The Engineering Division has a street reconstruction project planned for Orchard Lane in the summer of 2016.  The project will include installation of street lights along those portions of Orchard Lane that do not already have street lighting.  Passage of this Resolution of Intent is the first step in the legal process of creating a lighting maintenance district to pay the costs of operating and maintaining the new lighting. Passage of this Resolution of Intent will trigger the mailing of legal notices to the affected property owners and set a Council public hearing at the February 8, 2016, City Council meeting.

The new lighting will use steel mastarm style poles with LED lamps and underground wiring.  The cost of installing the new lighting will be paid for with funds from the South Billings Urban Renewal District (SBURD).  The adjacent property owners will only pay for electrical energy and maintenance, through an assessment on their property taxes.  This district is being assessed on a square footage basis with residentially zoned properties being assessed a maximum depth back from Orchard Lane of 100 feet and commercially zoned properties a maximum depth of 200 feet.  The estimated average annual cost for a residentially zoned property is $55.  The estimated average annual cost for a commercially zoned property is $142.  Pursuant to 7-12-4327 Montana Code Annotated, properties outside of, but contiguous to, the city limits will be assessed for their share of the energy and maintenance costs for the lighting.