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. . Minutes of the Arden Hills Regular Council Meeting, 7-8-91 Page 4 HRING (Cont'd) Engineer Maurer explaine:i that staff has reviewed past ilrprovements in the Snelling Avenue area an:l fourrl that Royal Hills Drive was completed in 1987. He stated that the assessment manual provides f= a reduction in the frontage calculation if a previous assessment was incurred by the owner of a corner lot within 5 years. Maurer advised the assessment roll presented this evening does not reflect the co=ected calculation an:l, if adopted, an adjustment f= the Ostlund property would be made to the roll. He indicated the front foot calculation would be rWJ'ced fram 150 feet to 50 feet. John McClung stated the cu=ent width of Snelling Avenue is 21 feet an:l aske::l if a large amount of the :in1provement cost is based on widening the roadway to an accepted standard. He suggested Council consider reducing the assessment by deleting the costs for widening the street an:l recalculating the assessment rate. Francis Pocllasek, 4410 North Snelling, recalled a camnent made by Councilmember Malone that the assessment rate is the same whether the resident lives on a freeway, cul-de-sac = regular street. He stated that obviously is not the case since the rate is proposed to be reduced. Councilmember Malone explaine:i the assessment rate is established annually, based on an estimate of the costs for construction of a "typical" roadway. He stated the bids received were lower than the estimated cost an:l the Council has the option to lower the assessment rate. Pocllasek stated if a road does not need to be widened when an ilI1provement is made, the residents ab.1tting that road would pay less f= the assessment. Engineer Maurer explaine:i there are sane costs associated with widening Snelling Avenue, however, there is same reduction in the overall project costs based on the fact the west side of Snelling Avenue has very few driveways. He stated the assessment policy adopted by Council is set up to reflect conditions f= ilrprovement of a typical street section, 32 feet wide an:l 7-ton design, an:l that is how the assessment was calculated. Jim Ostlund questioned how the interest rate on the assessment is determined. Councilmember Malone advised the interest rate is determined by state statute. Esther McClung, 4326 North Snelling, stated she appreciates the efforts of Council on behalf of the City. She advised the proposed asS:O"""""''1t amount is a great deal of money an:l Council should reconsider assessing such a large amount for future i1Tprovements. She indicated that residents are not going to be pleased with paying excessive assessments for street reconstruction. Mike Winkels, 1575 Royal Hills Drive, aske::l for clarification of the policy for reducing corner lot assessments; is the policy cu=ently in effect. Councilmember Malone explaine:i the fonnula f= reducing the front footage calculations on corner lots, which is cu=ently in effect, if the corner lot has been as~o~",'Xl f= another ilrprovement within the last five years. . Mayor Sather stated that staff has researched the area f= past assessments on corner lots in this ilI1provement. He explaine:i that discussion of properties identified for recalculation would take place at the close of the public hearing. Mayor Sather asked f= further COII1l1lents fram the floor. 'Ihere was no response an:l the public hearing was closed at 8:02 p.m.