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o These neighborhoods are usually better organized, with more unified ideas on <br />whatthey want to accomplish. The residents of these neighborhoods are usually <br />more empowered and vocal. Special informal public meetings are essential to <br />provide adequate information to these neighborhoods. <br />o When several separate complex actions are occurring back-to-back, <br />misconceptions and miscommunications often have occurred already. To reduce <br />problems caused by complex actions, it is recommended: <br />• The "big picture" (all the proposed actions involved) should be identified for the <br />neighborhood at the earliest possible time; <br />a The LO administrator must maintain a high profile in the earlier processes in order <br />to respond to LID questions and reduce communication problems. LID <br />administrator attendance at annexation and rezone meetings and hearings is <br />important. <br />• Several group and individual meetings with neighborhood spokespersons will <br />assist in reducing the spokespersons communication problems when those <br />leaders later canvas the area. <br />� It is usually desirable for the staff person responsible for the preceding action to <br />attend the informal LID meetings in the early LID formative stage. <br />a Property owners have not had "10 years of experience" working with the various <br />proposed actions. It is important to take the time necessary to acquaint property <br />owners with the processes thattheyare facing , This effort will avoid or reduce the <br />fears of property owners to the changes that are proposed. The time spentmay <br />also serve to improve the image of government in general. <br />o Property owners involved in back-to-back processes can become frustrated with <br />the length of time involved to obtain what they want. Sharing the LID process <br />information with them early shouid help them set realistic expectations. <br />It is not uncommon for overzealous LID proponents to provide inaccurate information to <br />their neighborhood when they are circulating a petition. All parties involved in circulating <br />a petition, should be made thoroughly aware of the process and the consequences of <br />giving misinformation. <br />• When fixing final costs for an LID project where litigation is expected or threatened, it may <br />be desirable to include the costs of litigating a challenge into the assessment roil. These <br />costs would include legal fees and additional interest through the anticipated termination <br />of the litigation. If no litigation occurs, the final assessment roll can be reduced. <br />It is not unusual for a city council to be uncomfortable with significant numbers of <br />property owners testifying against a proposed LID. For example, if 10 property owners <br />testify against a protect that has a total of 50 equally assessed property owners, while <br />oniy a couple owners testify in favor, there can be a perception that the project has very <br />little support. There are at least three rescue techniques. First, the city council needs to <br />have verbal and visual representation of the total percent of protest (colored maps are <br />effective). Second, a reminder to the city council of a recent local landslide election to <br />compare percentages its helpful; particularly if the landslide was a 55 percent to 45 <br />38 Local and Road Improvement Districts Manual for Washington State Sixth EdNon <br />