Pepper Pike council authorizes engineering plans for two sanitary-sewer projects, backs regional grant for package-plant replacement

Pepper Pike City Council on Monday authorized city engineering staff to prepare specifications, plans and estimated assessments for two sanitary-sewer projects — the Belgrave sanitary sewer improvements and the southwest quadrant of South Woodland Road sanitary sewer improvements — and voted to support a regional MCIP grant application to remove a permitted package wastewater treatment plant near the intersection of Paramount and Lander.

The council’s actions move the Belgrave and South Woodland projects into the design phase. Don Sheehy, the city engineer, told council the Belgrave work has local pump-station infrastructure in place and that plans are ready to begin so the city can position both projects for bidding by late this year or early next year. Sheehy characterized the South Woodland work as a longer, more complex trunk-line and pump-station project aimed for construction in 2027 and said the city secured slightly more than 50% of the project cost from the regional MCIP program.

Why it matters: The votes advance two multi-home sanitary-sewer improvements that officials said will serve dozens of homes and reduce isolated on-site wastewater systems. Council and staff said the projects also align with regional funding that significantly offsets costs to homeowners and the city.

Council members recorded roll calls for each authorization. For the Belgrave authorization council members voting “yes” were recorded as: Miss Aitrack; Miss Waldman; Miss Gohnick; Mister Gentile; Doctor Wong. For the South Woodland authorization the recorded “yes” roll call included: Miss Zaitra; Miss Waldman; Miss Gohnick; Mister Hameis; Mister Gentile; Doctor Wong.

On the MCIP grant application, Don Sheehy described a package wastewater treatment plant on private property near Paramount and Lander that is permitted to discharge to a nearby creek. He said the plant’s permit will require renewal in coming years and removing the plant — replacing it with a municipal pump station tied into the city system — would eliminate a significant local pollution source and could be eligible for regional funding. Sheehy and council discussed the potential to assess costs to direct users and to include nearby homeowners in assessments. He estimated that, with grant funding covering roughly half of the project, the city’s share could be in the mid six figures but did not provide a final total. Council voted to support pursuing the MCIP application; the recorded roll call in the transcript read: Miss Zaitra; Miss Wilton; Miss Wilton; Mister Lomet; Mister Gentile; Doctor Wilton (each recorded as “Yes” when the mayor read the roll call).

The council and staff said they will continue design-level planning, outreach to affected homeowners and discussions with the campus owner adjacent to the package plant (identified in the meeting as Ursuline) about cost-sharing and easements. Sheehy said the conversion would make the facility a public pump station operated under Pepper Pike’s system and that necessary easements would be acquired.

Additional details: Sheehy said the South Woodland segment would pick up roughly 88 homes and that the Belgrave area includes about 30 homes. Officials said MCIP funding has been committed through the applicable funding period and that award timing could lead to construction in 2027 for the larger South Woodland effort.

Next steps: City staff will prepare detailed plans and estimated assessments, continue conversations with affected property owners and the adjacent campus about participation and cost-sharing, and pursue the MCIP application for the package-plant conversion. Council members said they expect later updates on engineering documents and assessment schedules.