AGENDA DATE: 11/9/2016
TITLE:
Title
ACSA 201600004, Barracks Road Area Water and Sewer Service
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Proposal to change the Jurisdictional Area designation on Tax Map Parcels (TMP) 060A0-09-00-02600, 060A0-09-00-026A0, 060A0-09-00-02500, 060A0-09-00-02400, and 060A0-09-00-025A0.
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Walker. Graham, Gast-Bray, Benish
PRESENTER (S): David Benish
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: The property owner of TMPs 60A-09-026 and 26A (James Harris) has requested that sewer service be provided to his two properties, which are currently designated for Water Service Only. This request is not based on any existing health or safety issue and, therefore, not consistent with the County’s policy for extending public water or sewer service to properties within the designated Rural Areas. However, staff’s further evaluation of Mr. Harris’ properties and other nearby properties along Barracks Road has identified certain characteristics which merit the Board’s consideration of adding a total of five parcels to the Jurisdictional Area (JA) for sewer service, three of which should also be considered for water service (two are currently designated as “Water Only to Existing Structures,” and one has no service designation). These characteristics will be discussed further in the Discussion section of this report and in Attachment D.
Most of the current designations in this area appear to have been established in the early 1980s as part of a comprehensive update of the ACSA Jurisdictional Area maps. There has been only one other JA amendment in this area. In 2001, sewer service was granted to TMP 60A-09-00-28 in 2001, the parcel adjacent to Mr. Harris’ parcels. The Health Department had determined that there was not adequate location for a septic system on that parcel. Most of that parcel had been subject to substantial fill activity and the existing soils and topography of the site were inadequate to support septic systems. The Health Department inspector also noted that there was not sufficient area for additional septic systems on the adjacent parcels (including Mr. Harris’ properties) due to similar fill activity, topography, and existing development on those properties.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Goal 2 - Critical Infrastructure. Prioritize, plan and invest in critical infrastructure that responds to past and future changes and improves the capacity to serve community needs.
DISCUSSION: The Comprehensive Plan strategy regarding the provision of public water and sewer service within the County as it relates to properties located in the Rural Area states that “[t]he boundaries of the Development Areas are to be followed in delineating jurisdictional areas. Change to these boundaries outside of the Development Areas should only be allowed when: (1) the area to be included is adjacent to existing lines; and (2) public health and/or safety is in danger.”
This strategy reflects the fact that public water and sewer systems are a potential catalyst for growth and capacities need to be efficiently and effectively used and reserved to serve the Development Areas. Continued connections of properties in the Rural Areas should be the exception as the further extension of lines into the Rural Areas will strain limited water resources and capacity.
While there is currently no documented health or safety issues on any of these parcels, staff believes that there are certain characteristics and circumstances regarding these five (5) parcels that merit granting sewer service to the parcels to address potential long term health and safety issues. Attachment D provides an assessment of the parcel characteristics and the issues/constraints regarding long term use of septic systems, as well an assessment of the proposed Jurisdictional Area amendment as it relates to the policies of the Comprehensive Plan for the provision of public water and sewer.
As noted in Attachment D:
- The five parcels are approximately 2 acres or less (two are 0.64 than 0.50 acres) and have limited area for new or replacement septic systems due to some combination of the parcel size, poor soils (fill areas), level of existing development, and/or the presence of a stream/stream buffer.
- Because the parcels are all zoned Rural Areas (RA) and are developed in a manner consistent with the land use recommendations of the Comprehensive Plan, the provision of sewer service to these parcels will not encourage or permit development inconsistent with the Comprehensive Plan or a higher level of residential development that could otherwise occur through the use of private systems.
- Because existing water and sewer lines are already located in this area, this amendment would not result in new water or sewer lines being extended in the Rural Areas. Impacts to water and sewer system capacities will be limited and are probably inevitable at some point in the future, as health and safety issues arise on these parcels.
- All of the parcels except TMP 60A-09-00-25A already have either a “Water Only” or “Water Only to Existing Structures” designation. Staff recommends granting water and sewer service to TMP 60A-09-00-25A, and amending the water service designations of the other four parcels to “Water and Sewer”. The impact from the “Water Only to Existing Structures” to “Water and Sewer” will be minimal due to the existing zoning and parcel sizes.
In summary, staff recommends that sewer service be provided to the five parcels noted above, and that water service also be provided to TMP 60A-09-00-25A (as well as TMPs 60A-09-00-0025 and 60A-09-00-24, which are currently designated “Water Only to Existing Structures”) based on the assessment and findings noted above and in Attachment D.
BUDGET IMPACT: There is no cost to the County. The property owners would bear any costs for water and/or sewer connection.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board approve an amendment to the Albemarle County Service Authority Jurisdictional Area to designate Tax Map Parcel (TMP) 60A-09-00-26, TMP 60A-09-00-26A, TMP 60A-09-00-25, TMP 60A-09-00-24, and 60A-09-00-25A for Water and Sewer Service.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Existing Jurisdictional Area Designation, Stream Buffers and Topo Map
B - Comprehensive Plan Map
C - Zoning Map
D - Assessment of Proposal