3.0. HRSR 02-12-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Honorable Mayor and City Council Honorable Chairman and HRA Commissioners February 7, 2001 Page Two be completed prior to the Art Soup celebration in mid-June. ERMU could begin their work around April 1st to get a head start on the sidewalk contractor. If, in fact, all construction could not be complete by this time due to weather or some other circumstance, the specification would require that the Contractors have things in an acceptable condition for the Art Soup celebration, then complete whatever remaining work is to be done after the celebration. If none of the project cost is assessed, the construction schedule could be moved up approximately one month, beginning in mid- March, allowing more time to be complete prior to the Art Soup festival. 2. TYPICAL ASSESSMENTS For the City Council and the HRA's consideration, three different spreadsheets have been prepared which show typical assessments. Along with the three spreadsheets, a map is enclosed which identifies each of the parcels by tax identification number so that the assessment spreadsheets can be cross-referenced with the actual property. The three different spreadsheets have been based on assessments of $1,100, $1,300, and $1,500 per unit. A unit was determined to be a separate tax identification number. Therefore, if a property such as Dr. Jarmoluk's has two tax identification numbers for a single building, it was determined to be two units. The same is true of the Bank of Elk River property which has three tax identification numbers. Then each different • assessment amount was further shown divided by three different methods. Those methods are on a strictly per unit basis, strictly front footage basis, and a combination of both with 50% unit based and 50% front footage based. Also enclosed are three typical amortization schedules for various sized total assessment amounts. For any assessment amount up to $1,000, a 3-year term was assumed, and for over$1,000, a 5- year term was assumed. When staff reviewed and discussed this assessment information, it was the opinion of staff that the 50% front footage/50% unit method of spreading assessments seemed to be the most equitable. As you can see from any of the preliminary assessment rolls, the City owns five parcels in the downtown area. These include the old hardware store site which is considered two units because of two different tax identification numbers, the downtown parking lot at Main Street and Jackson Avenue, and the two access points to other parking areas, one next to the Sunshine Depot and the other next to the Houlton Mall area. 3. PRELIMINARY FEASIBILITY STUDY If, after discussion between the HRA and City Council on February 12, it is felt that there will be some type of assessment, even if the final amount has not been determined, we would recommend that the City Council take the action to order the preliminary feasibility study in order to maintain the tentative schedule laid out in item #1 above. Attached for the City Council's consideration is a resolution which would order the preliminary feasibility study. This study would then be prepared and presented to the City Council at their February 26 meeting. • C:\My Documents\Ltr 02-07-01 CC.doc Howard R.Green Company CONSULTING ENGINEERS