City Council Meeting Date: September 19, 2017
To: Mayor and City Council
City Administrator
From: Sean Simonson, Engineering Manager
David Bennett, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer
Subject:
TITLE
Consider Amending Resolution Previously Adopted for the 2017 Street Reclamation Project Assessments.
BODY
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council consider a Motion to Amend Resolution 2017-068 for the 2017 Street Reclamation Project (2017STRT-A36) as requested by Councilor DeLong.
Summary Report:
Council Member DeLong requests the City Council consider a motion to amend something previously adopted, Resolution 2017-068 for the 2017 Street Reclamation Project. On August 22, 2017, the City Council adopted assessments for the 2017 Street Reclamation Project per Resolution 2017-068 (Attachment 1). Following the August 22, 2017 approval of assessments, Councilor DeLong raised a procedural issue related to the amendment vote at the meeting. Councilor DeLong had indicated to City Administrator Martig and Mayor Pownell that he intended to make a motion to amend something previously adopted at the September 5 meeting. Please see attached e-mail from Councilor DeLong (Attachment 2) and subsequent email response from City Administrator Martig (Attachment 3). In response to this request, City Administrator Martig and Mayor Pownell agreed to include the agenda item considering a motion to amend at the September 19 meeting so that the background information could be prepared and explained as it relates to procedural and other issues.
A summary of background information from the August 22 meeting along with Councilor DeLong’s proposal is summarized below.
Summary Background from August 22
As a brief background, on August 22, 2017 Council adopted resolution 2017-068. As part of the discussion for adopting the assessment, there were six properties discussed and considered for reducing their street improvement assessment. No adjustments were made to those properties. The property owners have not objected to the assessment amount.
Councilor DeLong’s proposal
Adjusting the assessment roll to $4,500 for the following addresses:
1912 Sibley View Ln ($4,640 amended to $4,500)
2000 Sibley View Ln ($4,640 amended to $4,500)
2004 Sibley View Ln ($4,640 amended to $4,500)
2008 Sibley View Ln ($4,640 amended to $4,500)
and that 1904 Sibley View Ln and 1908 Sibley View Ln be adjusted using $58/FF on the actual front footage measured at the property line.
Councilor Delong reasoned the amount of $4,500 ($56/FF) is the amount of the special benefit increase attributable to the proposed improvement project for the lots as determined by the Special Benefit Appraisal dated 1/19/2017.
This will adjust 1904 Sibley View Ln assessment from $5,336 to $4,640, and 1908 Sibley View Ln from $5,220 to $4,582.
In total, this amendment will adjust the project assessment amount by $1,894.
Benefit Appraisal
The City contracted with a professional appraiser as outlined in the City ordinance to assist with determining the benefit of the improvement for the properties in the project area.
The purpose and intent of the appraisal is to provide “opinion of the increased market value” and the use of the appraisal is for “assisting City officials in levying, in an equitable manner, special assessment to properties benefited by the improvement project”. The “appraisal provides a range of likely special benefits accruing to those properties belonging to a specific use group (e.g., single-family lots)”.
Staff, as indicated, previously had selected the midpoint special benefit amount, utilizing the benefit range provided by the appraiser for the project and corresponding assessment based on the ranges included in the benefit appraisal. As such, the process was appropriate in setting the amount of the assessments. The Sibley View Area had a reasonable benefit range of $51-$64 per front foot, and $58 per front foot was used for all of the properties in this neighborhood.
Alternative Options:
1. Staff recommends not amending the previously adopted resolution as there were no objections received related to the amount of the assessments from the properties indicated above. Also, following the last Council meeting staff has had further discussions with both the appraiser and City Attorney related to the assessments and City Council actions. City Attorney Hood has reviewed the information and that the Council’s action to adopt assessments are appropriate and legally defensible.
2. Apply a $56/FF charge to all lots in the Sibley View neighborhood.
Financial Impacts:
In total, this amendment will adjust the project assessment amount by $1,894.
Tentative Timelines:
If amended, staff will send notice to the properties impacted by the change.