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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-03-11 Water & Sewer Distri NEW HANOVER COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOOK 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 11, 2002PAGE 704 ASSEMBLY The District Board of Commissioners of the New Hanover County Water and Sewer District met in Regular Session on Monday, March 11, 2002, at 8:56 P.M. in the Assembly Room of the New Hanover County Courthouse, 24 North Third Street, Wilmington, North Carolina. Members present were: Chairman Robert G. Greer; Vice-Chairman Nancy H. Pritchett; District Commissioner Julia Boseman; District Commissioner William A. Caster; District Commissioner Ted Davis, Jr.; Deputy County Manager, Andrew J. Atkinson; County Attorney, Wanda M. Copley; and Clerk to the District Board, Lucie F. Harrell. Chairman Greer called the meeting to order. NON-AGENDA ITEMS Chairman Greer announced that time had been reserved to allow anyone from the public to present an item not listed on the Regular Agenda. He requested all persons speaking to limit their remarks to three minutes. No items were presented. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Chairman Greer requested a motion to approve the minutes. Motion: Vice-Chairman Pritchett MOVED, SECONDED by District Commissioner Boseman, to approve the minutes of the meetings of January 22, 2002, and February 18, 2002, as presented by the Clerk to the District Board. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. REQUEST FOR SEWER LINE EXTENSION TO THE CREEKSTONE COMMUNITY County Engineer Wyatt Blanchard presented a petition to the District Board from residents of the Creekstone Subdivision requesting an extension of the Jail sewer line to the entire community. He explained that part of the Jail Project is to construct a sewer line from the jail site north through Creekstone Lane out to Parmele Road to the pump station located on North College Road. The sewer line will serve 17 homes on Creekstone Lane, and 11 residents living on Plumtree Lane have requested the District to consider providing them sewer service, or to extend the sewer line up to Plumtree Lane off the line being constructed on Creekstone Lane. To expand the sewer line1,033 feet to the end of Plumtree Lane is estimated at a cost of $81,700 or $7,427 per house. If the sewer line is shortened to 602 feet, which will not serve the last two houses on Plumtree Lane, the estimated cost is $58,000 or $6,444 per house. Chairman Greer informed the Board that discussion has occurred with residents of the Creekstone community about extending the sewer line since the County decided to construct the new Jail on the Blue Clay Road site. Money is available in the Jail contingency to extend the sewer line; therefore, he would suggest dealing with this issue in the Regular Session of the New Hanover NEW HANOVER COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOOK 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 11, 2002PAGE 705 County Board of Commissioners since the funding will involve the Jail project, not the Water and Sewer District Fund. District Commissioner Boseman objected to using money from the Jail contingency to extend a sewer line which is not part of the original Jail construction project. District Commissioner Davis also expressed concern for using the Jail contingency to provide a sewer line to the Creekstone community and stated it would not be fair to provide sewer to this area when residents in Kings Grant and Castle Hayne have been waiting for years to receive the service. He suggested applying any remaining money from the Jail project to payment of the installment debt. Discussion was held on the cost per house if the line is extended to the entire community. County Engineer Blanchard responded that a new standardized fee schedule will be presented to the District Board on March 25, 2002, to charge the same fees to all new customers connecting to the sewer system. A lengthy discussion followed on using money from the Jail project to pay for extending the sewer line to Plumtree Lane. Chairman Greer stated that he felt it would not be fair to pay for extending the sewer line from the Water and Sewer Fund since so many people in the unincorporated County are requesting sewer service. There is sufficient money in the Jail contingency to extend the sewer line to provide service to all residents in the Creekstone Subdivision who have been impacted by locating a new Jail near their community; however, if a majority of the District Commissioners are not in favor of this issue, the request can be denied. Vice-Chairman Pritchett suggested tabling this issue until the fee schedule has been presented on March 25, 2002. Chairman Greer asked if anyone from the Creekstone Subdivision would like to speak. Mr. Gary W. Ahlberg, a resident of 107 Plumtree Lane speaking on behalf of residents in Creekstone, reported that meetings have been held with County Staff where concerns were raised about the Jail project and its potential to devalue surrounding properties and negatively impact the water quality in Prince George Creek. The Creekstone community