text:
MUNICIPAL FINANCE, TAXATION, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
CHAPTER 429. LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS, SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
Headnote
429.01 [Repealed, 1953 c 398 s 13 subd 1]
429.011 DEFINITIONS.
429.021 LOCAL IMPROVEMENTS, COUNCIL POWERS.
429.031 PRELIMINARY PLANS, HEARINGS.
429.035 IMPROVEMENTS, PETITION.
429.036 APPEAL FROM DETERMINATION OF LEGALITY OF PETITION.
429.04 [Repealed, 1953 c 398 s 13]
429.041 COUNCIL PROCEDURE.
429.051 APPORTIONMENT OF COST.
429.052 STREET OR ROAD IMPROVEMENTS OUTSIDE MUNICIPAL BOUNDARIES.
429.061 ASSESSMENT PROCEDURE.
429.071 SUPPLEMENTAL ASSESSMENTS; REASSESSMENT.
429.081 APPEAL TO DISTRICT COURT.
429.091 FINANCING.
429.101 UNPAID SPECIAL CHARGES MAY BE SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS.
429.111 CHARTER PROVISIONS, EFFECT.
429.185 [Repealed, 1949 c 314 s 3]
429.19 [Renumbered 429.035]
429.30 [Renumbered 435.36, subdivision 1]
429.31 [Renumbered 435.36, subd 2]
Subdivision 1.Application.
For the purpose of this chapter the terms defined in this section shall have the meanings ascribed to them.
Subd. 2.Municipality; certain cities and towns.
"Municipality" means any city of the second, third, or fourth class however organized, or any statutory city or any town as defined in section 368.01.
Subd. 2a.Municipality; certain counties.
"Municipality" also includes the following:
(1) a county in the case of construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a county state-aid highway;
(2) a county in the case of construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a county highway as defined in section 160.02 including curbs and gutters and storm sewers;
(3) a county exercising its powers and duties under section 444.075, subdivision 1;
(4) a county for expenses not paid for under section 403.113, subdivision 3, paragraph (b), clause (3);
(5) a county in the case of the abatement of nuisances; and
(6) a county operating an energy improvements financing program under section 216C.436.
Subd. 2b.Municipality; certain towns.
"Municipality" also includes any town not having the powers granted herein pursuant to any other law in the case of construction, reconstruction or improvement of a town road including curbs and gutters and storm sewers and in the case of those improvements designated in section 429.021, subdivision 1, clauses (1), (2), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), and (10).
Subd. 3.Council.
"Council" means the body of the city having general legislative powers, the town board of the town, or the county board of a county.
Subd. 4.Clerk.
"Clerk" means the chief clerical officer of the municipality.
Subd. 5.Improvement.
"Improvement" means any type of improvement made under authority granted by section 429.021, and in the case of a county is limited to the construction, reconstruction, or improvement of a county state-aid highway or county highway including curbs and gutters and storm sewers, and to the purchase, installation, or maintenance of signs, posts, and markers for addressing related to the operation of enhanced 911 telephone service.
Subd. 6.Newspaper.
"Newspaper" means the official newspaper of the municipality, or if there is no official newspaper, a legal newspaper of general circulation in the municipality.
Subd. 7.Street.
"Street" means any street, alley, or other public way, or any part thereof.
Subd. 8.Utilities commission.
"Utilities commission" means the municipal board or commission, other than the council, which exercises any authority or control over the operation of any municipally owned public utility.
Subd. 9.Pedestrian skyway system.
"Pedestrian skyway system" means any system of providing for pedestrian traffic circulation, mechanical or otherwise, elevated above ground, within and without the public right-of-way, and through or above private property and buildings, and includes overpasses, bridges, passageways, walkways, concourses, hallways, corridors, arcades, courts, plazas, elevators, escalators, heated canopies, and accesses and all fixtures, furniture, equipment, facilities, services, and appurtenances which in the judgment of the council will enhance the movement, safety, security, convenience and enjoyment of pedestrians and benefit the city and adjoining properties.
Subd. 10.Underground pedestrian concourse.
"Underground pedestrian concourse" means any system of providing for pedestrian traffic circulation, mechanical or otherwise, below ground, within and without the public right-of-way, and through or below private property, and includes tunnels, passageways, walkways, concourses, hallways, corridors, arcades, plazas, elevators, escalators, heated canopies, and accesses and all fixtures, furniture, equipment, facilities, and appurtenances which in the judgment of the council will enhance the movement, safety, security, convenience and enjoyment of pedestrians and benefit the city and adjoining properties.
Subd. 11.Special lighting system.
"Special lighting system" means lights or light displays of any type located within or without the public right-of-way.
Subd. 12.Acquire.
"Acquire" includes, but is not limited to, the obtaining by purchase, condemnation, or leasing rights or interests in the areas above or below the surface of the ground of real property or structures or improvements thereon.
Subd. 13.Public mall, plaza, or courtyard.
"Public mall, plaza, or courtyard" means any wholly or partly opened or enclosed public area adjacent to or attached to a wall, fence, commercial structure, hotel, or any other building and designed as a place for passive recreation, public entertainment, exhibition and education, or a pedestrian walk.
Subd. 14.Fire protection system.
"Fire protection system" means pipes, standpipes, sprinklers, control systems and other devices and equipment installed in or outside a building for the primary purpose of eliminating or reducing the spread of fire in the building or providing for safe evacuation of the building, whether the devices and equipment are publicly or privately owned.
Subd. 15.Highway sound barriers.
"Highway sound barriers" means sound abatement walls erected along highways to reduce noise levels attributable to vehicular traffic.
Subd. 16.On-site water contaminant improvements.
"On-site water contaminant improvements" means pipes, wells, and other devices and equipment installed in or outside a building for the primary purpose of eliminating water contamination caused by lead or other toxic or health threatening substances in the water, whether the improvements so installed are publicly or privately owned.
1953 c 398 s 1; 1961 c 338 s 1; 1969 c 741 s 1-3; 1971 c 617 s 1-4; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1973 c 636 s 1; 1973 c 702 s 22; 1974 c 233 s 1; 1976 c 147 s 1; 1978 c 634 s 1,2; 1979 c 330 s 1; 1983 c 9 s 1; 1984 c 478 s 1; 1984 c 591 s 1; 1986 c 315 s 1; 1987 c 138 s 1; 1988 c 564 s 1; 1994 c 614 s 5; 2000 c 490 art 5 s 29,30; 2009 c 88 art 2 s 31; 2010 c 389 art 7 s 4
Subdivision 1.Improvements authorized.
The council of a municipality shall have power to make the following improvements:
(1) To acquire, open, and widen any street, and to improve the same by constructing, reconstructing, and maintaining sidewalks, pavement, gutters, curbs, and vehicle parking strips of any material, or by grading, graveling, oiling, or otherwise improving the same, including the beautification thereof and including storm sewers or other street drainage and connections from sewer, water, or similar mains to curb lines.
(2) To acquire, develop, construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain storm and sanitary sewers and systems, including outlets, holding areas and ponds, treatment plants, pumps, lift stations, service connections, and other appurtenances of a sewer system, within and without the corporate limits.
(3) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain steam heating mains.
(4) To install, replace, extend, and maintain street lights and street lighting systems and special lighting systems.
(5) To acquire, improve, construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain water works systems, including mains, valves, hydrants, service connections, wells, pumps, reservoirs, tanks, treatment plants, and other appurtenances of a water works system, within and without the corporate limits.
(6) To acquire, improve and equip parks, open space areas, playgrounds, and recreational facilities within or without the corporate limits.
(7) To plant trees on streets and provide for their trimming, care, and removal.
(8) To abate nuisances and to drain swamps, marshes, and ponds on public or private property and to fill the same.
(9) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain dikes and other flood control works.
(10) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain retaining walls and area walls.
(11) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, alter, extend, operate, maintain, and promote a pedestrian skyway system. Such improvement may be made upon a petition pursuant to section 429.031, subdivision 3.
(12) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, extend, operate, maintain, and promote underground pedestrian concourses.
(13) To acquire, construct, improve, alter, extend, operate, maintain, and promote public malls, plazas or courtyards.
(14) To construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain district heating systems.
(15) To construct, reconstruct, alter, extend, operate, maintain, and promote fire protection systems in existing buildings, but only upon a petition pursuant to section 429.031, subdivision 3.
(16) To acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, alter, extend, and maintain highway sound barriers.
(17) To improve, construct, reconstruct, extend, and maintain gas and electric distribution facilities owned by a municipal gas or electric utility.
(18) To purchase, install, and maintain signs, posts, and other markers for addressing related to the operation of enhanced 911 telephone service.
(19) To improve, construct, extend, and maintain facilities for Internet access and other communications purposes, if the council finds that:
(i) the facilities are necessary to make available Internet access or other communications services that are not and will not be available through other providers or the private market in the reasonably foreseeable future; and
(ii) the service to be provided by the facilities will not compete with service provided by private entities.
(20) To assess affected property owners for all or a portion of the costs agreed to with an electric utility, telecommunications carrier, or cable system operator to bury or alter a new or existing distribution system within the public right-of-way that exceeds the utility's design and construction standards, or those set by law, tariff, or franchise, but only upon petition under section 429.031, subdivision 3.
(21) To assess affected property owners for repayment of voluntary energy improvement financings under section 216C.436, subdivision 7.
Subd. 2.Combining improvements.
An improvement on two or more streets or two or more types of improvement in or on the same street or streets or different streets may be included in one proceeding and conducted as one improvement.
Subd. 3.Relation to charter and other laws.
When any portion of the cost of an improvement is defrayed by special assessments, the procedure prescribed in this chapter shall be followed unless the council determines to proceed under charter provisions; but this chapter does not prescribe the procedure to be followed by a municipality in making improvements financed without the use of special assessments.
If the council determines to proceed under charter provisions for special assessments, such provisions shall be deemed to include a requirement that notices of proposed assessments inform property owners of the procedures they must follow under the charter in order to appeal the assessments to district court. The notices shall also inform property owners of the provisions of sections 435.193 to 435.195 and the existence of any deferment procedure established pursuant thereto in the municipality.
Charter provisions shall also be deemed to require that when the council determines to make any improvement, it shall let the contract for all or part of the work, or order all or part of the work done by day labor or otherwise as may be authorized by the charter, no later than one year after the adoption of the resolution ordering such improvement, unless a different time limit is specifically stated in the resolution ordering the improvement.
1953 c 398 s 2; 1965 c 877 s 1; 1971 c 617 s 5; 1973 c 201 s 1; 1974 c 233 s 2; 1974 c 314 s 1; 1976 c 195 s 1; 1978 c 518 s 1; 1979 c 330 s 2; 1981 c 334 s 5; 1984 c 548 s 4; 1984 c 582 s 3; 1984 c 591 s 2; 1984 c 633 s 2; 1987 c 138 s 2; 1997 c 219 s 5; 2000 c 490 art 5 s 31; 2000 c 493 s 5; 2005 c 67 s 1; 2010 c 216 s 21
Subdivision 1.Preparation of plans, notice of hearing.
(a) Before the municipality awards a contract for an improvement or orders it made by day labor, or before the municipality may assess any portion of the cost of an improvement to be made under a cooperative agreement with the state or another political subdivision for sharing the cost of making the improvement, the council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed improvement following two publications in the newspaper of a notice stating the time and place of the hearing, the general nature of the improvement, the estimated cost, and the area proposed to be assessed. The two publications must be a week apart, and the hearing must be at least three days after the second publication. Not less than ten days before the hearing, notice of the hearing must also be mailed to the owner of each parcel within the area proposed to be assessed and must contain a statement that a reasonable estimate of the impact of the assessment will be available at the hearing, but failure to give mailed notice or any defects in the notice does not invalidate the proceedings. For the purpose of giving mailed notice, owners are those shown as owners on the records of the county auditor or, in any county where tax statements are mailed by the county treasurer, on the records of the county treasurer; but other appropriate records may be used for this purpose. For properties that are tax exempt or subject to taxation on a gross earnings basis and are not listed on the records of the county auditor or the county treasurer, the owners may be ascertained by any practicable means, and mailed notice must be given them as provided in this subdivision.
