Sec. 23. (a) The board may, in a proceeding separate from the acquisition of land by purchase or appropriation, order the improvement of a parkway, pleasure driveway, or boulevard, or part of any of these, under the control of the board by surface grading, paving, curbing, or constructing sidewalks in the same manner as the works board of the city may improve a public way or sidewalk within the city. The powers, rights, and duties of the board in carrying out this work are the same as the powers, rights, and duties of the works board in the performance of similar work under general procedures. In addition, the board may determine the kind of pavement to be used. The powers, rights, and duties of the persons to be assessed are the same as those provided under general procedures for doing similar work by the works board, with the cost of improvements assessed to the same extent as property is assessed.

(b) When costs are assessed, they become a lien upon the property to the same extent, are enforceable in the same manner, and have the same rights to payment by installments and appeal as are provided for street and sidewalk improvements ordered by the works board.

(c) If a majority of the resident freeholders affected by the proposed improvement remonstrate in writing against the improvement, the board may, after giving ten (10) days' notice to the remonstrators, petition the circuit court, superior court, or probate court to specifically order the improvement. If at the hearing on the petition the board establishes the public necessity of the proposed improvement and demonstrates that the benefits will equal the assessments against the separate lots or parcels of land, the order shall be made.

(d) If land along one (1) side of a parkway, pleasure driveway, or boulevard is owned by the city or used by it for park purposes, one-half (1/2) of the cost of the improvements under this section, as well as any part of the other one-half (1/2) of the cost of the improvements that cannot be met by special assessments against abutting property, is considered to be benefits accruing to all of the property, real and personal, not exempt from taxation under this chapter and located within the boundaries of the district. The cost shall be paid out of the proceeds of the bonds of the taxing district that are issued and sold for those purposes. Payment shall be made as provided in sections 35 and 37 of this chapter.

(e) The board may provide for the rough grading of a parkway, pleasure driveway, or boulevard at the same time as the acquisition of the property or after the property, or a necessary part of it, has already been secured under section 21 of this chapter.

(f) The board may change and fix the grade of a boulevard, park boulevard, public driveway, or public ground under its control to the same extent as the works board of the city may change and fix the grade of a public way or public place within the city.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citation: 19-7-30-17.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.111. Amended by P.L.84-2016, SEC.196.