Council approves Phelps Street closure to allow private sewer repair under city roadway
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Summary
Council approved a temporary road closure on Phelps Street to allow replacement of a private sewer lateral that runs under the street; staff noted the underlying policy question about city responsibility for repair when private laterals cross the public way.
The Montpelier City Council approved a street‑closure permit for Phelps Street so a property owner can replace a private sewer lateral that runs under the city roadway.
Why it matters: The sewer lateral from the private house to the main is typically the property owner’s responsibility, but when the lateral runs under the paved public street, the required repair and pavement restoration can be extensive and costly. Councilors used the item to flag a policy question about whether the city should consider changing its water/sewer ordinance to address cases where private laterals under public streets create a broader public burden.
Councilor introduced the item noting a constituent faced significant expense to replace the lateral and close the street. Staff (Kurt) explained the city’s sewer ordinance assigns lateral responsibility from the property to the house to the property owner; however, the city is rewriting both water and sewer ordinances and could consider altering the allocation of responsibility in that process. Council acted without changing the ordinance and approved the closure to allow the repair work to proceed.
Ending: The Phelps Street road closure was approved, and staff will consider broader ordinance revisions as part of the ongoing water and sewer ordinance rewrite.