AIKEN --- Pat Cunning, the CEO of Woodside Development, is not in the business of operating water and sewer systems, but if the city amends some of its regulations soon, that might change.
At its March 11 meeting, the city's Planning Commission proposed amending regulations to require that a developer, not the city, be responsible for the upkeep of water and sewer systems in new developments for two years in addition to putting up a bond insuring the infrastructure.
"We're very concerned about the city not taking ownership of the water and sewer lines until after the two-year period is up," Mr. Cunning said, adding that the city is not accepting responsibility "of a system which they are licensed by the (Department of Health and Environmental Control) to run. That's the city of Aiken's responsibility."
Ed Evans, the city's planning director, said the city's main intent is to protect property owners, so "they're not left holding the bag" if the infrastructure doesn't hold up.
"The way the regulations are written now, before you get final plat approval, you have to give (the city) a maintenance guarantee, which is intended to help repair infrastructure that might fall apart," he said. "Sometimes we get a maintenance guarantee for infrastructure that is not completed or that don't exist yet."
Currently, a maintenance guarantee is only good for one year. Mr. Evans explained that the change is to make certain that if the infrastructure doesn't hold up, the city has the money from the developer's bond to repair it.
Putting up a bond to insure the quality of work is one thing, but developers object to being responsible for the daily maintenance of water and sewer systems.
Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
If they take the time to build it right they and protect it during that time period the developers shouldn't have to worrrry about maintenance period. They need to built it right the first time and keep it that way before the tax payers take over ownership.
Too often developers build poor streets and drainage in a new development then leave it up to the residents or the city/county to maintain their poor work. I agree with this proposal and would like to see the same in N Augusta.
Amen ...maybe if they had to continue to pay for years...they would move on to other places and leave a little greenspace around here.
Yea, and maybe they will take the jobs they create with them too.....that would be great. At least we could look at the scrub trees left behind.
This is absurd! It is purely a thinly veiled effort by the Kingpin (Dick Smith) and his minions to further impair, hinder, burden, complicate (choose your own verb) development in Aiken. It is patently absurd that the infrastructure is falling apart. Cite one freakin' example Dicky boy! How stupid would a developer have to be to build a crummy product? Any residential development takes years to sell out. Developers are on the line and at risk throughout the whole thing and usually don't make any money until the last 10% of the lots are sold. As such, wouldn't logic (something you and yours don't use, Mr. Smith) tell you that the developer would want the project to not only continue looking good for all of those years, but also perform well? To argue that developers are intentionally (or otherwise) building inferior product is not just dishonest, it is insulting to those of us who aren't your syncophants and who DO have a mind of our own!
As for inspections, this to is a bogus argument, and simply an effort to add another layer of B.S. and expense to try to dissuade developers from working in this town. I'll explain later, but you people are idiots for buying this crap!
Frank Byrnes is a real loud mouth on the internet. Let's see him in action at a City Council meeting some time. Don't hold your breath anyone. Frank hides behind the screen and just screams. Frank, where were you when the ordinances were being discussed by staff, at the Planning Commission and at City Council meetings? This did not materialize out of thin air. It was UNANIMOUS - as in everyone but you is in favor of it. Oh, OK, everyone but Frank, Pat and Steve are in favor. Where were they? Why do we have to waste more staff time to deal with their complaints now? Where were they when this was being discussed? It was NO secret Franky.
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