By Kevin Boneske
Staff Writer
HOWARD – The village board has tabled action until its March 11 meeting related to possibly amending the existing requirement to connect to municipal sewer and water service and repealing the prohibition on private sewage disposal systems.
The matter came before the board Monday, Jan. 28, at the request of Trustee Craig McAllister, who has been critical of thousands of dollars in special assessments being charged to village residents who have existing wells and septic systems, but must connect to sewer and water when those municipal services are extended past their houses.
To be able to serve the proposed development at Howard’s Crossing, a water main extension is being planned west on Shawano Avenue, approximately 2,400 feet.
It will begin at the intersection with Gaibrelles Gate, with several properties along that section facing special assessments and being required to connect to municipal water.
Chris Haltom, director of administrative services, noted the board heard from several of those property owners along Shawano Avenue at the Jan. 28 meeting.
The village code related to a mandatory water connection states, “A building located adjacent to a street in which there is a public water supply shall be connected to the public water supply unless otherwise approved by the village board.”
A staff report provided to the board by Geoff Farr, director of public works, pointed out the village ordinances require connecting to individual utilities within 30 days of written notice.
Farr also noted the current practice is to send someone a connection notice after both sewer and water mains have been installed in a street fronting a home or business to avoid having to dig out a yard twice if utilities are installed years apart.
He indicated the affected property owners are given ample time to connect, typically six to 12 months, depending on the individual circumstances.
The board last year dealt with the issue of special assessments related to connecting to municipal sewer and water service.
Board members amended the village code so that property owners would be eligible to receive credits for septic systems and potable wells if they have been installed within the last five years of when those property owners would be assessed for municipal sewer and water service.
Those changes make those properties eligible for credits based on a five-year depreciation schedule, in which the amount of the credit would be reduced by 20 percent each year.
Prior to the matter going back before the board in March, Haltom said information related to village residents with existing wells and septic systems will be compiled, such as with a list of lots zoned R-5 Rural Estate Residential.