Planner proposes excavation checkbox to flag unknown service lines and coordinate water/sewer reviews

Town planner Laura Robertson said staff will add a simple excavation checkbox to the building-permit application so that if an applicant checks that they will be excavating, water-and-sewer staff will be notified to determine whether service lines are known or potentially lead. Robertson described the approach as a low-lift way to prompt coordination: "If they check that box, refer them to water and sewer," she said, and suggested water-and-sewer staff could reach out to applicants when excavation is proposed.

Committee members supported adding the checkbox and asked staff to aim to have the change in place by next month. The committee saw this as a straightforward procedural step to improve identification of service-line status during active construction rather than relying on separate, later inspections.