(b) Before the adoption of a resolution ordering the improvement, the council shall secure from the city engineer or some other competent person of its selection a report advising it in a preliminary way as to whether the proposed improvement is necessary, cost-effective, and feasible and as to whether it should best be made as proposed or in connection with some other improvement. The report must also include the estimated cost of the improvement as recommended. A reasonable estimate of the total amount to be assessed, and a description of the methodology used to calculate individual assessments for affected parcels, must be available at the hearing. No error or omission in the report invalidates the proceeding unless it materially prejudices the interests of an owner.
(c) If the report is not prepared by an employee of a municipality, the compensation for preparing the report under this subdivision must be based on the following factors:
(1) the time and labor required;
(2) the experience and knowledge of the preparer;
(3) the complexity and novelty of the problems involved; and
(4) the extent of the responsibilities assumed.
(d) The compensation must not be based primarily on a percentage of the estimated cost of the improvement.
(e) The council may also take other steps prior to the hearing, including, among other things, the preparation of plans and specifications and the advertisement for bids that will in its judgment provide helpful information in determining the desirability and feasibility of the improvement.
(f) The hearing may be adjourned from time to time, and a resolution ordering the improvement may be adopted at any time within six months after the date of the hearing by vote of a majority of all members of the council when the improvement has been petitioned for by the owners of not less than 35 percent in frontage of the real property abutting on the streets named in the petition as the location of the improvement. When there has been no such petition, the resolution may be adopted only by vote of four-fifths of all members of the council; provided that if the mayor of the municipality is a member of the council but has no vote or votes only in case of a tie, the mayor is not deemed to be a member for the purpose of determining a four-fifths majority vote.
(g) The resolution ordering the improvement may reduce, but not increase, the extent of the improvement as stated in the notice of hearing.
Subd. 2.Approval by park board or utilities commission.
A resolution ordering a park improvement may be adopted only by a four-fifths vote of the council and shall also be approved by the park board, if there is one; provided, that if the mayor of the municipality is a member of the council but has no vote or votes only in case of a tie, the mayor shall not be deemed to be a member for the purpose of determining such four-fifths majority vote. A resolution ordering an improvement of the water, sewer, steam heating, street lighting or other facility over which a utilities commission has jurisdiction shall also be approved by the utilities commission.
Subd. 3.Petition by all owners.
Whenever all owners of real property abutting upon any street named as the location of any improvement shall petition the council to construct the improvement and to assess the entire cost against their property, the council may, without a public hearing, adopt a resolution determining such fact and ordering the improvement. The validity of the resolution shall not be questioned by any taxpayer or property owner or the municipality unless an action for that purpose is commenced within 30 days after adoption of the resolution as provided in section 429.036. Nothing herein prevents any property owner from questioning the amount or validity of the special assessment against the owner's property pursuant to section 429.081. In the case of a petition for the municipality to own and install a fire protection system, a pedestrian skyway system, or on-site water contaminant improvements, the petition must contain or be accompanied by an undertaking satisfactory to the city by the petitioner that the petitioner will grant the municipality the necessary property interest in the building to permit the city to enter upon the property and the building to construct, maintain, and operate the fire protection system, pedestrian skyway system, or on-site water contaminant improvements. In the case of a petition for the installation of a privately owned fire protection system, a privately owned pedestrian skyway system, or privately owned on-site water contaminant improvements, the petition shall contain the plans and specifications for the improvement, the estimated cost of the improvement and a statement indicating whether the city or the owner will contract for the construction of the improvement. If the owner is contracting for the construction of the improvement, the city shall not approve the petition until it has reviewed and approved the plans, specifications, and cost estimates contained in the petition. The construction cost financed under section 429.091 shall not exceed the amount of the cost estimate contained in the petition. In the case of a petition for the installation of a fire protection system, a pedestrian skyway system, or on-site water contaminant improvements, the petitioner may request abandonment of the improvement at any time after it has been ordered pursuant to subdivision 1 and before contracts have been awarded for the construction of the improvement under section 429.041, subdivision 2. If such a request is received, the city council shall abandon the proceedings but in such case the petitioner shall reimburse the city for any and all expenses incurred by the city in connection with the improvement.
1953 c 398 s 3; 1955 c 811 s 1; 1957 c 430 s 1; 1961 c 525 s 1,2; 1963 c 771 s 1; 1965 c 877 s 2; 1967 c 57 s 1,2; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1984 c 548 s 5; 1984 c 582 s 4; 1984 c 591 s 3; 1984 c 633 s 3; 1986 c 444; 1994 c 614 s 6; 1996 c 402 s 1; 2000 c 490 art 5 s 32
When any petition for the making of any improvement in any statutory city, town, or city of the second, third, or fourth class, however organized, for the cost of which special assessments may be, in whole or in part, levied therefor, is presented to the governing body of the municipality, this body shall, by resolution, determine whether or not the petition has been signed by the required percentage of owners of property affected thereby.
(1918-33) 1927 c 311 s 1; 1953 c 398 s 12; 1961 c 338 s 2; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7
Any person, being aggrieved by this determination, may appeal to the district court of the county in which the property is located by serving upon the clerk of the municipality, within 30 days after the adoption and publication of the resolution, a notice of appeal briefly stating the grounds of appeal and giving a bond in the penal sum of $250, in which the municipality shall be named as obligee, to be approved by the clerk of the municipality, conditioned that the appellant will duly prosecute the appeal, pay all costs and disbursements which may be adjudged against the appellant, and abide by the order of the court. The clerk shall furnish the appellant a certified copy of the petition, or any part thereof, on being paid by appellant of the proper charges therefor. The appeal shall be placed upon the calendar of the next general term commencing more than 30 days after the date of serving the notice and filing the bond and shall be tried as are other appeals in such cases. Unless reversed upon the appeal, the determination of the governing body as to the sufficiency of the petition shall be final and conclusive.
(1918-34) 1927 c 311 s 2; 1986 c 444
Subdivision 1.Plans and specifications, advertisement for bids.
When the council determines to make any improvement, it shall let the contract for all or part of the work, or order all or part of the work done by day labor or otherwise as authorized by subdivision 2, no later than one year after the adoption of the resolution ordering such improvement, unless a different time limit is specifically stated in the resolution ordering the improvement. The council shall cause plans and specifications of the improvement to be made, or if previously made, to be modified, if necessary, and to be approved and filed with the clerk, and if the estimated cost exceeds the amount in section 471.345, subdivision 3, shall advertise for bids for the improvement in the newspaper or recognized industry trade journal as defined in section 331A.01, subdivision 11, and for such length of time as it may deem advisable. If the estimated cost exceeds twice the amount in section 471.345, subdivision 3, publication shall be made no less than three weeks before the last day for submission of bids once in the newspaper and at least once in either a newspaper published in a city of the first class or a recognized industry trade journal. The advertisement shall specify the work to be done, shall state the time when the bids will be publicly opened for consideration by the council, which shall be not less than ten days after the first publication of the advertisement when the estimated cost is less than twice the amount in section 471.345, subdivision 3, and not less than three weeks after such publication in other cases, and shall state that no bids will be considered unless sealed and filed with the clerk and accompanied by a cash deposit, cashier's check, bid bond, or certified check payable to the clerk, for such percentage of the amount of the bid as the council may specify. In providing for the advertisement for bids the council may direct that the bids shall be opened publicly by two or more designated officers or agents of the municipality and tabulated in advance of the meeting at which they are to be considered by the council. Nothing herein shall prevent the council from advertising separately for various portions of the work involved in an improvement, or from itself, supplying by such means as may be otherwise authorized by law, all or any part of the materials, supplies, or equipment to be used in the improvement or from combining two or more improvements in a single set of plans and specifications or a single contract.
Subd. 2.Contracts; day labor.
In contracting for an improvement, the council shall require the execution of one or more written contracts and bonds, conditioned as required by law. The council shall award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder or it may reject all bids. If any bidder to whom a contract is awarded fails to enter promptly into a written contract and to furnish the required bond, the defaulting bidder shall forfeit to the municipality the amount of the defaulter's cash deposit, cashier's check, bid bond, or certified check, and the council may thereupon award the contract to the next lowest responsible bidder. When it appears to the council that the cost of the entire work projected will be less than the amount in section 471.345, subdivision 3, or whenever no bid is submitted after proper advertisement or the only bids submitted are higher than the engineer's estimate, the council may advertise for new bids or, without advertising for bids, directly purchase the materials for the work and do it by the employment of day labor or in any other manner the council considers proper. The council may have the work supervised by the city engineer or other qualified person but shall have the work supervised by a registered engineer if done by day labor and it appears to the council that the entire cost of all work and materials for the improvement will be more than the lowest amount in section 471.345, subdivision 4. In case of improper construction or unreasonable delay in the prosecution of the work by the contractor, the council may order and cause the suspension of the work at any time and relet the contract, or order a reconstruction of any portion of the work improperly done, and where the cost of completion or reconstruction necessary will be less than the amount in section 471.345, subdivision 3, the council may do it by the employment of day labor.
Subd. 2a.Best value alternative.
As an alternative to the procurement method described in subdivision 2, the council may issue a request for proposals and award the contract to the vendor or contractor offering the best value as described in section 16C.28, subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (2), and paragraph (c).
Subd. 3.Day labor; detailed report.
When the council has performed construction work by day labor, it shall cause a detailed report to be filed with the clerk and certified by the registered engineer or other person in charge, if there is no registered engineer. The report shall show:
(a) the complete cost of the construction;
(b) final quantities of the various units of work done;
(c) materials furnished for the project and the cost of each item thereof;
(d) cost of labor, cost of equipment hired, and supervisory costs.
The report shall have attached a certificate by the registered engineer or other person in charge that the work was done according to the plans and specifications, or, if there were any deviations from them, an itemized statement of those deviations.
Subd. 4.Alternate procedure on street improvements.
As to any improvement or improvements consisting of grading, graveling, or bituminous surfacing of streets and alleys, the council may proceed in the manner provided in this chapter, except that it may
(1) order the work done by day labor, regardless of the estimated cost of such improvement or improvements,
