Several city street improvement projects were worked upon in 1999 – and assessed to abutting landowners.

Wednesday, December 22, 1999

Several city street improvement projects were worked upon in 1999 – and assessed to abutting landowners. Some landowners disagreed.

Projects 1- 4A 99 came under a certain amount of complaint this year. They encompass Third Avenue SW from 12th-15th Streets, 19th Street SW from Oakland to Eighth Avenue, First Drive NW from Main Street to Eighth Place and Fourth Avenue SE from 16th Avenue SE to Highway 218. According to City Engineer Jon Erichson, all it took to appease many of those with complaint was a little explanation.

"The city originally received 62 appeals of these assessments," Erichson said. "For those people, the hearing was adjourned. Since then, more than 30 of the appeals have been withdrawn."

A large part of the complaint people had been voicing was that while the properties abutting those streets are assessed to pay for improvements, the owners aren’t the only ones using the streets.

"They feel the city should just levy taxes," Erichson said.

In discussions with the landowners, city officials were able to point out that not only does the city not assess for the full cost of improvements, just a partial cost, but that assessments came in lower than the early estimates had set forth.

For the remaining complaintants, the city will meet with them again. If satisfaction isn’t to be found in that meaning, Erichson said they will be able to take it up in district court.