When the Council shall propose to make any public improvement, any part of the cost of which is to be defrayed by special assessment, it shall refer the matter to the City Engineer who shall prepare or cause to be prepared plans showing the improvement and the location thereof, and an estimate of the cost thereof. Upon receipt of such plans and estimate, the Council shall order the same to be filed with the City Clerk, and if it shall desire to proceed with the improvement, it shall by resolution declare its intention to make such public improvement and shall designate the special assessment district and what part or portion of the cost of said improvement shall be made by special assessment against the lots and parcels of land in said special assessment district and what part, if any, shall be paid from the general funds of the City. The Council shall also fix a time and place when it will meet and hear any objections to such improvement and to the special assessment district, and shall cause notice of such hearing to be given by publication thereof twice prior to such hearing in the official newspaper circulating in the City, the first publication to be at least one week prior to the time of such hearing. Such notice shall state that the plans and estimates are on file with the City Clerk and shall contain a description of the proposed assessment district. At the time of such hearing, or any adjournment thereof, which may be without further notice, the Council shall hear any objections to such improvement and to the special assessment district, and may, without further notice, revise, correct, amend or change the plans, estimate and/or district, provided that no property shall be added to the district until notice be given as above provided or by personal service upon the owners thereof, and a hearing afforded such owners. The Council, in order to ascertain whether or not a reasonable number of property owners to be assessed desire a public improvement to be made under the provisions of this chapter (article), may request that a petition therefor be presented to it, but in the event a petition be so filed, it shall be advisory only and shall not be jurisdictional.
If, at or prior to such meeting of the Council, the owners of more than fifty percent of privately owned property to be assessed for any improvement, or in case of paving or similar improvements, the owners of more than fifty percent of frontage to be assessed for any such improvement, shall object in writing to the proposed improvement, the assessment shall not be made without a five-sevenths vote of the members of the Council.