Council schedules assessment hearing for Argenta Trail after resident objects to timing

The Inver Grove Heights City Council voted to call a public assessment hearing on its pavement management project 2023-9E (Argenta Trail) for Oct. 13, while acknowledging a nearby homeowner’s objections that the street is not yet “substantially complete.”

John Wendt, a longtime homeowner at 8804 Argenta, told the council his property has been in his family for five generations and that, as of four hours before his appearance, the street was dirt and mud with no curb, final grading or asphalt. “This is nowhere near substantially complete,” Wendt said, and asked the council to delay the assessment hearing until a clear substantial-completion date exists.

Public Works Director Ryan Connolly said the city’s assessment policy and recent task-force work favor scheduling assessment hearings when projects are substantially complete, but staff maintain a calendar to meet county tax-roll deadlines. Connolly said the Argenta project is anticipated to be substantially complete by Sept. 30 under the contract (with a final lift of pavement planned next year) and that calling the hearing for Oct. 13 gives staff the statutory timeline needed to certify assessments to Dakota County. He also told the council that if a project is still incomplete at the public hearing the council can open the hearing and then continue it to a later meeting (for example, Oct. 27).

Council members pressed staff on alternatives. Council Member Takach asked whether the council could wait until the Sept. 22 meeting; Connolly said Eagan (the city managing the work) indicates the job will not be substantially complete by Sept. 22. Councilor Scales said she preferred not to call a hearing when the city’s own standard language about “substantial completion” was not met, but said she might revisit the question in two weeks. Several council members noted they expect the same decision at the next meeting unless the contractor’s schedule changes.

Connolly explained practical consequences for timing: if an assessment hearing is not held in early October the assessments cannot be certified to the county in time to appear on the 2026 tax roll, which would push levying and collection into the following year and change prepayment/interest timing for owners. He said staff will prepare parcel cost estimates, pull county ownership records and send the statutorily required notice once the hearing is called, and that an open house is typically scheduled before the hearing.

After discussion, a councilor moved and the council approved calling the assessment hearing as described (the council noted it retains the option at the public hearing to continue or postpone certification if the work is not substantially complete). The council also said staff would present the project status at the hearing and would recommend continuing the hearing if the work remained incomplete.

The hearing will be noticed to current record owners; Connolly reminded the council that the owner of record at the time a hearing is called receives the notice per statute. Staff reiterated the Oct. 13 hearing can be opened and continued if needed, and that scheduling the hearing now preserves the 30-day prepayment option under the statute referenced in the meeting.