Agenda - 03-18-1997 - 9c - Laserfiche WebLink

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} 2 County staff advised Mr. McBroom that force main taps are not generally permitted ` under County sewer policies. Mr. McBroom was also been advised that exception to County policy must be made by official action of the BOCC. At the February 18'` meeting of the BOCC, Mr. McBroom formally requested that the BOCC allow him to obtain sewer service by tapping the Hancor force main. The BOCC responded by directing County staff to evaluate the request based on the County's sewer policies, the circumstances at Boone mobile home park and the technical merit of the request. There are a number of troubling and complex problems from both a technical and a County sewer policy point of view with the tapping of the Hancor force main and the provision of sewer service to Boone mobile home park. Most of the technical and policy problems with the sewer tap are similar to those cited in the County Engineer's 27 August 1996 report to the BOCC regarding the Ben Lloyd sewer tap request. These technical and policy issues as well as those that are specific to the Hancor tap are outlined in the County Engineers 13 March 1997 report. The Hancor-specific issues include: a) a tacit understanding with Hancor that it would be the only customer attached to the force main;b)Hancor's objection to the proposed tap; c)the impact of Hancor's upcoming expansion plans on system capacity; and d) current operational problems with the Hancor force main/pumping system. Information from Hancor's sewer bills for the last twelve to eighteen months have indicated that Hancor's rate of sewer usage is so high that the existing Hancor force has no capacity to carry additional flow. The County Engineer's preliminary evaluation of the operational problems cited in(d) above shows that Hancor's sewer use metering process is producing erroneous readings. The initial conclusion that may be drawn is that Hancor's recent sewer use is much less(perhaps less than half)than that indicated by Hancor's sewer use billing records. The Boone mobile home park itself has some zoning problems. The County Attorney has rendered an opinion that zoning regulations applicable to non-conforming mobile home parks (allowable density)prohibit the reoccupation of mobile home spaces vacant for 180 days in a two year period. Apparently all ten vacant mobile home spaces at Boone mobile home park fall into this category. There are a number of unresolved questions about the cost and payback period for any financial investment in the Boone mobile home park waste treatment system. Mr. McBroom has indicated that the cost of the capital facilities fees for the park, if charged at a projected rate of$1800 per unit for sewer alone, could essentially doom the project by excessively lengthening the payback period for the required capital investment. It is possible that maintaining Boone mobile home park for only ten units would exacerbate problems with the length of the payback period. RECOMMENDATION: The County Manager recommends that the Board: a) reconfirm and reiterate its policy of discouraging and denying sewer taps on force mains; b) deny permission for Boone mobile home park to receive sewer service by tapping onto the Hancor force main.