OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — An ongoing dispute between homeowners and Oshtemo Township over a multi-million dollar expansion of the municipal sewer system could be taken to the courtroom.
A group of around 250 property owners is threatening legal action over out-of-pocket costs required to connect homes to the township’s expanded sewer grid.
The $28 million dollar expansion calls for connecting 890 homes currently using a septic tank to the main sewer line.
An initial phase of the project is being funded by a 40-year $8.3 million dollar loan from the U.S. Department of agriculture and will link around 280 homes to the system. A second construction phase will later connect an additional 610 homes to the main sewer line in the goal of eliminating septic tank use in Oshtemo Township.
Work during the first phase is set to begin this spring, but mandated fees put on homeowners related to the project have been a source of disagreement in the community.
The overall cost of connecting to the sewer system will vary depending on the location, but the township has previously estimated the average cost at $11,000 per property. Some homeowners may be saddled with additional costs that could be more than $5000 for contracting work to finish the project.
Oshtemo Township officials held a series of public meetings to discuss details of the project over the past year. Some residents voiced frustration with extra costs they would have to pay to complete the project, with many asking why the sewer expansion was not being voted on by the public.
MLive reports that 249 property owners formed a group to represent their concerns over the project and potentially seek legal action against Oshtemo Township. The Oshtemo Residents Association has consulted with Kalamazoo-based Willis Law Firm to discuss a possible injunction to stop the mandated connection fees.
The group and their attorneys have said they remain in favor of mediating the dispute, but if the township fails to engage it could eventually be served a lawsuit.
Work is still slated to begin later this spring for the initial phase of the sewer expansion. Oshtemo Township leaders say the project is critical for maintaining infrastructure, with septic tanks and aging sewer lines posing a potential health risk in the future. A majority of resident’s water comes from groundwater within township limits and the project was proposed in part over concerns of septic leaks into public water wells.
A pamphlet handed out at recent community meetings by officials states that “given the population growth, the township cannot continue to dispose of septic waste into the ground.” A preliminary series of environmental studies found that 60% of septic systems in Oshtemo Township do not meet safety standards or are actively failing.
In response to concerns over the connection costs, the township has drafted a financial assistance measure to help homeowners that may struggle to pay the fees.
Attorney James Porter presented tentative details of a new abatement and deferment program that would help residents facing financial hardship at a board of trustees meeting on February 24th.
Criteria for who would be eligible for assistance has not yet been determined, but township officials have pointed to an existing hardship policy for residents owing property taxes as a possible model for the program.
