06-08-99 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL JUNE 8, 1999 The Administrator pointed out that the City has previously reviewed five or six assessment alternatives for the Minnesota Street project. Staff recommendation was to assess Cobblestone Villa~e on a fi~ont footage basis that resulted in an estimate of approximately $12,000. Pedersen suggested that a$12,000 assessment may be acceptable to the Cobblestone Villa~e property owners and he questioned spendin~ $4,000 to justify that assessment. Fahey, LaValle, and Scalze agreed. Morelan pointed out that the City could solicit RFP's to other appraisers in an attempt to obtain a lower appraisal cost. Morelan felt the appraisal information will provide the City with a more definitive answer on assessments. Scalze felt the information would only be worthwhile if the City were contemplating changin~ its assessment policy. The Administrator pointed out that the way Cobblestone Village abuts Minnesota Avenue is an aberration. Therefore, the results of a before and after appraisal of this particular assessment may not be easily applied to other assessments. A more standard situation would result in the type of information that Morelan is looking for. Morelan pointed out that at the assessment policy workshop the issue of the before and after appraisal came up and the property owners were informed that this would be done. Pedersen su~~ested that if the assessment were $50,000, a$4,000 appraisal cost may be justified. But not for a$12,000 assessment estimate. Morelan pointed out that perhaps the before and after appraisal would justify a$30,000 assessment. The Administrator pointed out that one appraiser indicated that a$12,000 assessment appeared to be realistic. The Administrator also pointed out that if a$30,000 assessment were justified against Cobblestone Village, it would result in a change in the distribution of assessment dollars against benefiting properties. It does not impact the City's share of costs. Scalze asked if the $4,000 appraisal cost could be assessed back to project costs. The Administrator was not sure that would be justifiable.