COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

DATE:

October 28, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

November 18, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

James C. Porter, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Amendments to Two Different Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District Agreements with the Town of Woodside and the City of Redwood City, in Order to Allow Future Connections of Nine Identified Parcels within the Town of Woodside to the Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District

RECOMMENDATION:

Acting as the governing board of the Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District, adopt a resolution authorizing the President of the Board to execute

1.

an amendment to an agreement for transmission of sanitary sewage by and between the Fair Oaks Sewer Maintenance District (District) and the Town of Woodside (Town); and

2.

an amendment to an agreement for sanitary sewerage treatment capacity rights and services by and between the District, the Town, and the City of Redwood City;

in order to allow nine specific parcels within the Town to be provided future sewer service by gravity into the District’s facilities subject to certain determinations that must be made by the Town Engineer and the Town Council.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety for all residents and visitors.

Your Board authorizing the execution of the amendments can result in the District providing sewage transport service to parcels in a suburban area that have or may have in the future a failing “on-site” wastewater system, which can impact neighboring properties.

BACKGROUND:

Previous Board Action

1.

Authorized the two agreements referenced above on August 7, 2001.

2.

Authorized four similar amendments to the two agreements to allow sewer connections of other properties with failing septic systems to the Town Center Sewer Assessment District (TCSAD).

DISCUSSION:

The nine parcels identified in Exhibit C to both amendments (APN’s 073-132-160, 073-132-200, 073-132-210, 073-132-240, 073-132-250, 073-133-210, 073-133-270, 073-133-280 and 073-133-340) are outside the TCSAD and the Redwood Creek Sewer Assessment District; however, the properties can be provided sewer service by gravity systems that connect to the District.

The Town has specifically identified the properties subject to the amendments and must make a separate determination for each parcel of the nine parcels that may receive sewer service through a sewer connection to the District facilities because of a failed on-site sewage disposal system where no reasonable alternative exists from a health and safety standpoint.

The agreements need to be amended if sewer service is to be provided to these properties. The proposed amendments include properties that the Town has identified that either have or may have failed on-site sewage disposal systems, are not within the TCSAD or the Redwood Creek Sewer Assessment District, and can be served by gravity to the District facilities. The amendments provide for specific actions to be taken by the Town to approve sewer connections for each of the identified parcels, subsequent to execution of the amendments. Upon approval of sewer connections, the properties will not be annexed to the TCSAD, but will be charged sewer service charges by the Town. Staff believes the proposed amendments are justified as the Town has identified the eligible parcels based on the Town’s criteria and approving the amendments at this time will reduce the amount of time spent on processing individual amendments in the future.

A resolution and amendments to the agreements have been reviewed and approved as to form by County Counsel and the Town and City of Redwood City have executed the appropriate amendments.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Execution of the amendments will allow the District to implement the terms of the original agreements, including receipt of a connection fee and annual sewer service charges once sewer connections are approved by the Town and constructed by the property owner. Currently the connection and sewer service charge fee for each of the nine connections would be $1,274 and $133, respectively. The sewer service charge will be collected separately through the biannual payments from the Town of Woodside to the District.

There is no impact to the General Fund.