03-15-2022 Water and Sewer Extension Policy PresentationF R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
PITTSYLVANIA
COUNTY
March 15, 2022
UTILITY EXTENSION POLICY
UPDATE #5
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Board of Supervisor Presentations
•January 19, 2021
•April 21, 2021
•July 20, 2021
•November 16, 2022
•March 15, 2022
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
New Development: Water/Sewer Extension
•Required to connect if within certain distance of existing system
•Applies to developments 15 ERCs and greater.
•2 phase application required
•Ph. 1: County to verify system capacity
•Ph. 2: Review of detailed plans/specifications
•Utilities must be designed to County Standards
•County issues approval
•Developer pays extension/connection costs
•County will pay difference for upsizing, if required
(10” waterline vs 6” waterline)
•County reserves the right to participate on a
case-by-case basis
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
New Development
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Existing Development
•At least 51% or property owners must sign
petition, no skipped lots
•Annual Application Window: Sept. 1 –Dec. 31
•Lots with failing/contaminated wells must
connect
•Economic Development projects and other
County initiated (grant funded, etc.) are
exempt from the policy.
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Existing Development
•Evaluation Criteria to Score/Prioritize
Applications
•Return on Investment
•% Failing/Contaminated Wells
•Available Hydraulic Capacity
•Future Service Area Potential
•Benefit to Existing System
•Board Approval for Projects to Proceed
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Existing Development
•County financial participation cannot exceed
50% of the project cost.
•County is not obligated to participate
financially.
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Existing Development
Project Fee
•Must be collected from Petitioners by established deadline
“Minimum” fixed project fee of $7,500 per parcel (established in fee
schedule)
•County may finance the petitioners’ project fees
Tap Fee
•No tap fee for owners who sign petition and connect during construction
•50% tap fee (+ Project Fee) for non-petitioners who connect during
construction
•Full tap fee (+ current Project Fee) for connections after construction
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Example Petition Calculations
•5,000 ft of 6” waterline extension
•$115 per ft construction cost
•$575,000 total project cost
•$287,500 maximum County participation
•70 parcels in project area/36 petitioners required
•36 project fees x $7,500 = $270,000
•$270,000 (petitioner fees) + $287,500 (max Co. $) = $557,500
•$575,000 (project cost) -$557,500 (petitioners & Co. $) = <$17,500>
•$17,500/$7,500 = 2.3 or 3 more petitioners required to proceed or the 36
petitioners share in the remaining $17,500
F R E E S E A N D N I C H O L S
Questions?