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Wellsville council delays changes to water‑scarcity proclamation to review attorney edits
Summary
Councilmembers discussed language that would allow development applications to be processed while preventing building permits that require new water connections; the council voted to continue the discussion to a future meeting after reviewing a redline from the city attorney.
WELLSVILLE — The Wellsville City Council continued discussion of proposed changes to the city's water‑scarcity proclamation without adopting the revisions, asking staff and the city attorney to return with a cleaned‑up redline for the next meeting.
City staff member Scott summarized the amendment under consideration: "On item number 2, it would just read, development applications may now be approved even if part of the development that is in the subject of the application is located partly or entirely within the upper pressure zone. However, for any application that involves a portion of a property or structure that is located partly or entirely within the upper pressure zone, no new water connections may be approved or no building permit may be issued if the structure that is subject of the building permit will immediately or in the future may require a connection to the city's culinary water system." Scott said the intent was to allow subdivision and other development applications to be processed while preventing issuance of building permits that would require new culinary water connections until the scarcity is lifted.
Councilmembers discussed tightening the language. One councilmember suggested removing the five words "or in the future, may" to make the restriction clearer; another noted the attorney had already produced a cleaned‑up version. Scott and the city attorney (present in discussion) also clarified that an individual shed previously discussed does not require a new water connection and therefore was covered by the current water‑scarcity declaration.
After discussion, a councilmember moved to continue the discussion to the next meeting so members could review the attorney's redline and so staff could circulate the proposed change by email. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.
Council members emphasized there is no pressing deadline driving immediate adoption and asked that proposed edits be circulated in advance of the next meeting so members can agree on language for action.
