Staff recommends City Council approve the Resolution of Intent to create Street Improvement Light Maintenance District (SILMD) 332 and set a public hearing date of December 12, 2022.

Reconstruction of Mullowney Lane between Midland Road and Elysian Road is planned in 2023. The planned improvements include the installation of 19 streetlights within the project area. The City will administer the Special Improvement Light Maintenance District (SILMD) by assessing the property owners for the costs of maintaining the district and paying Northwestern Energy for the electricity.  Passage of this Resolution of Intent is the first step in the legal process of creating a lighting maintenance district to pay the maintenance and operation costs. Passage of this Resolution of Intent will trigger the mailing of legal notices to the affected property owners and set a public hearing at the December 12th, 2022, City Council meeting. The new lighting will use LED lamps and underground wiring.  The cost of installation will be paid for with project funds.  The adjacent property owners will only pay for electrical energy, ongoing maintenance, and administration costs through an assessment on their property tax statements.  Light district assessments are estimated at $0.945724 per lineal foot of property frontage and will range from approximately $2.84 to $704.56 per year depending on the Mullowney Lane frontage of the property within the District boundary. The total yearly assessment is estimated to be $4,600.

City Council may:

• Pass the Resolution of Intent to Create SILMD 332 to provide a source of funding for the operation and maintenance of the streetlights and set a public hearing for December 12, 2022; or
• Do not pass the Resolution of Intent or set a public hearing date. If the Council does not adopt the Resolution, the property owners cannot be assessed for operation and maintenance of the streetlights, so the new lights will not be installed.

There is one City of Billings owned property located within the District. The total assessed frontage is 20 feet, equating to an estimated total annual assessment of $18.91.  The remaining costs are paid by property owners through assessment and have no fiscal effect on the City.