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Council approves Heart of the City streetscape assessment; adjoining properties to cover half of extra maintenance costs
Summary
The council held a public hearing and approved the Heart of the City (HOC) streetscape special assessment. Staff said the additional operational maintenance cost was $384,000 and the city assesses roughly half of that across adjoining property owners; this year’s assessment roll was reported at about $215,000.
The Burnsville City Council approved a resolution adopting the 2025 Heart of the City (HOC) streetscape special assessment after a public hearing.
City staff told the council that the HOC area contains special amenities that add ongoing operation and maintenance costs — colored sidewalks and trails, extra street lighting, banners, holiday lighting, enhanced boulevard and median maintenance, hanging baskets and other plantings. "Last year the full cost for the additional operational maintenance cost for the HLC was $384,000," staff reported, and the city assesses 50% of that cost to adjoining property owners under the HOC policy.
Why it matters: the streetscape assessment funds maintenance of enhanced public amenities in the downtown district; staff said the policy was updated in February 2022 and this is the second year of assessments under that policy. Larger or newly developed properties change the assessed frontage and square-footage base used to calculate an individual property’s share of the assessment.
Assessment method and amounts: staff said the program assesses properties based on storefront frontage and building square footage in areas the city deems directly benefiting; indirectly benefiting areas are assessed only by square footage until the streetscape is expanded. Staff reported this year’s assessment roll was approximately $215,000 to be paid by benefiting property owners; objections must be submitted in writing before the end of the public hearing and, if adopted, objectors have 30 days to appeal.
Council action: Councilmember Keeley moved and Councilmember Workman seconded the motion to adopt the resolution. No members of the public testified at the hearing and the council approved the resolution.
