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Council delays decision on water-scarcity proclamation, asks staff for timeline from contractor
Summary
The Wellsville City Council continued discussion of a proposed water-scarcity proclamation under city code 8-1-e-18 and directed staff to seek a clearer timeline for delivering water from the new well to Lindley Reservoir before final action.
The Wellsville City Council continued consideration of a proposed proclamation declaring water scarcity under Wellsville City Code 8-1-e-18, agreeing to revisit the item after staff obtains a clearer construction and delivery timeline from the contractor for the new well and reservoir pipeline work.
City staff said the proposed update to the water-scarcity proclamation would allow developers to submit subdivision applications and complete infrastructure work but would continue to bar issuance of building permits that require new water connections until the city has a functioning supply to the Lindley Reservoir from Well Number 4. "They can put the infrastructure in ... but no building permits that require new water connections," a staff member explained during the meeting.
Council members voiced concern about developers investing in infrastructure without assurances of a timely water hookup and asked whether the city attorney had approved the proposed language and whether the city could legally enforce a rule that holds permits until the system is operational. Staff said the attorney had drafted the suggested language and advised it was legally defensible; council members asked staff to obtain a more detailed timeline from the contractor (referenced in the meeting as Chris Breinholt) on when the pump house and pipeline work could be completed.
One council member noted uncertainty whether the pump house and full piping would be ready this fall; others said some parts of the pipeline work can proceed this summer but the central objective is getting water from the new well into the reservoir and confirming the system will sustain connections. The council voted to continue the item and asked that a blackline copy of the ordinance and a project-timeline update from the contractor be presented at the next meeting.
Staff emphasized that the proclamation, as drafted by the attorney, would clearly notify developers that turning in applications is permitted but that building permits requiring new connections would be held until the scarcity is lifted by a functioning delivery system.
