02-28-2008 Charter Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Task Force Proposal: Charter Commission Proposal: In counting the number of benefited owners, an owner of multiple parcels can only sign once, and each benefited parcel can only have one signature. Petition must be signed by 35% of the owners of the real property abutting on the streets named in the petition. Public hearing is required as under Chapter 429 (subject to the objection and petition process described below), and the council may approve by majority vote. If the petition is signed by less than 35%, or the council itself initiates the improvement, the council must approve by 4/5 vote (after the same hearing and petition process as for a 35% petitioned project). In counting the number of owners, the same rules apply as in the Existing Charter (i.e., owners of multiple parcels sign once, each parcel gets one signature). Petition must be signed by owners of "more than 25%, but less than 100%, of the property proposed to be specially assessed." Section 8.04, subd. 4. The council may then order a feasibility study by majority vote. Or, the council may initiate an improvement by ordering a feasibility study, by 4/5 vote. In either case, improvements may not be finally approved until after the hearing and petition process described below. The rules for counting owners are slightly different from the Existing Charter and the Task Force Proposal. As in those other documents, owners of multiple parcels can only sign once, and each benefited parcel can only have one signature. However, the Charter Commission Proposal also indicates that signers must own at least 25% of the total number of lots, and that if multiple owners of a lot also own an additional lot or lots, only one signature will be counted for all their lots. Further, the Existing Charter refers to 25% of the "benefited property owners," while the Charter Commission Proposal refers to 25% of the owners (or lots?) "proposed to be specially assessed." Citizen Proposal: Same as Charter Commission Proposal. 5. HEARINGS, SUBSEQUENT PETITIONS. Chapter 429: After Council receives feasibility study, public hearing is required with 10 days mailed notice and published notice twice in consecutive weeks, with the second one at least 3 days before the hearing. Council may approve resolution ordering the improvement (by the vote 4