The Wylie City Council on Oct. 14 unanimously denied a request to provide sanitary sewer service to First Step Homes for a proposed residential project, Vicina, located outside the city limits near East FM 544 and Wheelas Road.

Council members said they need a capacity study and clearer cost terms before agreeing to extend sewer service to a property outside Wylie’s corporate limits. Councilman Gino Milinche made the motion to reject the request and the motion passed 7-0.

City Manager Bridal Parker summarized the project and said the applicant previously asked to be removed from Wylie’s extraterritorial jurisdiction. Parker said the applicant had exhausted one option, asking the North Texas Municipal Water District for service, and that the district declined. Parker noted the applicant would otherwise pursue a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality permit to build an on-site wastewater treatment system if the city refused service.

Todd Winters of Petit ECD, representing the developer in part, told the council the developer’s “only and last option” would be pursuing a TCEQ discharge permit and constructing a small wastewater treatment plant and outfall to Rush Creek if city service were not available. Winters said, “We think the most sanitary option here is to put it into that 30 inches gravity line,” and that any required upgrades (such as pump station improvements) would be paid by the developer.

Council members pressed staff and the applicant on system capacity. Councilman Todd Pickens said a study of existing capacity and the project’s added load is “imperative” before deciding. Several members raised longer-term concerns about taking available capacity that might be needed by future annexations or development inside the city.

Parker and staff confirmed a capacity study would be required if council chose to negotiate a service agreement; staff also said the city could present study results back to council for final approval.

After discussion, Mayor Pro Tem Gino Milinche moved to reject the service request “pending studies.” The motion passed 7-0, denying the council authorization to direct the city manager to negotiate a wastewater service agreement with First Step Homes.

The developer may pursue a TCEQ permit for an on-site treatment and discharge, which would require notification of downstream property owners and potentially acquiring easements to reach a discharge point in Rush Creek.

No funding or contract to extend service was approved by the council at the Oct. 14 meeting.