Minutes - Council - 10/25/2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Exhibit A October 20, 2016 Mayor Sarah Strommen and Council City of Ramsey 7550 Sunwood Drive NW Ramsey, MN. 55303 RE: Improvement Project 16-00 Division C Dear Mayor and Council Members: Please accept this letter as our notice of intent to appeal the assessment for the above referenced Improvement Project pursuant to Minnesota Statute 429.061 Our appeal is based on a number of items relating to the City of Ramsey "SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS AND MAINTENANCE COSTS", (Policy) adopted 12/9/2014, and amended 1/13/2015. As provided in the Policy, the city has chosen the "Per Lot" method for determining the "Assessable Cost" for this project. Section 7, page 7, letter C, Per Lot Method of Assessment states: "The "per lot" method of assessment is based on equal assessment of all Tots within the benefited area. This method is typically applied to single-family residential Tots with similar sizes and configurations. The "assessment per lot" shall be the quotient of the "assessable costs" divide by the total assessable lots or parcels benefiting from the improvement. For the purpose of determininq the "lots " or "parcels", all parcels, including those owned by government entities shall be included in such calculations." Since the current sitting city council reviewed, amended, and approved the Policy in 2015, you must have felt strongly that the current Policy language provided the most fair and equitable solution to assessing costs was to include "all parcels". We agree with the Policy that "all parcels" along Andrie and 164th should be assessed. Currently, there are a number of parcels with frontage on Andrie and 164th that are not being assessed. Including residential parcels, association parcels, and city trail parcels. Not assessing all parcels, places an unfair burden on the remaining parcels and appears counter to the Policy language and intent. We ask that "all parcels" fronting Andrie and 164th be assessed equally, or the city pay the assessments for those parcels it deems to have some special dispensation worthy of a policy exception. A large portion of the Andrie and 164th improvement project costs are associated with storm sewer infrastructure replacement. We asked staff for a complete and specific breakdown of these costs, and as of this date, we have not received this information.