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1 1 1 1 1 *Limo Lakes Citizen Task Force* Page 2 May 9, 2007 either the improves or the assessment formula or both. In this event, the Council shall not proceed with the improvement, as proposed. Therefore, while ?viols View's charter allows a proposed improvement to be stopped by the possibility of a lion, Lino Lakes is imiquelyrequired. to submit the proposal to an election. *** 1 Since I read through the load improvement charter p rovisionLs for 107 cities, I wanted to share that I found. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 The amount of space in charters dedicated to local improvements and special am-smarts varies quite a bit. Many charters have little more than two brief paragraphs. The entire local improvement provision in the charter for Chatfield is "As per sib law" At the same tithe, Brainerd's charter has 12 pages on local improvements and spacial ate, and South St Paul has in incredible 58 pages in their charter devoted to the topic. However, at least 85% of all charters appear similar to Chapter 8 of the Gaylord city charter. For your convenience, 1 have included a copy of that section of Gaylord's chatter with this letter. The following are trends and variations I have seen among those cities with provisions like Gaylord's. • In virtually all of these charters, the city is given blanket power to carry out any and all improvements not prohibited by law ("The council shall have the power to make any and dew special assessments..."). • Many charters contain- no more than two sections similar to sections 71 and 72 in the example. However, the overwhethning majority contain sections similar to sections 71 throes 74 in the example. • In some instances, the council is compelled by the charter to create -a comprehensive ordinance which lays out the improvement/assessment process, and in some instances the city can create a comprehensive ordinance if they like. • In many charters, any resulting "comprehensive ordinance" is said to supersede state law for the city.' But in as many cases, the council has discretion as to whether they follow the ordinance or Ivrtnnesota Statutes. Some charters are silent on that point2 • Some charters refer to and adopt only those parts of Minnesota Statutes Chapter 429 that address hearings and notice, and provide the test of the process for the city in charter or .. • a III+. i:i :ti * 1* Regardless, to be valid, any such comprehensive ordinance must meet some minimum requirements regarding notice and time limits outlined in Minn. Stat. § 429.021, subd. 3. 2 Where the charter is silent an this point, the city may pro Berl under either the statutes or its ordinance (Minn. Stat. § 429.111).