Before determining to make any improvement, any part of the cost of which is to be defrayed by special assessment, the Commission shall require the City Manager to ascertain the assessment valuation of all property affected by the proposed improvement, the number of parcels which show tax delinquencies, the number of parcels owned by public authorities, and the number of parcels which are vacant, and to prepare, or cause to be prepared, plans and specifications therefor and an estimate of the cost thereof, and to file the same with the Clerk, together with his or her recommendation as to what proportion of the cost should be paid by special assessment and what part, if any, should be a general obligation of the city, the number of installments in which assessments may be paid and the lands which should be included in the special assessment district.
(1993 Code, § 33.18)