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Residents tell Portola Valley commissioners West Bay Sanitary is issuing retroactive ADU sewer bills
Summary
Homeowners told the Planning Commission that West Bay Sanitary District has sent retroactive bills tied to ADU permits and JADU mislabeling; staff said the town manager is coordinating outreach and pointed residents to state oversight resources.
During oral communications and again at the public hearing, multiple Portola Valley residents told the Planning Commission they had received retroactive sewer capacity and connection charges from West Bay Sanitary District that they believe are incorrect. Ellen Vernazza told commissioners she and others were facing roughly $6,600 bills covering multiple years tied to a small ADU installed in 2017; Pamela Levine said a clerical mismatch between county-stamped plans and town permit records had caused a JADU to be treated as a full ADU for billing purposes.
"West Bay Sanitary is backbilling us for $6,600 and something dollars for five years' worth of ADU sewer lines," Vernazza said during public comment, asking whether the town could help coordinate affected homeowners.
Brandon DeLucas, the contract planner, and other staff said the town's records are based on the building-permit scope and that discrepancies can arise if plans provided to utilities are labeled differently. Helen Walter, a town councilmember serving as the commission's three-month liaison, urged residents to consult both the State Water Resources Control Board and HCD for oversight of connection fees and said other nearby jurisdictions are raising similar complaints.
Staff said the town manager is aware and is working with West Bay to provide coordinated assistance so individual homeowners do not have to pursue duplicate inquiries. Commissioners declined to take immediate regulatory action against the utility during the hearing, because utility regulation and connection fees are governed by state rules and separate agencies, but they asked staff to keep working with affected residents and to report back as needed.
The commission encouraged residents to document billing notices and to contact the appropriate state oversight agencies while staff tracks the local coordination effort. The matter remains unresolved and could be included in future staff reports or council correspondence depending on whether systemic problems emerge.
