Agenda 05-02-2019 - 6-b - Interlocal Agrmt with Chapel Hill and Carrboro Related to Historic Rogers Rd Area Private Sewer Service Lateral Connection Installations for Qualified LMI Homeowners

Browse Search

2 Private sewer service lateral connection installation work will be triggered, and subsequently scheduled, based on formal requests to Orange County by Heritage Lot homeowners to connect to the gravity sewer system. Therefore, the total length of sewer service lateral pipe to be installed and the total number of septic tanks to be abandoned as part of the solicitation award is unknown at this time. The total cost of each private sewer service lateral connection installation will be site-specific, based on the configuration and constraints of the property and the dwelling to be served. Orange County staff estimates that up to 27 LMI-qualified Heritage Lot homeowners will request connection to the gravity sewer system over the three (3) year period in which public funding will be available. Attorneys for Orange County and the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro have previously advised their elected officials, managers, and staffs that the respective legal departments do not believe the local governments have the necessary authority to pay for private sewer service lateral connection installations that are not owned by "persons of low and moderate income". Therefore, non-LMI Heritage Lot homeowners will not be able to utilize the joint funding that will be made available by the proposed Interlocal Agreement (Attachment 2). Non-LMI Heritage Lot homeowners (owner-occupied) wishing to connect to the gravity sewer system in the Rogers Road area will be able to access a no-interest 10-year loan from Orange County, on a voluntary basis, to help cover the associated costs. The proposed Interlocal Agreement (Attachment 2) is the product of a joint collaborate review effort by the Rogers Road Staff Working Group. The Group meets on a bi-weekly basis and consists of designated representatives from Orange County, the Towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, and OWASA. The proposed Interlocal Agreement has also been reviewed and approved by the respective Attorneys of the three local governments. The Chapel Hill Town Council is scheduled to consider the proposed Interlocal Agreement on May 1, and the Town of Carrboro Board of Aldermen is scheduled to consider the proposed Interlocal Agreement on May 7. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: The following Orange County Social Justice Goal is applicable to this item: • GOAL: ESTABLISH SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE LAND-USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of people of all races, cultures, incomes and educational levels with respect to the development and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, policies, and decisions. Fair treatment means that no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is adequate existing Planning & Inspections staff and Housing & Community Development staff to complete the responsibilities enumerated in the proposed Interlocal Agreement (Attachment 2). The installation of private sewer service lateral connections will occur over the next three years (2019, 2020, 2021), commencing upon the adoption of the proposed Interlocal Agreement and upon the solicitation of pre-qualified licensed plumbers to complete the private sewer service lateral connection installation work. Orange County had budgeted $220,000 in the current (FY18/19) Capital Investment Plan (CIP) to fund this program, with the expectation of reimbursement by the Towns, as detailed in the proposed Interlocal Agreement. Staff will do a CIP amendment to add an additional $23,000 transferred from the construction account for a total of $243,000, which matches the related