City Council Meeting Date: October 7, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager
David E. Bennett, Public Works Director/City Engineer
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Adopting Service Assessments - College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council is asked to consider approval of the attached Resolution Adopting Special Assessments for private utility service connections related to the College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction Project (STRT2024-A77).
Summary Report:
Service connections are the responsibility of the property owner from the right-of-way (ROW) to the structure serviced. During a street reconstruction project some property owners either choose or are required to replace their service connections. The assessment policy allows for the cost of the service connections to be assessed if the property owner chooses to have the work completed with the City’s project.
Sewer and water service connections from the ROW to the residence may, and in some circumstances must, be replaced as provided by Code Sec. 66-64. The cost of service line replacements from the ROW to the building are the responsibility of the property owner. However, City Code allows the property owner to have the costs assessed and paid over ten years if the City’s contractor performs the work.
During the street reconstruction project, residents chose to have the City complete the service replacement as part of the City’s project. Property owners who chose to have the City complete the work signed an agreement addressing the construction easement and a waiver of their right to appeal the assessment.
With this project, the City of Northfield is in the final stages of securing funding from the Minnesota Drinking Water Revolving Fund for lead water service replacements on the project, however, these particular service replacements were voluntary service replacements requested by the individual property owners, that did not involve lead water replacement, therefore the costs are 100% responsibility of the property owners, and not eligible for Minnesota Drinking Water Revolving Funds.
The Council is being asked to approve a resolution adopting the special service line assessments for the College Street and Water Street Areas Reconstruction Project (STRT2024-A77). Notice of the final assessment amounts were sent to property owners on September 25, 2025.
Costs were tabulated during construction and notices of the final amounts were sent to the property owners on September 25, 2025.
Alternative Options:
Due to the agreements and waivers that have already been signed by the property owners the Council is asked to pass the resolution so the costs can be assessed.
Financial Impacts:
Since the property owners were notified of and agreed to the costs there is a net zero impact to the project cost.
Tentative Timelines:
Upon adoption of the special assessments, staff will notify the property owners via transmittal letter. At that time they will have 30 days (October 25, 2025) upon which the assessment can be paid interest free. Interest will be charged should the owner choose to pay after that time. Any unpaid balance will be certified to the county and become part of their property tax statement. The total assessment amount will be amortized over a ten year period on the owner’s property tax statements.