Council debates sewer ordinance, City Attorney says proposed Option #2 is legally defensible

Mayor Jenny Taylor and City Attorney Robert Muth led an extended council discussion of the proposed sewer ordinance after the state Department of Ecology ‘red‑tagged’ the former system for influent overloads affecting discharges to the Columbia River.

Muth told the council that Option #2 in the memorandum is legally defensible and reviewed about seven years of work on the issue. Councilmembers raised questions about operating costs, latecomer agreements, inspection schedules for on‑site septic systems and hardship appeal processes. Councilmember Dave Cox proposed a one‑year timeline for homeowners to decide to hook up; those who opt in within a year would have their System Development Charges (SDCs) waived, while properties waiting until septic failure would pay full SDCs plus the cost to construct a connecting sewer line.

Council members noted roughly 26–27 property owners along sewer lines have not yet tied in out of an estimated 450 potential properties in the service area. Attorney Muth cautioned that only one year of operating data is available since the plant completed, so staff cannot yet present a full picture of long‑term operating costs for user billing. Mayor Taylor and Attorney Muth agreed to prepare a draft ordinance reflecting the revisions discussed and bring it back at the May council meeting; first and second readings are planned for June and July 2026.

The discussion mixed policy options and draft language changes (including replacing the word 'abut' with 'within 100' for short plats), and the council did not take formal action on the ordinance at the April meeting.