[HISTORY: Adopted by the October Town Meeting
of the Town of North Reading 10-6-2003 by Art. 3, approved 11-12-2003. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town of North Reading will provide 50% of
the necessary funds for betterments approved through the processes
outlined below.
A.
Private streets -- Street, sidewalk or storm drain
betterments will be assessed using the "Fixed Uniform Rate" method.
(1)
The Town of North Reading, based on the availability
of funds, will provide 50% of the necessary funds for street betterments.
(2)
At a public hearing, abutters on private streets must
vote on whether they want their street converted to a public street.
If a majority of the property owners residing on a street and representing
a majority of the road frontage vote in favor of the conversion and
the acceptance of costs for construction, the Public Works Department
will recommend to the Select Board, the placement of the street on
a list for conversion as funds become available. At the public hearing,
abutters are given a NOT-TO-EXCEED assessment cost estimate per linear
foot of frontage.
[Amended 6-4-2018 ATM
by Art. 28, approved 9-21-2018]
(3)
The final assessment is the LOWER of either of the
actual per linear foot cost based on the total construction costs
divided by the assessable frontage, or the estimated assessment quoted
at the public hearing. The date between its acceptance on the list
by the Select Board and the date it is funded for conversion may be
and is typically several years. After it is funded, the Department
of Public Works shall prepare engineering and construction documents
so that it may be put out to bid and constructed. Sometime between
the date it is funded and the award of the conversion contract, the
street is accepted as a public street, by Town Meeting. Along with
the Town Meeting vote of acceptance, a notice of assessment and a
layout plan is filed at the Registry of Deeds. The filing allows for
title companies to recognize that the street is to become a public
street and assessments to be rendered at a future unknown date. However,
the layout plan and notice of assessment will not show on a certificate
of municipal liens because the work has not yet been undertaken and
no costs have been assessed for the conversion of the street to public.
[Amended 6-4-2018 ATM
by Art. 28, approved 9-21-2018]
(4)
After the street is accepted as a public street, the
construction contract is awarded and construction takes place. It
is not uncommon for the construction of private streets, sidewalks,
or storm drains to span two full construction seasons. The current
practice is for assessments to be calculated within six (6) months
following the completion of all work associated with the particular
street being converted. This six month allowance is in conformance
with the statute. Therefore, abutters can expect to receive their
assessments for street conversion within six months of completion
of street construction.
A.
Water main or sewer improvement betterments will be
assessed using the "Uniform Unit" method.
(1)
The Town of North Reading, based on the availability
of funds, will provide 50% of the necessary funds for water or sewer
betterments.
(2)
At a public hearing the abutters and property owners
must vote on whether they want water mains constructed in the street.
If a majority of the property owners residing on a street and representing
the majority of the estimated usage vote in favor of the construction
of the water or sewer improvement and the acceptance of costs for
construction, the Public Works Department recommends to the Select
Board, the placement of the street on a list for construction as funds
become available. At the public hearing the abutters will be given
a NOT-TO-EXCEED assessment cost estimate based on estimated usage
as defined in Title 5 of the State Environmental Code 300 CMR Section
15.203.
[Amended 6-4-2018 ATM
by Art. 28, approved 9-21-2018]
(3)
The final assessment is the LOWER of either the actual
cost based on the total construction costs divided by the assessable
usage, or the estimated assessment quoted at the public hearing. The
date between acceptance on the list by the Select Board and the date
funded may be and is typically several years. After funding, the Department
of Public Works prepares engineering and construction documents so
that the construction may be put out to bid and constructed. A notice
of assessment and a layout plan is filed at the Registry of Deeds.
The filing allows for title companies to recognize that assessments
are to be rendered at a future unknown date. However the notice of
assessment will not show on a certificate of municipal liens because
the work has not yet been undertaken and no costs have been assessed
for the construction or report of the sidewalks/drains.
[Amended 6-4-2018 ATM
by Art. 28, approved 9-21-2018]
(4)
The construction contract is awarded and construction
takes place. It is not uncommon for the construction of water or sewer
improvements to span multiple construction seasons. The current practice
is for assessments to be calculated within six months following the
completion of all work associated with the particular water main being
constructed. This six month allowance is in conformance with the statute.
Therefore, abutters can expect to receive their assessments within
six months of completion.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 25-4, Public sewers, added 6-6-2022 ATM by Art. 26, approved 10-13-2022, was repealed 3-6-2023 STM by Art. 1, approved 6-9-2023.
