SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICTS (SAD) INFORMATION
During the May 22, 2023, City Council meeting, the City Council directed staff to investigate details for the reconstruction of Lindenwood Subdivision, as well as the reconstruction of West Rolston Road from North Bridge Street to the gravel transition on the west end. During the July 24, 2023 City Council Meeting, public hearings were held on special assessment district presentations and the decision was made to proceed with road improvements within the Lindenwood District and West Rolston Road.
Following the public hearing, City Council determined by Resolution to proceed with the improvements and ordered the Assessor to prepare a special assessment roll for Lindenwood. Bids for the Lindenwood Subdivision Road Improvement project have since been reviewed and received. At the February 12, 2024 City Council Work Session meeting, City Council adopted a series of Resolutions to proceed with the financing process for the Lindenwood and to set a public hearing on the special assessment roll for the Lindenwood Special Assessment District. Notices were sent for publication and mailed to parcels within the Lindenwood Road Improvement Special Assessment District. The public hearing was held February 26, 2024 during the City Council meeting on the special assessment roll for the Lindenwood Improvement Project, and the Roll was approved.
Lindenwood Subdivision Road Improvement Project
The estimated cost for this project is $3,021,788.06. The project will include various construction methods to properly address the existing site and road conditions. The streets included in the project are as follows:
• Main Street from Broad Street to Lindenwood
• Lindenwood from S. Bridge to East Street
• East Street from Hickory to Lindenwood
• Maple Drive from Main Street to East Street
• South Street from East Street to dead end
It is worthy to note that additional sidewalks are not being proposed as part of this improvement project. However, the repair of existing sidewalks will be undertaken.
2024 LINDENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS PLAN SET
West Rolston Road Improvement Project
The estimated cost for this project is $1,886,525.00. The project will include various construction methods to properly address the existing site and road conditions.
In addition to acquiring details and cost estimates for the projects, staff was also directed to investigate the possibility of establishing Special Assessment Districts to assist in the funding for the project. The utilization of the SAD funding process assesses project costs to the benefiting properties and preserves capital funding for additional improvements throughout the community.
During the investigation, staff verified that the utilization of SAD districts has a long history in the City of Linden. With these historical precedents, and the need for significant infrastructure investment in the coming years, city staff recommended to establish and utilize SAD districts to assist with the funding of applicable projects.
In accordance with Chapter 32 of the General Code of Ordinances – Special Assessment of Public Improvements (the “Code”), the City can initiate the special assessment process on its own by resolution. The process for creating a special assessment district involves several steps, which include notice and two
public hearings, and takes a few months to complete.
The city is in the process of determining the best method by which to spread project costs on the special assessment roll (the “Roll”) that is to be prepared by the Assessor pursuant to the Code. The City is considering levying assessments per parcel, which assessments may take into account road frontage, road usage, and/or other factors that may be appropriate for the properties to be assessed. The amount to be assessed against each parcel of land will be in proportion to the benefit that an assessed parcel of land bears to the total benefit to all lands in the special assessment district.
Once the Assessor has prepared the Roll, the Roll will be held on file for examination, a public hearing will be set, and notice of the hearing will be published and mailed to property owners. Other "milestones" in the process to establish the SADs and levy special assessments are indicated within the Informational Packets provided. Please refer to the Informational Packets for additional information. Please contact City Offices at (810) 735-7980 with any questions.