The City of Sidney and Interstate Engineering held a public scoping meeting from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Wed., Feb. 24 at the Richland County Extension Office. The purpose of the informational session was to inform residents about the Proposed Special Improvement District (SID) to B & B Minor, Wagon Wheel Village, and the Wilkinson Subdivision and to gather public opinion on whether or not to proceed with the project.
Interstate Engineering was hired by the city to develop an assessment of property adjacent to public right of way in order to develop streets, curbs, and storm drainage facilities after receiving inquiries from neighborhood residents. The total project cost would be $6,541,800.00 and property owners would divvy the cost based on 50% lot frontage and 50% lot area; property owners could pay the total cost upfront or have it factored into their taxes over 15 to 20 years.
Past and future maintenance fees were not factored into the SID and only potential changes to the public right of way, a space of 60’, are under consideration. The SID doesn’t change any property lines or personal property unless it is located within the public right of way.
The construction of streets, curbs, and drainage facilities would increase the property value, however residents must also consider whether or not, as individual property owners, the cost is feasible. City Council will review comment cards and other feedback and then the SID will be given to the Streets and Alleys Committee for further review. City Council can stop the project if they decide that proceeding isn’t going to be in the best interest of residents; if the decision is made to move forward, property owners on record will receive a letter from the City. If the property owner then sends a letter of protest, it will be counted as a ‘oppose’ vote while no response will be counted as a ‘in favor’ vote. Half of the total project size, or 50% of all the land must be opposed in order for the SID to be stopped from the property owners side.
There are 187 lots with 56 property owners, and of those about thirty residents were in attendance for Wednesday night’s meeting. The City of Sidney would like to thank those that participated in the informational session.
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