On Thursday, July 27, the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) Commissioners voted 8-0 to approve an 8-year phase-in of treatment plant connection charge increases. The TPCC increases will be phased in starting Jan. 1, 2019, and running through 2026. In addition, the MMSD Board of Commissioners approved a conveyance facility connection charge increase effective Jan. 1, 2018.
The actual, one-time cost for a new residential lot (11,500 square foot average lot located in a median basin) would total $1,954 for conveyance and treatment plant connection charges, up from the current $852 (up a total of 129 percent). The breakdown includes an adjustment in conveyance facility connection charges from the current $606 to $744 (up 23 percent) and for treatment plant connection charges from the current $246 to $1,210 (up 392 percent).
The board heard from a number of speakers, including representatives from the Village of McFarland, the Madison Area Builders Association, Veridian Homes and SmartGrowth Greater Madison, among others. Many expressed an understanding for the need for the connection charge increases to accommodate the growth in needed capacity, however many also advocated for some sort of phase-in approach for the TPCC fee increases - either five years or 10 years - to allow time for those costs to be absorbed by the developers.
Ultimately, the commission failed to reach the supermajority vote (7 of the 9 commissioners) needed to pass either a 5-year (5-3 vote, one absent) or 10-year (6-2 vote, one absent) phase-in for the TPCC increases. The third motion met in the middle at 8-year phase-in and was approved unanimously.
At least one MMSD Commissioner noted that the charges listed above are just for the average lot and is not a set rate for all new development. The commission also agreed to review connection charges annually in the future for possible adjustments, to address additional new costs or inflationary adjustments.
See link below for more information.
http://www.madsewer.org/ConnectionCharges
In other business, the commission voted to approve the MMSD 2018 Capital Improvements Plan, with some minor modifications.
http://www.madsewer.org/Portals/0/Planning/CapitalImprovementsPlan/2018%20CIP%20FINAL.pdf
