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Water Line Service Request Peachtree Drive - Utility Extension
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SUMMARY: A contractor, on behalf of the property owner of Tax Map 112L J 008.00 has requested water service. This property is located outside the City of Crossville and is within a “failed subdivision”.
Per City Ordinance 18-107, there are options to handle a utility request inside a failed subdivision.
Option 1: 18-107(E)(iii),
Which states, “If located outside the City limits and not adjacent thereto, a developer receives approval from the appropriate Planning Commission to either install utility main line extensions or re-subdivide the area.”
Option 2: 18-107(F) Special Tap Fees
Summary of that section: The Planning Commission can recommend a special tap fee to be used for a water line extension. The City would pay for the upfront cost of the mainline extension and then charge a special tap fee to each property owner along the extension; at the time they request to connect. A special tap fee would be calculated based on the total cost of the extension and then divided by the property owners along it. This does cost the City up front, but if/when the properties along it connect, the City does recoup their money. Special Tap fees can be used in “Failed Subdivisions.” This option does take the burden of cost for a mainline extension away from a single property owner and puts the cost on the City, with a possibility of recouping their money. If the mainline extension was made by the single property owner, they would bare the full cost of the extension and all properties along it would be able to connect for the standard tap fee and share no cost in the extension.
Option 3:
Recommend to City Council, to waive the requirements of the ordinance and allow a meter to be placed along the road to the rear of the property, and a service line be extended from that meter to the property along a private easement. This option was used for the property next door to this parcel. The reasoning for that is a little different than this one. A building permit was issued by the City, and the construction of the house was started before realizing no water service was available.
The request from the property owner, through their contractor, is for option 3. They have obtained a verbal agreement with the property owner to the rear, to run a service line along their property line.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff is not recommending one option over the other, just presenting the choices to the Planning Commission for their recommendation. Staff would like to caution the choice of Option 3. While it was used previously, there were some unique circumstances for granting it. Staff feels that allowing two of those types of connections could create a precedent and open it up for all the lots along Peachtree to have their meters located on a different road.
Recommended Action
NECESSARY PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: Make a recommendation on how to proceed with the water service.