PLACEMENT: Departmental
TITLE:
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INITIAL ASSESSMENT RESOLUTION FOR THE BEAU RIVAGE WATER MAIN MUNICIPAL SERVICE BENEFIT UNIT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
Board action is requested to adopt the initial assessment resolution for the Beau Rivage Water Main Municipal Service Benefit Unit to allow installation of water lines.
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DEPARTMENT: Utilities and Solid Waste
PREPARED BY: Name: Phil Keathley
Title: Chief Project Manager
REQUESTED BY: Samuel Amerson, P.E., Utilities & Solid Waste Director
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
The proposed project area is generally described as properties fronting NW Britt Road, NW Britt Court, NW Britt Terrace, NW Bay Colony Court, NW Bay Colony Drive, NW Everglades Boulevard, NW Cove View, NW Wide River Cove, NW Captiva Cove, NW Collins Cove Road, NW South Shore Road, NW St. Lucie Lane, NW Howard Creek Lane, NW South Manor Avenue, NW Florida Avenue and NW Florida Court presently without availability of public water supply. There are 259 benefitting properties in the project area.
The final tally of all the ballots received in September 2020 as verified by the Martin County Supervisor of Elections office indicated 217 properties FOR the project and 41 AGAINST at an estimated upper range cost of $7,500 per Equivalent Residential Unit (ERC). Since completion of that balloting effort staff had to complete the design and permitting of the project and then submit a Request for Inclusion to the State Revolving Fund Loan Program. The Final State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement was executed on July 21, 2023 and included a total of four (4) water main extension projects. Three (3) of those projects have successfully made it through the Municipal Services Benefit Unit process and are presently under construction. Due to the present economic environment all four (4) projects exceeded the Utilities Department anticipated construction costs.
A Florida Department of Environmental Protection Construction Permit has been received and competitive bids from underground utility contractors were opened on December 18, 2024 and Accurate Drilling Systems, Inc. submitted the lowest responsive and responsible bid.
A staff level workshop will be held in March 2025, prior to the final public hearing, to explain the project scope, costs, and the assessment process. All the 257 benefitting property owners will be mailed invitations to that workshop.
Based on the final design, the initial prepayment amount is $9,989 per equivalent residential connection (ERC) which is below the $10,000 cap established by a recently adopted BOCC policy. Amortizing the project over a 20-year period at a 1.52% interest rate will result in an estimated annual payment of $638.87 per ERC. The estimated annual payment also includes annual costs related to preparation and collection of the roll each year totaling 8.75% (consisting of 2% for the Tax Collector fee, 2.75% for the tax roll and legal consultants, and a 4% adjustment for early tax bill payments). This project will be financed through the State Revolving Fund Loan Agreement #43024. The annual payment will be included in the tax bill commencing with the bill mailed in October 2026. The proposed assessment will include 257 properties at 259 ERC’s. The Utilities Department is contributing $930,000 towards construction of the water mains to achieve the Board adopted goal of less than $10,000 per ERC. In addition, the Utilities Department will be contributing $950,156 to construct low pressure sewage force mains throughout the project area at the same time with no additional costs to the benefited properties.
A public hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 2025. The notice for the hearing will be advertised in The Stuart News and upon adoption of the initial assessment resolution today, individual notices of the public hearing will be mailed to each property owner proposed to be assessed at the mailing address indicated on the tax roll.
ISSUES:
None
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY REVIEW:
Chris Traber, the County’s Special Assessment Counsel, has prepared the resolution, reviewed the agenda item summary, and confirmed that the form of each is proper.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
RECOMMENDATION
Move that the Board adopt the Initial Assessment Resolution to create the Beau Rivage Water Main Municipal Service Benefit Unit.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
Do not adopt the Initial Assessment Resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT:
RECOMMENDATION
None, as the cost of the project will be paid for by the benefitted property owners of the Beau Rivage Water Main Municipal Service Benefit Unit.
ALTERNATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
None
DOCUMENT(S) REQUIRING ACTION:
☐Budget Transfer / Amendment ☐ Chair Letter ☐Contract / Agreement
☐Grant / Application ☐Notice ☐Ordinance ☒Resolution
☐Other:
This document may be reproduced upon request in an alternative format by contacting the County ADA Coordinator (772) 320-3131, the County Administration Office (772) 288-5400, Florida Relay 711, or by completing our accessibility feedback form at www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback <http://www.martin.fl.us/accessibility-feedback>.