than anticipated, the City will end up paying for a larger <br /> portion of the project than estimated. Therefore, it is recommended that the assessment rates be <br /> set based on actual competitive bid prices with reasonable contingencies. The current proposed <br /> project schedule will allow for the assessment hearing to take place prior to construction if bid <br /> prices are used. <br /> There are two different types of properties that abut the proposed improvements; single-family <br /> properties (R-I zoning), and tax-exempt (City-owned) properties. There are no commercial <br /> properties that abut the proposed improvements. Northwestern College abuts the project, <br /> however, does not have any access to the project area. The following discusses the proposed <br /> number of assessable units for each type of property followed by the preliminary assessments. <br /> Single-Family Residential Properties <br /> The policy states that "all residentially zoned properties with frontage abutting a street that is <br /> overlaid with bituminous shall be assessed on a per unit basis at the residential equivalent <br /> assessment rate." A lot unit is defined in the Assessment Policy as a platted single-family <br /> residential lot or equivalent, which cannot be further subdivided for R-1 and R-2 residential use <br /> according to the current City Code. Corner lots are assessed on the street used for the mailing <br /> address; this has been factored into the preliminary assessment roll. <br /> All of the properties that have a mailing address on Asbury Avenue, Edgewater Avenue, Glenhill <br /> Road and Ridgewood Road are single-family residential properties and will be considered as a <br /> Residential Equivalent Unit (REU). There are no larger properties within these neighborhoods <br /> that can be further subdivided to meet the City's Code. <br /> This project is unique in that the City border between Arden Hills and Roseville runs mid-block <br /> through Asbury Avenue and Ridgewood Road. There are five parcels divided by the City limits, <br /> each of which have two separate tax Parcel Identification numbers (PIDs), one in Arden Hills, <br /> 14 <br />