AGENDA DATE: 8/5/2020
TITLE:
Title
River’s Edge Residences, Private Central Sewer System
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Resolution approving a private central sewer system in the River’s Edge Residences development
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Herrick, McCulley, Pohl
PRESENTER (S): Frank Pohl
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Choose an item.
BACKGROUND: River’s Edge Residences is a proposed 100-unit residential development located at 2280 Rivers Edge Road, accessed via Seminole Trail just north of Lewis and Clark Drive (Tax Parcels 32-5A1 and 32-5A0). It is in the Places 29 development and the jurisdictional areas of the Comprehensive Plan. A separate rezoning request is currently before the Board as ZMA 2018-18.
As required by County Code § 16-102, the property owner has notified the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of the intent to construct a private central sewer system to serve its proposed development. Under County Code §§ 16-104 and 16-105, the Board is to consider this proposal and either approve or deny this request. Final approvals depend on demonstration of an adequate sewerage system for the development.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Development Areas: Promote density within the Development Areas to help create new compact urban places.
DISCUSSION: This request is for a private sanitary sewer pump station and force main, which is needed to connect to the public sewer located within the Route 29 right-of-way. This request is for a central sewerage system under County Code § 16-102. Though the property is in the County’s Jurisdictional Area for public water and sewer, the Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) has determined that there is no cost effective means of providing public sewer service to this single parcel and does not envision that a public pump station in this location could ever serve a large enough area to justify the ongoing maintenance cost. Therefore, public sewer service is not available to the property. Alternatives considered for providing sewer service for the proposed development include:
1) providing 50 private individual duplex pumps and lateral connections to the off-site public sewer -- It appears this could be done “by-right” but is considered to have a higher failure potential by both staff and the applicant’s consultant;
2) providing a private onsite sewage treatment system -- This is considered to be an inferior alternative because of adjacent environmental features and its higher probability of failure; or
3) installing a common pump station, collecting all the sewage from the 100 dwelling units, and conveying the sewage off-site in a single private off-site sewer force main that would connect to the public sewer line as proposed by the property owner -- This is considered to have the lowest likelihood of failure.
The sewer plans have received a courtesy review by ACSA for the connection to their system. Comments and recommendations by the County Engineer have been addressed by the applicant.
Staff recommends that, if approved, the system be subject to the following conditions:
-The central sewerage system must be established and operated in accord with the Preliminary Central Sewage System Plan prepared by Shimp Engineering, P.C., last revised on July 24, 2020, and with DEQ’s Reliability Classification Worksheet for Sewerage Pump Stations completed by Shimp Engineering, P.C.;
-Before any building permits may be issued for dwelling units to be served by this sewerage facility, the facility must be either (a) fully completed and authorized for use or (b) bonded with the County;
-The Owner(s) of Tax Parcel 03200-00-00-005A1 and 03200-00-00-005A0 assume full responsibility for the proper operation and maintenance of the sewerage system; and
-If requested by the County Engineer, the Owner must demonstrate annually to the County Engineer full compliance with all State operation and maintenance requirements.
BUDGET IMPACT: Verification of ongoing maintenance is expected to require minimal staff time.
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment E) approving the installation of a common pump station, subject to the conditions therein.
ATTACHMENTS:
A - Central Sewerage Request letter
B - Preliminary Layout of the system
C - Preliminary Pump Station Design letter
D - Completed DEQ Reliability Classification Worksheet
E - Resolution