White Salmon approves MOU to accept upsized 8-inch water main, waives $36,435 in impact fees

The White Salmon City Council voted 4-0 on Feb. 4 to approve a Memorandum of Understanding to accept an upsized eight-inch public water main from Alpine Grove property developers and to waive water and sewer impact fees not to exceed $36,435.

Chris True, the city's director of public works, said staff learned during construction on SW Alpine Grove Lane that an existing 2-inch water line was located close to a sewer line and that state health requirements necessitated relocating the water line. True told Council the developer-provided 8-inch main avoids $75,982.32 in costs the City would otherwise incur to install a replacement 2-inch line, and that, after waiving $36,435 in impact fees, the net financial benefit to the City is $39,547.32. True said the 8-inch main also provides an infrastructure upgrade over the existing 2-inch line.

Council Member Doug Rainbolt said he viewed the MOU as a good-faith transaction but expressed concern about proportionality because a deeper proportionality analysis had not been completed. Council Member Ben Giant asked whether the 8-inch main complied with the City's water system plan; True said the City engineer recommended an 8-inch main and that the project complies with the water plan. City Attorney Shawn MacPherson advised that the document would return with administrative revisions to signature lines and notary clauses to verify signing authority; True said staff would verify ownership and noted all three properties are owned by the same individual.

The motion to approve the MOU was moved by Patty Fink, seconded by Ben Giant, and passed 4-0.