Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Willard council tables ordinance that would extend homeowner responsibility to sewer mainline
Summary
After a public hearing and public comment, the Willard City Council voted to table Ordinance 25-13, which would redefine ownership of sewer laterals to extend to the mainline, and asked staff to revise the language and return with exhibits and a new public hearing date.
The Willard City Council on June 26 paused consideration of Ordinance 25-13, a proposed rewrite that would clarify sewer lateral ownership and maintenance responsibilities by stating that lateral ownership extends to the mainline and its connecting apparatus.
Proponents in staff testimony said the change "clarifies where the ownership is" and aligns Willard with more standard municipal language so crews and property owners will have a single, discoverable boundary for responsibility. Staff argued the rewrite is a "cleaner" way to resolve disputes over blocked or failed laterals. During the public hearing and council discussion staff and members acknowledged possible exceptions — for example, older or illegally installed laterals that cross property lines — and the need for case-by-case handling.
Several council members and a public commenter raised practical concerns. Citizen Ken Foreman said homeowners are often not notified through Blue Stakes and laterals are not routinely marked, which could make a homeowner liable for a portion of infrastructure they do not know exists. Foreman urged the city to ensure laterals are identified. Council members also noted the city historically installed many laterals to the property line and asked staff to add clarifying language for structural failures, traffic-related damage or installation defects that the city should address.
Rather than vote the ordinance into effect, councilors moved to table it and asked staff to redraft clearer language, add missing exhibits and consider notification/marking procedures; the item will return for another public hearing once staff provides revised wording and supporting survey work.
What remains to be done: staff to draft specific code language distinguishing routine homeowner maintenance (e.g., clearing blockages) from structural or installation failures that the city should repair, prepare exhibits/surveys for any affected parcels, and schedule a follow-up public hearing.
