AG 1992 12 21 - Laserfiche WebLink

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UTIL1TY RECOMMENDATIONS The utilities recommendations affect the future land use in the Western Area as 'much as any other recommendations. Despite the fact that this part of the County has the most widespread utility services of any area outside of the municipalities, much of the area remains unserved. This has a great affect on the future land use as seen in the subarea recommendations text. Many of the development scenarios that are discussed reference the need for improved water and sewer service for land use change to occur. Most important to the improved provision of water and sewer service is a determination of prior~ties and policies. Cooperative studies between planners and providers must begin to determine where current and future needs ex, st. This work should include not only location, but also proper sizing to ensure that extension projects will meet future needs. It should address possible private construction of facilities and reimbursement or cost-sharing of construction expense. The funding of utility improvements has been a stumbling block in the past. Old and new methods of funding should be reviewed to determine how extensions and improvements to the system may be pa~d for. Some of the possibilities include different types of bonds, impact fees, development exactions, and public/private cost sharing. It is important than any funding method that is employed be reviewed for fairness to all citizens. One of the major parts of the Western Area that has been discussed for needed facility improvement is the Rocky River basin. It is an area of great residential and non-residential potential, as well as, an area with a number of current and planned users. Some of the area is now served by lines that are tied to a sewer pump station at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Because sewage is pumped from this point back to existing gravity lines, there are capacity limitations to the service. Extension of gravity lines to the pump station should therefore be among the first priorities. The Rocky River basin also serves portions of Mecklenburg County and it would be beneficial to Mecklenburg and Cabarrus to consider shared cost of lines in this area. The effect on the Rocky River Regional Treatment Plant should also be considered when reviewing all system increases. The treatment plant is currently upgrading to meet stringent environmental standards. Any additional sewer lines and customers will increase demands on the plant and therefore each proposed extension should be considered in terms of its effect on the plant and allotted capacity. There are few private treatment plants in operation in the Western Area. Because service is limited in much of the area, and expansion plans are not set, their use may increase. Other parts of the County have experienced problems with these plants, so it is important that local policy on the use of private plants be proposed and adopted. The final recommendation relating to utilities concerns location and aesthetics. It is proposed that new utilities, including telephone and electric, be located underground. While there are aesthetic, engineering, and safety benefits, with the location underground, there can also be functional problems with it. Policy on overall utility location should be determined and enacted with the help of all utility providers to ensure that safety, engineering and location issues are addressed. WESTERN AREA PLAN DRAFT 4 PAGE20