How Are Sewer Service Area Plans And Updates Developed?

Designated Planning Areas areas are required to have sewer service area plans completed for every community that has a sanitary sewer system. Nondesignated areas of the state are required to identify sewer service areas for selected urban areas within the standard metropolitan statistical areas and for areas with populations exceeding 10,000. Urban areas with treatment plants of 1.0 MGD or more within the standard metrolitan region of an existing sewer service area should take part in the planning process. NR 121 requires a sewer service area plan status review and possible plan update every five years.

How to begin SSA Planning?

Getting Started

A sewer service area plan is developed at the local level and approved by the WDNR. Local advisory committees are required in nondesignated areas of the state and provide a great way to involve the public in local land use planning. In the Hudson Area, for example, an advisory committee structure was developed to review data, text and maps for the plan development that were compiled by the West Central Regional Planning Commission, while the St. Croix Planning Department was determined to be the designated agency responsible for conformance reviews for sewer extensions and plan amendments.

Whether the water quality planning agency is a regional planning commission or the county planning agency, it must to work closely with the advisory committee and the WDNR contacts as part of a planning team. Although sewer service area plan development varies from community to community as the local community's character and projected growth will shape the plan, the plan development team should anticipate that certain components and issues needed to be included in the plan regardless of location. A basic list of components to include and issues to address in a sewer service area plan follows.

1. Goals, objectives and policies for the community's future sewered development

Establishing goals and objectives for a community's development is the crux of making the sewer service area plan a plan for future growth, and it eliminates having to quickly react to unanticipated growth or events. This framework guides the direction of the sewer service area boundary and the protection of environmentally sensitive areas from the adverse water quality impacts of sewered development. The diversity of community interests and local government bodies involved in urban development activities and sewer extensions requires that common goals be established for urban service area planning. Sewer service area plan updates should reevaluate the goals, objectives and policies that have been used in the past (whether in previous sewer service area plans or other community land use plans), and discuss the point of departure, where applicable.

Goals can be defined as statements of the direction in which a plan or action is aimed. Objectives are specific statements of desired results which are measurable and contribute to the accomplishment of a goal. Policies are actions or guidelines directed toward achieving objectives which should be followed in day-to-day decision making.

2. Define the Planning Area

You may choose to include a written planning area boundary description, but at a minimum the boundary should be shown on the sewer service area plan map accurately enough to describe its location by section, half-section, or quarter-section, township and range. Other significant features, such as rivers and highways should also be included. All environmentally sensitive areas within the planning area must be identified and delineated.

3. Describe the the existing local characteristics and trends

In describing a community's local characteristics, the plan should describe the area's:

• Physical and hydrologic features, including its geology, soils, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater
• Development and Trends
• Land use plans
• Capital improvements financing
• Infill and existing development
• Community growth projections
• Sewerage System Capacity
• Local Water Quality Assessment

Development and Trends

Land use plans

Are there land use or zoning plans in effect in the community, other than a previous sewer service area plan, that may have an affect on the sewer service area planning process? Many communities have comprehensive or master plans that address many of the same issues. Sewer service area issues that are addressed by already adopted community plans should be consistent with that plan, or discuss the reason for change from the land use plan(s). Communities that don't have comprehensive plans should be encouraged to use the planning forum to address (rather than react to) important land use issues, and particularly: intergovernmental boundary area development, the preservation of natural resources, and the preservation of prime agricultural land.

Capital improvements financing

This is closely related to the annexation issue. What is the community policy on paying for sewer line construction? A sewer service area plan can help a community plan and budget for sewer improvements. Other community development costs including water lines, roads, sidewalks, etc. should also be considered. There is a clear financial advantage to "infill" development that has these amenities already installed.

"Infill" and existing development

The land use analysis should identify existing land uses with sewer including vacant areas appropriate for "infill" development, and existing areas developed with onsite sewage systems in the past that are now appropriate for sanitary sewers. This discussion leads smoothly into the next section.

What Are The Community Growth Projections?

• What is the official population estimate presently and the projection used for the planning period?
• What is the local population density standard in terms of persons per acre?
• What's the employment outlook?
• Is growth following past trends or has it changed?
• What are the development projections for residential and commercial/industrial growth?
• How will these trends affect the plan recommendation for future growth areas?

What Is The Sewerage System Capacity?

The wastewater treatment plant's condition should be discussed.

• Has it been part of a facility planning process?, how recently?
• Are there facility plan recommendations that would affect the sewer service area plan?
• Why was the selected treatment alternative chosen?
• How does its capacity compare to present loading and projected 20-year loading?
• Are there permit violations or other problems that would impact the sewer service area planning process?

What Is The Local Water Quality Assessment?

• Point Source Discharges
• Nonpoint Sources
• Groundwater

Inventory and discuss the areas contributing to local adverse water quality impacts including industrial, agricultural and other pollutant sources. Review applicable local priority watershed project reports, basin plans, wellhead protection plans, wastewater facility plans and local knowledge for pollutant factors. Is there, for example, an area of steep slopes where development would contribute an inordinate amount of runoff, compared to other developable areas, and lead to substantial stream sedimentation?

For more information, contact: Lisa Helmuth.