1998-06-10 Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ASSESSMENT POLICY SECTION 1 LEGISLATIVE INTENT The policies contained herein establish a procedure for making public improvements and levying special assess- ments pursuant to the requirements of Minnesota Statutes. When an improvement conveys special benefit to properties in a definable area, the City intends to levy special assessments on the benefitted properties to finance such improvements. It is the policy of the City that the amount of the assessment for public improvements should not exceed the special benefit to the property. The City will use the assessment policies to insure that assessments have a reason- able relationship to benefits. Public improvements include the construction or reconstruction of streets, sidewalks, storm sewer, sanitary sewer, water works, street lighting, or any other public improvements allowed by State law. SECTION 2 GENERAL ASSESSMENT POLICIES 1. Initiation of Im provements. Improvements may be initiated by the City Council or by petition of not less than 35% of the affected property owners. Petitions re- questing improvements will be received by Council until the 15th day of August of the year prior to the year of requested construction. (Petitions after this date will be received only upon special consent of the Council.) The City Council, shall, by resolution, determine whether or not the petition has been signed by the required per- centage of owners of the property affected by such petition. 2. Project Cost. The "project cost" of an improvement shall be deemed to include the costs of all necessary con- struction work required to accomplish the improvement, plus expenses incurred or to be incurred in making the improve- ment including engineering, legal, administration, financing, right -of -way acquisition, and other contingent costs. 3. City Cost. Where the project cost of an improvement is not entirely attributable to the need for service to the areas served by said improvement, or where unusual conditions beyond the control of the property owners in the area served by the improvement would result in an inequitable distribu- tion of special assessments, the City, through the use of other funds, may pay such "city costs" which, in the opinion of the City Council, represents those costs not directly attributable to the area served. 1