All properties determined to benefit from the proposed drainage and road improvements may potentially be assessed. This includes properties outside of subdivisions and those properties, which only have access using the roads proposed for improvements.

Multiple methods may be used to assess the benefiting properties.

1. Per parcel
2. Per platted lot
3. Per trip count
4. Per frontage foot

The county commission is not limited to using these options, though "per parcel" is used most frequently for projects related to drainage & roadway improvements.

Costs/fees associated with an assessment include:

• Statutorily mandated notices & mailings
• Regulatory inspections
• Testing
• Engineering design
• Bidding protocols & construction
• Contingency estimates
• Preparation & auditing processes performed by our department, the Office of the County Attorney, & the clerk's office

The total project cost is then divided amongst the benefitting parcels, platted lots, footage/mileage, or trip counts within the allotted project area. 

Assessments are payable for 10 or 15 years based on the bond and direction by the county commission. Assessments are included in the benefiting property's annual tax bill.

There is no penalty for paying the assessment costs prior to the payment due date.

Only during new road construction are driveways provided to occupied lots. Vacant lots do not receive a paved approach unless there is a fence and gate, or a building permit was issued prior to the beginning of the project's bidding process.

The estimated cost per parcel, per platted lot, per trip count, or per frontage foot varies.

Factors affecting the cost estimate include the number of benefiting parcels, the number of miles included in the project, & what type of project is being completed on the road (overlay, reclaim & resurface, new road construction, etc.). 

There are two options to pay in full. The first is the pre-payment option and the second is if you choose to pay the assessment off early.  

There is no pre-payment penalty. Each road assessment is given an option to pre-pay in full before the assessment is bonded.

If you choose to not pre-pay the assessment and it is then placed on your property tax bill as a lien, you then have the option to call the Clerk's Finance Department to get an official pay-off amount. The Clerk's Finance Department's phone number is (352) 671-5604. 

Similar to any other financing program, once the road project has been officially bonded, financing, interest, and borrowing fees are applied to the loan.

Paying the assessment during the assigned pre-payment period or paying the assessment in full prior to the loan's end date saves financing, borrowing, and interest applied after the pre-payment period has expired.

There are also no penalties for paying the assessment off early if you choose not to move forward with the pre-payment option. 

The pre-payment period begins upon receipt of the notice of special assessment.

This notice is mailed to all benefiting property owners after the final public hearing & includes all of the assessment details, such as:

• The amount owed by the property owner
• Payment due date
• Amount being assessed per year if the pre-payment is not made

Construction may not officially begin until:

• The final public hearing is publicly noticed & held
• The awarded contractor has provided all required documents to Procurement Services
• A notice to proceed has been issued - typically within 60-75 days after the final public hearing

Refunds are determined after the end of the one-year warranty period by Marion County.

All costs are calculated by the clerk's office, who then submits an amended assessment listing to the county commission for approval.

If it is determined that a refund is owed, a refund will then be submitted for payment in one of two ways:

1. If full payment was collected during the assigned pre-payment period, a refund will be issued via check.
2. For those choosing to have the assessment placed on their annual property taxes, a discount will be included in the annual assessment amount.

Please reach out to the clerk's office for an official pay-off amount of your assessment via 352-671-5604.

Please reach out to the our office concerning a current or previous improvement project at 352-438-2650. We will be happy to answer your questions or provide any information on any of our projects.

Several projects will typically be "bundled" for bonding and finance savings if "bundling" has been approved at the final public hearings by the county commission.

The amount owed by each assessment area is derived by dividing the number of assessable areas into the financing costs. The more projects that share financing costs, the lower the overall interest assigned to each project area. (Ideally, the more projects that can be added into a "bundled" proposal, the lower the interest rate.)

These cost savings are then passed on to the benefiting property owners. 

Top benefits of improving nearby roadway conditions include:

1. Higher re-sale prices of corresponding properties.
2. Expensive vehicle repairs caused by poor road conditions may be reduced or eliminated.
3. Not funded through property tax.
4. Filters & damages to your home & vehicle ventilation systems may be reduced or even eliminated due to the reduction of dust & dirt created by traffic along the roadway.
5. Breathing problems & respiratory issues may also be reduced due to the reduction of dust & dirt created by traffic along the roadway.
6. Property owners have opportunities to assess roads on their own & have their roads improved, which may not have been an option under other circumstances.
7. Property owners are never assessed for roads that do not directly benefit their property.
8. Costs are shared by every property owner who directly benefits from the project.
9. Helps to increase and improve community engagement and relationships.
10. Road assessments can be paid in full at any time without penalty.

Yes! Learn more about the road assessment process with the informational video.