The Concord City Council on Aug. 12 approved multiple preliminary applications for individual water and sewer connections outside the city limits but signaled a desire for a broader policy discussion about how such requests should be handled.

Staff presented three separate preliminary applications for water or sewer service to parcels outside the city limits; council approved the standard practice to grant individual service where public water or sewer already fronts the parcel and to exclude annexation when sewer is not available.

During the consent agenda the council paused on several items and debated consistency and precedent for granting out-of-city utilities, with one councilor saying the city should seek a clearer, uniform approach rather than handling "onesies and twosies" month after month.

"We maybe need to take this to the second work session and have a discussion in general," Councilman JC (first name not specified in transcript) said, asking staff to place water and sewer allocation practices on a future agenda. Council members agreed to try to add the item to the second work session in two weeks.

City engineering staff explained the operational mechanics: when the council approves an individual water service outside the city, the engineering department issues a letter that allows the applicant to request a single meter connection; the city installs the connection at the frontage the applicant selects and collects standard connection fees. Engineering staff emphasized that additions beyond a single connection would require further council approvals because the parcels are outside the city limits.

Councilors also expressed concern about consistency, annexation thresholds and whether last-resort septic-system replacements should be considered differently from requests that could enable larger, multi-lot development. One councilor asked whether property owners with failing septic systems could replace them without applying for city service; staff said that question would be part of the planned policy discussion.

Specific cases considered that evening included a request at 2755 Old Airport Road (preliminary for sewer service where gravity sewer is available but staff recommended excluding annexation) and similar individual requests for water service at 373 Patience Drive and 4326 U.S. Highway 601 South. No extension of sewer mains or automatic entitlement for a subdivision was approved; each additional request outside city limits will return to council for separate consideration.

Council directed staff to prepare a fuller discussion of the city’s approach to outside-city water and sewer requests for a forthcoming work session and to provide clarifying information on surcharges, connection fees and septic-replacement options.