Town manager: wastewater options could allow hundreds more homes in Riverside study area

The town manager updated the commission on the Wastewater Task Force and Riverside development scenarios, reporting initial figures from consultant modeling and state review.

"There are currently, I think, 38 dwelling units in that area—32 single-family homes and I think six are apartments," the town manager said, describing the baseline. With engineered septic or municipal wastewater options and the models run by SE Group and CCRPC, a moderate build-out scenario could yield "over 200 units," the manager said, though definitive capacity and disposal site decisions remain under technical review.

Task force work includes exploring disposal sites outside the river corridor after state guidance limited disposal within the corridor. Commissioners noted that the presence or absence of municipal wastewater materially changes what types and densities of housing are feasible, and asked for updated numbers once the engineering report and disposal siting are finalized.

The manager said more detailed capacity figures should be available in the coming weeks and that some proposed subdivisions in the study area already plan shared community septic systems designed for moderate build-out.