(A) Findings. The City Council finds that all areas within the city should have safe pedestrian walkways and trails to and from schools and school bus stops, public transportation facilities and other services to the neighborhood and community. Minn. Stat. § 435.44, as it may be amended from time to time, authorizes a city to establish sidewalk and trail improvement districts to defray all or part of the total costs of sidewalk and trail construction and repair and apportion the cost to all parcels located within the district on a direct or indirect basis. The Council finds that the costs apportioned for such sidewalk and trail improvements are reasonably related to the improvements or repairs within the sidewalk and trail improvement district hereby established.
(B) District established. Based on Minn. Stat. § 435.44, as it may be amended from time to time, and the city’s police powers, the City Council hereby establishes the Sidewalk and Trail Improvement District (the “District”), which includes all of the streets, sidewalks, trails, land and parcels within the boundaries of the city.
(C) Assessment. The City Council shall establish an assessment policy for all sidewalk or trail improvements or repairs within the District, as long as such assessments are applied on a uniform basis as to each classification of real estate. Where sidewalk or trail widths are wider than the standard width of a typical sidewalk or trail, the additional costs may be assessed as a direct benefit to the abutting property. An indirect benefit assessment may involve all parcels or tracts of land located in the District without regard to the location of the sidewalks or trails, as it is deemed that all parcels or tracts of land within the District are benefitted equally.
(D) Assessment period. The city may assess the costs on all sidewalk and trail improvements up to a maximum of five years on equal annual installments, plus interest on the unpaid balance.