Living in Ypsilanti just got a little pricier.
The Ypsilanti City Council approved a new special assessment fee at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting that requires all land owners to pay around $120 over the next two years for each parcel of land they own within the city limits.
The money raised from the fee will be used to convert 500 of the city’s streetlights to newer LED models. The city chose to do this now to take advantage of several incentives offered by Detroit Edison.
“Hopefully it won’t over-burden anybody since it’s less than $60 a year,” Ypsilanti City Manager Ralph Lange said.
According to Lange, the newer and more efficient lights will save the city more than $110,000 a year.
“It’s a significant savings, and we’re very excited about that,” Lange said, adding that it will more than double the number of LED streetlights in the city.
Contracts have already been signed with Detroit Edison. Conversion of the lights will start in October and is expected to take a month.
“It has to get done by Thanksgiving, since that’s the end of DTE’s fiscal year,” Lange said.
In addition to the new special assessment fee, the city’s sewage and water rates are also being raised due to shrinking demand and rising operating costs. Similar rate increases had already been passed by Ypsilanti Township.
