Special Assessments Research 2008

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House Research Department Updated: September 2008 Special Assessments Page 6 • Give notice of public hearing. The local government must publish a notice for the public hearing twice in the newspaper, at least one week apart. In addition, the local government must mail a notice to all property owners in the proposed assessment area at least ten days prior to the hearing. • Hold public hearing. The hearing must be at least three days after the second notice in the newspaper. A reasonable estimate of the total amount to be assessed and a description of the methodology used in calculating the individual assessments must be available at the hearing. Interested persons must be allowed to speak at the hearing. (This public hearing is not required if 100 percent of the landowners requested the proposed assessment.) • Adopt a resolution ordering the improvement. If the local government initiated the proposed assessment, a four-fifths vote is needed to pass the resolution. If the property owners initiated the petition, the local government only needs a majority vote to adopt the resolution. In both cases, the resolution must be adopted within six months of the hearing held during phase I. Phase II: Detailed Analysis16 • Solicit bids. After a local government decides to do a project, it must determine the actual cost of the project in order to prepare the assessment roll. The statute specifies the bidding process. • Prepare proposed assessment roll. The local government must calculate the proper amount to be specially assessed for the improvement against every assessable parcel of land. The assessment roll must be available for the public to inspect. • Give notice of public hearing. The local government must publish a notice in the newspaper at least once, not less than two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. The notice must state the day, time, place, general nature of the improvement, area proposed to be assessed, total amount of the proposed assessment, and describe the process for objecting to the improvement. In addition, the local government must mail a notice to each affected property owner at least two weeks prior to the public hearing on the proposed assessment. The notice must state the amount to be specially assessed against the property owner’s property, the prepayment options, the interest rate if the payment is not prepaid, and that the local government may adopt the proposed assessment at that hearing. The notice must also state that no appeal may be made as to the amount of the assessment adopted at the hearing unless the property owner has objected in writing prior to the hearing or in person at the hearing. • Hold public hearing. The local government may make amendments to the proposed assessment at the hearing. The hearing may be continued at another time. 16 Minn. Stat. §§ 429.041, 429.061.