(2) use municipal equipment or hire equipment and purchase materials for all such improvements to be done by day labor in any 12-month period by advertising once therefor, such advertisement to call for bids for the furnishing of equipment, if the municipality does not use its own equipment, and for materials at unit prices based on the quantities which the council estimates will be required, and
(3) contract at one time on a unit price basis for part or all of the street improvements to be constructed by the municipality during the current year, including improvements which may thereafter be ordered constructed.
Subd. 5.Cooperation with state or local government.
When an improvement is made under a cooperative agreement with the state or another political subdivision by the terms of which the state or other subdivision is to construct or contract to construct the improvement, it shall not be necessary to comply with subdivisions 1 and 2.
Subd. 6.Percentage payment on engineer's estimate.
In case the contractor properly performs the work, the council shall, from month to month before completion of the work, pay the contractor not to exceed 95 percent of the amount already earned under the contract, upon the estimate of the engineer or other competent person selected by the council, and the contract shall so provide, and shall further agree that when the work is 95 percent or more completed upon the recommendation of the engineer such portions of the retained price shall be released as the governing body of the municipality determines are not required to be retained to protect the municipality's interest in satisfactory completion of the contract. Failure to pay any amount due and payable under the terms of the contract within 30 days of a monthly estimate or 90 days after the final estimate of the amount earned shall obligate the municipality to pay to the contractor simple interest on the past due amount at an annual rate equal to the monthly index of long term United States bond yields for the month prior to the month in which this obligation is incurred plus an additional one percent per annum. Interest shall not be imposed with respect to any amount which a municipality may legally withhold as a result of breach of contract or other contractual claim or if the delay is caused by the contractor.
Subd. 7.Modification of contracts.
After work has been commenced on an improvement undertaken pursuant to a contract awarded on a unit price basis the council may, without advertising for bids, authorize changes in the contract so as to include additional units of work at the same unit price if the cost of the additional work does not exceed 25 percent of the original contract price. Original contract price means that figure determined by multiplying the estimated number of units required by the unit price.
1953 c 398 s 4; 1957 c 430 s 2,3; 1961 c 525 s 3,4; 1973 c 123 art 5 s 7; 1976 c 156 s 1; 1977 c 278 s 1; 1978 c 518 s 2; 1980 c 464 s 8; 1985 c 174 s 3; 1986 c 444; 1993 c 38 s 1,2; 2001 c 5 s 1,2; 2004 c 278 s 6,7; 2007 c 148 art 3 s 25; 2009 c 152 s 18,19; 2013 c 46 s 2
The cost of any improvement, or any part thereof, may be assessed upon property benefited by the improvement, based upon the benefits received, whether or not the property abuts on the improvement and whether or not any part of the cost of the improvement is paid from the county state-aid highway fund, the municipal state-aid street fund, or the trunk highway fund. The area assessed may be less than but may not exceed the area proposed to be assessed as stated in the notice of hearing on the improvement, except as provided below. The municipality may pay such portion of the cost of the improvement as the council may determine from general ad valorem tax levies or from other revenues or funds of the municipality available for the purpose. The municipality may subsequently reimburse itself for all or any of the portion of the cost of a water, storm sewer, or sanitary sewer improvement so paid by levying additional assessments upon any properties abutting on but not previously assessed for the improvement, on notice and hearing as provided for the assessments initially made. To the extent that such an improvement benefits nonabutting properties which may be served by the improvement when one or more later extensions or improvements are made but which are not initially assessed therefor, the municipality may also reimburse itself by adding all or any of the portion of the cost so paid to the assessments levied for any of such later extensions or improvements, provided that notice that such additional amount will be assessed is included in the notice of hearing on the making of such extensions or improvements. The additional assessments herein authorized may be made whether or not the properties assessed were included in the area described in the notice of hearing on the making of the original improvement.
In any city of the fourth class electing to proceed under a home rule charter as provided in this chapter, which charter provides for a board of water commissioners and authorizes such board to assess a water frontage tax to defray the cost of construction of water mains, such board may assess the tax based upon the benefits received and without regard to any charter limitation on the amount that may be assessed for each lineal foot of property abutting on the water main. The water frontage tax shall be imposed according to the procedure and, except as herein provided, subject to the limitations of the charter of the city.
1953 c 398 s 5; 1955 c 842 s 1; 1957 c 40 s 1; 1959 c 490 s 1; 1961 c 286 s 1
A municipality may construct street or road improvements outside its jurisdiction with the consent of the affected township, or if the property is located in unorganized territory, the county. When property is brought within the corporate limits of the municipality, the municipality may subsequently reimburse itself for all or any portion of the cost of the improvement for which municipal funds have been expended, by levying an assessment upon any property abutting on, but not previously assessed for, the improvement. No assessment may be so levied unless the property to be assessed was given notice and hearing of the improvements under section 429.031 at the time the improvement was ordered, and subsequently in accordance with the notice, hearing, and appeal rights, provided for under sections 429.061 and 429.081.
2005 c 152 art 1 s 12
Subdivision 1.Calculation, notice.
At any time after the expense incurred or to be incurred in making an improvement shall be calculated under the direction of the council, the council shall determine by resolution the amount of the total expense the municipality will pay, other than the amount, if any, which it will pay as a property owner, and the amount to be assessed. If a county proposes to assess within the boundaries of a city for a county state-aid highway or county highway, including curbs, gutters, and storm sewers, the resolution must include the portion of the cost proposed to be assessed within the city. The county shall forward the resolution to the city and it may not proceed with the assessment procedure nor may the county allocate any cost under this section for property within the city unless the city council adopts the resolution approving the assessment. Thereupon the clerk, with the assistance of the engineer or other qualified person selected by the council, shall calculate the proper amount to be specially assessed for the improvement against every assessable lot, piece or parcel of land, without regard to cash valuation, in accordance with the provisions of section 429.051. The proposed assessment roll shall be filed with the clerk and be open to public inspection. The clerk shall thereupon, under the council's direction, publish notice that the council will meet to consider the proposed assessment. Such notice shall be published in the newspaper at least once and shall be mailed to the owner of each parcel described in the assessment roll. For the purpose of giving mailed notice under this subdivision, owners shall be those shown to be such on the records of the county auditor or, in any county where tax statements are mailed by the county treasurer, on the records of the county treasurer; but other appropriate records may be used for this purpose. Such publication and mailing shall be no less than two weeks prior to such meeting of the council. Except as to the owners of tax-exempt property or property taxes on a gross earnings basis, every property owner whose name does not appear on the records of the county auditor or the county treasurer shall be deemed to have waived such mailed notice unless the owner has requested in writing that the county auditor or county treasurer, as the case may be, include the name on the records for such purpose. Such notice shall state the date, time, and place of such meeting, the general nature of the improvement, the area proposed to be assessed, the total amount of the proposed assessment, that the proposed assessment roll is on the file with the clerk, and that written or oral objections thereto by any property owner will be considered. The notice must also state that no appeal may be taken as to the amount of any assessment adopted pursuant to subdivision 2, unless a written objection signed by the affected property owner is filed with the municipal clerk prior to the assessment hearing or presented to the presiding officer at the hearing. The notice shall also state that an owner may appeal an assessment to district court pursuant to section 429.081 by serving notice of the appeal upon the mayor or clerk of the municipality within 30 days after the adoption of the assessment and filing such notice with the district court within ten days after service upon the mayor or clerk. The notice shall also inform property owners of the provisions of sections 435.193 to 435.195 and the existence of any deferment procedure established pursuant thereto in the municipality. In addition, the notice mailed to the owner must state in clear language the following information:
(1) the amount to be specially assessed against that particular lot, piece, or parcel of land;
(2) adoption by the council of the proposed assessment may be taken at the hearing;
(3) the right of the property owner to prepay the entire assessment and the person to whom prepayment must be made;
(4) whether partial prepayment of the assessment has been authorized by ordinance;
(5) the time within which prepayment may be made without the assessment of interest; and
(6) the rate of interest to be accrued if the assessment is not prepaid within the required time period.
Subd. 2.Adoption; interest.
At such meeting or at any adjournment thereof the council shall hear and pass upon all objections to the proposed assessment, whether presented orally or in writing. The council may amend the proposed assessment as to any parcel and by resolution adopt the same as the special assessment against the lands named in the assessment roll. Notice of any adjournment of the hearing shall be adequate if the minutes of the meeting so adjourned show the time and place when and where the hearing is to be continued.
The council may consider any objection to the amount of a proposed assessment as to a specific parcel of land at an adjourned hearing upon further notice to the affected property owner as it deems advisable. At the adjourned hearing the council or a committee of it may hear further written or oral testimony on behalf of the objecting property owner and may consider further written or oral testimony from appropriate city officials and other witnesses as to the amount of the assessment. The council or committee shall prepare a record of the proceedings at the adjourned hearing and written findings as to the amount of the assessment. The amount of the assessment as finally determined by the council shall become a part of the adopted assessment roll. No appeal may be taken as to the amount of any assessment adopted under this section unless written objection signed by the affected property owner is filed with the municipal clerk prior to the assessment hearing or presented to the presiding officer at the hearing. All objections to the assessments not received at the assessment hearing in the manner prescribed by this subdivision are waived, unless the failure to object at the assessment hearing is due to a reasonable cause.
If the adopted assessment differs from the proposed assessment as to any particular lot, piece, or parcel of land, the clerk must mail to the owner a notice stating the amount of the adopted assessment. Owners must also be notified by mail of any changes adopted by the council in interest rates or prepayment requirements from those contained in the notice of the proposed assessment.
