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Water, sewer lines must span property for new Wellsville homes
By Liz Maudsley
"It's a great idea except for the expense," said Councilman Lynn Cooper, who nevertheless voted yes. "We're getting to where it is costing people a lot of money to build a house in this town." Councilman Bradley P. White agreed with Cooper, but he voted no. When a plat of land is purchased for a new home, the owner is charged to have city services such as water, sewer, and roads. Effective immediately, new homeowners will be required to pay extra to have their water and sewer lines run the full frontage of their property. "If a person wants to buy a house, why should the city have to pay for it?" Mayor Ruth Maughan said. City Manager Don Hartle said the reason for running the lines the entire length of the property is so people don't just dead-end the lines. "Eventually you have to hook all of that up," Hartle said. Cooper initially suggested that it be left up to the homeowners to make the decision of whether their sewer lines ran the full length. "If we made it run the full frontage of the property, where is it going to go?" Cooper said. "You will have to run an extra 100 to 150 feet of pipe for no reason at all." Public Works Director Perry Maughan said leaving the decision up to the homeowner might not be in the best interest of the city. "If we let them decide, they are going to take the cheapest route," Maughan said. "Nine out of 10 people are going to stop in the middle of a lot. I have worked here 20 years and haven't seen anybody take it further than they have to. In the long run, I think everybody is going to be happier." Councilwoman Marcene Parker agreed. "I think that it would be more cost effective down the road," she said. The new code however, will not affect those who have already submitted an application for sewer and water lines. The council also approved a new street lamp to go on the corner of
900 South and 200 West streets, and appointed four new commissioners
to the Shadetree and Beautification Committee. |
Archived Months:
September
1998 |
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