PLACEMENT: Public Hearings
TITLE:
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PUBLIC HEARING AND FINAL ASSESSMENT RESOLUTION FOR THE HARBOR ESTATES/GAINES AVENUE WATER MAIN EXTENSION MUNICIPAL SERVICE BENEFIT UNIT
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
executive summary
Board action is requested to adopt the final assessment resolution for the Harbor Estates/Gaines Avenue Area 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, Utilities & Solid Waste Director
PRESET:
PROCEDURES: None
BACKGROUND/RELATED STRATEGIC GOAL:
This Department is in receipt of a petition from the residents of Harbor Estates/Gaines Avenue Area requesting a survey of the property owners for the purpose of determining interest in extending water service into the community. The proposed project area is generally described as properties fronting SW Gaines Avenue, SW Fuge Road, SW Harbor Street, SW St. Lucie Street, SW Salerno Circle, SW Basin Court, SW Cinnamon Court, SW Chase Court, SW Garnett Drive and SW Willow Lake Trail presently without availability of public water supply. There are 160 properties in the project area.
The affected property owners in this project area were sent ballots on 3 different occasions depending upon the number of responses to the 1st and 2nd ballot requests. The ballots indicated that the estimated cost of the project would be between $9,500 and $10,500 per property. The final tally of all the ballots received to date as verified by the Martin County Supervisor of Elections office indicates 78 properties FOR the project and 66 AGAINST.
A Florida Department of Environmental Protection Construction Permit has been received and competitive bids from underground utility contractors were opened on February 7, 2024 and Jamie Underground Inc. submitted the lowest responsive and responsible bid.
A staff level workshop was held on April 23, 2024, to explain the project scope, costs, and the assessment process. All the 160 affected property owners were mailed invitations to that workshop.
Based on the final design, the initial prepayment amount is $9,808.53 per equivalent residential connection (ERC) which is within the estimated range as outlined in the ballots mentioned above. Amortizing the project over a 20-year period at 1.52% interest will result in an estimated annual payment of $627.32 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 2025. The proposed assessment will include 160 properties at 162 ERC’s.
As part of the Board adopted “Connect to Protect” program the contractor will be installing small diameter force mains along the southern extent of SW Cinnamon Court and the western extent of SW Willow Lake Trail at no cost to the residents to allow future connections to the Utilities wastewater collection system and eliminate on-site septic systems. The remainder of the project area already has access to small diameter force mains for sewer connections.
The notice for this hearing was advertised in The Stuart News and individual notices of the public hearing were 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 Harbor Estates/Gaines Avenue Area 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 Harbor Estates/Gaines Avenue Area 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>.