Item 4: Ordinance on Crest Drive Assessments (2)

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the street based on exceptions to design standards to meet a variety of desired outcomes on this project. The current findings of the Hearings Official include a finding specific to the assessment of the sidewalk costs to properties on both sides of the streets within the LID. The project was initiated by City Council action on September 8, 2008, pursuant to Section 7.160(5) of the Eugene Code and staff was directed to prepare plans and specifications and call for bids for construction of the local improvements. Bids were opened on May 21, 2009, with Babb Construction Co. dba Delta Const. Co. dba Delta Concrete Inc. as the low bidder. The property owners were notified of the public hearing regarding formation of the proposed LID and a hearing was held May 28, 2009, and continued to a public hearing before the City Council on June 15, 2009. Minutes, Findings and Recommendations from the Hearings Official were forwarded to the City Council in advance of their June 15, 2009, continuation of the public hearing. The City Council approved the minutes of both hearings and adopted a resolution forming the LID at a meeting held on June 22, 2009. Additionally, on June 22, 2009, the City Council approved a plan to reduce the assessable costs on three local improvement districts that were formed in 2009, Crest Neighborhood Street Improvements, Chad Drive Extension Improvements and Elmira Road/Maple Street Improvements, using funds remaining after lower than expected bid prices for the Crest Neighborhood project. The Crest Neighborhood property assessable costs were reduced by approximately $273,895 and the proposed assessments notices mailed to the property owners reflect this amount. At that same meeting, the City Council directed staff to modify the interim financing rate to be based on market rates. This modification was made by Administrative Order No. 44-09-09-F. The City Council also moved to include 15-year financing in the assessment ordinance. At the request of the Crest Drive Citizens Association (CDCA), the City accepted private donations in an effort to reduce the assessable costs for all properties within the LID. As of January 18, 2011, $5,575 in donations had been received by the City and the proposed assessments notices mailed to the property owners reflected this amount. Donations continued to be accepted until the end of business on February 15, 2011, and an additional $1,100 were received for a total of $6,675. Since the assessment notices did not reflect the additional $1,100 in donations, to be consistent, the calculations reported to the Hearings Official for the final assessment hearing also did not reflect the additional donations. Final assessment bills will be lower than in the Notice of Proposed Assessments and the amount reported to the Hearings Official for the hearing to account for donations received after January 18, 2011. On April 27, 2011, the City Council passed an amendment to the resolution that established the Street Subsidy Program. The amendment allowed property owners subject to the Crest Drive Area Street Improvement Project assessment to qualify for the Street Subsidy Program based on a 364-day extrapolation on the property owner(s)’s income on April 11, 2011. Correspondence and Communication Since the mailing of the Notice of Proposed Assessments, City staff received 13 phone calls or e-mails from property owners regarding the process to final assessment, cost calculations, financing of the costs and details about construction. A hearing was held on February 15, 2011, with five property owners testifying (see Hearings Official Minutes). \\Cesrv500\cc support\CMO\2011 Council Agendas\M110523\S1105234.doc