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Commission discusses downtown special assessment, business owners’ questions about notice and service
Summary
Commissioners reviewed the first public hearing process for a proposed downtown special assessment and discussed concerns from downtown businesses about notification, what services the assessment pays for, and whether businesses can opt out; staff said property owners received letters and that assessment amounts vary by frontage.
Commissioners used the work session to review the process for the first public hearing on a proposed downtown special assessment and to hear concerns from downtown business owners about notification and service value.
A commissioner asked how the sequence works after the public hearing; staff outlined the steps: hold the initial public hearing, make a motion about what to assess, ask the assessor to prepare the roll, make a second public hearing to review the roll and then vote on approval at a subsequent meeting. Staff confirmed property owners along the affected blocks received letters about tonight's hearing and that they could inspect assessment details in the clerk's office.
Several commissioners expressed concern that current downtown businesses are different from those that first requested the assessment decades ago and that business owners may not feel adequately heard. Downtown business owner Mickey described how the DDA and the assessment began in the 1980s to centralize maintenance tasks such as sidewalk clearing and sweeping because not all property owners maintained their frontage. "It saved us from having to work in front of our business and still take care of the inside," Mickey said.
Commissioners clarified legal and procedural points: property owners in a special assessment district cannot opt out once levied (it was created by commission action in prior years), and assessment rates vary by frontage (primary versus secondary) with some properties having multiple frontages. Staff said the public can review last year's assessment roll for averages and that sweeping/cleaning work goes out to bid.
The discussion concluded with commissioners noting the item will remain on the regular meeting agenda for further public input and any votes required to set or approve the assessment roll.
