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