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City of Lake Elmo Public Improvements and Assessment Policy I. It has been and will continue to be the policy of the City Council that when public improvements are made which are of special benefit to certain areas, special assessments will be levied for the benefits received. The procedures used by the City are those specified by Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 429, which provide that all, or a part of the cost of the improvements, may be assessed against benefiting properties in accordance with the benefits received. The statute, however, does not provide a guide as to how these benefits are measured or how the costs are to be apportioned. The purpose of this general policy is to establish a consistent standard for the apportionment of special assessments. II. TYPES OF IMPROVEMENTS This policy shall relate to those public improvements allowable under Minnesota Statute 429. Generally, the improvements include: street and street lighting improvements; sanitary and water utility improvements; storm sewer and drainage improvements. This policy outlines how new construction, reconstruction, and major maintenance shall be financed under each type of project. Project costs shall include: the construction costs; engineering; testing; permitting; legal; administrative; land or easement acquisition; fiscal; capitalized interest; data processing; and publication fees. III SPECIAL ASSESSMENT METHODS Benefiting properties generally are assessed by one or a combination of four (4) methods; adjusted front foot; area; unit and benefit appraisal. Generally, the nature of an improvement lends itself to a particular method. The four (4) methods are described as follows: A. Adjusted Front Foot Rate: Used for roadway and utility projects when there is a variety of land uses and lot sizes abutting or within the benefiting area. Frontage is measured at the building setback line. Assessments are determined by multiplying the adjusted frontage by the Council -established assessment rate. B. Area Method: Used for drainage and/or trunk utility improvements where there are a variety of land uses and parcel sizes within the benefiting area. Assessments are determined by multiplying the area change -to times the gross area less wetland areas. C. Unit Method: Used when the abutting property or benefiting area is homogeneous. Assessments are determined by multiplying the particular land use unit by the Council established assessment rate.