AGENDA #4h
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Request for Expedited Processing of a Special Use Permit Modification Applications for the OWASA Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant Reclaimed Water System
DATE: May 8, 2006
PURPOSE
On May 2, 2006, we received a request from Mr. Ed Kerwin, Executive Director of the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, requesting expedited processing of a request for Concept Plan Review and for a Special Use Permit Modification application for the Mason Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant Reclaimed Water System.
Given the time sensitive nature of the project, we recommend that the Council review the Concept Plan proposal at the June 19 Public Hearing. Adoption of the attached resolution would grant expedited processing beginning with Concept Plan review at the June 19 meeting and encourage action on a formal application to allow construction to begin by March 31, 2007.
BACKGROUND
On March 1, 2004, the Council approved a Special Use Permit Modification for an expansion of the wastewater treatment facility. Work on the expansion is underway.
EXPEDITED PROCESSING
Expedited processing grants priority status for review at every step of the process, and grants priority status in being scheduled on agendas of advisory boards and the Town Council. A Special Use Permit Modification application would normally take nine months to a year to be reviewed by all the required boards and commissions and to be heard at a Public Hearing.
Following approval, an application normally takes four to five months to obtain approval of detailed construction drawings and final plans, prior to obtaining a Building Permit. The review process is often long because of the breadth and depth of review and analysis, and because many projects are usually being reviewed at any given time.
However, because of the other applications previously granted such status, there will likely not be much shortening of the review time for this project if expedited processing is granted.
DISCUSSION
Request: The petition requests expedited processing status for the reclaimed water system project to allow construction to begin during the first quarter of 2007. The application proposes construction of pumping and storage facilities for reclaimed water. The system will enable highly treated wastewater from the wastewater treatment facility to be used for non-drinking water purposes, serving the chiller facilities on the main campus of the University. The treatment facility site is located on Mason Farm Road.
The attached letter indicates that OWASA expects to have design plans completed in the fall of 2006 and is requesting expedited review of both the Concept Plan submittal as well as the formal application.
Expedited Processing: We followed the Council-endorsed criteria listed below when making recommendations to Council on requests for expedited processing:
Several development applications are currently working toward being placed on the Council’s Public Hearing schedule. The impact of granting expedited processing for the Reclaimed Water System is that one less space would be available on the Council’s schedule for which other non-expedited applications are competing.
We believe that the proposal meets the objective for public purpose in the three criteria above for granting expedited processing status. The applicant has identified public objectives regarding the use of State and federal grant funding and conservation of high quality drinking water supply. Projects that have been granted expedited processing are identified in Attachment 1.
The Concept Plan submittal has been submitted to the Town. A formal Special Use Permit application cannot be submitted until Concept Plan Review has occurred. We recommend expedited processing of the Concept Plan submittal and the Special Use Permit Modification application with Concept Plan review to occur on June 19.
RECOMMENDATION
Manager’s Recommendation: We recommend that the Council adopt the attached resolution. Adoption of the resolution would grant expedited processing for the Reclaimed Water System request and allow a June 19 Concept Plan review and encourage action on a formal application to allow construction to begin by March 31, 2007.
ATTACHMENTS