Laserfiche WebLink
The following considerations are addressed in the attached draft Special Assessments Policy. <br />• Subgrade corrections <br />• Rural to urban street conversions <br />• Double fronting properties <br />• Corner properties <br />• Property classification/zoning <br />• Property size/density (large lot vs. small lot) <br />• Property shape/configuration <br />• Front footage versus per unit rate application <br />Staff requests Committee direction on whether any of these considerations should be deleted from the list, or <br />whether more should be added. Staff is also seeking direction at this time on which assessment method is preferred <br />for residential properties versus commercial and industrial properties. For example, commercial and industrial <br />properties often vary greatly in size and shape so most cities use a front footage method for assessing <br />improvements against commercial and industrial properties, whereas residential properties are most often assessed <br />based on per unit or area method. <br />As previously discussed, special assessments at the minimum rate of 20% for street reconstruction projects may <br />exceed $10,000 on larger properties, particularly on properties an acre in area or greater, of which there are many. <br />This is significantly more than property owners in the City of Ramsey have been assessed in the past for seal -coat <br />and overlay projects, which have generally been $2,000 or less for residential properties and $7,000 or less for <br />commercial/industrial properties. <br />Per Public Works Committee direction on May 20th, Staff obtained assessment policies from numerous cities that <br />apply special assessments to fund public improvement projects. Attached are copies of assessment policies from <br />Andover, Blaine and Champlin. These contain many of the same considerations included in the attached draft <br />Policy. Assessment policies from numerous other cities will also be available for review at the meeting. Attached <br />for reference is a tabulation of pertinent information from other cities assessment policies. <br />Staff has completed a cursory review of the attached draft Policy as related to potential conflicts with City Charter <br />language. When the Public Works Committee feels a solid draft Policy has been prepared, the City Attorney will be <br />asked to review it to ensure there are no conflicts between the draft Policy and the City Charter, in addition to other <br />matters of policy. <br />Also attached is a Special Assessments Guide developed and distributed by LMC. This guide defines special <br />assessments, discusses a cities authority to levy special assessments for certain improvements and the process that <br />must be followed, and provides other relevant information and web site links that can assist in developing the City <br />of Ramsey's Special Assessment Policy. <br />Also attached is Appendix B as prepared for the January 19, 2010 Public Works Committee case. This attachment <br />lists the Street Maintenance Program assessment practices used at the time and references some of the dates those <br />practices were effective. <br />Once formal direction is received on the percentage of costs to be specially assessed for future street reconstruction <br />projects, Staff will finalize the Garnet Street/168th Avenue Feasibility Report since this project is included in the <br />CIP for 2015 construction. The Andrie Street/164th Lane Feasibility Report will be finalized at a later date as this <br />project is included in the CIP for construction in 2016, which fits nicely with Elk River's proposed reconstruction <br />of Jarvis Street in 2015. <br />Funding Source: <br />