(Spirit Lake)– The Dickinson County Board of Supervisors today (Tues.) voted unanimously to approve the annexation of some land into drainage district 48 on the northwest side of the city of Spirit Lake following a public hearing that did draw some opposition. They also accepted a reclassification report for the same district assigning benefits to land parcels in that district. Several land owners, including the city of Spirit Lake, once again today (Tues.) aired objections over the amounts they’re being assessed for a recently completed project. The supervisors again today (Tues.) vowed they’re going to enforce a provision in drainage law that makes anyone who has constructed a building on top of a drainage easement responsible for paying additional costs that were incurred because of that, meaning some of those assessments will likely be adjusted. It also means some landowners will likely be in for some big surprises. Supervisor Tim Fairchild sums it up:…
Revised assessments will be put together for the district, with notices to be sent to affected land owners, followed by a public hearing. The supervisors indicated this will likely set a precedence for an upcoming project in drainage district 50 on the north side of Milford, where a number of buildings have also been constructed over drainage easements.
