Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wastewater Expansion topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Norfolk approves $495,000 purchase of 20-acre tract to expand wastewater treatment
Summary
After a public hearing, council approved the city's purchase of approximately 20 acres at 804 East Monroe for $495,000 to accommodate planned wastewater treatment expansion, with staff saying funding will come from utility revenues and projected grant/loan packages.
The Norfolk City Council voted to approve a purchase agreement for roughly 20 acres at 804 East Monroe for $495,000 to support the city's planned wastewater treatment expansion.
Lyle, operations manager for the City of Norfolk, described the tract as approximately 20 acres south of Monroe Avenue and adjacent to the transfer station and Lyman Ritchie pit. He said the parcel is intended to provide room for an additional sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system and lagoons to handle industrial waste streams and future residential and commercial growth.
"This purchase agreement is for property generally located at 804 East Monroe Avenue," Lyle said, adding the dwelling on the property will be vacant at closing. He told council the purchase has been negotiated for nearly a year and that utility revenues and the enterprise fund's long-term financial plan will cover the acquisition; Lyle said the city is also awaiting word on a $38,000,000 federal grant and expects to discuss a long-term loan mechanism if the grant is awarded.
Steve added that the acquisition would help the city reduce on-site industrial treatment and separate dairy waste streams (from Actus Nutrition and Highland Dairy) so treating and disposing of solids becomes easier.
Council moved, seconded and voted on the purchase following the public hearing; meeting minutes record "All council members present voting in the affirmative. Motion carries." Lyle said the closing could be processed within a few days and completed likely within a month.
Why it matters: staff framed the purchase as an early but necessary step to lock land for a multi-phase wastewater expansion tied to projected population growth. City officials said acquiring nearby land is important because pits and extraction activity to the south are converting nearby parcels, and engineering and grant/loan arrangements will follow in the coming months.
The council approved the purchase during the meeting; staff said additional engineering and agreements related to the expansion will be brought forward over the next three to four months.
