The Amy H Remley Foundation  
   
     
 

Position Paper

20 August 2012

Crystal River Sewer Expansion Project into Service Areas 112, 113 and 114

Summary

County property owners requested help in June 2011, to clarify why expansion of the City's sewer system into County unincorporated areas should cause them acute financial distress. Appendix C lists documentation examined in the course of the research.

On 13 December, 2011, the Citrus County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) supported the Citrus County Administrator's suggestion that County staff enter into dialog with Mr Hopkins to resolve differences in regard to the proposed costs to be levied upon the property owners.

Results of the research conducted on behalf of the property owners were outlined to staff in writing. Meetings were held with staff. But the detail of the written submissions made were not addressed by staff. This document records the findings of the research for the information of the property owners, the Commissioners and their staff.

  1. The financial burden upon the County's property owners was found to be of five parts.

    1. The transfer of the Project's matching fund element from the City to the County's property owners.

    2. The Assessment to enable collection of loan elements for the City to repay them to the FDEP.

    3. The usage rates payable by the property owners to the City after connecting to its sewer system.

    4. The costs and fees payable by the property owners to connect to the sewer system in the public right of way.

    5. The costs and fees payable by the property owner to destroy their septic system once they have been connected to the City's operating sewer system.

  2. The two reasons advanced by the local governmental authorities to justify the need for connecting to a centralized sewage treatment system to replace the duly authorized on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS, or septic tanks) installed at the expense of the property owners were:

    1. Restore water quality of the waters of Crystal River / Kings Bay.

    2. Promote public health, safety and welfare of citizens, (in the public interest).

Supporting contextual information is summarized in Appendix A., and Consideration of the County's chosen enforcement method on behalf of the City is given in Appendix B.

  1. Generally, the County's property owners recognize that in order to restore and protect water quality of the valued Outstanding Florida Water of Crystal River/Kings Bay installation over time of sewer service throughout the entire springshed area would be required. Their contention is that although starting somewhere may have a certain merit, when seen to be contrived and unconvincing it fails to inspire confidence as a solution to the perceived problem. Especially when costs are felt to fall solely upon County property owners and no special benefit is felt to accrue to their property from any assessment served upon them. That is bad policy.

click here to view the Position Paper document.

click here to view the Risk Assessment Document.

click here to view the Association,
and click here to view the Association Mission Statement.

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