CENTERBURG—Centerburg council members passed an ordinance Monday with different language than the initial version but still lifting an annexation requirement to tap into village sewer service.
A 1987 ordinance required property owners to annex into the village if they wanted to hook into village water and sewer. The village discontinued water service, so the ordinance only pertains to sanitary sewer.
Initially, the ordinance also struck language stating properties currently receiving services shall by unaffected by the new ordinance.
The final version states the village will continue to comply with its obligations under prior agreements and/or exercise any discretion permitted as it deems to be in the best interest of the village.
Solicitor Kyle Stroh said the changes still leave discretion with council on a case-by-case basis.
“It allows people to come forth and allows for some negotiation,” he said.
He noted council should also take a look at village tap fees.
Mayor Greg Sands said part of the reason council lifted the annexation requirement was to avoid being surrounded by development without requiring the property owner to come to council.
However, he said Knox Public Health changed its commitment to require property owners to connect to village sewer if council did so.
“They said this [lifting the annexation requirement] would give them the permission to refuse to issue permits, and it was the developer’s responsibility to extend lines to the village services point,” he said.
Sands said that KPH now says the village has to extend its lines to “within 200 feet of their doorstep.”
“It’s very clear we don’t have the funding to do that, so that probably squelches it. But it does still give us control,” he said.
According to Sands, KPH would like to see the village and township create a sewer district similar to the arrangement Mount Vernon has with Clinton Township.
Miscellaneous
•Waived the three readings and approved applying for and executing an agreement with the Ohio Water Pollution Control Loan Fund for grant money to buy four backup generators for the wastewater pump stations
•Learned about a Knox County Land Bank/Habitat for Humanity project to build 12 houses in South Vernon (on and around Columbus Road in Mount Vernon)
•COJFD Chief Mark McCann noted Delco will install hydrants on Updike Road to Routes 3/36
•Reviewed realignment of staff responsibilities relating to zoning and code enforcement
•Approved pay increase for the village administrator to $77,000 following an executive session