Agenda - Council - 10/09/2018 - Laserfiche WebLink

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This improvement project, which is listed in the City's current Capital Improvement Program, is proposed to be funded using a combination of special assessments to benefiting properties, street reconstructions bond proceeds, and stormwater utility funds. Staff recommends using special assessments to pay for 25-percent of eligible improvement costs, which will be applied across 44 assessable properties using the "per lot" method of assessment, which is the typical method used for single family parcels having approximately the same size. All costs for this project are eligible for special assessments since the street is proposed to be reconstructed at its existing width, and since the existing and proposed pavement sections both meet 7-ton design standards meaning they are equivalent sections. This project does not include any ineligible project costs related to the use of special assessments. Staff recommends ordering a special benefit consultation report for this project to verify that the proposed assessment amounts will not exceed the amount of benefit to any of these properties. If the report concludes that the benefit to any of the properties is less than the proposed preliminary assessment rate, Staff would propose to lower the assessment rate accordingly at the Assessment Hearing. However, if the special benefit consultation report verifies that the assessment rates as proposed are justified, Staff would propose to adopt the final assessment roll using the rate as preliminarily proposed. Staff has not yet discussed the proposed improvements or the use of special assessments to pay for a portion of the improvements with the identified 44 benefiting property owners. However, Staff has scheduled a neighborhood information meeting and has mailed invitations to these property owners and will explain the proposed improvements and assessments in detail at the meeting, and will gather their input on the project, including any information which should be explored in more detail during development of plans and specifications. Staff will present the feedback received to Council during the Public Hearing process. On January 24, 2017, the City Council directed Staff to postpone the River's Bend Street Reconstructions project until the 2018 construction season, allowing the project to be constructed in conjunction with the Stanhope Terrace Street Reconstructions project. The intent of this direction was to provide for the most cost-effective project by combining it with a similar project in close proximity, thereby potentially realizing a cost savings due to economies of scale. This project was initially intended to be a mill and overlay improvements project, but after learning that the existing bituminous pavement section would not allow for a mill and overlay due to pavement thicknesses in some locations of only 2-inches, the project was converted to a full pavement reconstruction. This project is necessary, feasible, and cost-effective from an engineering standpoint, and can be constructed as proposed herein. However, it would be most cost-effective to construct this project in conjunction with the Stanhope Terrace and The North Forty Street Reconstructions projects in 2018. Feasibility Report River's Bend Street Reconstructions City of Ramsey Project No. 17-02 Page 2