Agenda - Council Work Session - 11/18/2014

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CITY OF BLAINE - PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT - SPECIAL ASSESSMENT POLICY 4. Indexes A construction cost index may be used in the special assessment process. The construction cost index is a number computed by "Engineering News Record" (ENR index) derived from prices of construction materials, labor, and equipment for the Minneapolis area. 5. Properties Not Assessed Special assessments will not be levied against properties described as follows: a) Lands deemed unbuildable by virtue of laws, lawful regulations, or economic analysis relating to soil characteristics and/or lying within the flood plain of major drainage channels and/or wetlands. b) Drainage basins (defined by public easements) and major drainage ditch easements such as Sand Creek, Coon Creek, Pleasure Creek, Spring Brook, and Rice Creek. c) All right-of-way of U.S. and State highways, County roads, and City streets. d) All City owned property that is maintained and operated out of the City's General Fund Budget. e) Railroad right-of-ways and other major transportation right-of-ways (i.e., rapid transit). 6. Methods of Assessment Past practice in Blaine reflects use of three methods of assessments. Any of the three methods or combination of methods may be used for a particular project. The special assessment method and policies summarized herein cannot be considered as all- inclusive; unusual circumstances may at times justify special considerations. Also, any fixed cost data and rates may be adjusted from year to year by the ENR Construction Index. Decisions to assess costs will be evaluated against costs to administer. a) Area Method: The area to be assessed is the total land area, including easements, in acres of a property lying within a utility service district or project area, and including rights - of -way within a plat, but otherwise excluding those areas as described under "Properties Not Assessed". The types of improvements generally assessed on this basis are: • Sanitary Sewer Trunk/Subtrunk: o Residential: Sanitary Sewer 10" and larger or 12' depth or greater. o Commercial/Industrial: Sanitary Sewer 12" and larger or 12' depth and greater. • Sewer Lift Stations and Forcemains • Storm Drainage If the City Council elects to assess a particular improvement on the basis of acreage, the acreage assessment shall be calculated as follows: i. The Assessment Cost of the improvement shall be divided by the total assessable acreage for the improvement, as determined under this policy. The quotient of this shall be the Calculated Assessment Rate. H:\TEAM\GISENG\PVMT•MGT\SPECIAL ASSESSMENT POLICY\SPECIAL ASSESSMENT POLICY.DOC 4