Agenda - Public Works Committee - 01/19/1999

Home

popular argument is that these streets receive more traffic than residential streets and the additional traffic causes damage to the road. While this may be true, the existing policies require ithe MSA resident to pay what the average residential street resident pays for a similar iimprovement. MSA streets also receive some benefits over residential streets such as [earlier and more intensive snow plowing and patching. Determination of Assessment Amount. Historically, the City of Ramsey has aggregated [ projects on the basis of similar lots and street characteristics and assessed on the actual cost of[the project, divided equally among ail such benefited parcels. Typically, this works 4uite well on a subdivision basis. However, there are increasing incidents of being confrogted with situations that don't result in an equitable assessment under this process. In recent programs, we have resorted to the "average" assessment to cover such incidenges. Also, public comment has criticized assessing the owner of a large frontage the same as a typical residential frontage, or even a commercial frontage the same as a residential frontage. Consideration could be given toward assessing based upon front footage~· It would be administratively more difficult to do it in this manner, however it could be greatly simplified by creating frontage categories (i.e., lots less than 100 feet, frontages between 100 to 200 feet, commercial frontages, etc.) Committee ACtion: The Committee should direct the preparation of a feasibility study for the 1999 Street Maintenance P[ogram. Depending on the amount of consensus, the basis of assessment could be the same as in ~the past, or an amended policy directed by the Committee. Reviewed by: City Administrator Finance OffiGer Director of Public Works PW: 01/19/99 @shared/pwcommit/1999/january/streetma