Granger Creek Int Sewer Ext. letter to prop. owners
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MEMORANDUM
September 23, 2005
FROM:
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Man;)g~
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer ~
TO:
SUBJECT: Granger Creek Interceptor Sewer Extension
Based on the request for additional information, the revised letter draft is
prepared to those property owners that are impacted by the Granger Creek
Interceptor Sewer Extension.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
Your review and approval of this letter would be appreciated.
If you have any questions and/or comments, please contact me.
September xx, 2005
RE: Granger Creek Interceptor Sewer Extension
Dear Property Owner:
On August 1, 2005, the City Council established an interceptor sewer connection
fee of $500 per acre for properties that may connect in the future to the Granger
Creek Sanitary Interceptor Sewer. The City Council directed the Engineering
Department to provide additional information to the owners of property that may
be subject to the connection fee.
BACKGROUND
In 2000, the City Council approved the completion of the work for the extension
of the City sanitary sewer from Catfish Creek to the Dubuque Technology Park.
The total cost of the sewer project was $1.2 million. This sewer can potentially
serve 1,088 acres, collecting and delivering wastewater from this area to the
City's wastewater treatment plant.
The project was also designed to provide service to the businesses that locate in
Dubuque Technology Park. Each business that has located in Dubuque
Technology Park has already paid its share of the $1.2 million expense to extend
the sanitary sewer as part of the purchase price of the lot.
To ensure that other property owners who may connect to the sewer in the future
also pay their fair share of the cost to extend the sewer, the City was required by
state law to establish the interceptor sewer connection fee for properties that
have the potential of being served by this interceptor sewer.
BASIS OF CONNECTION FEE
The purpose of the interceptor sewer connection fee is to reimburse the City for
the cost to construct the sewer.
The City Council has previously set a maximum of $500 per acre for interceptor
sewer connection fees for any newly-constructed interceptor sewers.
In the case of the Granger Creek interceptor sewer, the actual cost to the City to
construct the sewer was $1.2 million or $1,100 per acre ($1.2 million divided by
1,088 acres). However, instead of establishing the fee at $1,100 per acre, the
City Council established the fee at $500 in order to promote further development
of the property served by the sewer.
This $500 per acre interceptor sewer connection fee is also "locked in"; Le., the
fee can never be increased by the City for the area served by this interceptor
sewer.
WHEN THE INTERCEPTOR SEWER CONNECTION FEE IS DUE
The interceptor sewer connection fee is not due unless and until property is
connected to the City of Dubuque sewer system.
Many of the properties that could be served by the City of Dubuque sewer
system are not within the City of Dubuque city limits. Property not currently in the
city limits cannot be connected to the sewer system unless the property is
annexed to the City of Dubuque.
ADDITIONAL COSTS OF CONNECTION TO THE CITY OF DUBUQUE SEWER
SYSTEM
If property is annexed to the City of Dubuque and the property owner elects to
connect to this interceptor sewer, the property owner must pay the interceptor
sewer connection fee of $500 per acre as well as the additional cost of installing
any collector sewers and main line sewer that connect to the interceptor sewer.
Also, the property owners would be responsible for connecting their property with
a private service lateral to the City's sewer system.
Following the extension of an interceptor sewer west of Radford Road and north
of US 20, the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Landfill connected to the system and
the City's system. They paid $500 per acre to connect to the sewer and the cost
to extend new sewer from the interceptor sewer to their property. In addition,
they paid to construct the sewer throughout their property.
If you need further information, please feel free to contact our office at
563.589.4270.
Sincerely,
Gus Psihoyos
City Engineer
cc: Dubuque County Board of Supervisors
Dubuque City Council
Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager