Sewer LID proposed for Rosedale Heights

Local officials may explore the idea of forming a local improvement district (LID) to extend sewer mains in parts of Rosedale.

Developer Todd Nicholson suggested the idea to the county board of commissioners on Tuesday, and they said they'd discuss it with area residents and officials from the Town of Cathlamet.

Nicholson was initially enthusiastic about the cost, but upon learning that the connection fee would be much higher than he believed, he concluded the cost might not be attractive to homeowners.

Still, he said, there are many problems with septic sewer systems in that area, and the county and town would do well to plan ahead for improvements rather than ignore the problems and be forced into an emergency project by state officials.

The suggested area includes the upper end of Clover Street and Cochran Drive and connecting streets.

Nicholson suggested a 6,750 sewer main could be built to serve the area at a cost of $95,000. With 104 or more lots in that area, the cost would be about $915 per lot.

Property owners would pay for a PVC E-one grinder pump and line identical to the systems Nicholson installed at his Marina Estates development on the west side of Cathlamet.

The benefit to land owners would be an efficient, sanitary sewer system. Many property owners now have to have two lots in the area, one for the house and one for the septic system, and many septic systems are old and built on poor ground.

The cost of connection should be cheaper than the cost of building a new septic system, Nicholson said, and no one would have to connect while they had an adequate septic system.

The new mains would connect with a main the town installed in 2007 along SR 4 and to the lower end of Boege Road. Nicholson initially thought the cost per connection would be under $10,000, but upon learning that residential connection fees to town's new main are set at $8,000, he thought the cost would now be around $13,000 and thus not attractive to landowners.

Nicholson added that he has a small interest in the project--he has one lot that could benefit from a sewer connection, but that's his only connection to the proposals. "This would help me and a community that I really like," he added.

Either elected officials or neighborhood landowners can start the LID process, said Prosecuting Attorney Dan Bigelow.

A number of landowners whose property equals at least half the total value of the area proposed for an LID can petition to form an LID.

Or, elected officials can vote to put the LID proposition on an election ballot, but a petition signed by 60 percent of the landowners can reject that proposition, he said.

The idea behind an LID is that it's cheaper to install utilities such as sewer or water mains all at once rather than on a piecemeal basis. With an LID, all users end up paying a share as the utility comes in.

No one has to pay more than the value their property value would increase under the LID, he said.

County commissioners showed interest in the idea but wanted to check with town officials and area residents before proceeding.

"These are dire times," said Commissioner Blair Brady. "I'd hate for the board to part with any money we might need for ourselves."

"I would like to go and see where the people are on this," said Chair Dan Cothren. "The people up there: They know what they have, and I know what they have. I want to know what would be a good deal for these people."

Cothren said he would talk with town officials to see what their opinions are.