Southington council backs developer-funded sewer capacity fee proposal, refers ordinance to committee

The Southington Town Council voted unanimously June 22 to authorize staff to draft an ordinance establishing a sewer capacity fee and an expanded application-fee schedule, a change staff said would shift more of the initial cost of sewer infrastructure onto new development rather than current ratepayers.

The proposal, recommended in a report by the town engineer, would create a capacity fee scaled to water-meter size and expand application fees for engineering reviews and inspections. Town engineer David Norse told the council the approach is modeled after the neighboring town of Cheshire and is designed to “protect existing rate payers while sustainably funding long-term system maintenance and infrastructure improvements.”

Council members discussed several reasons for the change: anticipated industrial and commercial growth in the West Street corridor that could increase demand on the town’s West Street pump station, differing cost estimates for upgrading pump stations (an incremental upgrade under $1 million versus higher-capacity work estimated at $2–3 million), and the desire to establish a transparent, long‑term funding mechanism.

Under the recommendation, assessment fees already used to recover expansion costs would continue, user fees collected from ratepayers would fund operating costs at the treatment plant, and new development would pay an initial capacity charge related to meter size and projected sewer demand. The proposal also includes an updated application-fee schedule to cover engineering and town staff time; the existing single application fee would be replaced by a tiered schedule and higher engineering fees.

The council recorded a 9–0 roll-call vote to move the matter to the ordinance committee, which will draft specific fee amounts, a meter-size formula, and public-notice and hearing steps before the council considers final adoption. No specific dollar amounts for the capacity fee were adopted at the meeting; staff said the ordinance committee and subsequent public process will define exact figures.

Council members emphasized that the change is intended to avoid shifting large capital costs to current sewer customers and to align the town’s approach with regional practices. The next procedural step is ordinance drafting and a public meeting when proposed fee levels and the effective date will be presented for public comment and a council vote.