Agenda - 08-15-2000-9d - Laserfiche WebLink

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54 Affordable Housins one of the major disadvantages cited far using a STEP system approach for the Richmond Hills project (as opposed to a gravity collection system) is the impact of additional construction and operating/maintenance costs. on affordable housing programs and low/moderate income households. The cast figures cited above do indicate that the monthly incremental operating cost (cost of operating just the collection system and not including sewer use rates) for STEP systems exceed those of gravity collection/central pumping station by something in the range of SO to 100 per cent. There is also some concern that, insofar as system construction costs are concerned, much of the casts of STEP systems aze not eligible for grant funding while most of the costs of gravity collector/central pump station construction are eligible for grant funding. These issues are not typical utility concerns. However, to the extent that the impact of these or any utility costs aze of concern to Orange County, the County can act within the parameters of its affordable housing role to take steps to reduce or eliminate those costs deemed excessive for low and moderate income households. For example, if the County (acting in its capacity as the utility owner) decrees that a STEP system is to be used at Richmond Hills, the County (acting in its affordable housing role) can create, fund and manage grants and escrow, accounts to cover all or any portion of the costs of constructing or operating STEP systems. If the County (acting in its capacity as the utility owner) decrees that a gravity collector/central pumping station is to be used and requires that a perpetual maintenance fund be established, the County (acting in its affordable housing role) can likewise subsidize the perpetual maintenance fund Efland Sewer Svstem/Develoament L~a~aea The existing 1955 master plan for the Efland sewer system (which was not approved or adopted by the BOCC at the time it was created and has not been approved since) proposes a six phase wastewater 'collection system. These phases would ultimately provide sewer service to those areas of the Efland and Cheeks communities bordered generally by the Eno River on the east, Interstate $5/40 an the south, Buckhorn Road/Peny Hills on the west and McGowan Creek on the north. The BOCC, in conjunction with County administration and staff, has also considered the inclusion of the Buckhorn Road EDD (and an area between I-85 and West Ten Road) into the Efland sewer service area. The County's land use plan mapping shows that the vast majority of all phases of the master plan area lies within 1(~ and 20-year transition areas or the economic development district. The phased sewer service areas and the economic development district also contain resource protection' areas along McGowan Creek and tributaries to Seven Mile Creek. A small portion of the southeast corner of the master plan phased area lies within the designated critical azea Seven Mile Creek. With the exception of the resource and watershed protection areas, all of the land use classifications within the Efland sewer master plan area are deemed suitable far the provision of urban services such as sewer service.