New City Sewer Service Moratorium Declared

Fairhope, Alabama 

 

Main area of concern.

GROWTH STILL OUTPACING CAPACITY

Despite various ongoing system upgrades all over the city, the city council voted to suspend issuing new sewer service availability certificates for all new development outside city limits, to give time to complete a new engineering study to determine what capacity upgrades will be needed -- and how they will be financed; annexation into the city will be a prerequisite for any new city sewer service until further notice.

Mayor Sullivan said the CR 32/Hwy 181 area is the main focus for the study by Kimley-Horn and Associates engineering to "see what needs to be done in that area" to keep up with growth; the exact time frame for the suspension will depend on the outcome of the study and its recommendations (six months to a year was mentioned). 

Wastewater superintendent Morefield added "our infrastructure in the area can't handle these major subdivisions ... without significant upgrades ... a lot of open land there could be sold ... infrastructure in the area not in greatest shape ... need study to tell what work needs to be done ... to accommodate future development."

SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE SOONER?

Councilman Boone thought the study should project ten years out, not just immediate needs and address "how far out we want to go" with the city's system.

Councilman Martin agreed: "We can't continue to develop if we don't have the infrastructure. It is common sense. We should have done it sooner."

(Development in all areas outside of city limits is now administered by the Baldwin County Planning Department.)

 

Sewer moratorium resolution

 

Comments

Anonymous said…
Major subdivision developers should be required to provide a portion of their own infrastructure, especially water and sewer. As it is, they build and sell 200/300 units and leave and the city is left holding the bag.
Anonymous said…
anyone who wants city service s should have to be in the city
Anonymous said…
Duh…better late than never I guess
Anonymous said…
I see two options, either another waste treatment plant is required east of the city to handle the huge growth. A Good location is around 181 and 104. Another option that takes the monkey off the city's shoulder is to require large subdivisions to install their own treatment plants.
Anonymous said…
A moratorium on new subdivisions needs to be issued for all of Baldwin County until a comprehensive traffic plan is implemented. There does not appear to be any significant 4 lane road projects planned at this time to deal with the traffic created by new development.
Anonymous said…
Feel the need to clarify some things. 1) developers are required to pay for upgrades and extensions, in addition to impact fees. 2) transportation upgrades (turn lanes, widening) are also paid for by the developers based on Traffic Study findings. Other regional improvements have always come AFTER there is a dire need as this justifies funding. 3) The City has, up until recently, mandated that developments in certain areas outside the City connect to City utilities.