Opinion ID: 1625225
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: appellees' property benefited

Text: The City also assigned as error the district court's failure to determine that the appellees' property was now or in the future would be benefited by district No. 88-2. In their petition, appellees contended that [t]he assessment against [appellees'] real estate substantially exceeds the amount of any special benefits accruing to [appellees'] property. This court addressed a similar contention in North Platte, Neb. Hosp. Corp. v. City of North Platte, 232 Neb. 373, 375, 440 N.W.2d 485, 487 (1989), where we held that [w]here it is alleged and proven that the physical facts are such that the property was not and could not be specially benefited, the levy may be held to be arbitrary, constructively fraudulent, and therefore void. Several witnesses, including York's city public works director, the fire chief of the City of York, a professional engineer, and a licensed appraiser testified the appellees received present and likely future special benefits from district No. 88-2. They testified as to numerous benefits which district No. 88-2 would bring to appellees' property, including enhanced fire protection, lower insurance rates, enhanced water quality, economical water service, and enhanced property values. Testimony showed the assessment of $13.50 per frontage foot was more than reasonable when compared with the actual cost of the district. It is a question of fact whether or not a property which has been specially assessed has benefited or will benefit from an improvement project. See Nebco, Inc. v. Speedlin, 198 Neb. 34, 251 N.W.2d 710 (1977). In the instant case, we find appellees' property will receive special benefits from the improvement project at issue. Accordingly, as appellees failed to prove otherwise, we find their argument to declare the assessment void on this basis to be without merit.