Fiscal Note
This resolution updates the Urban Forestry Special Charge policy to address private medians and undeveloped platted parcels. The City of Madison’s 2016 Adopted Operating Budget includes $2,560,000 in revenue from the Urban Forestry Special Charge. The impact of the updated policy on City revenue is not currently known, as it is unknown how many private median parcels are in Madison and how many undeveloped stormwater-only parcels will seek reclassification. As the City conducts its annual reevaluation of the charge in future years, rate adjustments will be made to meet the annual revenue target.
Title
Updating the Urban Forestry Special Charge apportionment policy to address private medians and undeveloped platted parcels.
Body
WHEREAS, on October 21, 2014, the Common Council adopted Ordinance ORD-14-00162, file 35038, created Section 4.095 of the Madison General Ordinances, which ordinance established an urban forestry special charge in the City of Madison; and,
WHEREAS, on July 7, 2015, the Common Council adopted RES-15-00597, file 38644, which resolution approved the urban forestry special charge policy; and,
WHEREAS, since the implementation of the special charge, some issues have been brought to the City’s attention, notably privately maintained medians and the treatment of undeveloped portions of platted lands;
WHEREAS, privately owned and maintained outlots within the public right-of-way have been created throughout the City and conveyed to subdivision homeowners associations, as a way for homeowners associations to provide medians that are maintained at a higher level than their City counterparts. Because the urban forestry charge applies to all parcels in the City, and some subdivisions have scores of these private medians, some homeowners associations are being charged significant amounts for the urban forestry special charge due to their private ownership of numerous noncontiguous street medians within platted subdivisions; and,
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