Frequently Asked Questions
 Special Assessment Issues

What is the special assessment policy?

The Statute further provides that the cost of any improvement may be assessed upon property benefited by the improvement based upon benefits received. It also defines the petition process for improvements, the assessment procedure and the assessment appeal process.

Contract cost plus 15 percent for Engineering, 2 percent for Administration, 1 percent for Legal Fees, 1 percent for assessment rolls management, 1 percent for bonding costs, plus right-of-way costs and temporary funding charges, plus assessable charges from other governmental agencies (i.e. Sewer Board), plus any assessable costs previously incurred by the city.

• Street, Alley, Curb & Gutter and sidewalk/trail improvements
• Storm and sanitary sewer systems
• Street lights
• Water main systems
• Parks, open space, playgrounds, and recreational facilities
• Planting, maintenance, and trimming of street trees
• Nuisance abatement
• Snow and ice removal
• Retaining walls and area walls
• Sump pump provision or rectification
• Highway sound barriers
• Delinquent utility bills

To see a more complete list of improvements that are eligible for special assessments a link to the City’s special assessment policy has also been provided below.

Special Assessment Policy

·         Initiation of the order for the improvement - The order for the improvement may be initiated by the City Council, by a petition by either, the affected property owners or by a developer, in conjunction with a development or redevelopment.

·         A report for the feasibility of the improvement The city engineer (or other competent person) must prepare a report on the proposed improvement. The report must include the estimated cost of the proposed improvement, and whether it is necessary, cost-effective, and feasible.

·         Notice of the public hearing on the improvement - A public hearing must be held on the proposed improvement. The city must publish a notice of the public hearing to consider the proposed improvement. It must be published twice with the notices appearing at least one week apart. At least three days must elapse between the last publication and the date of the hearing. The city must also mail a notice to each property owner in the proposed assessment area at least 10 days prior to the hearing.

·         Public hearing on the improvement - At the public hearing, interested persons will have an opportunity to voice their concerns, whether or not they are in the proposed assessment area. When a petition signed by 100 percent of the landowner’s requests the improvement, the City Council may order the improvement without a hearing.

·         Ordering the improvement and the preparation of the plans - If the City Council began proceedings because of a petition signed by the owners of property that comprise at least 35 percent of the property frontage abutting the improvement, the City Council can pass a resolution to order the improvement with a majority vote. However, if the City Council initiated the proceedings, a four-fifths majority vote of the City Council is needed to pass the resolution. After the resolution is passed, the city engineer will prepare the necessary plans and specifications. The City Council will decide how the improvement will be done and, if necessary, issue a call for bids.

• Property owners may prepay the entire assessment with no interest charges within a 30-day period following the date the City Council adopts the assessment roll.
• If the property owners do not pay within the 30-day period, but pay the assessments on or before November 14, interest will be charged to December 31.
• If the property owner does not pay the assessment in full on or before November 14, the assessed amount will be spread over the full assessment period.
• After assessment, payment of the remaining balance may be made in any year if paid on or before November 14, however, interest will be assessed through December 31^st of that year.

A search may be ordered by mail or you may pick the search up at City Hall. There is a $25 charge per parcel for each special assessment search which is payable in advance. Mail or fax your requests to:

City of Robbinsdale
Special Assessment Clerk
4100 Lakeview Avenue North
Robbinsdale, MN 55422

The check must be made payable to the City of Robbinsdale.

Reconstruction assessments will apply for those parcels with an existing constructed street and/or alley to the lot. This policy assumes that 100 percent of the original street construction cost was assessed to the adjacent benefiting properties. Street reconstruction shall included replacement of the roadway surface, existing or new curb and gutter, storm sewer, and/or sidewalks.

If you wish to read the complete the special assessment policy a link has been provided below.

Two weeks prior to the assessment hearing an assessment hearing notice will be sent to the property owners. The notice will state the date, the time and place of the assessment hearing, general nature of the improvement, the area proposed to be assessed, the total amount of the proposed assessment for the improvement and the proposed assessment against the property owners lot or parcel of land.

Prior to November 30 of the year in which the assessment was levied, the city is required to send a certified copy of the assessment roll to Hennepin County. The assessed amounts will then appear on your tax statement.

No, the interest that appears on your tax statement is calculated for that given year and is current to December 31^st.

The Senior Citizen Deferral is available to persons who are 65 years of age or older on January 1st of the payment year.  The property to be assessed must be homestead and the annual principle and interest on the assessments must be  in excess of 1 1/2 percent of the owners annual income.

This deferral is not for all special assessments. Please call the City if you wish to apply. The applicant should be aware that the interest on the assessments accrues and would have to be paid current when time as the parcel is sold, upon the death of the applicant, loss of the homestead status or if the owner is no longer determined to be in a hardship category.