San Andreas Under Sewer Moratorium

San Andreas, CA — Directors of the San Andreas Sanitary District have essentially halted new development by passing a moratorium on new sewer connections.

This has Calaveras County officials in a frenzy trying to figure out how it will process proposed developments, like the new justice center, without sewer availability.

Sanitary District Manager Steve Schimp says the moratorium was passed in August because the district is at capacity. At this week´s Wednesday board meeting, sanitary district directors will consider extending the moratorium indefinitely.

Schimp says expansion plans that could accommodate the new development will likely be put on hold since developers haven´t put any money into the pot.

County Administrative Officer Tom Mitchell says the county is challenging the required $15,000 hook up fee by conducting a peer review of the district´s engineering studies.

In the meantime, the Board of Supervisors has called for a study session to determine how the county should process new developments while the moratorium is in place.

There is talk that developers, such as the county with its justice center, can pay their sewer fees up front to fund the expansion.

Written by Vanessa Turner.