HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2016.10.26 - 22633MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #16299
BY: Commissioner William Dwyer, District #14
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS - SUPPORT FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF
FARMINGTON HILLS — MIDDLEBELT TRANSPORT STORAGE TUNNEL PROJECT ISSUE
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners (BOG) intends to support the residents of
Farmington Hills in their efforts to be apprised of quality services from their County government; and
WHEREAS these quality services include specific water and sewer projects under the direction of the
Oakland County Water Resource Commission; and
WHEREAS the Water Resource Commission (WRC) identified the Evergreen-Farmington Sewage
Disposal System Middlebelt Transport Storage Tunnel Project ("Project") within the City limits of
Farmington Hills following a 2004 consent decree, filed when the Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality (MDEQ) discovered sanitary sewer overflows during periods of extreme wet weather; and
WHEREAS the WRC designed the Project to control the sanitary sewer overflows (SSO) for the residents
of Farmington Hills and those communities connected to the Evergreen-Farmington Sewage Disposal
System; and
WHEREAS the success of the Project is in question due to initial design flaws; and
WHEREAS the designs of the Project called for a dewatering process to mine through the granular
sediment for the installation of a nine (9) foot diameter relief tunnel under Middlebelt Road between 13
Mile Road and 1-696 North; and
WHEREAS through the WRC's processes and procedures, residents of the Greencastle subdivision
experienced loss of water, odor and quality issues, well and other equipment failures along with
particulate inclusions in their existing water systems; and
WHEREAS to show good faith, the WRC office has attempted to mitigate the issues associated with this
project, which include:
1. Drilling new wells for homeowners.
2. Providing temporary water tanks for residents.
3. Connecting homes to the municipal water system.
4. Testing for water quality.
WHEREAS the duration of the Project was initially planned to last a period of a few months and has now
dragged on close to a year; and
WHEREAS Middlebelt Road is a major traffic artery for the residents of Farmington Hills and surrounding
communities in Southeast Michigan; and
WHEREAS any major closure of a busy thoroughfare in the county for an extended period of time cripples
and stifles economic prosperity for those communities affected; and
WHEREAS the residents impacted by the Project voiced their negative opinion of the Project to the City
of Farmington Hills City Council during numerous Council meetings; and
WHEREAS the City officials believe there is not enough action by the WRC to mitigate the completion of
the Project in a timely manner or provide the monetary reimbursement to residents negatively impacted
by the Project.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Commissioners calls upon the WRC to provide
the City of Farmington Hills City Council the following:
1. A detailed, revised and updated Project Masterplan including current project issues, costs,
milestone dates, budget, and any other related schedules, exhibits or illustrations associated
with the timely completion of the Project.
2. A comprehensive project plan for the completion of a water main loop in the Greencastle
Subdivision.
3. An in-depth report outlining well repairs for the affected properties of the Project, including
repair dates, completed and planned, along with the associated costs.
4. An embracive report on residents who have incurred out of pocket costs associated with the
Project, including a schedule of timely compensation from the WRC.
5. A complete schedule of ongoing and immediate DEQ water testing of those wells connected
to the aquifer impacted by the Project to ensure the current and future water safety for all the
residents.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Board of Commissioners, by adoption of this Resolution, formally
states its intention to support the residents impacted by the Project and strongly urges the WRC to
remedy the issues associated with the Project in a timely manner.
Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
ommissioner Wi
District #14
4wyer Commissioner Michael Gingell
District #1
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Resolution #16299 October 26, 2016
The Vice Chairperson referred the resolution to the Planning and Building Committee. There were no
objections.