In the wake of a public hearing that raised questions about ownership and authority relating to the various parts of the sewer system on Davis Island, the Edgecomb Planning Board voted to tweak a sewer-related requirement for the application of a hotel proposed for the island.
The board had originally sent a letter to The View Development, the company applying for the 48 unit hotel, on May 3 requiring a number of items that must be provided in order for the hotel’s application to be deemed complete.
One of the requirements was “Evidence that the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen/Sewer Commissioners has agreed to serve the project with public sewer.”
That requirement was changed in a letter approved by the board at their meeting on Aug. 1 to a “Permit to enter into the sewer system in accordance with the Edgecomb Sewer Ordinance.”
The change stems from the question of whether Edgecomb actually owns any part of the sewer system, according to planning board chairman Jack French.
French spoke at the public hearing held by the Edgecomb Board of Selectmen July 29 to discuss a potential engineering study on the sewer system. He said documentation showed the sewer ordinance originally approved by voters in November 2004 actually conveyed the main sewer line coming across the river from Wiscasset to Wiscasset, not to Edgecomb.
“There was never a vote to convey the sewer line to Edgecomb,” French said to the selectmen.
After discussion, the selectmen decided to have their lawyer, William Dale, look into the question of who owns the sewer line and get back to them in September.
In addition to questions on ownership of the main sewer line, there are questions surrounding a sewer easement across the property of the proposed hotel, French said on Aug. 1.
French claims the town’s sewer ordinance does not prohibit private entities tying into sewer lines owned by other private entities; a fact disputed by Selectman Stuart Smith and Dale.
All the pipes – except the one that crosses the river – and the sole pumping station in the sewer system are privately owned, French said.
Edgecomb Development, which was a previous owner of the hotel property, had reserved a right in the easement documentation to tie into the private sewer line that runs across the property from Community Housing of Maine to the pumping station, French said.
“Sounds like a real mess,” said planning board member Gretchen Burleigh-Johnson.