The assessment, with accruing interest, shall be a lien upon all private and public property included therein, from the date of the resolution adopting the assessment, concurrent with general taxes; but the lien shall not be enforceable against public property as long as it is publicly owned, and during such period the assessment shall be recoverable from the owner of such property only in the manner and to the extent provided in section 435.19. Unless otherwise provided in the resolution, all assessments shall be payable in equal annual installments extending over such period, not exceeding 30 years, as the resolution determines, payable on the first Monday in January in each year, but the number of installments need not be uniform for all assessments included in a single assessment roll if a uniform criterion for determining the number of installments is provided by the resolution. Assessments on property located in a targeted neighborhood as defined in Laws 1987, chapter 386, article 6, section 4, may be payable in variable annual installments if the resolution provides for a variable payment. The first installment of each assessment shall be included in the first tax rolls completed after its adoption and shall be payable in the same year as the taxes contained therein; except that the payment of the first installment of any assessment levied upon unimproved property may be deferred until a designated future year, or until the platting of the property or the construction of improvements thereon, upon such terms and conditions and based upon such standards and criteria as may be provided by resolution of the council. If special assessments against the property have been deferred pursuant to this subdivision, the governmental unit shall record with the county recorder in the county in which the property is located a certificate containing the legal description of the affected property and of the amount deferred. In any event, every assessment the payment of which is so deferred, when it becomes payable, shall be divided into a number of installments such that the last installment thereof will be payable not more than 30 years after the levy of the assessment. All assessments shall bear interest at such rate as the resolution determines. To the first installment of each assessment shall be added interest on the entire assessment from a date specified in the resolution levying the assessment, not earlier than the date of the resolution, until December 31 of the year in which the first installment is payable, and to each subsequent installment shall be added interest for one year on all unpaid installments; or alternatively, any assessment may be made payable in equal annual installments including principal and interest, each in the amount annually required to pay the principal over such period with interest at such rate as the resolution determines, not exceeding the maximum period and rate specified above. In the latter event no prepayment shall be accepted under subdivision 3 without payment of all installments due to and including December 31 of the year of prepayment, together with the original principal amount reduced only by the amounts of principal included in such installments, computed on an annual amortization basis. When payment of an assessment is deferred, as authorized in this subdivision, interest thereon for the period of deferment may be made payable annually at the same times as the principal installments of the assessment would have been payable if not deferred; or interest for this period may be added to the principal amount of the assessment when it becomes payable; or, if so provided in the resolution levying the assessment, interest thereon to December 31 of the year before the first installment is payable may be forgiven.
Subd. 3.Transmitted to auditor, prepayment.
After the adoption of the assessment, the clerk shall transmit a certified duplicate of the assessment roll with each installment, including interest, set forth separately to the county auditor of the county to be extended on the proper tax lists of the county; but in lieu of such certification, the council may in its discretion direct the clerk to file all assessment rolls in the clerk's office and to certify annually to the county auditor, on or before November 30 in each year, the total amount of installments of and interest on assessments on each parcel of land in the municipality which are to become due in the following year. If any installment and interest has not been so certified prior to the year when it is due, the clerk shall forthwith certify the same to the county auditor for collection in the then succeeding year; and if the municipality has issued improvement warrants to finance the improvement, it shall pay out of its general funds into the fund of the improvement interest on the then unpaid balance of the assessment for the year or years during which the collection of such installment is postponed. All assessments and interest thereon shall be collected and paid over in the same manner as other municipal taxes. The owner of any property so assessed may, at any time prior to certification of the assessment or the first installment thereof to the county auditor, pay the whole of the assessment on such property, with interest accrued to the date of payment, to the municipal treasurer, except that no interest shall be charged if the entire assessment is paid within 30 days from the adoption thereof; and, except as hereinafter provided, the owner may at any time prior to November 15 of any year, prepay to the treasurer of the municipality having levied said assessments, the whole assessment remaining due with interest accrued to December 31 of the year in which said prepayment is made. If the assessment roll is retained by the municipal clerk, the installment and interest in process of collection on the current tax list shall be paid to the county treasurer and the remaining principal balance of the assessment, if paid, shall be paid to the municipal treasurer. The council may by ordinance authorize the partial prepayment of assessments, in such manner as the ordinance may provide, prior to certification of the assessment or the first installment thereof to the county auditor.
Subd. 4.Collection, tax-exempt property.
On the confirmation of any assessments the clerk shall mail to the county auditor a notice specifying the amount payable by any county, to the clerk or recorder of any other political subdivision a notice specifying the amount payable by the political subdivision and to the owner of any right-of-way, at its principal office in the state, a notice specifying the amount payable on account of any right-of-way. The amount payable on account of any right-of-way or public property shall be payable to the municipality's treasurer and shall be payable in like installments and with like interest and penalties as provided for in reference to the installments payable on account of assessable real property, except that interest accruing shall not begin to run until the notice provided in this subdivision has been properly given and 30 days thereafter have elapsed. The governing body of any such political subdivision shall provide for the payment of these amounts and shall take appropriate action to that end. If the assessment is not paid in a single installment, the municipal treasurer shall annually mail to the owner of any right-of-way and, as long as the property is publicly owned, to the owner of any public property a notice stating that an installment is due and should be paid to the municipal treasurer of the municipality which levied the special assessment. The municipality may collect the amount due on account of the right-of-way of any railroad or privately owned public utility by distress and sale of personal property in the manner provided by law in case of taxes levied upon personal property or by suit brought to enforce the collection of this indebtedness unless a different method of collecting such amounts is provided for by any contract between the owner of any right-of-way and the municipality.
Subd. 5.Special assessments; administrative expenses.
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a municipality shall pay to the county auditor all administrative expenses incurred by the county under subdivision 3 for each special assessment of any local improvement certified by the municipality to the county auditor.
1953 c 398 s 6; 1955 c 811 s 2; 1957 c 510 s 2; 1957 c 699 s 1; 1961 c 77 s 1; 1961 c 525 s 5-7; 1963 c 771 s 2-4; 1965 c 877 s 3; 1969 c 1045 s 1; 1969 c 1095 s 1; 1974 c 314 s 2; 1976 c 195 s 2; 1976 c 324 s 18; 1980 c 509 s 164; 1980 c 560 s 5; 1980 c 607 art 11 s 1,2; 1984 c 478 s 2; 1984 c 543 s 50; 1Sp1985 c 16 art 1 s 3; 1986 c 315 s 2; 1986 c 444; 1986 c 473 s 10,11; 1987 c 344 s 3; 1987 c 386 art 6 s 2; 1991 c 342 s 8; 1993 c 375 art 5 s 33; art 17 s 17; 2005 c 4 s 106
Subdivision 1.Supplemental assessments.
The council may make supplemental assessments to correct omissions, errors, or mistakes in the assessment relating to the total cost of the improvement or any other particular. A supplemental assessment shall be preceded by personal or mailed notice to the owner of each parcel included in the supplemental assessment and a hearing as provided for the original assessment.
Subd. 2.Reassessment.
When an assessment is, for any reason whatever, set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction as to any parcel or parcels of land, or in event the council finds that the assessment or any part thereof is excessive or determines on advice of the municipal attorney that the assessment or proposed assessment or any part thereof is or may be invalid for any reason, the council may, upon notice and hearing as provided for the original assessment, make a reassessment or a new assessment as to such parcel or parcels.
Subd. 3.Reapportionment upon land division.
When a tract of land against which a special assessment has been levied is thereafter divided or subdivided by plat or otherwise, the council may, on application of the owner of any part of the tract or on its own motion equitably apportion among the various lots or parcels in the tract all the installments of the assessment against the tract remaining unpaid and not then due if it determines that such apportionment will not materially impair collection of the unpaid balance of the original assessment against the tract. The council may, and if the special assessment has been pledged to the payment of improvement warrants shall, require the owner or owners, as a condition of such apportionment, to furnish a satisfactory surety bond fully protecting the municipality against any loss resulting from failure to pay any part of the reapportionment assessment when due. Notice of such apportionment and of the right to appeal shall be mailed to or personally served upon all owners of any part of the tract. Within 30 days after the mailing or service of the notice of such apportionment any such owner may appeal as provided in section 429.081.
Subd. 4.Reassessment, tax-forfeited land.
When a parcel of tax-forfeited land is returned to private ownership and the parcel is benefited by an improvement for which special assessments were canceled because of the forfeiture, the municipality that made the improvement may, upon notice and hearing as provided for the original assessment, make a reassessment or a new assessment as to the parcel in an amount equal to the amount remaining unpaid on the original assessment.
1953 c 398 s 7; 1957 c 366 s 1; 1961 c 525 s 8; 1965 c 877 s 4; 1976 c 259 s 1
Within 30 days after the adoption of the assessment, any person aggrieved, who is not precluded by failure to object prior to or at the assessment hearing, or whose failure to so object is due to a reasonable cause, may appeal to the district court by serving a notice upon the mayor or clerk of the municipality. The notice shall be filed with the court administrator of the district court within ten days after its service. The municipal clerk shall furnish appellant a certified copy of objections filed in the assessment proceedings, the assessment roll or part complained of, and all papers necessary to present the appeal. The appeal shall be placed upon the calendar of the next general term commencing more than five days after the date of serving the notice and shall be tried as other appeals in such cases. The court shall either affirm the assessment or set it aside and order a reassessment as provided in section 429.071, subdivision 2. If appellant does not prevail upon the appeal, the costs incurred shall be taxed by the court and judgment entered therefor. All objections to the assessment shall be deemed waived unless presented on such appeal. This section provides the exclusive method of appeal from a special assessment levied pursuant to this chapter.
1953 c 398 s 8; 1961 c 525 s 9; 1978 c 749 s 2; 1980 c 607 art 11 s 3; 1Sp1986 c 3 art 1 s 82
Subdivision 1.Authority.
At any time after one or more improvements are ordered as contemplated in section 429.031, the council may issue obligations in such amount as it deems necessary to defray in whole or in part the expense incurred and estimated to be incurred in making the improvement or improvements, including every item of cost of the kinds authorized in section 475.65. In the event of any omission, error, or mistake in any of the proceedings required precedent to the ordering of any improvement, the validity of the obligations shall not be affected thereby. The council shall cause all further actions and proceedings to be taken with due diligence that are required for the construction of each improvement financed wholly or partly from the proceeds of obligations issued hereunder, and for the final and valid levy of special assessments and the appropriation of any other funds needed to pay the obligations and interest thereon when due.
Subd. 2.Types of obligations permitted.
The council may by resolution adopted prior to the sale of obligations pledge the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the municipality for the payment of the principal and interest. Such obligations shall be called improvement bonds and the council shall pay the principal and interest out of any fund of the municipality when the amount credited to the specified fund is insufficient for the purpose and shall each year levy a sufficient amount to take care of accumulated or anticipated deficiencies, which levy shall not be subject to any statutory or charter tax limitation. Obligations for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the municipality is not pledged shall be called assessment revenue notes or, in the case of bonds for fire protection, revenue bonds and shall contain a promise to pay solely out of the proper special fund or funds pledged to their payment. It shall be the duty of the municipal treasurer to pay maturing principal and interest on warrants or revenue bonds out of funds on hand in the proper funds and not otherwise.
Subd. 3.Method of issuance.
All obligations shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of chapter 475, except as provided in this subdivision.
An election shall be required for bonds if less than 20 percent of the cost of the improvement to the municipality is to be assessed against benefited property.
If the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the municipality is not pledged and the bonds are issued to finance a fire protection system, a public sale shall not be required and the obligations may
