Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-28
WEI ENABLE CITIES OF STATE
TO IMPROVE OUTLYING
STREETS
PAVING DISTRICTS TO
BEAR COST OF WORK
Councils Can Assess Part Of Cost to
All Property Benefited-law Applies
20 All Cities Of 1000 Population Or
Over - Would Remove Cause OF
Farmers Complaint.

Des Moines, April 2S.-As a result
Of the passage of the Farr paving law
by the Thirty sixth general assembly
paving Of the main highways leading
in and out Of Iowa cities is expected
to take on this season an unprotected
boom.
The Farr law adds new element to
the paving plan. Whereas cities be-
fore have been able to assess paw
ing costs only to property owners
within 800 feet of the Improvements. the
Farr law permits cities TO create paw
ing districts according to the beneht OF
each.
The act applies to all cities having
a population of 1000 or more. 1t gives
them power to construct paved road
ways along such streets, avenues, or
highways, within said cities, as, in the
Judgment Of the city councils thereof,
constitute main Travelled ways into ana
out Of such cities, and to repair, i'm
prove and reconstruct the same.
Power With Council.
Power Of action under the law, rests
largely with the city council. 1t may
eSldOlSn tie pdSiAS OlStAiStS ~ N'AN
brace such portions of the city as will
receive special benefits from the con-
templated Improvements, then assess
so much of the cost against all lots or
tracts Of land within the district as
shall be equal in proportion to the
special benefits conferred by the i'm
provements and not in excess. In no
case, however. may the council levy
Of
the actual value of the lots.
AS in other paving work. the coun-
Ill must, before authorizing the i'm
orovements, prepare resolution OF
ACCESSIBILITY or necessity. specifying
where the work Is to be done, the ma
serials to be used the limits of the
paving district, the total estimated cost
and the proportion which will be as
sessed against each lot. The council
must also file with the city clerk plat
and schedule Of the proposed paving
district and cost assessed against each
lot Twenty days notice of the reso-
luton must be given before it is con-
sidered by the council and at the time
ST its consideration any citizen or
property owner affected may appear
and make written objection to the i'm
DIOVSulGllt, luc 1O0AooA ASt' ~ 'AAN
or the assessment against any lot.
To Adopt Usual Order.
Having passed the resolution, how
ever, the council may proceed TO order
the construction work according to the
usual procedure. After completion OF
any Improvement a tax Of not more
than ! mill may be levied upon all the
taxable property in the city for term
of not more than ten years TO pay that
portion of the cost of the improvement
not borne by the special assessments
against the lots in the paving district.
In no event, however, shall more than
half the cost Of the Improvement be
paid by the tax. 1t follows therefore,
that the property within the district
will have to pay at least half the cost
of the Improvement.
BY special provision, cities acting
under a special charter, are expected
from the provisions of the act.
/ The law Is now in effect, and cities
may proceed under it in ordering their
summer paving work. Municipal ex-
perts say that the law will make pos
sible some Of the most important paw