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515 Little Canada Road, Little Canada, MN 55117-1600 <br />(651) 484 -2177 / FAX: (651) 484 -4538 <br />MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Mayor Fahey & Members of the City Council <br />FROM: Joel Hanson, City Administrator <br />DATE: March 5, 1999 <br />RE: Workshop on Assessment Policy <br />MAYOR <br />Michael 1. Fahey <br />COUNCIL <br />Beverly Scalze <br />Jim LaValle <br />Steve Morelan <br />Bob Pedersen <br />ADMINISTRATOR <br />Joel R. Hanson <br />A workshop has been called for 6:00 p.m. prior to our Council meeting on March 10`". The <br />purpose of this workshop is to review our assessment policy governing street <br />reconstruction/rehabilitation. (A copy of this policy is enclosed for your review.) There are a <br />few issues we need to address as part of this workshop. They are as follows: <br />• Assessment of Cobblestone Development at the end of Minnesota Avenue. Enclosed is <br />a memo from the City Engineer outlining various options to consider in the treatment of <br />this property. He lists six options we can consider in addressing equity of this <br />assessment. I have also enclosed a copy of the preliminary assessment roll that was used <br />at the improvement hearing which indicated an assessment of $51,400 for Cobblestone. <br />This was calculated using our odd - shaped lot formula. It is my opinion that this amount <br />is much too high in relation to the other properties benefited by this improvement. <br />When we assessed Demont Avenue, we took the actual front footage of the property and <br />divided it by the number of units to achieve an assessment per unit. We also contacted <br />the City of Shoreview based on Council Member LaValle's comments and discovered <br />that they also assess townhomes based on actual front footage and divided by the number <br />of units. Given the interior street system that Cobblestone is responsible to maintain on <br />their own, one could argue that this is a fair method to assess this property (see Option <br />#2). <br />• Assessment of properties not immediately benefited by a proposed improvement. This <br />previously contemplated the installation of concrete curb and gutter on McMenemy, Co. <br />Rd. B2, and LaBore Road had those projects proceeded. Given the fact that we have <br />cancelled those improvements, this issue does not bear the urgency it once did. However, <br />I believe it should still be resolved in case similar situations arise in the future. <br />