Engineers from Kennedy Jenks Consulting out of Seattle are nearing the end of water flow modeling analysis being conducted on the City of Chehalis’ south urban growth area (UGA), Chehalis Public Works Director Lance Bunker told the city council on Monday.
This analysis was needed after city staff received conflicting water flow studies earlier this summer, leading the city to believe there could be water supply issues south of the pump station on 18th Street in the city's southern UGA.
The issue is of concern to developers in the area.
Bunker provided the Chehalis City Council with an update on the consultants’ work during Monday’s city council meeting. While Kennedy Jenks hasn’t provided its final report yet, engineers’ reports so far have been looking good, Bunker added.
“Kennedy Jenks’ expertise in water modeling has provided insights into the current area availability,” Bunker said. “Through analysis and assessment, their findings suggest a positive outlook for the city’s water supply.”
When the report is finalized, the interim Chehalis city engineer will review it, Bunker added.
Despite the reassurances, one developer, Frank Dipola, was still asking for the council to intervene and grant him water for a development he is putting in on Southeast Spring Street.
Dipola was present at the July 24 Chehalis City Council meeting when the southern UGA water supply issue was first discussed at a workshop. He has been trying to finish his development for 15 years but was recently denied a conditional use permit due to not having water, he said.
In 2016, he extended the water and sewer lines along Spring Street from Jackson Highway and lengthened the street in preparation for his development. At the time, Dipola was told by city staff he would have water available for his development.
Dipola wants to finish the project before winter halts construction, and given his age he is worried he might die before it’s completed and he doesn’t want to leave the burden to his family.
At the July 24 meeting, Dipola was asked to wait a month until the Kennedy Jenks water modeling was complete.
Since the report wasn’t ready, Chehalis City Councilor Daryl Lund demanded the city go ahead and grant Dipola water for his property during Monday’s meeting.
“The Ten Commandments tells you ‘thou shall not lie,’ and we lied to Mr. Dipola and I don’t think that is right,” Lund said.
Chehalis City Attorney Kevin Nelson cautioned against granting Dipola water as Dipola’s project would require a hearing examiner review and an open public hearing concerning the project where Dipola would have to prove his project had water availability.
Since the new modeling still wasn’t complete, city staff couldn’t guarantee he would actually have water.
“My understanding of what we told Mr. Dipola last meeting was that we would have a better answer, and we have a partial better answer now, but it’s not complete yet,” Nelson said. “That’s where we’re at unfortunately.”
Once the report is finalized and city staff know they can supply water to Dipola’s property, he will be given his conditional use permit and his project will go in front of the hearings examiner.
Nelson added Dipola’s project is one of 32 currently on hold awaiting Kennedy Jenks’ findings.
“I can’t work in the wintertime and I don’t want to leave this burden on my children,” Dipola said.
Chehalis City Manager Jill Anderson told Dipola he could still get a clearing and grading permit to begin work on his development.
Whatever Kennedy Jenks’ water supply analysis shows, the city is already moving to upgrade water supply infrastructure in the Chehalis southern UGA.
During the July 24 workshop, city staff proposed a dual-project solution to address the issue, the Bishop Road loop project and the Market Boulevard pinch-point project.
Bunker said at the workshop he expected the Bishop Road project to be completed by the end of the year. It will connect two water main lines increasing service reliability and cost approximately $1.1 million, he added.
The Market Boulevard project’s start will depend on how the Bishop Road loop affects the city’s ability to deliver water to customers in the south UGA.
When completed, it will include a water main line size increase from 8 inches to 16 inches from 11th street to 21st Street along Market Boulevard and an upgrade to the 18th Street pump station. Bunker expected the project to cost approximately $6 million.
