Property owners on any dedicated street or portion thereof, may petition for improvements to their portion of the street which abuts their property. Improvements will include resurfacing of the full width of roadway, including intersections; and repairs to defective curbs and gutters as required by the Department of Public Works & Utilities. The petition would be submitted to City Council for their consideration.

The following conditions shall be met prior to consideration by City Council:

1. Properties abutting street must not have been levied a special assessment within the past 20 years.

2. Petition for resurfacing must include:

a. Signatures supporting the improvements by a minimum of 60% of the front footage of all properties to be assessed that abut the street, or

b. Signatures supporting the improvements by a minimum of 75% of the total acreage of all the properties to be assessed that abut the street.

3. Minimum size of the project must be 500 feet and extend from block to block, beginning and ending at an intersection.

The following procedures shall be followed to complete a resurfacing assessment project:

1. Petition forms may be acquired in the Engineering Division or Clerk of City Council’s Office (City of Middletown, One Donham Plaza Middletown, Ohio 45042).

2. Petitioner may seek engineering staff assistance in providing a general budget estimate for the amount of work, amount to be assessed and consistency with overall paving program prior to circulating petition.

3. Petitioner circulates petition among property owners. Qualifying petitioners submit a completed petition to the Clerk of City Council to be received and filed.

4. Staff reviews the petition for cost estimates, consistency with the overall paving program and the financial feasibility of the project for the city. Staff reports findings to City Council.

5. Upon staff review and report to City Council, letters will be mailed to each property owner which abuts the proposed street improvement giving thirty (30) days to submit their comments to City Council.

6. After the notice period is completed, City Council shall either refer the project to the Engineering Division to incorporate in a current or future year’s capital improvement program, or reject the petition.

7. The Engineering Division will prepare plans, specifications, and engineer’s estimate and associated legislation to be presented to City Council.

8. Resolution of Necessity is adopted by City Council authorizing a tentative assessment to be sent to the owners of the properties that will be benefited by the project.

9. Equalization Board is created, if necessary, to review financial and technical aspects of any objections to the assessment.

10. Ordinance to Proceed is adopted by City Council authorizing the bidding and award of a contract to perform the work.

11. Upon completion of the work by the contractor and final acceptance by the Engineering Division, the final assessments are prepared.

12. The Assessing Ordinance is adopted by City Council.

The final assessment levied to the property owner, shall be payable in cash to the City Treasurer within thirty (30) days after notification from the Engineering Division. If the Property Owner chooses to not pay in cash, the assessment will be levied against the property for a period of up to ten (10) years and will be collected with the property’s real estate taxes.

1. Improved Streets and unimproved streets (streets without curbs and gutters) not requiring full improvements according to the Street Master Plan:

The City of Middletown, by City Council policy, shall pay the complete asphalt cost of the intersections, alley approaches, and two-thirds (2/3) of the asphalt cost of the long side of corner properties. Property owners shall pay all remaining asphalt costs. Defective concrete sidewalk, curb and gutter, and drive aprons will be assessed through the SWC&G Program.

2. Unimproved streets (streets without curbs and gutters) requiring full improvements according to the Street master Plan:

The City of Middletown, by City Council policy, shall pay the complete asphalt cost of the intersections, alley approaches, and two-thirds (2/3) of the asphalt, curb and gutter, and sidewalk costs of the long side of corner properties. Property owners shall pay all remaining asphalt costs, curbs and gutters, drive aprons, sidewalks if required, and storm sewers.