(1) mature at any time or times within 30 years from date of issue; or 40 years or the useful life of the asset, whichever is less, for municipal water and wastewater treatment systems and essential community facilities financed or guaranteed by the United States Department of Agriculture;
(2) mature in the amount or amounts;
(3) be sold at a price equal to the percentage of their par value, plus accrued interest; and
(4) bear interest at the rate or rates,
as agreed by the purchaser and the municipality, notwithstanding any limitation of interest rate or cost or of the amounts of annual maturities contained in any other law.
The maturities shall be such as in the opinion of the council are warranted by the anticipated collections of assessments and ad valorem levies for the municipality's share of the cost; except that the council may in its discretion issue and sell temporary improvement bonds maturing and subject to further conditions as set forth in subdivision 5. All obligations shall state upon their face the purpose of the issue and the fund from which they are payable. The amount of any obligations issued hereunder shall not be included in determining the net indebtedness of any municipality under the provisions of any law limiting such indebtedness.
Subd. 4.Funds.
The proceeds from the sale of each issue of obligations and from collections of special assessments levied and other moneys appropriated for each improvement to be financed wholly or partly from such proceeds shall be credited to a separate construction fund which shall be used solely to defray expenses of such improvements and payment of principal and interest due upon the obligations prior to completion and payment of all costs of the improvements so financed. Any balance of the proceeds of bonds remaining therein may be used to pay the cost, in whole or in part, of any other improvement instituted pursuant to this chapter. A separate account shall be maintained in the construction fund to record expenditures for each improvement, and when the total cost thereof has been paid all subsequent collections of special assessments levied for the improvement shall be credited and paid into the debt service fund for the obligations issued to finance the improvement, as provided in section 475.61. Any taxes levied for improvements financed by an issue of obligations shall be credited directly to the debt service fund.
Subd. 5.Temporary improvement bonds.
In anticipation of the issuance of improvement bonds, the council may by resolution issue and sell temporary improvement bonds maturing within not more than three years from their date of issue to pay any part or all of the cost of one or more improvements. To the extent that the principal of and interest on the temporary improvement bonds cannot be paid when due from receipts of special assessments, taxes, or other funds appropriated for the purpose, they shall be paid from the proceeds of improvement bonds or additional temporary improvement bonds which the council shall offer for sale in advance of their maturity but the indebtedness funded by an issue of temporary improvement bonds shall not be extended by the issue of additional temporary improvement bonds for more than six years from the date of the first issue. The holders of any temporary improvement bonds shall have and may enforce, by mandamus or other appropriate proceedings, all rights respecting the levy and collection of sufficient special assessments and taxes to pay the cost of the improvements financed by them which are granted by law to holders of improvement bonds, except the right to require the levies to be collected prior to the maturity of the temporary improvement bonds. If any temporary improvement bonds are not paid in full at maturity, the holders may require the issuance in exchange for them, at par, of new temporary improvement bonds maturing within one year from their date of issue (but not subject to any other maturity limitation), and bearing interest at the maximum rate permitted by law.
Subd. 6.Investment of other municipal funds.
Funds of a municipality may be invested in its temporary improvement bonds in accordance with the provisions of section 118A.04, and may be purchased upon their initial issue, but shall be purchased only from funds which the council determines will not be required for other purposes before the maturity date, and shall be resold before maturity only in case of emergency. If purchased from a debt service fund securing other bonds, the holders of those bonds may enforce the municipality's obligations on the temporary improvement bonds in the same manner as if they held the temporary improvement bonds.
Subd. 7.General obligation temporary improvement bonds.
The council may by resolution adopted prior to the sale of any temporary improvement bonds pledge the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the municipality for the payment of the principal and interest, in addition to all provisions made for their security in subdivision 5. In this event the bonds shall be designated as general obligation temporary improvement bonds, and the council shall levy taxes for their payment in accordance with section 475.61. Proceeds of improvement bonds or temporary improvement bonds not yet sold may be treated as pledged revenues, in reduction of the tax otherwise required by section 475.61 to be levied prior to delivery of the obligations.
Subd. 7a.Revolving fund bonds.
The council may by resolution establish a revolving fund for the payment of the costs of any improvement or any waterworks systems, sewer systems, or storm sewer systems described in section 444.075, the costs of facilities to maintain streets and water, sewer, and storm sewer systems and for the payment of any obligations issued to pay the costs of the facilities and systems referred to in this subdivision or to refund obligations issued for those purposes. The council may create within the revolving fund a separate construction account into which the municipality may deposit the proceeds of any obligations payable from the fund, the proceeds of any special assessments collected with respect to any improvement, any net revenues of a waterworks, sewer system, or storm sewer system described in section 444.075 or any other available funds of the municipality appropriated to it. Amounts on deposit in the construction account may be used to pay the costs of any improvement or any waterworks, sewer system, or storm sewer system described in section 444.075 or any street or water, sewer, or storm sewer maintenance facilities. No funds may be expended for an improvement unless at least 20 percent of the costs of each such improvement is to be assessed against benefited property. No funds may be expended for a waterworks, sewer system, or storm sewer system, other than a sewer system described in section 115.46, or maintenance facilities unless the council estimates that the costs will be recovered from the net revenues of the system or any combined waterworks, sewer systems, or storm sewer systems operated by the municipality. The council may also create a separate debt service account within the revolving fund for the payment of principal of and interest on any obligations payable therefrom. Notwithstanding subdivision 4, the council is not required to pledge any particular assessments or other revenues to the payment of the obligations. Collections of special assessments or net revenues may be deposited in either the construction account or the debt service account as the council or an officer designated by the council may determine, having due regard for anticipated collections of special assessments and net revenues from improvements or waterworks, sewer systems, or storm sewer systems financed in whole or in part from the construction account, and taxes levied for the payment of the obligations. The council may issue obligations that are payable primarily from the debt service account for the purpose of providing funds to defray in whole or in part any expenses incurred or estimated to be incurred in making the improvement or improvements or in constructing the waterworks, sewer system, or storm sewer system, including every item of cost of the kinds authorized by section 475.65, and street and water, sewer, and storm sewer maintenance facilities or to refund obligations previously issued under this section or section 115.46 or 444.075. The obligations may be general obligations to which the full faith and credit of the municipality are pledged. If the special assessments to be levied and net revenues estimated to be available for their payment are estimated to be at least 20 percent of the principal amount of the obligations, the obligations may be issued without an election and shall not be included in determining the net indebtedness of the municipality under the provisions of any law limiting net indebtedness. The cost of a maintenance facility that may be financed under this subdivision is limited only to the portion of the facility that is fairly allocable to the maintenance of streets and water, sewer, and storm sewer systems.
Subd. 8.Application; limitations under federal tax law.
Sections 474A.01 to 474A.21 apply to any issuance of obligations under this section which are subject to limitation under a federal tax law as defined in section 474A.02, subdivision 8.
1953 c 398 s 9; 1955 c 811 s 3-5; 1957 c 385 s 1; 1965 c 877 s 5; 1976 c 324 s 19-21; 1981 c 171 s 1-4; 1984 c 548 s 6; 1984 c 582 s 5,6,23; 1984 c 591 s 4,5; 1984 c 633 s 4; 1Sp1985 c 14 art 8 s 63; 1986 c 465 art 1 s 3; 1987 c 344 s 4,5; 1992 c 545 art 2 s 4; 1996 c 297 s 1; 1996 c 399 art 2 s 12; 2000 c 260 s 57; 2001 c 214 s 11
Subdivision 1.Ordinances.
(a) In addition to any other method authorized by law or charter, the governing body of any municipality may provide for the collection of unpaid special charges as a special assessment against the property benefited for all or any part of the cost of:
(1) snow, ice, or rubbish removal from sidewalks;
(2) weed elimination from streets or private property;
(3) removal or elimination of public health or safety hazards from private property, excluding any structure included under the provisions of sections 463.15 to 463.26;
(4) installation or repair of water service lines, street sprinkling or other dust treatment of streets;
(5) the trimming and care of trees and the removal of unsound trees from any street;
(6) the treatment and removal of insect infested or diseased trees on private property, the repair of sidewalks and alleys;
(7) the operation of a street lighting system;
(8) the operation and maintenance of a fire protection or a pedestrian skyway system;
(9) inspections relating to a municipal housing maintenance code violation;
(10) the recovery of any disbursements under section 504B.445, subdivision 4, clause (5), including disbursements for payment of utility bills and other services, even if provided by a third party, necessary to remedy violations as described in section 504B.445, subdivision 4, clause (2); or
(11) [Repealed, 2004 c 275 s 5]
(12) the recovery of delinquent vacant building registration fees under a municipal program designed to identify and register vacant buildings.
(b) The council may by ordinance adopt regulations consistent with this section to make this authority effective, including, at the option of the council, provisions for placing primary responsibility upon the property owner or occupant to do the work personally (except in the case of street sprinkling or other dust treatment, alley repair, tree trimming, care, and removal, or the operation of a street lighting system) upon notice before the work is undertaken, and for collection from the property owner or other person served of the charges when due before unpaid charges are made a special assessment.
(c) A home rule charter city, statutory city, county, or town operating an energy improvements financing program under section 216C.436 has the authority granted to a municipality under paragraph (a) with respect to energy improvements financed under that section.
Subd. 2.Procedure for assessment.
Any special assessment levied under subdivision 1 shall be payable in a single installment, or by up to ten equal annual installments as the council may provide, except that a special assessment made under an energy improvements financing program under subdivision 1, paragraph (c), may be repayable in up to 20 equal installments. With these exceptions, sections 429.061, 429.071, and 429.081 shall apply to assessments made under this section.
Subd. 3.Issuance of obligations.
(a) After a contract for any of the work enumerated in subdivision 1 has been let, or the work commenced, the council may issue obligations to defray the expense of any such work financed in whole or in part by special charges and assessments imposed upon benefited property under this section.
(b) Section 429.091 shall apply to such obligations with the following modifications:
(1) such obligations shall be payable not more than two years from the date of issuance;
(2) the amount of such obligations issued at one time in a municipality shall not exceed the cost of such work during the ensuing six months as estimated by the council;
(3) a separate improvement fund shall be set up for each of the enumerated services referred to in subdivision 1 and financed under this section.
(c) Proceeds of special charges as well as special assessments and taxes shall be credited to such improvement fund.
1953 c 398 s 10; 1955 c 811 s 6; 1963 c 771 s 5; 1965 c 323 s 2; 1973 c 337 s 1; 1974 c 340 s 1,2; 1984 c 548 s 7; 1984 c 582 s 7; 1984 c 591 s 6; 1984 c 633 s 5; 1986 c 444; 1Sp2003 c 21 art 11 s 29; 2004 c 275 s 2; 2008 c 366 art 6 s 42; 2010 c 216 s 22; 2013 c 85 art 8 s 6
Any city operating under a home rule charter may proceed either under this chapter or under its charter in making an improvement unless a home rule charter or amendment adopted after April 17, 1953, provides for making such improvement under this chapter or under the charter exclusively.
1953 c 398 s 11; 1955 c 811 s 7; 1976 c 44 s 39


