Fall City’s business district is one step closer to starting its joint septic tank project.
The district’s landowners met with project engineers on August 10 for an informative session to discuss the ownership model under which the construction project would operate.
A ownership model is advantageous because the public utilities are owned by the property owners up to the property line. This means that any improvement in someone’s ownership of a shared system requires an action by the owner.
The ownership model will also be a determining factor in both cost and control of the project, said Angela Donaldson, president of the Fall City Community Association.
Fall City residents have been plagued by a problematic septic system for decades. The problem began when buildings now on State Route 202 were moved to drainage fields for a former highway construction project. Septic problems have prevented companies from developing or improving their property.
Donaldson said a third of the properties in the business district have non-compliant sewage treatment plants, which means the state health department could shut them down at any time.
According to project engineers, the current septic tank can also contaminate groundwater, causing soil erosion and runoff into the Snoqualmie River.
At the meeting, the owners narrowed the ownership model down to two options – a homeowners association (HOA) or a public utility district (PUD).
“A homeowners association is quick and efficient, and allows for more local control, flexibility and ease of use to set up,” said Donaldson. “In contrast, a supply district requires an election process for commissioners and would require more time and costs.”
According to project engineers, an HOA is advantageous because it is easy to implement, but there is no compliance tracking or mechanism monitoring of the system. A PUD could allow for a larger area of service and less risk of failure, but would require regulators, system service providers, and higher costs.
Donaldson said most of the project will be covered by state and federal funding. The state legislature has allocated $ 6.5 million from the U.S. rescue plan law to improve the city’s sewage system. The State Department of Commerce also contributed funding for permits and sustainability research.
At the meeting, the residents drew up a list of the requirements and wishes in the property model of the project. Residents must include low cost, local ownership over county property, contracted skills for routine maintenance, financial security, member accountability, and public safety.
Your wishes include a quick build window, regulatory oversight, and what’s best for the community.
The project engineers will bring two alternative project proposals and the estimated cost to the group meeting on August 25th where the owners will vote on the ownership model. A survey was sent out on August 9th asking for the owners’ opinions on the project.
If everything goes according to plan, the city will finalize the plans and submit permit applications by September. Construction would begin between July and September 2022, with construction taking a few months.
“A rural city is supposed to have a certain amount of goods and services, but right now we can’t because we don’t have the systems,” Donaldson said. “This [project] would allow property owners to have a common cost system with off-site wastewater solutions. ”
Given the way we express our opinions in the modern world, we have closed comments on our websites. We value our readers’ opinions and encourage you to keep the conversation going.
Please don’t hesitate to share your story tips by emailing [email protected].
To express your opinion on the publication, send a letter via our website https://www.valleyrecord.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and phone number during the day. (We only publish your name and hometown.) We reserve the right to edit letters, but if you limit your letter to 300 words or less we will not ask you to shorten it.
Comments are closed.