68-131. Township sidewalks and crossings; petition; special assessments.
68-131
68-131. Township sidewalks and crossings; petition; specialassessments.It shall be lawful for the township board of any township toestablish and maintain a sidewalk not more than five (5) feet in widthin and along the outer edge of any highway or across the same whenever apetition for such sidewalk or crossing is signed by the resident ownersrepresenting fifty-one percent or more of the property abutting upon theimprovement sought to be made, and when said petition is filed with theclerk of the township board, the township board shall cause suchimprovement to be made and shall contract therefor and shall levy a taxfor the actual cost of such improvement against the lots, parcels orpieces of land abutting upon such improvement on the front-foot basis,and the clerk of the township board shall certify the amount so leviedagainst each lot, parcel or piece of land for such improvement to thecounty clerk, who shall place the same upon the assessment rolls andsaid tax shall be collected in the same manner as other taxes:Provided, That the owner of any lot, parcel or piece of land liableto any such special assessment may redeem his property from suchliability by paying the entire amount chargeable against his property atthe time the amount of such tax is ascertained or after the issuance ofthe sidewalk scrip by paying the full amount of such special assessmentrepresented by such scrip, together with the accrued interest.
The owners shall designate in their petitions the width and kind ofsidewalks, and the board shall determine the plans and specificationsand material for such improvement in accordance with such petitions, andshall issue scrip to contractors for the payment of the same for five(5) years with interest at the rate of not to exceed five (5) percent,one fifth (1/5) of such scrip and interest payable each year. It shallbe the duty of the county surveyor to establish the grades for all suchimprovements. Resident owners in this act shall be considered residentsof the township wherein the improvement is sought to be made.
History: L. 1919, ch. 313, § 1; June 17; R.S. 1923, 68-131.