City Council Meeting Date: July 5, 2016
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: David Bennett, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer
Subject:
TITLE
Continued Public Hearing on Assessments for the Woodley Street Reconstruction Project.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council holds a continued public hearing on assessments for Edgewood Townhomes and 820 Woodley St. E. as part of the Woodley Street Reconstruction Project (2013STRT-A18) regarding the proposed assessments.
Staff recommends a motion to close the public hearing after appropriate discussion has occurred.
Summary Report:
The City Council is being asked to continue the public hearing held on June 21, 2016 for the Woodley Street Reconstruction Project (2013STRT-A18). At the public hearing, the president of the Edgewood Townhome Association appeared before the Mayor and City Council and objected to the assessment amount of $12,670.02. At the meeting, the public hearing was closed for all properties with the exception of Edgewood Townhomes and 820 Woodley Street E.
The property owner at 820 Woodley Street E. asked staff about the assessment amount and did not file an objection with the City Clerk or object at the public hearing. Staff recommends that the hearing for this property be closed. The property owner was notified of the continued hearing for the property.
No appeal may be taken as to the amount of any assessment adopted unless written objection signed by the affected property owner is filed with the city clerk prior to the assessment hearing or presented to the presiding officer at the hearing. All objections to the assessments not received at the assessment hearing are waived. The owner may appeal an assessment to district court pursuant to section 429.081 <https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=429.081> by serving notice of the appeal upon the mayor or clerk of the city within 30 days after the adoption of the assessment and filing such notice with the district court within ten days after service upon the mayor or city clerk.
Also, at the meeting, staff was directed to investigate the assessment amount and review assessments for the Jefferson Road Project, Pheasantwood Townhomes, and review estimated market value of the land versus the assessment.
On the Jefferson Road Reclaim project in 2011, which the Pheasant Wood Townhomes abut, the townhomes were excluded from the assessment due to the fact their frontage is rear only and they have no direct access onto Jefferson Road. Their direct access to a public street is Pheasantwood Trail (Attachment 1).
Staff received information on other properties that abut two streets that aren’t corner lots (Attachment 2). These properties wouldn’t fall into the corner lot assessment ordinance, and would not receive the 10% long side assessment adjustment. However, the City assessment ordinance allows for adjustment if the assessments are not fair for the benefit they are receiving for the improvement.
The assessments for the homes along Jefferson Road were capped at a 75% assessment, and a maximum front footage of 100 feet. The finding was that the average lot front footage along the project corridor is over 110 feet which is 35-40 feet larger than the average lot size.
Staff reviewed the estimated market value of the land versus the assessment amount as shown in (Attachment 3). The average was found to be 14%. The Edgewood Townhomes were found to have a 5.2% rate which is below the average and if you were to take into account the assessment from Winona Street this would increase this rate to 8% which is still below the average.
820 Woodley Street E. has a front footage of 145 feet which has an assessment amount of $10,150.00. If that were capped at 100 feet it would have an assessment amount of $7,000. In review of the estimated market value versus the assessment, the property is at 17.7%, slightly above the average; however, reasonable and fair compared to the other properties.
Staff is recommending closing the public hearing.
Alternative Options:
City Council could suggest alternative options during the public hearing including adjustment to the assessment amounts if they feel they are unreasonable and unfair.
Financial Impacts:
None
Tentative Timelines:
Adopt Assessment on July 19, 2016.