Sewers need upsizing in Esko

The issue of sewer line capacity dominated discussions during the April 18 Thomson Township Board meeting, and threatened to shut down an apartment building project that has been in the planning process for over a year.

Josh Evans — an assistant engineer with the township’s new contracted engineering company, AE2S — recommended a halt on any new construction after surveying and modeling the sanitary sewer capacity for the Southridge subdivision, where developer Gregg Perich of GSP Construction plans to build a 22-unit apartment building.

“Using 2023-24 flow data, the system is at or exceeding capacity already during heavy rain or melt events,” Evans told the board.

Evans advocated the board allow no further construction, including the apartments, until the township expands the sewer capacity by increasing the size of the main sewer lines from 8 inches to 12-14 inches.

“That would be the next step for the Thomson Township sanitary system to handle additional developments,” Evans said.

Township commissioners approved two of Perich’s three requests for the Southridge Subdivision. Commissioners approved an extension of Evelyn Street, with Perich building and covering costs of the extension. They moved other requests to the township’s planning and zoning commission.

But they balked at approving sanitary sewer capacity for the project, arguing that they had received the sewer capacity study just before Thursday’s meeting and needed time to process the information.

Supervisor Dave Sunnarborg said they’d been “blindsided” by the sewer study.

“It never even came up on our radar,” he said

The apartments will add an estimated 6,600 gallons of sewage a day to the existing township line, which has a capacity of 500,000 gallons.

An option for Perich, Evans suggested, would be to run a sewer line for the apartments through two properties west of his land, and tie directly into the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District’s main line. According to Perich, that would involve boring a 4-inch line approximately 1,800 feet.

“That’s really not feasible from a cost perspective and a time perspective,” Perich said.

The developer expressed frustration with the board’s process, pointing out that they’ve never before looked at sanitary sewer capacity and stating that he already has $120,000 of his own money into the project.

“I bought the land that had city sewer. There’s never been a sewer study done. This wasn’t made up by the board, this was made up by Dave Pritchett,” he said, naming the township attorney, who wasn’t present at the meeting.

“We have to get to some kind of checklist so somebody can operate in this township,” he added. “You can’t make it up as you go.”

If the pipe sizes aren’t increased, according to Northland Engineering’s Adam Zwak, the township could be looking at a potential moratorium for any additional construction, “a single family home, a plumbing permit for an additional bathroom,” Zwak said.

Township zoning official Dan Stangle pointed out that four new duplexes and eight new family homes are already in the works along the same sewer line.

“This is a big issue,” he said. “It needs immediate resolution.”

Arguing that he shouldn’t be singled out, Perich pushed the board to either issue a moratorium on all construction – to be fair – or allow current projects to proceed, since the line has never had any prior issues. He said he would connect to any bigger line in the future.

Board members said they were opposed to a moratorium, at least until they had more information.

The discussion continued for nearly an hour, with audience members weighing in, township staff, board members and Perich.

Perich pointed out that the apartments won’t be ready for at least a year, and the line could be expanded by then. Thomson fire chief Kyle Gustafson also weighed in, suggesting the township increase pipe sizes one section at a time, starting with the end of the line that Perich will tie into. Supervisor Terry Hill asked if the township could reduce sewer use in other ways to allow Perich to build.

“I’m at the point where my stuff is platted, I’ve had the survey done, I’ve had the delineation done,” Perich said. “I believe my architect has worked with your zoning official. So I believe — and correct me if I'm wrong — that my site plan is approved.”

Board chair Ruth Janke told Perich he wasn’t going to get a “slam dunk answer” that night.

“This board is responsible to every taxpayer in this township, so I’m not going to say ‘yes’ to your project and have the worst case scenario happen to everyone else,” said supervisor Bill Gerard.

Hill asked how much it will cost and how long it will take to increase sewer capacity.

“That’s what we still have to figure out,” Evans said. He estimated they could have answers in mid-May.

Town board members unanimously passed a motion to have AE2S Engineering move forward on plans to increase the sewer capacity for current and future development.