Council approves per-lot sewer and water reimbursements for CA White

The Depoe Bay City Council approved reimbursement to CA White for sewer and water improvements after a public hearing and debate over methodology.

Wendy Kalinton, speaking for the applicant, told the council the city required an oversized sewer system with excess capacity (she cited 1,160,000 gallons per day) and asked that CA White be reimbursed on a per-parcel basis. "He would like to be reimbursed on a per parcel basis," Kalinton said, arguing that the city — not the property owner — insisted on the larger system and that per-lot reimbursement follows prior practice and the city attorney's interpretation.

Council members questioned the record and the arithmetic. The chair moved to approve the sewer reimbursement under Ordinance 162 using a per-lot methodology; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The council then approved the water reimbursement under Ordinance 189 on a prorated per-lot basis in a separate motion that likewise passed. Outside counsel Elaine Alberts recommended including the city engineer’s recommended dollar figures in the minutes to support the motions. "I would just recommend that you make sure you put in the minutes the cost reimbursement dollar figures," Alberts said, and the council agreed to confirm figures with the city administrator.

Council discussion also noted there were seven benefiting parcels originally, but three were removed from assessment, leaving four identified lots for this reimbursement. A speaker stated the total cost was "about 333k total amount divided by the 7," and a figure reported aloud for the identified lots during discussion was "467568 Dollars And 66 Cents"; council asked staff to confirm and record the precise numbers in the official minutes.

The council recorded the motions as approved; staff will confirm and publish exact dollar amounts in the minutes as requested.