09-09-87 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES City Council Sept. 9, 1987 Street The City Attorney replied that Kehn had 30 days to appeal his Improvement assessment from the time of the adoption of the assessment roll. Policy The City Attorney also stated that he will need Kehn's Certificate (Cont.) of Title to take to the Examiner of Titles to find out if the covenant the City wants to file is recordable against the title. Fahey suggested that this issue be brought back at the next Council meeting. Fahey felt that if a corner lot is not splitable it should be assessed 20% of the frontage on the side lot and when the front is improved, the lot should be assessed 100% of the front footage. Scalze did not think this policy was fair noting that some lots have homes facing the long side, while others have homes facing the short side. Scalze stated that property owners were probably not aware of the ramifications of facing their homes on the long side of their property. fahey felt the Council should come back to the corner lot issue, and discuss Mr. Dick Demont's concerns with regard to the assessments levied the multiple housinq on Demont versus the assessment for the single-family homes. Fahey pointed out that the City Engineer has recommended no change in the assessments as proposed. The City Attorney reported that the test for assessment is the market value of a property before and after an improvement, and courts have approved various assessment policies. The City Attorney did not think it could be demonstrated that a benefit was received by the condominiums on Demont on a per unit basis. Fahey pointed out that the City's past policy has been to assess on a frontage basis and it would be a departure from past policy to change the assessment for the condominiums to a per unit assessment. Mr. Dick Demont questioned if an increase in market value for his parent's property on Demont could be demonstrated due to the improvement. Demont felt the primary reason to improve the road was because of the high density housing on the south. Demont noted that each individual homeowner on the south side of the road had an eaual privilege to use the road. Fahey noted that Demont proposed that the City should change its policy to assess on a per unit basis regardless of front footage, and felt this was a radical departure from the City's past policy. Fahey felt that in this instance the City must be guided by its past policy. Demont felt that each unit in the area used the street on an equal basis and felt that the value of units should be looked at and assessments levied according to values. Page -6-