Commission urges county action after residents told they must connect septic to new sewer lines

Pembroke Pines commissioners on March 19 directed staff to draft a resolution asking Broward County to adopt measures to ease the cost and administrative burden on residents required to connect septic systems to new sewer lines.

Vice Mayor Goode opened the discussion by asking staff to confirm locations in the city still on septic; Utilities Director Mike Bailey said portions of Pines Village, several parcels near Pembroke Road and the turnpike, and an outlying acreage development remain on septic. Commissioners and staff described a recent county meeting in which county representatives told affected residents they would be required to connect to sewer and could face assessments or billing if they did not.

Why it matters: Commissioners said many Pines Village residents are low‑ to moderate‑income and face connection costs that can range from roughly $5,000 to $10,000 for private‑property hookups. City staff described a prior city program in which the city allowed property owners to have private‑connection costs assessed and paid over multiple years through their utility bill or funded through grants in limited cases; commissioners asked the county to offer comparable flexibility for residents in the county service area.

City Attorney Goren and utilities officials warned the commission the county’s 2020 ordinance requires septic‑to‑sewer connections under certain circumstances and designates the city code‑enforcement office as the enforcing entity for county environmental rules. Commissioners said that created a mismatch: the county will own and operate the sewer infrastructure but expects Pembroke Pines to perform enforcement and collection.

Commissioners requested staff draft a resolution to the Broward County Commission asking county leadership to authorize options similar to Pembroke Pines’ prior program (payment via utility bill or grant assistance) and to coordinate outreach to tenants and service providers in complexes such as the Howard Forman Health Park. Mayor Angelo Castillo and others also asked staff to return with data at the next meeting: the exact number of affected properties, estimated total connection cost, and likely funding or financing models.

Voices from the meeting: "We have places in our city that are on septic tanks," Vice Mayor Goode said, adding that residents told county staff at a public meeting they would have to pay hefty connection costs. Utilities Director Mike Bailey explained the city’s earlier approach to the Pines Village connection, noting the city had offered: (1) a contractor option at bid prices, (2) an amortized assessment over five years at about 2.5% interest, or (3) grant‑based support for a small number of households.

Ending: Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize drafting a resolution to Broward County and asked staff to return with exact counts and a formal draft for the commission to consider in a future public meeting. The commission did not adopt any financial assistance program that night; the vote directed staff to pursue negotiations and a recommended course of action.