Nov. 13 hearing set on Phase One

A Nov. 13 assessment hearing as been scheduled for property owners affected by the Phase One infrastructure project in northeast Tracy.
The Tracy City Council, in a resolution passed Monday, set a maximum of $582,000 in assessments for the project, to be paid off over 15 years. Approximately 95 properties are involved in Phase One improvements. The council is facing a Nov. 30 deadline, in order to have the Phase One assessments certified for taxes payable in 2018.
A council committee was scheduled to meet Wednesday, Oct. 25, to decide how the Phase One assessments should be apportioned. Once the assessment formula is finalized, individual notices of the proposed assessments and the hearing date will be mailed to all affected property owners.
Council members have discussed the possibility of calling the assessments “hook-up fees.” Most—but not all properties—have received both water and sewer main improvements. Most properties are also getting new a new street, curb and gutter, with a few getting improvements only in an alley.
A formula adopted by the committee, will attempt to take into account those differences.
Consulting engineer Chris Larson told the council that $532,000 was the minimum that the city will be required to assess, since that represents 20% of the amount being borrowed on a city-backed bond.
In the past, the council has discussed the goal of having individual “hook-up fees” average $5,500 to $6,000 a parcel.
The Phase One assessments affect properties on Long Green Lane, a northerly portion of Fourth St. East, Hollett St. East, Circle Drive, Second St. East, a portion of Emory St. East, a portion of Center St., a portion of Emory St., and a portion of Park St.