By MaryHelen Swanson

Although the 10th Avenue street and utility project was initiated by petition of one property owner, the residents of North Branch will be picking up a portion of the tab.

The project was awarded Oct. 22 and the preliminary assessment roll in the feasibility report was based on full assessment of all project cost to three property owners, Horizon Bank (the petitioner), Associated Bank and Lisa Braun, a residential property owner.

But, according to City Engineer Julie Dresel, state law allows the use of the special benefit analysis which reduces assessments when the cost to build something is more than the increased value to the property.

It has not been determined that this is this case and there will be a gap in funding of $70,000 using Special Benefit Analysis.

At the Nov. 13 city council meeting, a revised assessment roll was thus adopted and the $70,000 will be placed on the tax roll for lack of other funding source.

By request of the city, Horizon Bank is picking up the entire cost of sidewalk along 10th Avenue.

In the future, when the Old Town project is done, and improvements are made to Elm Street, Horizon will also be paying for sidewalk along that portion of their property.

The approved new assessments include: $6,500 (plus $6,525 for sidewalk costs) and $3,000 for Horizon Bank, $5,000 for Lisa Braun and $6,500 for Associated Bank.

With only two council members and a mayor on hand for the meeting, the vote to approve the revised preliminary assessment roll went 2-1 with Councilor Theresa Furman opposed. She felt that Horizon should have picked up the gap.

Assessment hearings were also held that night for two street projects in the ESSBY Business Park. Majority of the assessments for the two projects, Goodview Avenue and Fletcher Avenue, will be paid by the North Branch EDA and Chisago County HRA-EDA with the exception of Topline Automotive, the first business in the development. The city's and county's costs will be recaptured with the sale of lots in the industrial p ark.

In other business, the council:

• Denied a variance for Cathy Rosvold from the minimum lot size and width requirements in the AG1 district. Upon the untimely death of Rosvold's husband, she felt that 15 acres was too much to take care of. She wanted to sell the residence and pole shed and retain 10 acres on which to build a home at a later date. The council accepted the planning commission's recommendation for denial, citing no special circumstances to approve it.

• Approved reapplication for a Safe Routes to School Grant.

• Adopted an ordinance on criminal background checks to ensure that the NB police department operates within the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's guidelines for background checks on finalists for city employment.

• Delayed action on taking ownership of two tax forfeited parcels in Kate's Estates until receiving feedback from the city's park commission.

• Adopted a resolution to not restrict motorboat use on South Chain Lake. If it cannot be reinforced why adopt restrictions.

• Agreed to send representatives of the NB community to a Healthy Community Partnership workshop given by the Initiative Foundation.

• Approved a partnership with Mn/DOT for a joint salt storage facility at the North Branch Station which has already been completed. The city will pay a 5 percent fee per ton of salt used. This is expected to provide a cost saving for the city.

• Learned that the NB Market Place developer intends to move forward with the project and will be at the Dec. 10 meeting for some approvals to get started.

•Received a petition from resident John Pantelis who lives near Harder Park. It states that no city park or city-owned recreation area should be open to the public after 10 p.m. And no public land should create noise or disturbances to any property owners after 10 p.m. It also includes a statement that property owners should be notified if a large scale improvement project is planned. About 45 signatures were collected by Pantelis. The council will address the concerns in the petition at a Jan. 17 worksession, which is open to the public.

The city's Truth in Taxation hearing is set for Dec. 3 at 6 p.m.