107.030 Procedure for use of alternate method.
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this chapter, its governing body shall initiate the proceedings by adopting an ordinance,
herein called the "First Ordinance," in which announcement shall be made of the public
way or ways (which need not be contiguous) proposed to be improved and the
geographical limits of the proposed improvement in such manner as to identify the
benefited properties or the identity of the property or properties to be benefited by the fire
hydrant in cities of the third through sixth classes or by the sewer installations (which
may include a sewage treatment plant) which properties may be identified by naming the
public way or ways upon which they abut, if any, or by geographical location, or both. In
either case the ordinance shall recite the nature and scope of the improvement, a
preliminary estimate of the costs thereof, as submitted in writing by an engineer, or firm
of engineers, holding a license from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and the amount, if
any, which the city proposes to appropriate from available city funds toward the estimated
cost. Any metropolitan sewer district desiring to initiate a wastewater collection project
pursuant to this chapter shall, by order of its board cause a written preliminary
engineering and financing report to be prepared by one (1) or more engineers, or one (1)
or more firms of engineers, licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, or
alternatively, by district personnel, for submission to the district. The preliminary
engineering and financing report shall designate a geographical area in which a
wastewater collection project is recommended for construction. The report shall contain a
reasonable description of the project facilities proposed to be constructed, a statement as
to benefits to be conferred by the proposed project, the distribution of the benefits and an
estimate of the cost of the proposed project. The board of the district shall receive the
preliminary engineering and financing report at a regular meeting. The board shall study
and evaluate it, and by duly entered order either approve, disapprove the report as
submitted, or amend and approve the report. Following approval of the preliminary
engineering and financing report by the board of the metropolitan sewer district, the board
shall formally initiate proceedings for the construction and financing of the proposed
wastewater collection project. This announcement shall identify all benefited properties
by naming the public way upon which such benefited properties abut, if any, or by
geographical location, or by other appropriate description. The first ordinance shall
describe the nature, scope and preliminary cost estimate of the wastewater collection
project being proposed. The ordinance shall determine that each parcel of land identified
as benefited property shall be afforded benefits by the projects unless specifically
excluded. A public hearing shall be held in respect of the proposed wastewater collection
project. In all succeeding proceedings, the city shall be bound and limited by the
preliminary report of the engineer, or engineers, with regard to the nature, scope, and
extent of the proposed improvement project (unless the first ordinance be amended, as
hereinafter provided); but shall not be bound by, or limited to, the preliminary estimate of
costs. The costs shall be determined upon the basis of construction bids publicly solicited
as hereinafter provided, and shall be binding upon the city, and upon the owners of
property to be benefited by the proposed improvement project, whether the same turn out
to be equal to, below, or above such preliminary estimate. Architects, attorneys,
consultants, engineers, and fiscal agents shall be employed after reasonable advertisement of the need for their services and with such competition as is permitted by law. In a first
ordinance for a wastewater collection project, the board of a metropolitan sewer district
shall make findings of fact regarding the degree and nature of the benefit which will
accrue to benefited properties by the installation of the project. If the board determines as
a fact that groups of or all of the benefited properties will be affected and benefited in
substantially the same manner and to substantially the same degree, the board may
classify such benefited properties into one (1) or more assessment zones based upon the
similarity of benefits to be derived. In such case, the board may deem all benefited
properties within a particular assessment zone to be equally benefited and therefore
equally treated for purposes of levying improvement benefit assessments for amortization
of bonds issued to provide funds to pay the costs of the project. It is the intent of KRS
Chapters 76 and 107 to vest in the board of any metropolitan sewer district undertaking a
project authority to make findings of fact in order to classify properties according to
benefits conferred from the construction of projects. The board may, by appropriate order,
determine that identified groups of benefited properties will be benefited in substantially
the same manner by a project and these properties shall be treated equally for purposes of
annual improvement benefit assessment of such benefited properties. The board may rely
upon any pertinent data in making such findings of fact, including the size and diameter
of sanitary sewer service connections to be made available. If the board of the district
determines that all properties situated within a particularly described geographic area will
not receive substantially equal benefits from the project, the board shall determine in the
first ordinance that such properties shall be annually assessed for benefits conferred based
upon the relative assessed land valuation of each benefited property as it relates to the
aggregated assessed land valuation of all benefited properties within such particularly
described geographic area. Whichever basis of assessment is selected, it shall be used
both initially, when land owners may pay improvement benefit assessments in a lump
sum, and subsequently during each annual period in which project bonds are outstanding
if a lump-sum payment is not paid. The first ordinance shall provide for a public hearing
at a time and place specified therein (not less than one (1) week after publication) and
shall give notice that at the hearing any owner of property to be benefited may appear and
be heard as to:
(1) Whether the proposed project should be undertaken or abandoned;
(2) Whether the nature and scope of the project shall be altered;
(3) Whether the project shall be financed through the issuance of bonds according to the "assessed value basis," authorized by this chapter; or (4) Whether the project shall be financed through assessments made and apportioned on a front-foot basis, as may otherwise be authorized by law. The first ordinance
shall be published pursuant to KRS Chapter 424. The first ordinance may designate
a person, who may be the mayor, a member of the governing body, or any city
official, to preside at and conduct such public hearing. In the absence of a
designation in the ordinance, the mayor or a person designated by the mayor shall
preside. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the public hearing shall not be deemed
irregular or improper if it is in fact presided over and conducted at the designated
time and place by any elected city officer or member of the governing body. Effective: July 15, 1986
History: Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 23, sec. 9, effective July 15, 1986. -- Amended 1976 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 13, sec. 11. -- Amended 1970 Ky. Acts ch. 92,
sec. 21. -- Amended 1966 Ky. Acts ch. 239, sec. 120. -- Amended 1964 Ky. Acts
ch. 161, sec. 2. -- Amended 1960 Ky. Acts ch. 226, sec. 3. -- Created 1956 Ky. Acts
ch. 239, sec. 3.