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Commissioners and staff flag Pomona-area sewer and subdivision issues in plan review
Summary
During the comprehensive-plan review, commissioners and staff identified housing and wastewater service near Pomona Lake as a priority area. Discussion covered the economics and risks of sewer or water improvement districts, constraints from KDOT on highway access, and possible stand-alone studies to address Pomona subdivisions.
Commissioners and planning staff reviewed housing and utilities sections of the draft comprehensive plan and singled out residential development pressure around Pomona Lake as a recurring implementation issue.
Planning staff noted that the draft references a Pomona subdivision study and that the county is already working on a separate report to address questions about sewer, water and how to make existing lots buildable. As staff summarized, "what we talk about in urban densities, unless you have a rural water district that has capacity, I have yet to see 1 in 28 years... If you have a wastewater treatment facility, which we don't, not a good idea, especially with the budget of Osage County." (staff paraphrase).
Commissioners discussed language on page 81 of the draft that currently reads broadly to "discourage the development of any new water or sanitary sewer improvement districts in the county." Several commissioners and staff recommended softening that wording to permit targeted improvement districts where feasible—for example, to serve South Pomona Lake and neighboring areas—while noting long-term maintenance and fiscal risks if districts fail.
Staff and commissioners described known failure modes for smaller improvement districts: initial construction can be feasible, but if dues or assessments fall short, maintenance can lapse, KDHE can require upgrades, and counties may inherit failing systems. One commissioner described past cases where quasi-municipal wastewater systems defaulted and became a county responsibility.
The commission also discussed related constraints on new subdivision development: KDOT requirements for access on state highways (traffic-impact studies that may limit direct driveway access), the lack of county-wide sanitary sewer, and the cost escalation of building water lines and sewer systems.
Commissioners requested that the Pomona study remain a near-term action item so staff can identify funding sources, potential grant opportunities, and whether an improvement district or other solution is feasible without imposing long-term county liabilities.
No formal motion was taken on policy language at the meeting; commissioners instead asked staff to incorporate their suggested edits and present the consolidated draft at the April 30 meeting.
