Item B: Street Assessment Policy

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? The assessments for individual residential properties vary based upon the property frontage and the benefit derived from a street improvement project may not be significantly different for properties with different frontages. RELATED CITY POLICIES Chapter 223 of the Oregon Revised Statutes prescribes the rights and responsibilities of cities to levy assessments for local improvements. The Municipal Charter, Chapter IX – Public Improvements, provides the regulatory framework for public improvement procedures and assessments. The Eugene Code, Chapter 7 – Public Improvements, prescribes the process for initiation of an assessment project, formation of a local improvement district, and computation and allocation of assessments to benefiting properties. COUNCIL OPTIONS At the June 16, 2008, council work session, several members of the City Council discussed the idea of convening a council sub-committee to review the City’s assessment policy. The City Council may establish a council sub-committee at this time, defer the establishment of a sub-committee to a later date, or take no action. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION The City Council is scheduled to discuss federal Surface Transportation Program – Urban (STP-U) funding for transportation improvements at its November 23, 2009, work session. It is recommended that the council discussion include street improvement projects in developing the City’s priorities for future allocations of federal STP-U funds by the Metropolitan Policy Committee. The passage of House Bill 2001, will provide a 50-percent increase in funding for cities from a six-cent increase in the state gas tax, beginning no later than January 1, 2011, increases in vehicle title and registration fees, and weight-mile fees paid by truckers. This will provide the City additional revenues to fully fund the transportation operating budget and to consider an overlay maintenance program of the City’s unimproved local streets. The program would be similar to the enhanced pothole program funded in FY09 and FY10. The City Manager recommends that the City Council form a sub-committee to review the existing Eugene Code regarding assessments with the objective of addressing inequities in the code and identifying measures to reduce the assessments for individual properties. SUGGESTED MOTION Move to form a council sub-committee to review the existing Eugene Code regarding assessments with the objective of addressing inequities in the code and identifying measures to reduce the assessments for individual properties. Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M090928\S090928B.doc