Council told property owners are frustrated by sewer delays

Published 1:34 pm Thursday, July 23, 2009

Dave Bowen told fellow members of the Bonney Lake City Council that property owners in the East Town region are growing frustrated as they wait for expansion of the municipal sewer system.

Bowen expressed the property owners’ feelings during a July 21 council workshop.

“Some of the residents in East Town feel there’s a problem,” Bowen said.

East Town is the area stretching along state Route 410 between 214th Avenue and 234th Aveneu.

Under the present code, Bowen said, East Town property cannot be developed unless it part of the city sewer system.

He said there are two East Town property owners who want to install a septic system because they can’t afford to extend the sewer system to their property. The owners are asking that the code, or East Town Plan, be amended to allow septic systems at this time, Bowen said.

“They will sign the most-binding contract, that as soon as sewer is available, they will hook up to it,” he added.

He said they will pay all the fees and all the cost.

Bowen said one parcel is vacant and the other was used for a business with other individuals interested in the property.

“They feel the council has let them down,” Bowen said, by not insisting that the people who were going to develop the sewer carry out their plan. “It’s the idea that we all thought we’re going one direction. That train is moving so slow it’s hard to tell if there’s movement at all.”

Bowen believes if the council proeeds with a “latecomers agreement” for sewer to East Town, it would take three years for pipes to be placed in the ground.

“They want to know how long they must wait,” Bowen said. “They think the council should give them some relief from the situation they’re in.”

Bowen asked Public Works Director Dan Grigsby if the sewer project is started this fall, how long it would take for completion.

Grigsby said it could be completed sooner than three years, but one potential delay is installing a pressure line to go from property on 96th Street to 214th Avenue.

“The intent has been to wait until the road is upgraded as part of the Pierce County mitigation for the Compass Pointe Development,” Grigsby.

Grigsby said if the city puts in a sewer line now and the developer comes in later to rebuild the road and replace the sewer line, “We basically would be throwing away a sewer line.”

Grigsby said according to city code, if a commercial property is built, it must connect to the city sewer system.

Councilman Mark Hamilton pointed out there are people who run commercial businesses from their homes.

Grigsby said three units or greater is considered commercial property.

Hamilton asked if new technology is available for on-site sewer treatment systems.

Grigsby replied there are three issues – Department of Ecology approval, where to discharged treated water and disposal of solids.

“We need to study this and formulate some type of policy,” Councilman James Rackley said.

Bowen said when the sewer comes to East Town, someone has to pay for it.

“The property owners there are more than willing to pay their fair share,” he said. “There’s no way they can afford the millions needed to bring sewer to East Town.”

Bowen wanted to know if the council would consider a change in the city code.

“They want to know if the council is willing to consider, if their property meets all health and other requirements, could they develop on a septic tank system – as the Safeway store – then hook on to the city sewer when it becomes available,” Bowen said.

Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman and Hamilton said they feel it’s a policy issue.

Hamilton said he fears “hodge-podge businesses” in East Town being on septic systems.

Rackley said members of the Community Developement Committee will discuss the issue at their next meeting.