THE CITY OF FREDERICK

101 NORTH COURT STREET

FREDERICK, MARYLAND 21701

UTILITY COMMITTEE

Minutes

2:00 p.m.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008, City Hall - Board Room

Aldermen Present:  Alderman Imhoff, Alderman Koontz, Alderman Smith (for Alderman Hall).

City Staff Present: Saundra Nickols, Attorney; Chip Stitely, Sewer Superintendent; Taeko Wakasono, Project Engineer; Sarah Stamper, Engineering Administrative Assistant; Gabrielle Collard, Planner; Gene Walzl, Project Engineer; Jeff Love, Planner; Keith Brown, Water & Sewer Superintendent.

Citizens/Representatives Present:  Chris Smariga, Harris Smariga. 

Item 1:  Approval of the minutes from the meeting of March 4 & May 27, 2008.

Alderman Imhoff moved to approve the March 4 & May 27, 2008 minutes as published.  Alderman Koontz seconded the motion which was unanimously approved.

Item 2:  Discussion of a request from Harris Smariga & Associates, on behalf of TCG Venezia, LLC, to discuss multiple sewer connections serving a single lot at 126 South Carroll Street. The Utility Committee previously approved two sewer connections on May 27, 2008.  However, due to future access to the City Parking Deck, four separate sewer connections are now needed.

Mr. Chris Smariga, Harris Smariga Associates, was present for this case.  Mr. Smariga used an improvement plan submittal as a visual aid to show the proposed taps.  He stated that the utilities should move out of the easement as the plans for the adjacent deck and BOE plans are moving ahead. 

Alderman Imhoff proposed relocating the connections approved at the May Utility Committee meeting further down.

Mr. Smariga stated that due to the slope, and easement area required for maintenance vehicles, it was not physically feasible to maintain the connections without the additional requested connections.

Mr. Stitely stated that City staff had asked about the maintenance aspect at the onset of the project.

Alderman Imhoff noted that the connections approved at the last Utility Committee meeting would work with the existing buildings.  However, there would be a problem with the connections once the adjacent buildings were constructed.

Mr. Stitely noted that Mr. Brown had previously noted the lack of fire equipment access if the connections were located at the rear of the property.

Mr. Stitely noted that the lines on the Gateway area were just lined.

Alderman Imhoff moved to recommend approval, to the Mayor and Board, of the four separate sewer connections due to the relocation of the existing access, and due to the physical constraints of the site such as the slope and the final design of the deck.  Alderman Koontz seconded the motion which was unanimously approved.

Item 3:  Request from Daft McCune Walker, on behalf of the Visitation Academy, to discuss allowing existing multiple water and sewer connections to remain as part of the subdivision of the property. 

Mr. Brown noted that as is the case with many older sites, multiple connections already exist at this site, and without granting additional connections, the site would have to be re-plumbed.  However, he would like a condition placed on the approval that for any future major renovations at the site, that the connections must be reduced to one water and one sewer connection.

Alderman Imhoff stated that due to the age, number of parcels, and the accumulations of taps it would be an undue burden to reduce the connections to one at this time. 

Mr. Brown stated that there is precedence of allowing older projects to have multiple connections.

Alderman Imhoff noted that it seems as though the owner is preparing the site for potential redevelopment.    

Alderman Imhoff moved to recommend approval of the project to the Mayor and Board with the condition that any permit for major renovations must not be issued unless the connections to the site are reduced to one water and one sewer connection. Alderman Koontz seconded the motion which was unanimously approved.

Ms. Nickols asked if there would be a problem with the definition of "major renovations" in the future.  Ms. Collard agreed to research the site plans for the St. John's project (similar to this project) for suggested wording.  Alderman Koontz agreed to assist Ms. Collard, if needed.

There being no further items for discussion, the meeting was adjourned at 2:20 p.m.

Next Meeting Tentatively Scheduled:  September 23, 2008.  Meetings are held on the 4^th Tuesday of each month at 2 p.m. on an as-needed basis.  The agenda deadline is 4 p.m. one week prior to the meeting.