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Residents circulate Carriage Estates petition seeking neighborhood water extension; UPC outlines fees and ordinance steps
Summary
Mark Elliott told the Utility Policy Committee that Carriage Estates residents are circulating a petition to join a neighborhood extension; the UPC summarized policy requirements including a township ordinance trigger, a neighborhood extension fee (~$7,350), a capacity buy-in charge ($1,175), and a townships'share policy of roughly 30% of project cost.
Mark Elliott, an alternate UPC member, updated the committee on a petition circulating in the Carriage Estates neighborhood in Comtock (Comtock Township) requesting a public-water extension.
Elliott reviewed the UPC's neighborhood extension policy and the practical steps required before the committee will make a final decision: the township must adopt an ordinance that triggers mandatory connection when a private well fails and residents must circulate a petition; UPC staff then evaluates the project cost estimates and the petition and returns the recommendation.
Per the policy, residents pay a neighborhood extension fee that the committee described as approximately $7,350 per property, intended to cover roughly 30% of project costs with the utility funding the remaining ~70%. Elliott also cited a system buy-in (capacity) fee of $1,175 per new connection. He said petition circulation is underway and residents reported they believe they can reach the 50% petition threshold, but the township ordinance and documentation are not yet in hand.
Elliott said UPC has previously reviewed and endorsed the project's cost estimate and that the next steps are (1) the township finalizes a petition and ordinance, and (2) UPC verifies those documents before making a final project decision.
Why it matters: the extension would alter service territory and require capital work, connection fees and ordinance changes; the petition and ordinance are prerequisites for the UPC to authorize the extension and cost-sharing structure.
Next steps: staff will await the township's petition and ordinance documentation and return the project to UPC for final verification and decision once those prerequisites are provided.
