04-12-2012 Charter Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Section 8.04. How to Initiate Public Improvements for Which Special Assessments may be Imposed. Subdivision l . Policy. The City desires to protect existing residents and businesses from having to pay special assessments for public improvements they do not want. Therefore, the process for initiating public improvements is restrictive. Subd. 2. Three ways to initiate public improvements. Special assessments may not be imposed for public improvements unless the public improvements are initiated in one of the ways described in subdivisions 3, 4, and 5 below. Subd. 3. Petition signed by 100%. The owners of 100% of the property proposed to be specially assessed for public improvements may present a petition to the City Council. The petition shall generally describe the public improvements to be studied, and specifically identify the property proposed to be specially assessed. The petition must be accompanied by anagreement that these owners agree to pay 100% of the cost of the public improvements. Upon receipt of such a petition and agreement, the City Council may adopt a resolution to initiate these public improvements by a simple majority vote. These public improvements need not comply with Section 8.01, Subd. 2 above. Aside from the requirements of this subdivision, state law shall govern these public improvements. Subd. 4. Petition signed by 25% or more. The owners of more than 25%, but less than 100%, of the property proposed to be specially assessed for the public improvements may present a petition to the City Council. The petition shall generally describe the public improvements to be studied, and specifically identify the property proposed to be specially assessed. The City Council may adopt a resolution ordering a feasibility study for these public improvements by a majority vote of all members of the City Council. In determining whether sufficient signatures are present on the petition; the following four rules shall be followed: (1) The signers must own at least 25% of the total number of lots proposed to be specially assessed. For unplatted property, each existing parcel of land shall be considered one lot. The owner of a small lot gets one vote, the same as the owner of a large lot. (2) If more than one person owns a particular lot, only one signature will be counted for that lot. (3) If more than one lot is owned by a person, that person's signature will be counted only once. (4) If multiple owners of a lot also own an additional lot or lots, only one signature will be counted for all the owners and all their lots. This is intended to keep any one owner from dominating the process.