Sanitory Improvement districts, or SIDS what is the advantage/disadvantage of living in one? (Omaha: HOA, homes)

[citizensadvocate]

I heard that Nebraska has whats called Sanitary Improvement districts, essentially unincorporated land that is bought by a developer for development and as a way to pay for public improvements such as storm drains and utilities.

I be curious what is the advantage or disadvantage of living in one as opposed to within an incorporated area city or town, or unincorporated area that is not part of a SID?

I heard the drawback is that district residents are forced to sign a waiver to release the county from liability should sprinklers or mailboxes get damaged as a result of standard activities/construction/improvements within such a Sanitary Improvement District? I be curious is this a major issue?

On the flip side it appears counties in Nebraska such as Douglas county has far less power in making bureaucratic ordinances to make people's lives complicated compared to incorporated cities, as well as counties in some other states. In other words counties has no home rule powers.
At least thats what I heard.

Also in places like Douglas county outside of Omaha is it possible to purchase a property that is connected to a sewer system without being in a Sanitary Improvement District?

[AksarbeN]

* No governing board to control issues. Legal services have to be taken up by individual property owners.

* Fewer individuals to spread the debt to for improvements and repairs than larger populated areas.

My understanding of SID can be a negative one. It’s good only when everything works well but nothing in life continues without some issues now and then.

Much depends on “what” is considered to be “in” the SID. Example if a storm sewer line is part of the SID and has a costly problem, no one wants to step up and fix it. It’s not the property of the county, city or HOA so who has to take care of the cost? Each homeowner within the SID can be charged or taxes for the repairs. The county, city or HOA (as a whole) will not pick up the repair costs and apply it to each of the property owners, it gets charged to only those homes within the SID.

SIDs are a no man’s land, no one wants to take responsibilities for it. There may not be a governing board so all property owners are on their own when issues of need occur. The country, city and/or HOA won’t touch SID issues and problems.

[citizensadvocate]

Originally Posted by AksarbeN

* No governing board to control issues. Legal services have to be taken up by individual property owners.

* Fewer individuals to spread the debt to for improvements and repairs than larger populated areas.

My understanding of SID can be a negative one. It’s good only when everything works well but nothing in life continues without some issues now and then.

Much depends on “what” is considered to be “in” the SID. Example if a storm sewer line is part of the SID and has a costly problem, no one wants to step up and fix it. It’s not the property of the county, city or HOA so who has to take care of the cost? Each homeowner within the SID can be charged or taxes for the repairs. The county, city or HOA (as a whole) will not pick up the repair costs and apply it to each of the property owners, it gets charged to only those homes within the SID.

SIDs are a no man’s land, no one wants to take responsibilities for it. There may not be a governing board so all property owners are on their own when issues of need occur. The country, city and/or HOA won’t touch SID issues and problems.

Interesting I should learn more about the no governing board thing.
Do you mean like a city council or HOA or the type?

Is it better to live in non SID county land instead? At least the county is not able to wiggle its way from liability should they tear up a mailbox or sprinkler while doing something to the storm drain they never really try to fix.
Though what other issues aside from the storm drain, may usually come up in a SID that may not come up in Non SID county land or within a incorporated city?

[Garthur]

I live in an SID and we do have a controlling board that are voted in every 2 years. They have yearly meetings with all the residents to bring current issues to light. The board operates just the same as a town board with a mayor.

[AksarbeN]

Originally Posted by Garthur

I live in an SID and we do have a controlling board that are voted in every 2 years. They have yearly meetings with all the residents to bring current issues to light. The board operates just the same as a town board with a mayor.

^^^ Interesting that's good.

Yes "you" and others may have a governing control board. However I've live in one area that did not have any governing board or oversight. Problems with a storm sewer pipe and erosion occurred. The SID had no board, the city, county and state would NOT take charge of the problem or issue that had total cost of in the hundreds of thousands to repair. Two homes were damaged and had to be moved off the properties. No one wanted to pay for this maintenance/repair. It was an ugly battle with different governments because they didn't want to add the costs to their governing budgets.

I no longer live there and had moved. I now live in a city neighborhood area next to a dysfunctional non governing HOA that the developer walked away from years ago after selling off the last of his properties there. That neighboring HOA neighborhood also has a SID governing their streets and washes (water runoff trenches). The streets and washes have been in very bad need of repair and maintenance and the city government will not deal with the issues, the HOA that is listed has no board, the residents are fighting each other trying to figure out who will or won't pay to fix their "common area" of streets and washes. Again this issue is there are no government or boards to manage the problem, and the residents continue to have problems.

Over the years the city has changed their laws that govern and now require all residential developers to establish HOA boards before the development is completed. All developments must have their common areas and needs completed and paid for by the developer, not a SID or city.

[AksarbeN]

Originally Posted by citizensadvocate

Interesting I should learn more about the no governing board thing.
Do you mean like a city council or HOA or the type?

Is it better to live in non SID county land instead? At least the county is not able to wiggle its way from liability should they tear up a mailbox or sprinkler while doing something to the storm drain they never really try to fix.
Though what other issues aside from the storm drain, may usually come up in a SID that may not come up in Non SID county land or within a incorporated city?

(Is it better to live in non SID county land instead?) - Yes, it's much better in my opinion.

(At least the county is not able to wiggle its way from liability should they tear up a mailbox or sprinkler while doing something to the storm drain they never really try to fix.) - The county government most likely will NOT assume any maintenance or repair of SID property. Mailbox, sprinklers etc are NOT included in the items within or governed by a SID, those are the home owners property and issues for repair and maintenance. SIDs (the way I understand them) control "common" items for a development area such as storm drains and streets that are "common" use items for a neighborhood area.


Cluster mailboxes - I'm not sure who controls them, it might be the US post office. I think of mailboxes that are on my property next to my home. Cluster mailboxes are different and I'm not sure who repairs them, you might want to check with the post office on that one.

[AksarbeN]

Originally Posted by Garthur

I live in an SID and we do have a controlling board that are voted in every 2 years. They have yearly meetings with all the residents to bring current issues to light. The board operates just the same as a town board with a mayor.

I forgot to ask you Garthur, what items are controlled or governed by the SID in your area?

[Garthur]

Originally Posted by AksarbeN

I forgot to ask you Garthur, what items are controlled or governed by the SID in your area?

I live in a private area. Everything here is owned by the residences. The board controls everything that goes on here. Construction, road repair, tree trimming, roof types, building colors, etc.. Every home has their own septic tanks and wells, but if it is decided by the board to put in a community water system and septic system, they would control it. I put a new fence in and the board required it to be green and it is. Even our snow plowing is contracted to a local farmer and he is good, roads are plowed within an hour the snow stops.

[AksarbeN]

Interesting Garthur thanks for your reply. After reading the post it sounds more like an HOA not a SID. I’ve never heard of an SID controlling the color of paint on homes or private fences however anything might be possible, normally I’m familiar with HOAs doing that type of stuff. I did find an interesting youtube like that I’ve attached that may be of help explaining SID description and what they do. Interestingly it’s talking about Papillion area which is good. The video is short in length, under 3 min.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVWao55NO0I

[citizensadvocate]

Thanks for the answers. Just curious what districts are considered part of a Sanitory improvement district? Can anyone give an example of one? Are unincorporated subdivisions likely to be part of one or am I wrong?