(a) In addition to any authority granted by general law, the Council may order street improvements and to assess the costs thereof against abutting property in accordance with the provisions of this Article.
(b) The Council may order street improvements and assess the total cost thereof against abutting property, exclusive of the costs incurred at street intersections, according to one or more of the assessment bases set forth in Article 10 of G.S. Chapter 160A without the necessity of a petition, upon the following findings of fact:
(1) That the street improvement project does not exceed 1,200 linear feet; and
(2) That such street or part thereof is unsafe for vehicular traffic or creates a safety or health hazarding it is in the public interest to make such improvements; or
(3) That it is in the public interest to connect two streets or portions of a street already improved; or
(4) That it is in the public interest to widen a street, or part thereof, which is already improved; provided that assessments for widening any street or portion of a street without a petition shall be limited to the cost of widening and otherwise improving such street in accordance with the street classification and improvement standards established by the City’s thoroughfare or major street plan, as applied to the particular street or part thereof.
(c) For the purposes of this Article, the term “street improvement” includes grading, regrading, surfacing, resurfacing, widening, paving, reading, acquisition of right- of-way and construction or reconstruction of curbs, gutters and street drainage facilities.