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: ReferenceError: ResizeObserver is not defined with nivo and NextJS I want to use nivo with Next but when I load the page containing a pie chart made with nivo, I get this error: ReferenceError: ResizeObserver is not defined.
My Pie.js component:
import { ResponsivePie } from "@nivo/pie";

export const data = [
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    id: "c",
    label: "c",
    value: 80,
    color: "hsl(8, 70%, 50%)",
  },
  {
    id: "lisp",
    label: "lisp",
    value: 188,
    color: "hsl(122, 70%, 50%)",
  },

  {
    id: "go",
    label: "go",
    value: 161,
    color: "hsl(111, 70%, 50%)",
  },
];

export default function MyPie({ data }) {

    return (
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            margin={{ top: 40, right: 80, bottom: 80, left: 80 }}
            innerRadius={0.5}
            padAngle={0.7}
            cornerRadius={3}
            activeOuterRadiusOffset={8}
            borderWidth={1}
            borderColor={{ from: "color", modifiers: [["darker", 0.2]] }}
            arcLinkLabelsSkipAngle={10}
            arcLinkLabelsTextColor="#333333"
            arcLinkLabelsThickness={2}
            arcLinkLabelsColor={{ from: "color" }}
            arcLabelsSkipAngle={10}
            arcLabelsTextColor={{ from: "color", modifiers: [["darker", 2]] }}
            defs={[
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                id: "dots",
                type: "patternDots",
                background: "inherit",
                color: "rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3)",
                size: 4,
                padding: 1,
                stagger: true,
            },
            {
                id: "lines",
                type: "patternLines",
                background: "inherit",
                color: "rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3)",
                rotation: -45,
                lineWidth: 6,
                spacing: 10,
            },
            ]}
        />
    )
};

My chart.js page:
import MyPie, { data } from "../components/Pie";

import homeStyles from "../styles/Home.module.css";

function Chart() {
  return (

      <MyPie data={data}/>

  );
};
export default Chart;

This error only appears when using ResponsivePie and not Pie. I also tried to make it work with a React project but though I don't get this error, Nothing seems to be displayed.
Edit:
After some investigations, it looks like there is something wrong with @nivo/core 0.79.0 dependency. We should open an issue on the GitHub repo. I made some changes to check whether it is caused by my version of Next.js but the bug occurs only with @nivo/core 0.79.0.

A: It turns out this was the result of a bug introduced in version 0.79.0, which was fixed in https://github.com/plouc/nivo/pull/1886.
You should update @nivo/core to 0.79.1.

It looks like @nivo/pie is not compatible with Next.js server-side rendering as it utilizes Web APIs (ResizeObserver).
To avoid importing MyPie (and subsequently ResponsivePie) on the server, you can dynamically import it on the client-side only using next/dynamic with ssr: false.
import dynamic from "next/dynamic";
import { data } from "../components/Pie";
import homeStyles from "../styles/Home.module.css";

const MyPie = dynamic(() => import("../components/Pie"), {
    ssr: false
})

function Chart() {
    return (

            <MyPie data={data}/>

    );
};

export default Chart;

A: It's likely that code is being run on server side (SSR), and ResizeObserver doesn't exist there. You should try to make sure that your code only executes when on client side.
It's hard for me to tell you how as I don't know what your setup is. You can likely just add a check to only run that part of the code if ResizeObserver is defined.
I hope at least this points you in the right direction.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


TheoWhiteZine was a magazine with a limited run based on the subject of Hope. Directed by stylist Theo White, I was involved in solely designing the full editorial of a 100 page full-colour zine. The magazine was released in January 2017 and was featured in Dazed. You can read the article here.


As a self-taught photographer - I decided to study philosophy and history in order to find more questions to ask through photography, I guess - my approach versus my art has always been one based on historical (allegorical) and social practices. This evolved into a body of work around 'absence and photography'. Does photography as an art presuppose the presence or interference of an autonomous, free subject - the artist/photographer? Does it require an end product, a visible and present result - the photograph? Can photography, as an art form, create value and meaning in contemporary society, where not soon, but now, computers can create new images without human interference?
Can a 21st century photographer abandon the modernist-existentialist paradigma of his art, embodied by e.g. Cartier-Bresson or Stephen Shore?
Between 2009 and 2014 I realised a series of projects around these questions. Some of the results can be found here: 29 Luchten (2010), 333*365*n (2010-2011) en Duo Portra Studio (2013-2014).
For 2018 I follow up to this triptych with two new projects: Photographic-Therapeutic Walks, (3600 Steps), and Currency, a Polaroid Portrait Studio.


