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assessment problems that arose in the Handley Crescent project, and 2)
the apparently large City contribution on the Fraser Avenue project.

The assessment procedures would be exactly the same under both alternatives

outlined above, therefore, switching from one alternative to the other

would not solve the problems in the Handley Crescent case. The only

variation permitted in handling assessments is that Council may designate

that each parcel benefitting from the work can be assigned the same

specific taxable front footage, in other words, every parcel would pay

the same dollar amount regardless of its size. I don't believe that
this alternative would get around the assessment problem as owners of i
small lots would still complain if they had to pay the same tax as the

owners of larger parcels.

All of the above alternatives were considered when the current Local

Improvement By-law-was drawn up several years ago and I am still inclined

to favour the methods presentiy used. The assessment problems that -
arose in the Handley Crescent case are not likely to occur in the future

as the remaining streets on which local improvements are likely to be .
carried out are straight forward street patterns laid out on the grid

system. The assessment problems arise where the streets form a radius

or in a cul-de-sac situation. If the present method of assessments is

maintained, all parcels will pay on their actual frontage and the maximum

charge against any parcel is for 100 feet. This takes care of corner

lots, etc.

One further problem that arose in connection with our discussions eon the
Fraser Avenue storm sewer project was the high proportion of costs
facing the City for a project that was presumably being financed mainly
by the owners. Under the local improvement system, the charges levied
against the property are generally the unit cost of constructing the
works immediately in front of the property. The City generally picks

up the cost of intersections, tie~ins, and any extra work, therefore,

the City always has some portion to pay. In the case of the Fraser :

Avenue project, some of the cost being paid by the City was due to
inflation and therefore rates should be kept current, but a good portion

of the cost was for this extra work. On any local improvement project,

therefore, the taxpayers at large will be contributing some portion of

the cost.