and Jail project are linked by a sewer line easement running from the jail through the Creekstone Subdivision. It does not make sense for part of the sewer line to serve residents living on Creekstone Lane and not on Plumtree Lane. In many of the discussions held with Staff, it was stated that property value decreases would be offset by sewer service to the area. In closing, Mr. Ahlberg requested the District Board to include Plumtree Lane as part of the Jail project with no assessment, tap fees, or impact fees charged to the residents. In an effort to improve environmental and public health conditions in this area and mitigate the potential impacts of the Jail Project on existing development, the Creekstone community deserves to receive sewer service NEW HANOVER COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOOK 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 11, 2002PAGE 706 for the entire subdivision. Ms. Jane Hair, 24 Creekstone Lane, spoke on putting up with the lights at night and noise from the construction project and stated it was not pleasant to have a jail in her backyard that will decrease the value of her property. With the inconvenience to the community and a large sink hole at the end of the road from use of heavy equipment, the residents deserve some form of compensation for this infringement on the Creekstone community. Chairman Greer stated that he did not attend any meetings, but he felt that the residents were led to believe that the County would make sewer available to the area; therefore, he felt it would be appropriate to use money from the Jail Contingency Account to extend the sewer line with payment of the same fees being charged to other residents connecting to the sewer system. Motion: District Commissioner Caster expressed concern for not having sufficient time to review the request, and he MOVED to table this issue until the April 1, 2002 meeting. The MOTION FAILED DUE TO THE LACK OF A SECOND. Motion: Chairman Greer MOVED to transfer this item to the Regular Agenda for discussion and action since the request is part of the Jail construction project. The MOTION FAILED DUE TO THE LACK OF A SECOND. Deputy County Manager Atkinson explained that discussion was held with the residents of Creekstone Lane because the sewer system would be available to 11 houses on this road. Since this subdivision is located in an area where no future sewer line will come near, Staff felt it would be an ideal time to provide sewer to the entire community, particularly when sewer line on Creekstone Lane was included as part of the original Jail construction project. District Commissioner Caster noted that if the sewer line is extended to the end of Plumtree Lane, it will open the door for residents of Rustic Acres Drive, Saddlebrook Drive, Hounds Ear Court, and Huntsman Court to request sewer service. He also stated that during the entire jail location process, he never heard about nearby residents being concerned about the devaluation of their properties. After discussion of the need to make a decision within the next 45 to 60 days, Vice-Chairman Pritchett asked if she could SECOND the motion made by District Commissioners Caster to table the issue. Motion: After discussion of the need to make a new motion, District Commissioner Caster MOVED, SECONDED by Vice-Chairman Pritchett, to table this item until April 1, 2002. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED 3 TO 2. Chairman Greer and District Commissioner Boseman voted in opposition. NEW HANOVER COUNTY WATER AND SEWER DISTRICT BOOK 2 MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 11, 2002PAGE 707 Deputy County Manager Atkinson asked if any member of the District Board would like additional information on this item. Vice-Chairman Pritchett requested more information on the motivation behind the request and stated that she could not vote to provide sewer without charging the same fees as paid by other customers when receiving the service. RESURFACING OF MIDDLE SOUND LOOP ROAD District Commissioner Boseman advised that Mr. Allen Pope, District Engineer of the local NCDOT Office, called and said that the Middle Sound Loop Road resurfacing project would begin shortly, and it appeared that the District would not have time to install the sewer pipe under Middle Sound Loop Road. County Engineer Blanchard advised that a meeting is scheduled on Thursday, March 28, 2002, at 10:00 A.M. with Mr. Pope. It is hoped that a satisfactory date can be reached so the pipe can be installed under Middle Sound Loop Road before any paving is started by the NCDOT. He also noted that permits have not been received from CAMA or the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. Commissioner Boseman advised that she felt the NCDOT would not delay the resurfacing project. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Greer requested a motion to adjourn. Motion: Vice-Chairman Pritchett MOVED, SECONDED by District Commissioner Boseman, to adjourn the meeting. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chairman Greer adjourned the meeting at 9:30 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Lucie F. Harrell Clerk to the District Board