Resolution 12-076 Exclusion Criteria for Parcels that Will Not be Served by Natural Gas Under the Special Assessment District

CITY OF HOMER
HOMER, ALASKA

City Manager

RESOLUTION 12-076

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA APPROVING EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PARCELS WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS THAT WILL NOT BE DIRECTLY SERVED BY NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION MAINS CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE PROPOSED NATURAL GAS SPECIAL ASSESSMENT DISTRICT.

WHEREAS, The Homer City Council recently adopted Resolution 12-069 which initiated a special assessment district to provide a natural gas distribution system within the City and authorized the City Manager to prepared the proposed improvement plan; and
WHEREAS, Step one in preparing an improvement plan is defining the scope of the project and where distribution mains will be constructed because that has a direct bearing on construction schedules, the total project cost, and the ultimate assessment cost per property owner; and
WHEREAS, Decisions about where the pipe will be constructed and which lots will be served directly as part of the assessment district have significant financial and political implications and it is important to establish objective criteria for making those decisions that can be communicated to the public; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of the City Council that the proposed special assessment district will provide the funds necessary to construct gas distribution mains in City streets and that only properties that directly benefit from the improvement with frontage along streets containing mains will be included in the assessment district and be assessed; and
WHEREAS, There are parcels within the City limits that, for economic or policy reasons, should not be served directly or have a main extended to them at this time as part of the assessment district improvement plan; and
WHEREAS, Owners of parcels that are excluded from the assessment district improvement plan have the option of petitioning the Council for inclusion in the assessment district or working with Enstar directly for service at a later time using the approved main extension process approved by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Homer City Council finds that it is beneficial and in the public interest to establish a clear set of exclusion criteria to determine which parcels within the City limits will not be directly served by gas distribution mains constructed under the special assessment improvement plan.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council hereby adopts the following set of exclusion criteria:
• Undeveloped rural areas, parcels, or subdivisions which have no developed road access, no homes or businesses, and no city utilities.
• Parcels where a run of more than ½ mile is necessary in order to serve one or just a few customers. ( With the possible exception of the Spit)
• Lots that have sever constraints for development such as steep slope, tideland, or other physical reasons.
• Lots that do not border a dedicated public right of way.
• Lots with legal restrictions on their development, such as conservation easements or designated park lands.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a preliminary map showing the proposed location of parcels which would be excluded from direct service and gas main extension under these criteria and the assessment district improvement plan was presented with this resolution and is incorporated herein.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 27th day of August, 2012.

CITY OF HOMER

_____________________________
JAMES C. HORNADAY, MAYOR
ATTEST:

______________________________
JO JOHNSON, CMC, CITY CLERK

Fiscal Note: N/A