6.7. SR 10-08-2012 - Laserfiche WebLink

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If the Council would like to look closer at Option 2, staff should be directed to bring back specific information and model policies for the consideration of the Council in the coming months. This large of shift in policy direction would come back to the Council for discussion ahead of a public hearing process which will take several months. Assessment Manual Policy Updates The existing Assessment Manual was last updated in 1989. There have been some modifications to the policies since the 1989 update that need to be worked into the formal manual. Staff is proposing a full update to the manual. Staff has identified a list of policy questions to be considered as follows: 1) Past practice has been to assess properties on a per unit basis as the primary method for calculating assessments. Does the Council want to continue this practice? 2) There is some ambiguity in the current manual about how assessments are calculated for corner residential lots. How should residential corner lots be treated? 3) Current practice has been to charge residential properties a flat fee for overlays. Most recently, for the 2008 project,this fee was $1,963 per unit. This assessment is intended to cover 100% of the costs of mill and overlay projects per current practices. Should mill and overlay improvements continue to be assessed at 100% of the project costs? 4) Current practice has been to assess street reconstruction projects a flat fee for the reconstruction of a residential street. The summation of all the assessment charges has been near 1/3 of the total project costs. The remaining 2/3 has been funded through bonding, state aid funds and the Street Improvement Reserve Fund. Should reconstruction projects continue to be assessed at 33% of the project costs, or should it be increased to sustain the Street Improvement Reserve Fund? 5) Currently there is no policy in place for full depth reclamation type projects. These projects are more costly than a mill and overlay but do not go as far as a full reconstruction. What percentage should full depth reclamation projects be assessed? 6) Assessment terms have varied significantly from project to project in the past. Staff is seeking guidance on specific terms for different assessments. In general,past reconstruction projects have been payable for up to 10 years and overlay projects have been payable for up to five years. 7) The current Assessment Manual does not provide guidance on what properties are exempt from assessments. The revised draft Assessment Manual has been prepared to clearly state that cemeteries are exempt from assessments according to state law. Staff is looking for direction on other properties the Council feels should be exempt including, city facilities, city parks, state, county, school, and church properties. FINANCIAL IMPACT There is no financial impact associated with the discussion of this item. ATTACHMENTS ■ Street/Capital Improvement Budget Action Motion by Second by Vote Follow Up paw IaIa 0 NAT- URA