PRIEST RIVER — The Priest River City Council unanimously approved an over $3,000 back-bill charge to resident Colin McCoy for unreported use of the city’s sewer system since June 2014. McCoy received a letter on March 2 that notified him of the city’s payment error.

“This was an error made by the city as I followed all steps correctly and timely for city services,” McCoy said in the citizen’s petition received on April 9. “For the council to expect a resident to be responsible for a billing error made by the city and back charged for six years is inconceivable.”

Discussion during the April 20 meeting revolved around whether or not McCoy was aware of his connection to the city sewer system.

“I can’t imagine anyone within the city limits not knowing that if you are running water, your discharge is going somewhere,” Council member Candy Turner said.

Mayor Jim Martin said McCoy had credit for water and sewer connection from the developer when the home was built. McCoy had been receiving water and water improvement bonds, but no sewer or sewer improvement bonds. Martin also relayed to the council that McCoy does not live full-time in Priest River.

“There are accounts within the city that just have water”, Martin said. “To say that they didn’t know that, I don’t know what they did or didn’t know.”

However, City Clerk Laurel Thomas argued that McCoy was aware of his sewer connection because he knew he had the sewer connection fee waiver.

According to the city’s attorney, Priest River is allowed to back bill a resident and McCoy was charged $3,358.12.

McCoy was not in attendance for the virtual April 20 meeting. The council voted to approve the back-billed charges.

In addition, city council held a public hearing during the April 20 meeting for B&Z Acres Planning and Zoning application, which requested approval of subdividing an approximate 16 acre parcel into two eight acre parcels. This request was made by landowners Brandon and Angela Goins and Zachary and Rachel Goins. The subdivision was approved unanimously.

“The Goins family is proposing to divide their 16 acre parcel and (make) two properties, two lots to accommodate more or less a family split,” said Bryan Quayle, a contract land-use planner for the city. “When they went to do some financing with the bank, there was some issue with the property not being split. They want to have multiple homes, so the plat was their answer.”

Quayle said one of the good things about the proposal is no additional encroachments with the roadway. The property already has an access way that will continue to serve both lots.

“So lot one will still use that as its driveway as will lot two and will continue on through lot one back to lot two as the access,” he said.

The property has a zoning and comprehensive planning designation of Rural-5, meaning that the request must meet a minimum requirement of a five acre parcel size. The eight acre parcels of land meet this requirement.

Two conditions were proposed by staff prior to approval of the Goins family application. The first condition was that the plat must be completed within two years. Second, the final plat should dedicate at least five feet of additional public right of way along East Settlement road on each side of the road to meet the 60 foot right of way standard. Their current right of way measurement is 50 feet.

No municipal sewer or water services will be utilized in the area and no new roads were proposed.

No public comments were received prior to application review except for an agency comment from Panhandle Health District that said they had no problems with the plat as long as it follows sanitation code.

Big Sky construction’s sewer improvement plan was the last big topic of the evening. Priest River City council approved an April 27 start date for the four-day sewer improvement plan within the U.S. Route 2 (Highway 2).

Director of Public Works Rex Rolicheck said he already tested bypasses last week and reported no issues at this time. The project will start Monday and go until the end of the week.

Martin requested that the city post project updates to their website and Facebook page.

The council also approved the Pend Oreille Valley Railroad agreement which will allow for the completion of the 2018 Sewer Improvement Project. Through this pipeline agreement, the city will be able to construct pipes under the trackage to service line connections at the crossing of BNSF Railroad.

Other city approvals include payment requests and transfers of funds for the wastewater improvement project. West Bonner District Library also requested distribution of $2,400 in reserved funds. This request was unanimously approved at the Urban Renewal Agency meeting before city council.

“This is mirroring the request we had last time from the fire department for release of the reserve funds,” Thomas said. “They also put in a request for $2,400.”

Aly De Angelus can be reached by email at adeangelus@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @AlyDailyBee.