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North Branch City Council updated on fire hall, water and sewer projectsBy Barbara Brown The cityís land use committee decided to present a plan for expansion of the cityís water and sewer service to allow for easier access in case residents who currently are on septic and well systems ever wanted to tap into the cityís system. Expanding the lines also may be enticing to developers who want to build on the outskirts of the city, but want the houses to be hooked up to city services. The committee suggested to the council that the cityís service area be expanded by about nine square miles outside the cityís current service limits. Expanding the service area would allow the city to stretch water and sewer services about one-half mile on several borders of the city. For a number of months the land use committee has been looking at developable land within and outside the city limits, city planner Al Cottingham told the council. The 13-member committee looked at different growth scenarios for how fast the city could grow over the next 20 years, he said. At five percent growth, or about 140 homes per year, the cityís population could increase by about 8,000, Cottingham told the council. Growth in the city has averaged about 5.5 percent over the past few years, he said. Only about 400 acres within the city limits would be up for development if land owners decided to sell, he said. At an average of three homes per acre, about 1,000 acres of land would have city services available to accommodate 20-year growth. If expansion were approved, it could be funded through one of four options, Cottingham said. He said the city could require developers to pay full costs, the city could use trunk fees or the city could assess all property owners or a portion of them. The council would not force hooking up to the cityís lines on any homeowner, said Mayor John Pinsonneault. He said the council would be willing to listen to a residential petition to hook up a neighborhood to water and sewer. However, the council does not have to grant hooking up if it does not want to, said city engineer Julie Dresel. Dresel added that past councils have not forced the issue. She said they had generally had an attitude that if residents want the service, they will ask for it. The council also was updated on the Grand Avenue sewer line extension project that would extend the sewer line from the main lift station and wastewater treatment plant to connect with the sewer line south of County Road 14. The project plan includes a new sanitary sewer crossing at the Sunrise River, increase in sewer line depth to allow for better flows in case of future hook-ups, a new storm water crossing at Highway 95 and a reconfiguration of the intersection of Grand Avenue at Butternut Street. WSB engineer Jay Kennedy told the council the city would have to coordinate its plans with county and state agencies because the improvements would impact county and state roads. Estimated total cost of the project is about $1.9 million with the majority coming from state aid and sanitary trunk funds, Kennedy told the council. A feasibility study should be complete by Feb. 11. A meeting with neighbors in the construction area would be scheduled between then and a March public hearing on the project. Plans for the hall are expected to be accepted Feb. 11 and advertisements should be published for bids by Feb. 18. ©ECM Post Review |