HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981 09-08 Developer must pick up more of tab, says city DISPATCH 2E St. Paul Dispatch Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1981
pick u more of tali says cityDevelopermust
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By Mike Barrett P r v,�f,�, >p
Staff Writer Maplewood require him to pay for any ad tional costs ..4..,..6„,.0:,/ ...,.,),....,,.. ... .;..1....:. ..,.,.....
instead of spreading that portion citywide. - , ;a , =,iq,. .`
Rising prices make necessary a new Meanwhile, several neighborhood resi-
Maplewood policy requiring developers to to pay the whole doggone thing.' k
shoulder a bigger share of their housing ,, dents also expressed concerns on how assess-
shouldt ecosts, ays City Manager BEvI throw in the streets. I don't. get any- ment costs might affect their pocketbooks
thing. There's only so much cost you can for a proposed road, along with services and _
ans. build into these houses. See if you can sell ponds to accommodate water runoff in the „y
The city can no longer afford to spread them at 16 percent interest!" Linwood Heights area.
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part of the project costs to other taxpayers Gervais also maintained the proposed Glenn Becklund, 2325 Lindwood Ave., said
by tapping general fund money for financing storm sewer plan for the area has been part city policies have prevented him from split-
streets and services, he said at last week's of the city's comprehensive plan since 1973, ting his 1.5 acres into smaller parcels for
City Council meeting. yet now he's being asked to pay a dispropor- sale and that the proposed road and services ,
But developer Ken Gervais complained, tionate share. might result in excessive assessments. ` .,
"This is called stick the developer!" Replied Evans: "You can holler all you His neighbor, Stefan Ifkewitsch, 2313 Lin- �, ,
After Gervais protested the policy, the want. I'm not changing my recommendation. wood Ave.,supported Becklund. ,
council tabled his plans for the proposed Lin- Said Ifkewitsch: "It's unfair and unjust. i :;r k
wood Heights project involving 74 town-
"Just because a developer wants to devel- This is ridiculous!"
1,quses on 15 acres northeast of Linwood Ave. op at this time doesn't mean all the taxpay-
fuers should
e and McKnight Road. pay.' But Mayor John Greavu countered, "I live . <.
two blocks off of Battle Creek and I got as- 1
Gervais told the Dispatch he estimated the Furthermore,Evans noted the city already sessed $2,500 (for that erosion control 4
"pew rules might increase his project costs owes $6 million in debt service charges for project).It doesn't benefit me at all."
'from a previous$515,000 to about$716,000. roads and sewers to other housing develop
Then Pat Savu, 2270 Dahl Road, corn- '" W ��,
But Evans laterquestioned which estimat- ments built in previous years. "'
plained that her Dahl Addition neighborhood • •
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- : ed additional costs Gervais was citing To Gervais'complaints that the new policy would be assessed while the nearby Berg Ad- ,,,,it:',. s
: - inasmuch as the developer previously is unfair to him, Evans answered that.chang- dition neighborhood wouldn't be assessed. # 'i; 4
: planned to build single family houses. ing economic conditions require a change in
And Emil Kucera, 2519 Highwood Avenue, 1. . '
Nevertheless, Gervais complained that he the city assessment formula. who owns 12 acres northwest of Linwood a
was unaware of several alternate cost pro- Gervais observed the city previously as- Heights,said he hadn't planned to develop his Mke Barrett
- : posals for city services until he showed up atsessed property owners nearby who benefit property, but would suffer large assess Developer Ken Gervais complains that Maplewood's new
the council meeting. ted from the service 4.5 cents a foot and de- ments. Kucera told the Dispatch he planned assessment formula on proposed roads and sewers is
"Now, all of a Sudden,"said Gervais,"I get velopers 9 cents a foot for storm sewer de- only to build his own new home on that land. jeopardizing his Linwood Heights townhouse project.