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<br />Cities .look to fix streets and bypass the big bill <br /> <br />Page 1 of2 <br /> <br /> <br />StarTribune.com <br /> <br />Cities look to fix streets and bypass <br />the big bill <br /> <br />Eden Prairie officials hope that <br />legislators will endorse the use of <br />regular utility fees rather'than large <br />special assessments. <br /> <br />By LAURIE BLAKE, Star Tribune <br />Last update: February 28, 2009 . 9:34 PM <br /> <br />To spare property owners the sticker shock of <br />big street repair bills, Eden Prairie wants to pay <br />for streets the way it pays for water and sewer <br />construction .. by charging regular utility fees. <br /> <br />Noting thnt Edina homeowners can face special <br />assessments of $6,000 to 11101'e than $10,000 <br />when their residentiL\1 streets are repaved. Eden <br />Prairie would like to get user fees established <br />before its streets l'\mch the age thut they need <br />replacement. said City MLmagel' Scott Neal. <br /> <br />"If we can figure out how to replace that street <br />with this kind of tool. we can rely less on special <br />assessments. which can be a burden," Neal said. <br />"We think people would appreciate that." <br /> <br />Eden Prairie is among a handful of cities, along <br />with Minnetonka and Sleepy Eye, that are seeking <br />approval from legislators this year,to implement <br />street uti I ity fees. <br /> <br />Minnewnka wants to create a tr'lnsportation <br />improvement district el1colT1passingonly -) <br />commerciul properties near Hwy. 169 and Bren <br />Road to help pay for a new $20 million <br />interchange at Bren that would "Uow UnitedHealth <br />Group to go ahe,ld with plans to build a second . <br />oftice tower, said City Manager John Glll1YOll. <br /> <br />"That would allow ltS'to meet whatever local <br />match we have to come up with [for the <br />intercl:1ange] without spreading that on our entire <br />city," Gunyou said. <br /> <br />The same fee could be llsed to finance a <br />Southwest light-rail station in the area, he said. <br /> <br />Rllral Sleepy Eye in southwestern Minnesota <br />wants to use a citywide street utility fee the way <br />Eden Prairie would LLse it, said City Manager Mark <br />Kober. Sleepy Eye lu,s had good results with a <br />sim ilar citywide t~e for sewer reconstruction, <br />Kober said. <br /> <br />"Folks pay 011 a monthly basis like a LltHity. We put <br />that in the bank and let it earn interest, und then <br />we pay cash without direct assessments and <br />property taxes." <br /> <br />The League of Minnesota Cities has endorsed <br />street districts for years, arguing that a reliable <br />fee would allow cities to keep up with sealcoating <br />and overlays. Regular maintemmce extends the <br />life of streets and saves molley, said Anne Finn, <br />the league's assistant director of governmental <br /> <br />Advertisement <br /> <br />Print Powered By C~i1TF;();~;.n;;l#F..'6ynamfc-s';.1 <br />"......~._.....-,,,.-.....~.,......_^',"-"'""............--............-_........","'""""..~...... <br /> <br />http://www.startribune.com/local/west! 40461307 .html?elr== KArks UUUU <br /> <br />37f1T2009 <br />