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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRequest for Sewer Service Outside City Limits Commission Memorandum REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission FROM: Debbie Arkell, Director of Public Services Chuck Winn, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Request for Sewer Service Outside City Limits, Steve Wenzel and Susan Smiley, 2502 West Babcock Street MEETING DATE: July 6, 2009 RECOMMENDATION: That the City Commission approve the request to allow the residence located at 2502 West Babcock Street to connect to the city sewer main prior to annexation, subject to the following conditions: 1. Prior to connection to the city sewer main, all record owners of the property must sign a Waiver of Right to Protest Annexation to the City of Bozeman. The City will file the document at the Gallatin County Clerk and Recorder’s Office. 2. The property owner shall be responsible for all costs associated with the extension of the sewer service to the home. 3. The property is located within the Main Mall Sewer Payback District. As such, this payback must be paid to the City prior to connection to the sewer main. 4. An application to connect to the sewer main must be made through the City Building Department, and sewer impact fees and connection fees must be paid prior to receiving approval of the application. This application must be approved before work begins on extending the sewer service line to the property. 5. The existing on-site treatment system must be properly abandoned. The property owner shall contact the Gallatin County Environmental Health Department to coordinate and document this activity. 6. The City Finance Department will bill the owner of the property monthly as an “unmetered customer” for sewer charges (pro-rated from the date connected). When the property is annexed and is connected to city water, the sewer charge will then be based off metered water use. FURHTER, that at the applicant’s discretion, they may connect the residence to the city water main prior to annexation at the same time they connect to the sewer main, to potentially reduce the costs of construction, subject to the additional following conditions: 339 Commission Memorandum Wenzel and Smiley Sewer Connection July 6, 2009 Page 2 1. The property owner shall be responsible for all costs associated with the extension of the water service to the home. 2. The property is located within Special Improvement District #622 Water Payback District. As such, this payback must be paid to the City prior to connection to the water main. 3. An application to connect to the water main must be made through the City Building Department, and water impact fees and connection fees must be paid prior to receiving approval of the application. This application must be approved before work begins on extending the water service line to the property. 4. The existing on-site well must be properly disconnected from all points of domestic use. The well may only be used for outside irrigation purposes. The property owner shall contact the City Water Department for inspection to ensure proper disconnection and reconnection to only the irrigation system. 5. The City Finance Department will bill the owner of the property monthly as a “metered customer” for water and sewer charges (pro-rated from the date connected). BACKGROUND: On June 15, 2009, Steve Wenzel and Susan Smiley requested permission to connect to the City sewer main located directly in front of their home at 2502 West Babcock Street because the septic system has failed. They are currently unable to live in the home at this time, because the failed system has been disconnected. Their property is located on West Babcock Street, and is surrounded on all but the east side by annexed property. City water and sewer mains are located in West Babcock Street, and service stubs for both water and sewer were extended from the mains to the property line prior to the completion of improvements to West Babcock Street. Because the City sewer main is adjacent to this property, the Gallatin County Environmental Health Department will not issue a permit to replace the on-site system on this 0.4284 acre lot. The applicants have applied for annexation and the required zone map amendment, and these applications will be presented to the City Commission on July 20, 2009. Because the septic system has failed, they are asking approval to connect to city sewer before the annexation and zone map amendment processes are completed. Per Section13.32.030 of the Municipal Code, the following Criteria are to be considered by the City Commission when reviewing requests for property located outside city limits to connect to city sewer: 340 Commission Memorandum Wenzel and Smiley Sewer Connection July 6, 2009 Page 3 1. Orderly growth and development of the city. The Wenzel and Smiley property is adjacent to city limits on three sides. The property is 0.4284 acre in size, and contains an existing single-family residence. The existing county zoning designation only allows one single-family residence on the property. The property owners have requested annexation and an R-3 zoning designation, which is consistent with adjacent properties. 2. Water and land pollution abatement or control. Because the existing septic system has totally failed, the property owners are not able to occupy the residence and the septic system has been disconnected. The connection of this property to city sewer service will abate a potential water and land pollution issue. 3. Need of persons or industries requesting service as determined by the City Commission. The need for connection to the city sewer system is imminent due to the complete failure of the on-site septic system. 4. Capacity of the utility system of the city to serve property outside of the city limits of the city. The system has capacity to serve this property. While the Bozeman Municipal Code is silent with regard to connection to city water service prior to annexation, it may be more practical to connect the residence to city water at the same time it is connected to the sewer main. This may reduce the costs of construction. Thus, staff is recommending that the Commission also authorize the applicants to connect to city water at the same time they connect to city sewer, if they so chose, with the conditions mentioned above. FISCAL EFFECTS: Impact, connection and payback fees will be paid prior to connection to municipal services, and the applicants will be billed monthly for the amount of services used. ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission. Attachments: June 15, 2009 request Report compiled on June 23, 2009 Cc: Steve Wenzel and Susan Smiley, 2502 West Babcock Richard Hixson, P.E., City Engineer Brian Heaston, P.E., Staff Engineer John Alston, Water/Sewer Superintendent City Finance Office File #203 341 342