§ 48-6021 — Special assessments; assessment lien bonds

A. For purposes of financing its planning and the construction of its preliminary phase of improvements as prescribed by section 48-6006, subsection A, paragraph 9, the district board, by resolution and pursuant to the procedures as the district board provides, may levy an assessment of the costs of any public purpose, any operation and maintenance of the district or any enhanced services on any land in the district based on the benefit determined by the district board to be received by the land. Before the issuance of special assessment bonds, the district may enter into a written agreement with a landowner as to the manner in which the assessment is to be allocated if the land is to be divided into more than one parcel. If an issue of special assessment lien bonds finances more than one purpose or service, the benefit received by the land, in the discretion of the district, may be determined by reference to the purposes and services as a whole or individually. The assessment may be based on estimated costs and amended to reflect actual costs, and the preparation of plans and specifications and the awarding of the contract are not a prerequisite to the levying of the assessment. An owner of land on which an assessment has been levied may seek judicial review of whether the land is benefited by the proposed infrastructure, on the merits, by special action filed with the court of appeals within thirty days of the effective date of the resolution.

B. After adoption by the district board of a resolution levying a special assessment on property in the district, the district board may issue and sell special assessment lien bonds payable from amounts collected from the special assessments, from amounts available in any reserve fund established for those bonds and from any other amounts available for those purposes as prescribed by law. The district board may also issue and sell bond anticipation notes. The assessment shall be a first lien on the property assessed subject only to general property taxes and prior special assessments. In the event of nonpayment of an assessment, the procedures for collection of delinquent assessments, sale of delinquent property and issuance and effect of the deed prescribed by sections 48-601 through 48-607 apply, as nearly as practicable, except that the district is not required to purchase the delinquent land at the sale if there is no other purchaser. If the landowner owns more than one parcel in the district, the district board may provide procedures for the collection and enforcement of assessments as the board deems appropriate by contract with a landowner to permit the sale of any or all of the landowner's parcels in the district if the landowner becomes delinquent as to any parcel that the landowner owns in the district.

C. On adoption of the resolution, but before issuance of the special assessment lien bonds, the district may direct the treasurer to make demand on the owners of the property so assessed, as shown on the property tax roll, for advance payment of the amount assessed. The demand shall state a date not less than twenty days after the date of adoption of the demand after which the treasurer may refuse to accept advance payments of the assessment. The treasurer shall certify to the clerk on or after the date specified in the demand the amount collected and the assessments remaining unpaid against each parcel of land assessed. Special assessment lien bonds may not be issued in an amount in excess of the amount assessed in the demand or, if advance payments are demanded, the amount certified to the clerk. The district may adopt procedures for prepayment and provisions for payment and reallocation of assessments.

D. The district may issue and sell refunding bonds to refund any special assessment bonds of the district.