La Crosse board previews pilot to ease homeowner cost of sewer lateral compliance

La Crosse city staff told the Board of Public Works on Oct. 20 that the city is testing a pilot to reduce upfront costs for homeowners who must bring noncompliant water and sewer laterals into compliance.

Tina (last name not provided), a utilities staff member, said the pilot approved last week covers four properties and would have the utility front initial expenses for public-side work — including street replacement and much of excavation — while homeowners would remain responsible for private-side connections. "We would then cover still the street replacement and, much of the excavation costs," Tina said, adding the city would assess the public-side portion to the property and allow property owners 10 to 15 years to pay that amount.

The pilot responds to a legacy of noncompliant laterals in the city, Tina said: shared laterals connecting two parcels, laterals routed under structures, and cases created when properties were split after initial development. "We've had many, many of them completed and are now compliant," she said, and staff reported roughly 20 separations completed this year.

Council Member Goggan raised concerns about disclosure to prospective buyers, noting that a buyer could face a large surprise bill: "So if I'm going to buy, I don't know, dollars 200,000 home, it's possible that I'm going to have a $30,000 expense built onto that home." Tina said owners must disclose known issues but that many owners do not know their lateral configuration; staff now reviews sales, has worked with the Realtors Association and posted a parcel lookup on the utility website so buyers or sellers can check compliance before listing.

Board members asked practical questions about repayment and enforcement. Director Trie asked whether repayment would appear on the utility bill; Tina said repayment would be handled as a special assessment rather than on the utility bill and would be reflected in title searches. Director Gallagher clarified the legislative step: "The assessment process does go through the Common Council," he said, adding the council would approve estimated amounts and the authority to apply them and that objected amounts can be applied to property taxes.

On legal and procedural points, staff said the city previously amended ordinances to require that certified survey maps for parcel splits and merges be routed to utilities and assessors for review, but county recording practices can still create challenges. Staff also said enforcement steps exist if an owner refuses to comply, including orders to correct, and that staff will ensure any ordinance changes preserve the city's ability to recover costs when appropriate.

No formal policy change was adopted at the Oct. 20 meeting. Tina told the board she and other departments are completing the pilot cases and will return with a redlined policy for formal approval after staff has evaluated the pilot and adjusted the process as needed.

Votes at a glance: The board moved to approve the minutes from Oct. 13, 2025 (motion by Council President Dickinson; second by Director Train) and moved to approve construction contract change orders including a Seventh Street reconstruction item (motion by Council President Dickinson; second by Director Train). The transcript records that members were asked to vote on those motions, but it does not show roll-call tallies or a formal recorded outcome in the provided text.

What happens next: Staff will complete several pilot cases, report back on operational flow and homeowner experience, and present a redlined policy for the board and council to consider.