In addition to any authority granted by general law, the council is hereby authorized, without the necessity of petition, to order sidewalk improvements or repairs according to standards and specifications of the City, and to assess the total costs thereof against abutting property, according to one or more of the assessment bases set forth in Article 10 of G.S. Chapter 160A; provided that regardless of the assessment basis or bases employed, the Council may order the costs of sidewalk improvements made only on one side of a street to be assessed against property abutting both sides of such street.