Public improvements are classified into three categories: surface improvements, subsurface improvements, and drainage improvements. The following procedures shall affect the assessment of any improvement ordered by the Council.
(A) Surface improvements. Surface improvements shall include grading and base construction, curb and gutter, surfacing, resurfacing, ornamental street lighting, and sidewalks.
(1) In all streets prior to street construction and surfacing or prior to resurfacing, all utilities and utility service lines (including sanitary sewers, water lines, and gas and electric service) shall be installed to serve each known or assumed building location. No surface improvements to less than both sides of a full block of street shall be approved except as necessary to complete the improvement of a block, which has previously been partially completed.
(2) The city pays for curb and gutter across intersections and alleys.
(3) The assessable unit to be used for all surface improvements, unless otherwise specified by the Council, shall be the adjusted frontage of the property. In the case of surface improvements to irregular shaped lots on a cul-de-sac, the assessment unit shall be the lot and assessable costs shall be spread on a per lot basis.
(4) Thirty percent of the cost of new or reconstructed sidewalks shall be assessed against the benefitted property owners on the basis of a footage charge. Interest rate and length of assessment will be determined by the City Council.
(5) Costs for resurfacing or required overlays shall be assessed 30% to the benefitting, abutting property owners and 70% of the costs will borne to the city. The assessment will be on an adjusted frontage front foot basis. The city shall not participate in any portion of a project other than the actual bituminous overlay. The costs of any other material or any other project work involved in an overlay project shall be borne by the abutting property owners.
(6) The city pays for street surface reconstruction across intersections and alleys.
(7) Street surface costs for side lots are assessed at one-half the unit rate of a front lot. The city pays for the one-half of the cost for a side lot frontage. (25% to each side of the street for front lot situations, therefore 2 x 25% = 50% assessed).
(8) Assessed curb and gutter lengths are actual constructed lengths adjacent to individual lots. The curb length may be more or less than the platted lot lengths due to curve or radii calculations.
(9) Residential property owners pay residential rate and commercial property owners pay commercial rate when there is a minimum nine-ton street surface area.
(B) Subsurface improvements. Subsurface improvements shall include water distribution lines, sump pump lines, and sanitary sewer lines.
(1) Subsurface improvements shall be made to serve current projected land use. All installations shall conform to the minimum standards therefor as established by those state and/or federal agencies having jurisdiction over the proposed installations. All installations shall also comply with the maximum extent feasible, to such quasi-official, nationally recognized standards as those of the American Insurance Association. Service lines to each known or assumed building location shall be installed in conjunction with the construction of the mains.
(2) Trunk sewers include lift stations, force mains, and oversized or overly deep systems, which are designed as major collectors.
(3) Trunk water systems include towers, hydrants, valves, and necessary over-sizing.
(4) Sanitary sewer lines, up to and including a maximum size of eight inches, shall be assessed on a front footage basis to the benefitted properties. The assessable cost shall be the entire improvement cost for such lateral lines.
(5) Water distribution lines, up to and including a maximum size of eight inches, shall be assessed on a front foot basis. Assessable costs for lateral water distribution lines shall include valves, hydrants, and distribution lines.
(C) Drainage improvements. Drainage improvements shall include all storm sewers, ponding areas, ditches, ground water control systems, or other installations for the control of storm water or ground water. Drainage improvements shall be made to serve current and projected land use. All improvements for carrying water shall provide protection based on a design frequency established by the engineer or higher if requested by the benefitted owners. Storage sites and ponding areas shall be designed to provide a frequency of protection designated by the engineer, but in no case shall the design allow damage to permanent structures at frequencies less than 50 years.
(Prior Code, § 94.04) (Ord. 206, passed 4-14-1997; Ord. 225, passed 10-20-2003)