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<br />Mr. Bash stressed the importance of determining whether the assessment policy complies with <br />State statute, which does not care about highest and best use. He added the final test will be to <br />comply with State statute by determining whether the property value increases by the assessed <br />amount. <br /> <br />Councilmember Kuzma stated he agrees but for the sake of due diligence, the consultant will <br />review the assessments and provide an opinion. <br /> <br />Mr. Bash stated the consultant will not provide a full real estate proposal on all the properties, <br />because this is a commercial area. <br /> <br />City Engineer Westby stated it is difficult to be equitable because lots are different sizes and <br />shapes, but there are many ways of applying assessments. He added he referred to truck traffic <br />because it is generally accepted that one commercial truck damages a road as much as 4,000 <br />passenger vehicles do. <br /> <br />Councilmember Shryock asked whether Connexus is being assessed on different tax levels for <br />separate lots, or if it is one assessment. <br /> <br />Mr. Bash stated Connexus is the largest taxpayer in the City of Ramsey. He added property <br />taxes are paid by Connexus on electric poles, wires and transformers, in addition to property. <br /> <br />Councilmember Kuzma stated the Committee is in agreement with Mr. Bash that the assessment <br />policy be fair. He added the consultant will provide a valuation that will be considered by the <br />City Council before adopting assessments. <br /> <br />City Engineer Westby stated the Connexus parcel is unique in that it also has access to Ramsey <br />Boulevard and Bunker Lake Boulevard, for which Connexus will never be assessed for since <br />Anoka County does not assess for road improvements. He added the assessed property could be <br />split into several parcels and ssessment was split among the parcels it would <br />generally be consistent with assessments on similar sized parcels along Sunwood Drive. <br /> <br />Councilmember Johns asked how commercial properties with multiple driveways are assessed. <br />Westby stated several of the properties along this project have multiple driveways and that <br />assessments were levied on all properties fronting Sunwood Drive, regardless of whether they <br />have none or multiple driveways accessing Sunwood Drive. He added that residential properties <br />are only assessed if their primary driveway accesses a street being improved. <br /> <br />Councilmember Johns thanked Mr. Bash for his input. <br /> <br />City Engineer Westby stated assessment rolls must be filed with Anoka County in mid- <br />November to allow collections to start in 2018, otherwise assessments cannot be collected until <br />2019. <br /> <br />Mr. Bash thanked the Councilmembers for their time. <br />Public Works Committee / September 19, 2017 <br />Page 4 of 11 <br /> <br />