Boundary & Service Area Expansion rev 10-2011

Expanding the District boundaries and service area for the LSDC is often a two step process involving an Annexation Petition to expand the District boundaries followed by a vote of the Commission to extend service.  The filing of a Annexation petition or acceptance of a new area into the District does not guarantee service.  The service expansion must additionally meet the LSDC’s design requirements and must be granted a sewer extension permit by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP).

The Annexation Petition - District Boundary Change
An annexation is a procedure whereby property not within the sewer district is brought within the sewer district boundary.  The petition must list the names, addresses, and contact information for each property owner signing the petition.  Only one signature for each property will be accepted and validated.  For properties in trust, the designated trustee must sign the petition.  For properties in joint ownership, all parties named on the property deed must sign the petition.  The petition must contain a precise legal description of the property to be annexed and a map prepared in a draftsman-like manner.  Before distribution, the petition must be approved as to form by the Commission. 

The annexation process follows the following steps:

1. 1.The petition is circulated to property owners and signed by property owners representing a majority (60%) of the property area subject to the petition.
   

2. 2.The District, upon certifying the signatures of the property owners owning 60% of the land within the area have signed the petition, shall then set a date for a Special Meeting of the Voters of the District to vote on an Article to accept the proposed boundary change.
   

3. 3.Upon the successful passage of the boundary change article the Commission, at their next regularly scheduled meeting, will then vote to ratify the boundary change and modify the description of the district boundaries.
   

The typical timeline for the completion of a boundary change is approximately 14 months.

District  Service Area Change Initiated By The Commission
The District Commissioners, after study and gauging interest by property owners or by a petition of property owners, may extend service to areas that exhibit a high need, such as neighborhoods that are built out and have difficulty maintaining private septic systems.  These expansion projects are only undertaken after an authorization of funding is approved by the the Voters of the District.  In these cases, the funding for the engineering, construction, permitting, and project management are all funded by the District via a special bond that is repaid by a betterment assessment.

The Commission initiated sewer service extension process typically follows the following general steps:

1. 1.The Commission develops a conceptual plan with input from the property owners in the new service area.  Detailed cost estimates for engineering design, construction, and project management are developed. 
   

2. 2.The Commission holds a Special Meeting of the Voters of the District to vote on an Article to fund the proposed sewer extension.
   

3. 3.The Commission engages an engineering design consultant to prepares permits, construction plans, and specifications.
   

4. 4.The Commission signs a sewer extension permit application, and submits the application to MA DEP for approval.
   

5. 5.The MA DEP approves the sewer extension permit.
   

6. 6.The Commission engages the services of a Licensed Sewer Utility Contractor and constructs the new sewer extension.
   

The timeline for the completion of a service area change varies wildly depending on the size of the extension and the complexity of the design.  Most extensions take approximately 12 months for design and permitting and an addition 12 months for construction for a total of 24 months.  This time is in addition to any time required if  boundary change is additionally necessary.

District  Service Area Change Initiated By A Private Party
If the expansion project is being proposed by private parties the proponent must go through several extra steps.  Before engaging in serious design the proponent will meet with the commission to discuss conceptual plans.  The proponent must demonstrate to the Commission that the project meets current design criteria, that the proposed extension will not add significantly to the operational burden of the District, and that the proposed extension will not deplete capacity so as to prevent adequate capacity from being available to the existing system.  Once the proponent satisfies the Commission’s requirements and completes a design the design and permit must additionally be approved by the MA DEP.

The private party sewer service extension process typically follows the following general steps:

1. 1.The proponent presents a sewer extension conceptual plan to the Commission for review and comment
   

2. 2.The Commission gives the proponent preliminary approval of the conceptual plan and formalizes a plan with the proponent to reserve adequate system capacity by performing infiltration and inflow removal work. 
   

3. 3.Depending on the complexity of the proposed project the Commission may require the proponent to enter into a tolling agreement or force account to pay for engineering design reviews performed by the LSDC’s engineering consultant.
   

4. 4.The proponent engages in an engineering design process and prepares construction plans and specifications.
   

5. 5.The proponent completes infiltration and inflow work and submits the work for approval by the MA DEP.
   

6. 6.The proponent submits a sewer extension permit application along with final plans and specifications to the Commission for approval.
   

7. 7.The Commission approves the submission, signs the sewer extension permit application, and submits the application to MA DEP for approval.
   

8. 8.The MA DEP approves the sewer extension permit and infiltration and inflow capacity.
   

9. 9.Depending on the complexity of the proposed project the Commission may require the proponent to enter into a tolling agreement or force account to pay for construction inspection services performed by the LSDC’s engineering consultant.
   

10. 10.The proponent engages the services of a Licensed Sewer Utility Contractor and constructs the new sewer extension.
    

The timeline for the completion of a service area change can also vary depending on the size and scope of the proposed sewer extension.  It is the LSDCs experience that even small sewer extensions take approximately 18 - 24 months for design and permitting and an addition 12 months or more for construction.  This time is in addition to any time required if  boundary change is additionally necessary.

Expected Costs
All costs associated with sewer district boundary changes and service extensions are borne by the proponent.  In the case of Commission initiated extensions the costs are recovered through betterment assessments,

In the case of private party extensions the proponent will be responsible, at a minimum, for applicable permit fees, including the sewer extension/connection fees, the cost of construction, and the cost of inspection by the LSDC’s engineering consultant.