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The countdown for sewer is beginning.  The Lansing Sewer COmmittee reviewed a list of steps necessary for forming Lansing Sewer District #1 Wednesday.  If there are no snags, the district could be formed as early as November 30.  Committee member Andy Sciarabba outlined four steps Town Attorney Guy Krogh laid out for him earlier Wednesday.

The first step is to produce the final Map Plan and Report (MPR).  TG Miller Engineers is working on trying to complete it by an early September deadline, adding to and editing a MPR submitted earlier this year by Hunt Architects.

In the second step the Town Board accepts and approves the MPR, issues a 'Public Interest order', and conducts an environmental review.  A public hearing is held.

In step three a Conditional Order of Approval is passed by the Town Board after an environmental review is completed.  At this stage the sewer district is conditionally approved because it is subject to permissive referendum and a review by the New York State Comptroller's office.  If a qualifying petition is submitted to the Town Board a referendum is conducted. Sciarabba says this would add 30 to 60 days to the process.  Only property owners within the sewer district may sign the petition or vote in the referendum.

A Comptroller review is triggered if the cost per EDU (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) is above $816.  The proposed project is below that threshold, but the Comptroller reserves the right to review sewer projects anyway.

In the last step the district is formed by town law.  Within 10 days of adopting the law a copy must be filed in the town clerk's office and with the NYS Department of Audit & Control.  Once filed the district officially exists and bids and construction may begin.

The November date is a 'best case scenario' for the committee.

In other business the committee addressed concerns the Town of Lansing Housing Authority have raised.  TLHA board members have expressed fears that proposed senior housing will compete with Woodsedge.  But committee members said that both proposed projects will cater to a different income level than Woodsedge.  Sciarabba suggested that NRP Group's Chris Dirr meet directly with TLHA members to clarify the customer bases for the two projects.

"Boomers are now retiring and they do have wealth," said Town Councilman Ed LaVigne.  "They wouldn't even qualify for Woodsedge, but they may qualify for something across the road.  And there is a great misconception between tax credits, affordable housing, and subsidized housing."

The committee plans to walk the properties to get a concrete idea of where the two proposed projects will be located.  The committee supported the idea of preserving existing walking trails and maintaining a trail that is just being completed on the old Ithaca-Auburn Short Line railroad bed.

A second public information meeting is planned at the Town Hall at at 7:00PM on Tuesday, September 18.

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