CC Minutes - 04/20/98 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Taylor stated that she had requested that Item D be removed from the Consent Calendar to allow further discussion of issues involved. Mr. Tollenaar stated that he understood concerns raised by residents in the area of the proposed LID included the following: (1) the proposed improvements are not needed, in comparison to nearby streets; (2) the drainage problem to be corrected happens only rarely and affects only a few lots including those that have been paved for panhandle development; (3) lots with minimal street frontage due to panhandle development are assessed as if they had a sixty-foot frontage and are given unfair influence in requesting improvements; (4) the number of owners opposed to the district are in the majority; (5) lots south of the Hammock Street intersection are included in the district without any benefits; (6) the district will not increase property values; (6) original Lane County assessments paid for the cost of the existing street; and (7) irrevocable petitions on some properties do not include sidewalks. Mr. Tollenaar said that he believed formation of the LID should proceed, even though many of the concerns of area residents were valid. The council should be guided by the long-standing policy to upgrade streets to City standards when owners of a majority of the assessable frontage of affected properties made a request. He said to abandon the policy on any ad hoc basis would be unfair to those assessed for improvements in other districts throughout the City. Mr. Farr moved, seconded by Mr. Tollenaar, to approve the Minutes, Findings and Recommendations of the Hearings Official regarding the formation of a Local Improvement District for Drickley Road from Debrick Road to Hammock Street. Ms. Taylor said that she did not believe it was fair that the choice of a majority of the number of property owners was over ruled by the choice of the owners of property with a majority of the assessable frontage in the LID. In response to a question from Ms. Taylor, City Engineer Les Lyle stated that property with approximately 26 percent of assessable frontage in the proposed district was owned by one land holder (family). He said the assessable frontage calculations which had been followed in determining the recommendation that a LID be formed were established City policies. The assessable share that each property will bear is the basis of how much of a vote it would receive. Ms. Swanson Gribskov said that she hoped the council could discuss LID formation and assessment policies at some time in the future. Ms. Swanson Gribskov asked how the current LID request had been initiated. Mr. Lyle replied that a single property owner had requested through poll letter responses and personal contact that the project be initiated along with the irrevocable petitions. Ms. Swanson Gribskov asked if there were ways the City could encourage early reporting of irrevocable petitions during the sale of property. Mr. Lyle replied that the petitions were all recorded with deeds for the property and were available to potential buyers, but that potential purchasers that are generally not informed of their existence until the time of the closing of a sale. He said that City staff was working with the real estate board to encourage that potential buyers be voluntarily made aware of irrevocable petitions earlier in the sales process. Minutes--Eugene City Council April 20, 1998 Page 4 7:30 p.m.