The City of Tacoma announced this week it will host a public meeting to review and discuss the bids submitted for the Broadway Local Improvement District (LID).
The meeting will take place Thurs., Feb. 28 at 5 pm in City Council Chambers, 747 Market St., Tacoma Municipal Building, First Floor.
The City Council won’t actually be voting on the Broadway LID itself. When it goes before Council, however, it will be voting on awarding the purchase contract. The public meeting is an opportunity for City staff to gather feedback from citizens, which will guide them as they revise the project package for re-bidding.
The Tacoma City Council approved ordinance 27475 on April 18, 2006 which created Local Improvement District 8645. At the Aug. 28, 2007 City Council meeting, the City Council voted 8-0 against awarding a $11.9 million construction contract to Northwest Cascade, Inc., for the construction of the Broadway LID.
The City has decided to put the project out for re-bid with material changes.
Before going to Council with recommendations, staff will be soliciting public input about design features, cost savings and project scheduling at the Open House.
A Local Improvement District (LID) provides a way for property owners to get together to pay for street and alley paving, sanitary sewers, street lighting or underground wiring. Property owners agree to form LIDs when the benefits from the improvements outweigh the costs. Benefits include added value to your property and improvements to your neighborhood. You pay an amount proportional to the benefits you receive for each property you own.
An LID is a financial instrument that provides a long-term payment plan, with relatively low interest rates, which allows property owners to upgrade various infrastructure in their neighborhood. Such improvements may include: permanent street and alley paving; streetlight installation; sanitary sewer extensions; and the undergrounding of overhead utility wires in view-sensitive areas.
Tacoma created its first LID in 1895 to pave a section of Pacific Avenue.