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Spring City staff propose 18–24 month window for new sewer hookup requirement; ordinance to be drafted
Summary
Officials told residents the city will require connections by properties within 300 feet of new sewer lines, will begin charging monthly sewer fees once properties are required to connect, and staff proposed an 18–24 month compliance window to be included in a forthcoming ordinance and public letter to residents.
Spring City staff told the council they will draft an ordinance and a public letter explaining deadlines for connecting to the new sewer lines installed by the Mount Pleasant–Spring City project. The city’s preliminary position is that property owners within 300 feet of sewer service will be required to connect, will begin paying the monthly sewer charge when they become obligated to connect, and should be allowed an 18–24 month period after service is available to complete physical hookup.
Why it matters: the city has already moved forward on construction of sewer lines in parts of town; clarifying who must connect, when charges begin, and how long property owners have to complete a hookup affects dozens of households and has legal and administrative implications.
Key points discussed at the work meeting - Eligibility and obligation: staff confirmed the city’s interpretation that the state statute requires properties within the service area (generally 300 feet of sewer) to connect once sewer service is available, but the city still needs to finalize local ordinance language to set the compliance timeline and mechanical details. - Proposed timeline: staff and council members discussed a compliance window between 18 and 24 months after the sewer project is completed or service is available in an area. Council members said a one-year window likely is too short. - Fees and billing: staff said once a property becomes obligated to connect, the owner will start paying the monthly sewer fee even if the physical hookup is not yet completed; the council discussed allowing extra time to physically install hook-ups. - Pumps and low-elevation properties: staff said property owners who must install pumping equipment to connect are not being forced to install pumps by the city; if owners elect to install pumps they would be allowed, and the city will clarify maintenance and ownership responsibilities in the ordinance and public materials. - New construction and impact fees: staff said new homes built after sewer availability generally must pay the applicable impact fees; existing homes that later add service were discussed as a separate category to be clarified in the letter. - Scope and count: staff estimated that most homes in the city already are or will be able to connect and suggested the number of unconnected existing homes is roughly 40; staff said about 98% of homes in the city will be served by the new lines when the project is complete.
What staff will do next - Prepare an ordinance and a public letter with clear deadlines and examples (when service is considered “available,” when billing starts, exceptions for properties outside of city limits), and distribute it to council members before the next regular meeting. - Provide clarity on consequences and the precise mechanics for pumping systems, easement restorations, and potential crop-loss reimbursements for affected landowners where construction crosses agricultural fields (staff said restoration will include replacement of the top 18 inches of soil where the easement requires it and a seeding period).
Council direction: staff and the mayor agreed to draft the letter and an ordinance for consideration at the next council meeting and to circulate the draft to council members beforehand for comment.
