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3. Counties may levy assessments for:
Water and Sewage Systems (if property within city, city council must approve by resolution)
Rural subdivision and residential streets
Beach erosion/hurricane flood protection
Watershed improvement, drainage, water resources development
Street lights in residential subdivisions outside city
(G.S. 153A-185, -205, -206)
What are Special Assessments?
4. Are Special Assessments Voluntary? For street or sidewalk improvement by a city, majority of property owners must petition for improvement
Who are majority of property owners?
Must represent majority of all of the lineal feet of frontage of lands abutting on the street to be improved
For counties, 75% of owners must petition for improvement to subdivision and residential streets
Assessment to equal local share required by Secondary Roads Council
5. Are Special Assessments Voluntary? For assessments other than road assessments, board adopts resolution, holds public hearing at which all interested persons are heard
6. How Do Special Assessments Differ from Property Taxes? Not uniformly levied throughout county or city
Levied against property that enjoys a special benefit from the improvement
Among benefited property, special assessment is uniformly levied
Governing board has discretion in determining method of uniform assessment
7. Methods of Assessment Front-foot assessment: Uniform rate per foot of abutting property
Size of area benefited
Value added to property by improvement
Lot or parcel assessment
9. How are special assessments collected? Assessments are a lien on property assessed
Assessment lien may be foreclosed in same manner as lien for property taxes
Assessment roll is delivered to tax collector for collection in the same manner as property taxes (G.S. 153-195; 160A-228)
City of Durham v. Herndon:
Personal property may be attached to secure payment of special assessments
10. How are special assessments collected? Can city refuse to connect property owner to water or sewer services until special assessment is paid?
NO! This is NOT a remedy authorized by statute.
May special assessment be collected by debt setoff?
Yes. You may use all Machinery Act remedies.
What is the applicable statute of limitations?
10 years for foreclosure actions
None for debt set-off?
11. Statute of Limitations Foreclosure must begin within 10 years from date assessment -- or earliest installment included in action -- became due. (G.S. 153A-200(d))
Acceleration of installments under subsection (b) of this section does not shorten the time within which foreclosure may be begun
If installments are accelerated, the statute of limitations continues to run as to each installment as if acceleration had not occurred.