Developer asks to tap city water for senior community; council declines reduced non‑resident rate

Developer Ben Valetta asked the council to allow a city water line extension to serve a proposed senior community ("The Lodges at Forest Glenn" and cottages at Forest Glenn) in the village of McCullum Lake, explaining the plan would include six 16‑resident assisted‑living units plus independent living cottages and stressing the safety benefits of hydrants and municipal water for fire protection.

Public‑works staff said extending water into the area is conceptually feasible but would require additional engineering — particularly for demand estimates tied to fire‑suppression flows and to size mains and determine flushing/quality needs. Ross, the staff member who answered council questions, said the proposal would likely require a main (not a single‑service line) to feed multiple buildings and that looping/redundancy and maintenance arrangements must be resolved.

Valetta also requested that the council reduce the city’s non‑resident water charge (currently 1.5 times the resident rate) to the resident rate on the basis that the development would add economic value to the city’s marketplace. Several council members said they supported the concept of providing water on a cost‑recovery basis but would not support waiving or reducing the non‑resident surcharge, citing precedent and fairness to current residents.

Council consensus: Members indicated support for the concept of extending water if the project pays for construction and if design studies confirm system capacity and fire‑flow requirements; they directed the developer to coordinate with public works and engineering staff to produce a formal feasibility and basis‑of‑design package. No final vote on rate relief was taken; council members, including Alderman Cook and Alderman Davis, explicitly said they would not support reducing the non‑resident surcharge.

Next steps: Staff will work with the developer on basis‑of‑design materials, water‑consumption estimates, fire‑suppression requirements, and a plan for main sizing, looping and maintenance; any pricing or rate exceptions would need separate council action and supporting ordinance or agreement.