The New Ulm City Council approved reassessment of the unpaid Lakeside Village 2005 Special Assessments. The unpaid assessments impact nine lots on Lake Avenue.

NEW ULM – In December 2005, a special assessment was placed on property in the Lakeside Village Addition that went uppaid.

Tuesday, the New Ulm City Council approved the final assessment rolls for the remaining nine lots in the subdivision.

Lakeside Village Addition is a housing development consisting of three roads: Lake Avenue, Village Lane and Mack Lane. The Lakeside Village Addition was part of a development plan started in 2005. The benefit for the utility and gravel roadway improvements to serve the Lakeside Village Addition was previously assessed for improvements in 2005.

City Engineer Joe Stadheim said the initial assessment covered improvements to the lots, including grading, a stormwater holding pond, and an aggregate base. However, these assessments were never paid in full. After making some initial payments, the Lakeside Village developers failed to pay taxes or special assessments for five years. The bulk of the subdivision went to tax-forfeited land.

Brown County later set a purchase price for the tax-forfeited lots and set a system to reassess the unpaid balance of the 2005 special assessment on each parcel. The county established a 10-year repayment schedule with 5.5 simple interest on the unpaid balance.

Stadheim said with the reassessment, each of the nine lots will now be assessed at $2,917.88.

The council held a public hearing on the proposed assessments, but received no public comments.

Council member David Christian made a motion to adopt the final assessment roll for the 2005 improvements. The motion was unanimously approved by the council.

In February, the New Ulm City Council approved the 2025 utility, street and alley improvement projects for Lakeside Village. The improvements include a paved road with a concrete curb, gutter, and concrete sidewalks. The project also calls for boulevard restoration and street lighting.