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<br />CASE # <br /> <br />UPDATE ON NOW AND THEN ESTATES AND 2010 ASSESSMENT DISCUSSION <br />By: Tim Himmer, City Engineer <br /> <br />Background: <br /> <br />This streets within this subdivision been discussed numerous times dating back to 2006 when the <br />BROOKFIELD subdivision was in full swing and some of these properties were considering <br />purchase agreements for incorporation into future phases of the development. The housing <br />market was beginning to slow at that time, and has continued its downward spiral, therefore the <br />idea of acquiring the properties within NOW AND THEN ESTATES has never materialized or <br />been discussed further since that time. A neighborhood meeting was held on August 8, 2007 to <br />hear from the property owners on how they would like to address the issues of street <br />reconstruction and/or potential utility extensions into their subdivision. It was the general <br />consensus of those in attendance that the road should be patched/repaired until sewer and water <br />was extended into the neighborhood. The item was brought back to the Public Works <br />Committee on September 17,2007, and the motion was to honor the resident's wishes by <br />continuing to repair the road until utilities are extended. <br /> <br />Estimates have been prepared for reconstructing the roads, with and without utilities, and <br />presented to the residents for discussion at a March 18, 2008 open house. It was the feeling of <br />those in attendance that they never received the complete roadway improvement as part of the <br />subdivision construction (the final lift of asphalt was never installed), nor has the City ever <br />adequately maintained the road. After reviewing construction documents for the project the road <br />section was never intended to receive two lifts of asphalt, and was therefore constructed <br />according to plan. It is accurate however that the road has never received any City maintenance <br />activities, other than continuous patching, due to the poor underlying clay soils. <br /> <br />Observations: <br /> <br />The current 2010 - 2014 CIP has money budgeted for the reconstruction of these roadways. Due <br />to the expense to reconstruct these roads and the limited amount of benefiting properties, this <br />leads to extremely high assessments. Staff wanted to make the residents aware of the <br />programmed project within the CIP, and discuss the potential assessments with them prior to <br />undertaking the formal process for these improvements. It was a concern that much time would <br />be put into this project only to have it counter-petitioned against due to cost considerations. A <br />neighborhood meeting was held on November 18,2009 to present the cost estimates (see <br />attached) and discuss the process going forward. It was the general feeling that something <br />needed to be done to repair the streets, but due to continued neglect the City should be <br />responsible for more than the standard fifty percent contribution. The homeowners felt they <br />could not afford the assessments proposed and would therefore not be supportive of the <br />improvement project. <br /> <br />Staff also relayed some of the Council deliberations related to a City wide tax increase, or other <br />alternative funding mechanisms, to reduce or eliminate assessments on future roadway <br />reconstruction projects. The residents were open to such a program and inquired what impact <br />that would have on them if this project were to be initiated prior to that approach being adopted. <br />