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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />Minn. Stat. § 429.061, subd. <br />2. <br />Minn. Stat. § 429.081. <br />See Form 17. <br />Habel v. City of Chisago City, <br />346 N.W.2d 668 (Minn. Ct. <br />App. 1984). <br />Minn. Stat. § 429.081. <br />See Section I-B. <br />See Section I-C-1. <br />A. Objections <br />No one can formally object to, or appeal, the amount of an assessment <br />unless the property owner signs a written objection and files it with the city <br />clerk prior to the assessment hearing or presents it to the presiding officer at <br />the hearing. Property owners subject to proposed special assessments must <br />be informed of this requirement in the mailed notice. They should also be <br />reminded of the requirement at the hearing itself. <br />Any objections to the assessments not received at the public assessment <br />hearings in the manner prescribed are waived, unless the failure to object at <br />the assessment hearing is due to a "reasonable cause." Reasonable cause is <br />not defined in statute and has not received in-depth judicial analysis. <br />B. Appeals to the district court <br />Within 30 days after the adoption of the assessment roll, a property owner <br />who has properly objected to the assessment may appeal a special <br />assessment to the district court. The property owner appeals by serving <br />notice upon the mayor or city clerk and then filing the served notice with the <br />district court within 10 days of that service <br />If a city's assessment is challenged in district court, the assessment roll <br />constitutes initial proof that an assessment does not exceed the special <br />benefit. The party contesting the assessment must introduce evidence <br />sufficient to overcome that presumption. If the evidence as to the special <br />benefit is conflicting it is the responsibility of the district court to determine <br />whether the assessment exceeds the market value increase and, if so, by <br />what amount. <br />As discussed previously, if the city coordinates the competitive bid process <br />with the special assessment process, the city now proceeds with the actual <br />work of the project after certification of the assessment roll and the 30-day <br />appeal period is over. Because the time for appeals is over before the <br />contract is issued, the city will not need to cover potential budget shortfalls <br />that may occur if a property owner successfully challenges a special <br />assessment or the lowest bid comes in higher than expected. <br />League of Minnesota Cities Information Memo: 9/22/2011 <br />Special Assessment Guide Page 23 <br />