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Council delays decision on septic-system exception amid fee and process questions
Summary
A request to grant an exception under the '201' sanitary-sewer policy was postponed two weeks after staff and applicants asked for more time to resolve an outside-user agreement fee waiver and clarify procedural steps.
The City Council voted to postpone for two weeks consideration of a property owner's request for a 201 exception to allow a septic system instead of a sewer connection for land south of High Plains Road and west of South Greeley Highway.
The item was postponed after staff and the applicants reported confusion over whether an outside water-user agreement (OWA) had been properly handled and whether the applicants should be required to pay the OWA fees again. The applicants asked for more time to pursue a fee waiver; planning staff and council members said inaccurate information given earlier in the process contributed to delays.
"We are requesting another postponement as we navigate the process of the outside water users agreement," said Tanya Keller, a representative for the property owners, explaining the group had applied and paid previously and was seeking a waiver for a fee they say should not be charged again. City planning staff and the city attorney described how the application process interacts with Cheyenne-Laramie County health permitting and the '201' exception pathway.
Councilmember Seagrave highlighted a procedural concern: applying for a 201 without a defined project does not allow sizing of a septic permit. Planning staff confirmed that an application must be specific to a project and septic sizing is done for each permit; a different buyer or different use would require a new process. Staff also clarified that the health department had already denied the current permit, which triggered the 201 exception route.
Councilmember Rennie made the motion to postpone for two weeks, which passed with Councilmember Seagrave recorded as opposing. Councilmembers discussed seeking a fee waiver given the applicants relied on conflicting guidance from multiple agencies. Council directed staff to pursue resolution and return the item at the next meeting.
