Alternative Wastewater Systems Code Addition

The City of Sandy is currently under a development moratorium enacted pursuant to ORS 197.510, relating to a lack of capacity in its wastewater system. The City has received requests from property and business owners to consider allowing alternative wastewater systems during the moratorium as a means of enabling certain limited types of development to occur without impacting the City’s sanitary sewer system. As a result of those requests, staff developed an outline of potential terms under which such a program could operate and discussed this issue in a public work session with the City Council on March 17, 2025. Based on the direction received at that work session, staff prepared the attached ordinance and two exhibits, which would amend the City’s development code to allow the issuance of permits for alternative wastewater systems under certain circumstances.