SF 2744

as introduced - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/18/2014 09:42am

A bill for an act
relating to local government; authorizing a vacant lot sanitary sewer connection
program in the city of St. Paul.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin CITY OF ST. PAUL; VACANT LOT SANITARY SEWER
CONNECTION PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Public purpose. new text end

new text begin The legislature finds that the development of vacant
lots and connecting buildings built on the vacant lots to the sanitary sewer system is
a public purpose and that providing financing to owners of single-family residences to
connect future buildings to the sanitary sewer system is a public purpose.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program authorized. new text end

new text begin The city of St. Paul may undertake a program to
construct a connection to the sanitary sewer system for a building to be built on a privately
owned vacant lot at the written request of the owner of the property. The city may contract
for the connection to the sanitary sewer system, or may pay or reimburse the cost for
connection to the sanitary sewer system for which the owner of the property has entered
into contracts. As part of the program, the city may identify criteria for private contractors
and may limit the payment or reimbursement of costs to those situations in which the work
has been performed by contractors whose participation in the program has been approved
by the city in advance. The city need not hold any hearing in connection with the request
of individual property owners for participation in the program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Charges authorized. new text end

new text begin The city may charge the cost of the program to the
owners who have requested the connection to the sanitary sewer system for a building
to be built on a vacant lot. The amount charged may include the full amount paid or
reimbursed, the cost of administration, and the cost of financing. The amount charged may
be made payable with interest at a rate determined by the city in installments over a period
determined by the city not to exceed 20 years. The installments may be certified, added
to, and collected in the same manner as municipal taxes by the county department of
property taxation or similar department and paid over to the city in the same manner as are
municipal taxes. The city may certify due and unpaid installments to the county auditor
along with taxes against the benefited property for collection as other real property taxes
are collected, in which event the installments may be enforced in the manner required for
enforcement of real property taxes in accordance with state law.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Charges to property owners. new text end

new text begin Instead of charging the cost of the program
as provided above, the city may charge the cost of the program to the owners who have
requested the connection to the sanitary sewer system. The amount charged may include
the full amount paid or reimbursed, the cost of administration, and the cost of financing.
The amount charged must be payable with interest at a rate determined by the city in
installments over a period determined by the city not to exceed 20 years. All charges for the
program are valid and enforceable without regard to valuation of the property or the benefit
conferred. After the amount to be charged has been determined, whether or not the work
has been performed, the city must hold a public hearing on the charges after notice mailed to
the owner of the property, to be charged not less than 14 days before the published hearing.
Notice of the hearing is not required. The city shall select chapter 429, or the city charter,
to govern the procedure for the levy and collection of the charges and, unless a different
procedure is provided in this section, proceedings for the imposition, appeal, repeal,
supplementation, and collection of the charges must conform to the procedures selected.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Nature of charges. new text end

new text begin The charges, with accruing interest, are a lien upon
all private and public property included in the charges, from the date of the resolution
adopting the charges, concurrent with general taxes. All charges and interest on them must
be collected and paid over in the same manner as municipal taxes.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Obligations authorized. new text end

new text begin To pay the costs of the program, the city may
issue general or special obligations in one or more series without an election and without
being subject to limits on net debt, but otherwise in accordance with Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 475. To the payment of the obligations, the city must pledge receipts of the
charges and may in addition pledge revenues or net revenues of the city's sewer service
fund. The city may pledge its full faith, credit, and taxing powers to pay the obligations
and may levy taxes to pay the obligations.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Local approval. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day after the governing body
of the city of Saint Paul and its chief clerical officer timely complete their compliance
with section 645.021, subdivisions 2 and 3.
new text end