Do you need to train for The Cotswold Way? The simple answer is yes. If you are walking the trail in eight days (most common) then you will need to comfortably walk up to 15 miles in one day. In addition, there are many hills to ascend and descend, every day! As you start the day there will usually be a steep incline until you reach the escarpment and as you finish the day there will be a steep decline in the town or village.
Depending on the time of year that you walk this trail there will highly likely be mud to contend with. The thick mud adds weight to your shoes and in turn, this makes your legs burn with the extra exercise. So yes, getting into shape, including lots of hill training is essential in my opinion.
Consider purchasing a Fitbit for motivation (or wearable technology that measures steps). I currently use an Apple Watch.
Invest in some good walking footwear. Due to the constant up and down of The Cotswold Way, I would recommend boots rather than trail runners for this hike. I am a big fan of trail runners and have walked the Camino in my trail runners, however, I found the extra ankle support of my Soloman Walking Boots highly useful on this particular trail.
Purchase some trekking poles, or attend a local Nordic Walking class. (Nordic walking will teach you so much more about walking and I would highly recommend them).
Set up a spreadsheet/or Word document for yourself so you can record your daily mileage. Alternatively, keep a record on your notes file on your iPhone.
You have got the gear, now what?
We will start off slowly and then build up to bigger times and distances. By the end of week 12, you should be accustomed to walking at least 12 miles in one day. Believe me, if you can walk 12 miles, including a few hills then you should be able to walk 15 miles on The Cotswold Way.
Note: after week 6, you will need to include some hill training into your plan. If you live in a flat area then consider using a treadmill.
Week 1 – Goal = walk: 56,000 steps, 28 miles/45 km in total this week.
Hiking boots are on and it's time to set off for a quick walk. Your goal this week is to average a min of 8k steps a day (4 miles). A good percentage of these steps will be taken up by day to day activity (walking to your car, walking to the office, making coffee etc). But make sure that you are walking a min of 8k steps a day, every single day without fail. If this means that you need to walk laps of the kitchen to get those steps in then so be it (although I would rather encourage you to get outside and take a walk around your local park).
Walking at least 9k steps a day (4.5 miles a day). At least 2 of these miles should be in one go, and ideally outside, every day, no matter the weather. It is highly likely that you will be walking in the rain at some point along the way, so please do not use this as an excuse to skip a walk. Every time you see an escalator or an elevator/lift then ALWAYS take the stairs. All the little steps are adding up and you will really notice the difference when you set foot on the Camino in just a few weeks time!
We are now up to the national average walking steps of 10,000 steps a day to keep fit and healthy. By now you should have developed a nice routine and a habit of venturing out for a 2-mile walk daily. Continue with your daily mileage, but this week we need to increase two of those walks to 4 miles. You can do this! A four-mile walk should take you approximately no more than 1.5 hours. Whilst I was in training, I would walk my local parkrun, which is 3.2 miles, and then I would park half a mile away from the start point.
Did you know that you can "walk" the parkrun? I encourage you to join each Saturday morning.
Week 4 – Goal = walk: 82,000 steps, 41 miles / 65 km in total this week.
Continue with your 10k steps a day. This week your goal is to increase two of those walks to 5 miles. Remember to take a bottle of water with you, and keep an eye on your feet for hot spots. Again, an easy way to get your mileage up is to join your local parkrun (I have been "walking" parkrun for the last two years and there is no shame in walking. If you decide that parkrun is for you, simply park a mile away from the start and then you will have easily conquered one of your 5-mile hikes for this week. Simples!
This week we are going to increase our daily average to 11,000 steps a day (5.5 miles a day). The 2-mile walk that you are completing as part of your daily routine will now increase to 2.5 miles. We also want to tackle a 6-mile walk at the weekend. Drag along some friends and perhaps stop for a pub lunch. Your trail legs are starting to develop and you are feeling great.
Week 6 – Goal = walk 100,000 steps, 50 miles / 80.46 km.
We are going to increase our daily steps to 12k, and this will not increase any further for the rest of the training. At this stage, you will find that your legs are feeling good and you no longer ache after a 5-mile hike. It is also important to start thinking about your core as you will also be carrying a rucksack. The best form of exercise for developing your core muscles is either Pilates or a Yoga class once a week. I appreciate that going to a class is not for everyone, so this is the stage to start venturing out with your rucksack on your pack. Note: Do not fully load your pack at this stage, we need to build up to that over the next six weeks. I would recommend purchasing a luggage weighing gadget (you can get them from the local pound shop), and make sure that your pack does not weigh more than 4 lbs / 1.81 kg during week 6. Twice a week, challenge yourself to walk at least 6 miles, with your lightweight pack.
For week seven we are going to replicate week six, however this time we need to increase the weight of your pack to at least 5llbs. Daily steps are 12k, with two walks a week increasing to 6 miles (with a slightly heavier pack).
Continuing with 12k steps a day, however, we now need to start to increase the two walks a week to 7 miles and plan this for consecutive days. On the Cotswold Way, you will be walking approximately 10-15 miles day after day. Now is the time to put your body to the test and see how well you cope with walking 7 miles for two days on the trot. Continue with the 5llbs in your rucksack. By now you will know if you are suffering from issues with your pack. Does it rub? Is it comfortable?
Continuing with the 12k steps a day, with a 10-mile hike at the weekend, and a 6-mile hike during the week – you can do this! With only three weeks to go until your first steps from Chipping Camden we now need to test our stamina and work towards completing a 12-mile walk. Remember, if you can walk 12 miles at home, then you can easily walk 15 miles on The Cotswold Way. The atmosphere of your fellow hikers will get you through the toughest of times. It is also time to add a little bit more weight to your pack. Increase the weight to 7llbs for the longer walks.
Again, we will continue with the daily walking of 12k steps a day. Hopefully, you are giving your Fitbit friends a run for their money! Additional miles this week two x 6 miles and one x ten miles. If there is any chance that you can work it so that these happen on consecutive days then there will certainly be a benefit to doing this. Try not to walk the same routes. Check out applications such as Alltrails, ViewRanger or iFootpath to help you discover new walks. Remember that the very first day on The Cotswold Way is a steep climb up to Dovers Hill, so any hill training will be beneficial. It is also time to pack your rucksack with the items that you will be taking. Click here for a full packing list.
Week 11- Goal = Take it easy this week. 82,000 steps, 41 miles / 65 km in total this week.
It is important to take some time out and rest your body. So this week we are going to drop back to 10k steps a day, with two of your daily walks to include 5 miles. Walk with your full pack at every available opportunity, but make the most of this fairly easy week as next week we are going for a 12 mile and a 10-mile hike! You got this!
This is it! Your time is up as you complete your final week. Along with your regular 12k steps a day, we are now going for three consecutive walks. 8 miles, 10 miles and 12 miles. It is going to be tough, but you have put in the hard work and you know you can do this. Make sure that the walks you are completing incorporate hills (walking around a lake may be pretty but it will not build those muscles or lung capacity that you need to walk The Cotswold Way). Your ultimate goal for this training was to achieve a 12-mile walk, with a full rucksack and still be able to hold a good conversation with a fellow hiker during the process. Remember to stop and smell the roses along the way.
This 12-week programme is designed for beginners to get you to a point where the first few days on The Cotswold Way will be enjoyable and not painful.
Nothing can really prepare you for walking about between 10-15 miles (16-24km) every day with a loaded pack. That first few days is going to be tough, but if you have followed the above programme that you will be whistling whilst you walk.


text:
Madison County officials brainstorm economic development ideas
Scott Cousins, scousins@thetelegraph.com
John Keller, president of the RiverBend Growth Association, talks during a brainstorming session by area officials Wednesday at Americas Central Port in Granite City. The meeting, sponsored by Madison County Community Development, focused on finding shared goals that can be worked on in a county-wide effort.
Mary Sue Love, an associate professor with SIUEs Managing and Marketing Department, facilitates a brainstorming session by area officials Wednesday at Americas Central Port in Granite City. The meeting, sponsored by Madison County Community Development, focused on finding shared goals that can be worked on in a county-wide effort.
Edwardsville Economic & Community Development Director Walter D. Williams takes notes during a brainstorming session by area officials Wednesday at Americas Central Port in Granite City. The meeting, sponsored by Madison County Community Development, focused on finding shared goals that can be worked on in a county-wide effort.
Granite City Economic Development Director Cathy Hamilton participates in a brainstorming session by area officials Wednesday at Americas Central Port in Granite City. The meeting, sponsored by Madison County Community Development, focused on finding shared goals that can be worked on in a county-wide effort.
GRANITE CITY — Ways to find opportunities in Madison County are part of the discussion during a "brainstorming" session on economic development by local leaders Wednesday morning at America' s Central Port in Granite City.
About 20 people from throughout the county attended the session, sponsored by Madison County Community Development.
"Our goal is to come together and identify some things we can work on county-wide," said MCCD Director Trudy Bodenbach. "I don't' really have pre-conceived notions of what we'll come up with. Since I've been here (as director) I've had lots of conversations with these people individually, and a lot of them are saying there is more of a need to work together."
"There are all kinds of things and opportunities going on," moderator Mary Sue Love, an associate professor with SIUE's Managing and Marketing Department. "What we want to do is explore questions that matter."
The day started with plotting the strengths and weaknesses of the county.
Location and transportation-related issues were among the strengths, along with the cost of living, the education system and healthcare.
The impact of tourism and the proximity of Scott Air Force Base were also discussed.
The proximity of the St. Louis region was discussed as both a positive and negative. On the positive side it provides jobs and cultural opportunities, but also creates issues by promoting a negative self-image in the Metro East.
Another issue is that there are smaller "groupings" of communities in Madison County, including the Collinsville area, Granite City area, Riverbend and Highland.
"That's a big swath of communities," Love said, adding there is a need for some "shared goals."
John Keller, president of the RiverBend Growth Association, said the meeting "went a long way to establish commonalities," among the various communities.
He also said it was not finished.
"This is part of a process," he said. "It was a great beginning to it. The goal is to bring all of the communities together to brainstorm, so it's not going to happen in one meeting. We're going to be meeting again."
He also emphasized the issue of self-perception, something he often talks about.
He said local residents and officials have a perception of negative to neutral, but people looking at this area from the outside tend to be neutral to positive.
"We sometimes are our own worst enemy," Keller said.
Part of the discussion was on the negative image Metro East residents have regarding taxes, but when you look at other states and different taxes they have, "it brings your effective rates pretty darn close."
"What we're hoping to do is find a couple of goals for the county so we can collaborate together," Love said after the first break. "So far there are so many ideas, we just need to coalesce on the one or two that will help us move forward."
She said part of the key is to look for opportunities.
"Where we'll really coalesce is taking those strengths and figuring out how to move them into opportunities, and looking at those weaknesses and seeing if we can convert them to opportunities as well," she said.
Scott Cousins
Trained as a photojournalist, Scott Cousins has 40 years of experience covering all aspects of news, primarily in the Metro East. His primary beats for The Telegraph in Alton include Madison County government and criminal filings, and he remains committed to the idea that a newspaper's first responsibility is to inform the public about what government is doing.


text:
Il mustiolo  (Suncus etruscus ), detto anche pachiuro etrusco,  è un mammifero della famiglia dei Soricidi.

