Despite complaints from some residents that they were blindsided about the amount of their special taxes, 69传媒 city commissioners on Tuesday approved levying special assessments for 14 benefit districts in 69传媒.
These are areas in which work was done to improve a district, and now the city government is levying special assessments against the benefiting properties.
The sites are Candlewood Shopping Center turn lane street improvements; The Highlands at Grand Mere, Unit Two 69传媒 sanitary sewer, street, and water; Stagg Hill Golf Course waterline improvements; Elijah Addition 69传媒 sanitary sewer, street, and water; Henry Addition 69传媒 sanitary sewer, street, and water; Genesis Health Club sidewalk improvements; and Stagg Hill Business Community Addition sewer and water extension.
The total bonded amount for the improvements is $3.175 million.
During a public hearing, some residents of the Elijah Addition said they had been told by their real estate agents and developers that their share of the special assessments would be much less.
Alex Van Dyke said when he was buying his house, his realtor got an estimate from someone at the city and told him it would be around $4,000 when the total is $5,000. He said he doesn69传媒檛 understand how it could be more when no additional work has been done.
69传媒淚 just don69传媒檛 understand,69传媒 he said. 69传媒淚t feels a little predatory.69传媒
Rina Neal, director of finance, said her office has been getting quite a few calls like that about the Elijah Addition. She said the city government bases its amount on the petition, which is always higher than the construction cost. She said the city has always estimated the specials would be in the $5,000 range.
69传媒淗ere recently we were made aware that there is information out in the public that the costs are at $4,000,69传媒 she said 69传媒淭hat doesn69传媒檛 come from the city.69传媒
Jean Klassen said she and her husband, residents of the same addition, talked to every department in the city office trying to find out what their portion would be and got no answers until Monday when the notice came in the mail.
69传媒淲e were told it was going to be around $3,000,69传媒 she said. 69传媒淲e don69传媒檛 sleep at night, and we worry about it all the time, and we69传媒檙e not alone; our whole neighborhood is that way.69传媒
She said the neighborhood has been rezoned several times and now has apartments that look like Army barracks. Klassen and her husband said it wasn69传媒檛 necessarily fair that their single-family residential property is charged the same way the apartment properties are (by area) when the multi-unit properties require more infrastructure.
The commission approved the ordinance 5-0.
Handi-Corner plans
Commissioners voted to terminate an agreement to develop the Handi-Corner site on Laramie Street between 11th and 12th streets.
Developer Midtown Land Company had planned to build a hotel and parking garage on the site, where a portion of the Handi-Corner strip mall has been demolished. However, owner TJ Vilkanskas, who also owns Back 9 Development, recently asked commissioners to let him put the hotel/parking garage across the street to the west, where he had planned a multi-use building called Midtown after plans for that building fell through.
The commission agreed to a 105-room Hampton Inn and 100-stall parking garage on the site, formerly a parking lot south of Kite69传媒檚 Bar and Grill and currently an empty lot. Commissioners also authorized issuing $20 million in industrial revenue bonds for the project as well as project deadlines and potential penalties.
Vilkanskas said Friday he will honor the leases of the two remaining tenants, Green Tea Sushi and Catalyst Piercing.
69传媒淲e don69传媒檛 know what is going to go there,69传媒 he said. 69传媒淲e do own that parcel. We are not certain at this point in time what is going to go in that spot.69传媒
