Wednesday, August 15, 2007

MAIN STREET L.I.D.
$$$
BE INFORMED

Dear Main Street Neighbor –

The City of Newberg has decided that Main Street from Illinois to Lynn Streets needs improvement and they have decided to form what is called a LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, or LID on our behalf to pay for the improvements. Specifically, according to personal email with Dan Danicic at the City of Newberg, they want to install: new asphalt, curbs, sidewalks and bike lanes. AND THEY WANT US TO PAY FOR IT OUT OF OUR OWN POCKETS!

This LID project was first relayed to the public in the Saturday, March 15, 2007 issue of The Newberg Graphic. In an article entitled, “City Will Determine Future of TV in Newberg”, the very last paragraph read as follows,

“Will direct city staff to seek requests for proposals to create an engineer's report for possible
creation of a local improvement district (LID) on North Main Street. City staff has requested the
Illinois Street to Lynn Drive section of the street be reconstructed to collector street standards to
accommodate increased travel due to development.”

Our street will become a MAJOR COLLECTOR street for the City, defined by City code as, “MAJOR COLLECTOR. A collector that is intended to serve through traffic, and that typically has sufficient traffic volume to warrant striped bike lanes.”

If you own property that has a property line along Main Street between Illinois and Lynn Streets you will be part of this LID and you will be SENT A BILL FOR THE WORK. This includes property on corners of Main Street with a side-street address. If your property is on a cul-de-sac with a Main Street address, you may be involved in the LID and charged for the improvements.

The City of Newberg has a web page that confirms their intent to plan for this L.I.D.
http://ci.newberg.or.us/page.asp?id=157

WHAT IS A LOCAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT?

From Newberg City Code 36.41

“LOCAL IMPROVEMENT. A capital construction project, or part thereof, undertaken by the city pursuant to the procedure to be followed in making local assessments for the benefits from a local improvement upon the lots which have been benefited by all or part of the improvement:
(1) Which provides a special benefit only to specific properties or rectifies a problem caused by specific properties; and (2) The costs of which are assessed against those properties in a single assessment upon the completion of the project; and (3) For which the payment of the assessment plus appropriate interest may be spread over a period of at least ten years by the property owner; and (4) For which the total of all assessments for the local improvement shall not exceed the actual cost incurred by the city in completing the project; and (5) For which the status of a capital construction project as a local improvement is not affected by the accrual of a general benefit to property.”
DO WE HAVE A CHOICE?

Yes, and no. Once the City has devised their plan, the only way for their plan to be overturned is for 60% of the assessed value of the total improvement to be declined by written signature in the form of what is called a “remonstrance.”

Simply, this means that if the job costs $100,000 then $60,000 (60%) of that job has to be remonstrated. If your portion is assessed at $1,000 then that is only 1% of the total.

BIG FAT CAVEAT: If your property title has a “non-remonstrance” attached to it, you have no choice and no vote. Non-remonstrances are typically on homes newer than 30 years. CHECK YOUR TITLE!!!

If you’re opposed to this LID and want to file a remonstrance you must be PRO-ACTIVE or your voice will mean nothing.

A LOT TO THINK ABOUT…

Before the City of Newberg brings this to us for feedback this fall, we need to be prepared with comments and questions specific to our busy little neighborhood. Some things to consider would be:

Taxation – We pay tax money to the City every year for these types of improvements. Additionally, all of the developments to the north that are the source of this increased traffic had to pay System Development charges – where is that money??
Usage – The majority of traffic along this portion of Main Street is from the north: school traffic and from the hundreds of acres of housing developments that used to be filbert orchards. The City has already said our street to must, “…accommodate increased travel due to development.” yet we’re the ones being asked to pay for that accommodation. This is not fair practice!
Speed – The signs say “25 m.p.h.” but we all know that speeds along this stretch of road already regularly reach a dozen beyond. What impact will widening and improving this stretch of Main Street, to “MAJOR COLLECTOR” street standards have on speeds in our neighborhood? They will go UP!
Property Value – Increased traffic volume + Increased speed = LOWER PROPERTY VALUES!

WHO TO CONTACT?

Daniel Danicic, Public Works Director for the City <dan.danicic@ci.newberg.or.us> is in charge of this project and has been extremely helpful and open to questions.

NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION?

Upon review of the tax lot map, there are more than seventy lots/properties affected by this proposed LID. I have requested the City forward me a list of all the property owners and who has a non-remonstrance on their title. PLEASE help spread the word to your neighbors of what is to come so we all can be prepared once the City officially notifies us of their intentions.

In the meantime, please visit http://mainstreetlid.blogspot.com/ where we can post updates, comments, questions and keep in touch. Thank you!

Sue Lampson, 703 N. Main St., Newberg.
mainstreetlid@yahoo.com

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