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Council explores making sewer connections fairer after one-off Main Street costs arise
Summary
City staff said connecting an unserved property can cost about $5 per foot for materials plus a $300 residential tap fee; council discussed removing or covering some street-cut costs and staff outlined a plan to extend a manhole to avoid crossing roads for a Main Street business.
Councilors discussed whether the city should absorb some costs when residents or businesses must cross a street to reach the nearest sewer lateral.
Public works staff told the council the material cost could be "about $5 a foot" and that residential tap fees are $300 while commercial taps are $400. Staff and council stressed the distinction between city-owned infrastructure (laterals) and private plumbing (service lines and meters): the city typically brings infrastructure to the edge of a property and developers or owners pay to connect.
Councilor questions focused on fairness when a property on the opposite side of a road would otherwise pay substantially more because of required street cuts. Staff described a solution they already drafted for a Main Street business: the city will extend a sewer line and install a manhole on the business side so those customers will not have to cross the road or pay the street-cut cost; Jared is preparing plans and the city is processing ODOT and DEQ permitting.
Council asked staff to continue developing ordinance and fee options for one-off cases and to return with a proposal and cost estimates. No formal vote was required on the operational solution presented.
Ending: Council thanked staff for the plan and asked for a formal recommendation at a future meeting.
