Vintage Estates Subdivision is currently constructing additional phases and the developer wishes to provide street lighting to the subdivision.     SILMD 313 is a street light district which will pay the construction, energy and maintenance costs for the street lights within the remainder of Vintage Estates Subdivision. At the July 14, 2014, City Council meeting, Council passed the Resolution of Intent to Create SILMD 313 and set a public hearing for August 11, 2014.  Legal notice of the proposed district was published and mailed to all property owners in the proposed district in accordance with State law.   

The new lighting will match the style of poles and fixtures used in the first phase of the subdivision. The new lights will use LED lamps which are more energy efficient than the high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps used in the first phase.  The fixtures, poles, and wiring will be owned and installed by Yellowstone Valley Electric. A monthly ownership fee designed to recover the equipment and installation costs over a 30 year period is added to the power company's monthly energy and maintenance bill. The full cost billed to the City for the lighting is passed on to the property owners in the light district as an assessment on their property taxes. The estimated annual assessment for an average 13,000 square foot lot is $172.   Due to the difference in time between when the new lighting will be turned on and the first tax assessments are collected, the first year assessment may be higher or lower than the estimated annual assessment.

The deadline for written protests to be filed with the City Clerk was Friday, August 1st.  The number and percentage of valid written protests received will be reported at the August 11th Council meeting.  As provided in State law, the City council has the authority to create the district if the legal protest does not exceed 50%.

The Council may:

• Pass the resolution creating SILMD 313 to provide a source of funding for operation and maintenance of the streetlights; or
• Do not pass the resolution creating the district. If the Council does not adopt the resolution, the property owners cannot be assessed for operation and maintenance of the streetlights and street lighting will not be installed.

All costs of installing, maintaining and providing energy for the lighting are paid from assessments against the properties within the light district.  There is a City park within the area being added to the District, with an estimated annual assessment of $811.  The park assessment is the only direct cost to the City.