LRSD is still working on obtaining easements and will continue to receive easements from property owners who have not yet returned their easement document. We do have notary capabilities in the LRSD office and an appointment can be made to come into the office to have an easement notarized.
LRSD is happy to report that approximately 85% of property owners have signed and returned their easements to the District. USDA-Rural Development requires that the District obtain 70% to 80% signed easements prior to loan closing. We have exceeded that requirement with receipt of 85% of the signed easements and in doing so have reached another project milestone.
Approximately 15% of property owners have not yet signed and returned their easements to the District. It should be noted that the 15% of easements not received has increased project costs, which in turn increases the cost to all property owners, including the 85% who have returned their easements. First of all, the more time and effort it takes to obtain easements means more money must be spent on the easement effort, which means an increase in overhead costs. Second, by not having some of these easements returned, we will in some cases reroute sewer lines, which will increase infrastructure costs. That means the overall project cost will increase, which will result in an increase in the monthly sewer bill. The board is doing their best to keep costs down and hit the original target cost numbers, but unsigned easements are the choices of some property owners and the result is a cost increase.
For those 15% of property owners not signing easements, their installation costs will increase, which they alone will be responsible for paying. This added cost will not affect the 85% of property owners who have returned their easements. Property owners who have not signed and returned their easement documents will be required to hook-up to the sewer system at the public right-of-way at their expense. Without an easement the District will not locate a grinder pump/connection point on their property, but will place the grinder pump/connection point in the nearest road right-of-way. It will then be the property owner’s responsibility to connect at that point. The added cost to the property owner will be the cost of additional sewer line to get from their cottage/home to the grinder pump/connection point in the public right-of-way. In addition, if the grade of the property is such that the connection point at the cottage/home is lower that the grade at grinder pump/connection point in the public right-of-way, the property owner will also need to purchase a secondary pump to pump their sewage up to the grinder pump/connection point.
The board extends their thanks to all property owners who have been proactive in signing and returning their easements in a timely manner as this helps to keep project costs down. To those who have not yet returned easements, please consider doing so in the very near future.