Descrizione
È il mammifero più piccolo al mondo per massa (il Craseonycteris thonglongyai è invece il più piccolo per lunghezza del corpo e del cranio). Somiglia agli altri toporagni, ma se ne distingue per essere molto più piccolo. Il suo corpo, lungo da 3,6 a 5,2 cm, è ricoperto di un pelame serico, sottilissimo, di colore tra il grigio e il bruno rossastro, più chiaro sotto al ventre che sul dorso. Lunghissimi peli tattili, su tutto il corpo, superano di molto gli altri peli della pelliccia. La coda, lunga da 2,4 a 2,9 cm, è ugualmente fornita di numerosi peli, molto lunghi. La testa è appuntita; gli occhi, molto piccoli, affondano nel pelame. Le orecchie, invece, sono grandi e si fanno ben notare. Il muso è fornito di lunghissimi baffi, o vibrisse. I denti del mustiolo sono interamente bianchi.

Distribuzione
Questa specie si trova in tutti i paesi attorno al Mediterraneo. La sua distribuzione geografica si estende verso oriente, fino al Pakistan e all'India. In Africa scende fino alla Tanzania e al Natal. In Europa è stato segnalato in Ticino (Svizzera), nel sud della Francia, dove i suoi resti ossei abbondano nelle pallottole di reiezione (borre) dei rapaci notturni, e nella zona della Charente. È presente pure nella penisola iberica e nei Balcani, nonché in Turchia.

In Italia è presente in quasi tutta la penisola ad eccezione dei rilievi alpini; è presente anche in Sicilia e Sardegna, nonché in alcune isole minori (Asinara, Tavolara, Egadi, Pantelleria e Lampedusa). In Sardegna, in particolare, è presente una sottospecie endemica, Suncus etruscus pachyurus (Küster, 1835).

Comportamento
Il mustiolo etrusco è praticamente invisibile nel suo ambiente naturale, da un lato per la sua ridottissima taglia, dall'altro per le sue abitudini molto discrete e parzialmente notturne. Per l'esattezza, non si può parlare di esso come di un animale notturno, essendo attivo in qualsiasi ora del giorno e della notte; ma la sua attività è intervallata da periodi più o meno lunghi di riposo. Il suo habitat comprende cespugli, ammassi di rami e foglie, i bordi di vecchi muri, mucchi di pietre, ecc. Cercando con molta attenzione e perspicacia, è possibile trovare il mustiolo quasi dappertutto, perché la sua presenza non è condizionata da un particolare habitat. Unica condizione indispensabile per la sua sopravvivenza è il calore.

Alimentazione
Nonostante la sua taglia davvero insignificante, il mustiolo etrusco è un temibile carnivoro. Attacca senza esclusioni tutte le prede che riesce a individuare, purché siano più piccole rispetto a sé stesso. Nel 1957, B. Koch e J. Vasserot osservarono che un mustiolo, tenuto in cattività, non osava attaccare una cavalletta, di grandezza uguale alla sua. Il mustiolo individua le prede a 25–30 cm di distanza. Alza la testa agitando i suoi lunghi baffi, quindi si precipita sulla vittima, mordendola con incredibile accanimento. Il mustiolo sa trovare le parti molli e vulnerabili del corpo degli insetti e non morde nelle parti dure, dove i suoi attacchi sarebbero inefficaci. Divora immediatamente la preda, poi abbandona i resti e parte alla ricerca di una nuova vittima. Rifiuta gli insetti fetidi, come le cimici, e indietreggia, dopo avere simulato l'attacco, quando si trova davanti una preda troppo grande per la sua taglia.

Studi in cattività
Fino a pochi anni fa, la biologia e le abitudini del mustiolo etrusco erano sconosciute. Bisognò attendere la pubblicazione dei , e , per svelare i misteri della vita di questo minuscolo mammifero. L'unico metodo possibile era l'allevamento in cattività, che presenta però alcune difficoltà, sia perché il mustiolo etrusco è sensibilissimo al cambiamento di temperatura, sia per la forte mortalità derivante dalla mancanza di cibo adatto. I mustioli vengono catturati in scatole metalliche, interrate al livello del suolo, in cui essi cadono, senza poterne tornare fuori. È indispensabile controllare le trappole parecchie volte al giorno e nel corso della notte, per evitare che i mustioli catturati muoiano per mancanza di calore. Infatti, basta lasciare uno di questi mammiferi poche ore senza nutrimento o esposto a una temperatura inferiore ai 15 °C, per vederlo morire.

I mustioli si allevano in terrari, il cui suolo sia ricoperto di terra. È opportuno preparare un nido in gesso, consistente in un labirinto di corridoi che sboccano in una cameretta centrale. Allo stato libero, il mustiolo etrusco cerca sempre mucchi di pietre o sconnessioni in vecchi muri per sistemarvi il proprio nido, perché esso ha bisogno di sentire un contatto permanente sulle varie parti del corpo. Questo bisogno di contatto si chiama tigmotattismo. La temperatura ambientale ha un ruolo importantissimo nella vita di questi micromammiferi; durante l'allevamento essa deve variare tra 15 e 30 °C, ma in nessun caso scendere al di sotto dei 15-16 °C. Questi animali si nutrono con vermi di farina, grilli domestici, mosche e insetti diversi. Gli si addice benissimo un supplemento di milza di bue. L'acqua non deve mai mancare.

Riproduzione
Il mustiolo etrusco si riproduce durante tutta la stagione calda. Le prime nascite si hanno in maggio; ma nascite si verificano fino agli inizi di ottobre. I maschi entrano in fregola dal principio di aprile, ed emanano allora un forte odore di muschio. Sono delle ghiandole speciali situate sui fianchi, a dare quest'odore particolare. La gestazione dura da ventisette a ventotto giorni, alla scadenza dei quali la femmina dà alla luce da 2 a 5 figli. Rare sono però le figliate di 2 e di 5 piccoli; nella maggior parte dei casi, questi sono 3 o 4. Tra i piccoli si riscontra un uguale numero di maschi e di femmine. Nei primi dodici giorni di gestazione la femmina non aumenta di peso, che normalmente oscilla tra 2 e 2,2 grammi. In seguito il peso aumenta e la femmina pesa 3,4 g, per arrivare a 3,6 g verso il ventiquattresimo giorno. In una quindicina di giorni soltanto, l'animale ha quindi aumentato il proprio peso del 75%. Il peso massimo raggiunto da una femmina gestante è di 3,62 g.

Sviluppo dei piccoli
I piccoli appena nati sono interamente nudi, con la pelle color rosa carico, piena di rughe. I padiglioni delle orecchie sono chiusi, come pure le palpebre. Gli occhi si vedono, in trasparenza, come puntini neri. Le dita dei piedi sono saldate tra loro. Anche le zampe danno l'impressione di essere attaccate al corpo. Questi minuscoli animali, dall'aspetto di larve, alla nascita non pesano che da 0,18 a 0,27 g, mentre la loro lunghezza va da 14,2 a 15,4 mm; si accrescono in maniera molto rapida. Verso il tredicesimo giorno aprono gli occhi e tra il ventesimo e il ventiduesimo giorno raggiungono la grandezza adulta. È allora che diventano indipendenti dai genitori. La loro lunghezza varia da 42,3 a 43,9 mm.

Ciclo vitale
Il mustiolo etrusco ha una vita brevissima. R. Fons, che ha allevato centinaia di questi animali in cattività, dice che la maggior parte delle femmine vive da 10 a 19 mesi. Una femmina visse 26 mesi e 27 giorni, mentre un'altra morì di vecchiaia a 22 mesi e 17 giorni. I maschi hanno una durata della vita di poco inferiore. Ma il primato è detenuto da un maschio, il quale visse in cattività 19 mesi e 11 giorni. R. Fons ritiene che la longevità potenziale di questi micromammiferi sia di circa 2 anni.

Conservazione
Il Suncus etruscus è una specie tutelata ai sensi della Legge 11/02/1992, n. 157 e protetta dalla Convenzione di Berna.

La Lista rossa IUCN classifica questa specie come a basso rischio di estinzione.

Note

Voci correlate
Mammiferi in Italia

Altri progetti

Collegamenti esterni
Mustiolo http://www.minambiente.it/

Eulipotifli
Fauna europea
Fauna asiatica

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


What does a paint contractor/entrepreneur, a educator/coach, an elite fitness expert, and a design/build contractor have in common?
Iron... lifting it over and over again together for over 30 years.
Their passion for fitness started at young age as they played sports together, coached many of Ocean City teams to championships and competed in weight lifting competitions all the while sharing a vision of opening a top-rated gym in their home town of Ocean City.
Their vision became a reality in the Fall of 2011 as Local Gym and Fitness was born. Together their combined knowledge and talent is what makes Local Gym the success it is today.