Ordinance No. 20453 - Laserfiche WebLink

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After the commencement of the hearing Mr. Johnson asked additional questions. His first question was to ask why the improvement had not been made to Elmira all the way through to Highway 99. Principal Engineer Michel Cahill explained that the portion of Elmira between Maple Street and Highway 99 was not a collector street but was classified as a local street. Ms. Cahill explained that the process for initiating improvements on local streets, such as that portion of Elmira, relied on local property owner requests for the improvements. In this case there had not been sufficient local property owner requests to mare the improvements on the portion of Elmira that was a local street. s Mr. Johnson asked if the process of assessment was common. He indicated that he was unfamiliar with the assessment process and felt that it would be more logical to increase the tax payments of everyone in the neighborhood, and use that money to pay for improvements. Ms. Cahill explained that the Council had made the policy decision that properties that abut an improvement should be the properties that are'assessed to pay for improvements. The hearings officer explained that assessments for local improvements are a common method used by local governments to pay for the improvements. Mr. Johnson asked for the engineers' opinion of the condition of streets in Eugene. City Engineer Mark Schoening explained that there was a backlog of over $100 million of needed improvements and repairs to City streets. Mr. Johnson asked why the City had let the streets deteriorate so badly. Mr. Schoening indicated that much of the problem came from an unchanging revenue source — the state gas tax payments -- and an ever increasing cost of repairs. Mr. Schoening discussed the relationship between the number of improved streets needing repair and the amount of unimproved streets such as Elmira Road had been. The number of unimproved streets is a small percentage of the City's improved streets. Ms. Cahill informed Mr. Johnson that once improved to City standards, the City would tape responsibility for maintenance and would not assess the abutting property owners again. Mr. Johnson indicated that Elmira was originally a county road. Mr. Johnson lives near Veneta, on a county road. It had recently been repaved and was in good condition. Mr. Johnson wondered why after annexation the City had not kept Elmira Road in good condition. City Engineer Mark Schoening indicated that Elmira had not been Dept in good repair by the County, and was in deteriorated condition when it was annexed. Mr. Johnson concluded by asking for an explanation of the financing process. Ms. Cahill responded by saying that the first steps depended on Council approval of the proposed assessments. If this occurs, City Finance will send the assessment statements to the property owners. The property owners will then have ten days to pay the assessment or to elect to finance the assessment. Mr. Johnson again explained that he would have no choice but to finance the assessment because he had been so hard hit by the recession.