Lewiston approves deferred relocation agreement and easement to address storm drain under Rogers Motors

The Lewiston City Council approved a deferred relocation agreement and a related ordinance/resolution package on Oct. 13 to address an aging storm drain that runs underneath Rogers Motors’ Toyota showroom and adjoining properties.

Public Works Director Dustin Johnson told the council the storm drain was installed decades ago using construction practices that placed a pipe in a gully and buried it; the pipes are now beyond design life, with some segments 20 feet deep under buildings. The agreement provides a 10-year timeframe for the city to design and fund a more comprehensive reroute or replacement, and Rogers Motors will contribute $150,000 toward the work. Johnson said the city will shoulder the bulk of the cost because the line is publicly owned and shared across properties. He also noted the city’s new stormwater utility creates a funding source for such projects.

Councilors discussed the history of prior agreements (including an original 2007 arrangement that effectively expired) and the difficulty of addressing the line parcel-by-parcel. Following discussion, the council approved the deferred relocation agreement, then approved Resolution 2025-41 to accept the public stormwater utility and access easement that accompanies the agreement.

What happens next: The city will pursue design and a coordinated construction plan to reroute or replace the line over the coming years; the easement acceptance enables future construction and access.