No Sewer Expansion For Canyon Cliffs
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 11/25/08 @ 2:11 pm - Filed Under Featured, Local Politics
I think everyone, including myself, is a little confused about what exactly is going on regarding the Canyon Cliffs development. Thankfully Ted Nitza and Commissioner Bill Brown have taken the time to explain some of the details.
First, the developers are no longer pushing to lift the sewer restrictive covenant to expand city sewers to Canyon Cliffs. This request is now off the table per the county’s recent settlement with the developer. Readers might remember that this expansion was also going to help provide septic relief to residents in Holmestead Acres development whose failing septic systems are currently polluting Cedar Creek.
Next, while the sewer expansion may be off the table, the momentum behind the discussion remains as the Allen County Sanitary District has commissioned a study to re-examine the options for providing relief to Holmestead Acres and other existing properties.
My personal feeling towards this is that the homeowners should be responsible for their own septic failures and the city shouldn’t expand services to bail them out. Many people move out of the city and into the county because they feel like there are fewer rules and restrictions that they perceive to be a detriment to their way of life. That’s certainly their prerogative but don’t come crying to the city to bail you out when your little subsistence, self-contained society begins to crumble.
Of course the environmental reality is that they are polluting the creek and the situation isn’t going to fix itself. If the city does decide to add these homes to the existing sewer line then the polluters had better pay the full cost of those services. I don’t want to pay a single penny to bail out individuals who are completely responsible for their own situation - especially those that don’t even live in the city…
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It’s not about helping the homeowners. It’s about enabling future
growthsprawl.Jeff,
Holmestead Acres had requested septic relief twice since 2001. I have been told (but have not confirmed) that Mike Thomas (Oakmont Development)was one of the members (president?)of the regional sewer district during the time that Holmestead Acres petitioned for septic relief and was denied. Up and till the application for the original Canyon Cliffs plan, Holmestead Acres wasn’t even on the list of neighborhoods to be considered for help.
Then comes Canyon Cliffs.
Now suddenly, Holmesteads septics are polluting the Cedar Creek and with financial assistance (bribe)from Oakmont Development those problems can be addressed if only they allow the connection of the Canyon Cliffs development to attach their 28 lots via a directional bore under the Cedar Creek.
Some of the homes in the Holmestead neighborhood were constructed with septic systems that share a common effluent tile. The term “failing” is relevant in terms of todays standards for septic system installations. I would agree that this area is in need of septic relief but at this point in time, connecting this neighborhood to the Fort Wayne sewage system with its existing Combined Sewage Overflow problems that dumps raw sewage into our three rivers 60 times per year, would be much worse than the occasional tree root removal problem they have at Holmestead.
Keep in mind that some of the residents in Holmestead Acres own double or triple lots that they can’t sell because of the 2-acre minimum needed for private septic. With public sewer, those lots could be sold off…can’t blame those folks for wanting the sewer. Plus, the availability of public sewer DRAMATICALLY increases the value of your property. This is something that ALL developers are aware of. Many potential homebuyers won’t even consider a building site unless public sanitary sewer is available.
The bottom line is, we need to fix our problems with the Fort Wayne sewage system FIRST! Then we need to take care of ALL of our existing neighborhoods with outdated septic systems. Then, AND ONLY THEN should we consider ANY new housing developments.
Jeff,
Does this mean that the Canyon Cliffs lots will all have septic systems and be larger than the 2 acre minimum ? Having city utilities is a very big plus for land value.
What guarantee do we have that Oakmont Development isn’t trying to slide this one under us ? I have to admit, I don’t trust many of our government officials which represent real estate development as their *hobby*.
I think we all need to realize that we have over-built. The baby boom generation has saturated development. We have more supply than demand of housing and commercial real estate. Unfortunately, this means many developers are going to fail but that is how supply and demand works. I oppose re-arrangement as a way to keep developers in business. It only sticks the taxpayer in the end. It seems everyone is looking for a handout these days - even people that claim to be capitalists.