01-14-2002 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

t L. JAN 1 4 2002 REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Y or OHUIW DATE: January 11,2002 ITEM NO: Department Approval: Name Ron Moorse Title City Administrator Administrator Reviewed: Item Description: Assessment Project - Old Crystal Bay Road Sewer Service Repair Report Agenda Section: City Administrator’s The small house in the SW quadrant of Highway 12 and ^'Id Crystal Bay Road (595 Old Crystal Bay Road) was served with sewer when the sewer line serving the Orono Schools and the industrial district was installed in the mid 60's. The service line runs from the house, under Old Crystal Bay Road, and connects to the sewer main in the SE comer of the Old Crystal Bay Road and Highway 12 intersection. There is currently a break in the service line that is making the house basically unusable. The break is under Old Crystal Bay Road at the Highway 12 intersection. There is also fiber optic cable and cabling for the semaphore located in this area. The City's ordinance states that the property owner is responsible for repairs to the service line. Because the repair project will affect the Highway 12 intersection, and because of the complexity of the other utilities located in the same area, the City Attorney is recommending that the City take charge of the repair project and assess the costs to the property owner. The estimated cost of the repair project is $12,000. The property owner had initially questioned whether he should be responsible for the repairs. He also suspected that the break in the line could have been caused by other utility work. In reviewing the depth of the sewer service line vs. the depth of the other utility work, it appears extremely unlikely that the break was caused by the utility work. In a recent discussion with the property owner's attorney, the property owner has agreed to be assessed for the cost of the repair project, and has agreed that because the probability that the break was caused by the other utility work is so small, and the cost of excavating the line is so large, the repair project does not have to include the excavation of the line. The attorney has indicated that the property owner wants the amount of the assessment to be capped at $12,000. Staff has indicated the $12,000 cost is not a firm number, and that the final cost (and final assessment amount) may be higher. The City may extend the period of the assessment if the cost is higher than the $12,000 estimate. The City will not know the final cost until the price quotes are received. In cases where the City Code requires the property owner to be responsible for repairs to utility service lines, the property owner is responsible for initiating the repair and for providing the funding for repair. However, in this case the situation is such that it warrants the City taking charge of the project and assessing the costs to the property owner. Because the project will affect the Highway 12 intersection, and because of the complexity of the underground utilities in the area of the repair, this is a project the City needs to directly manage. Because the repair is a City project, the City will