Naples council to ask Bembury Drive residents to pay $26,000 to hook up to water, sewer

Property owners on Bembury Drive and nearby streets complained to Naples City Council that footing a $24,376 bill to connect to city sewer lines is too much for owners of only 53 homes to handle.

Despite pleas for a reduction, council on Wednesday voted to adopt the estimates and create a special assessment area on Bembury Drive, 13th and 14th Avenue North and 15th Street North to connect to the city sanitary sewer system. Bembury Drive property owners, who use well water, also must pay $2,011 to hook up to city water.

The vote was 5-1, with Councilwoman Teresa Heitmann opposing and Councilman Sam Saad absent. Council also voted 6-0 to issue up to $2 million in bonds to finance the work.

The small ranches tucked behind the post office on Goodlette-Frank Road are among 1,400 properties outside city limits targeted for a sanitary sewer and water system expansion. About 40 percent of Naples utility customers live in unincorporated Collier County. Many concede its needed, but the estimated cost prompted an outcry years ago, when it would have been $5,000, and it was delayed.

I dont know how Im going to be able to maintain the cost, even if its spread out over a 20-year period, homeowner Dean Rich told council. This is not an affluent neighborhood. . Its an encumbrance to ask property owners to personally finance the cost.

Homeowner Michael Heiderman said they arent in favor due to the hefty bill, which would be $37,000 with interest if homeowners chose to pay it over a 20-year period.

Were being asked to bear exorbitant costs, he said, adding the city will still receive a 25 percent premium from payments after theyre gone.

Homeowner Ian Bartoszek pleaded with council to reduce payments to less than $20,000, adding, Thats much more palatable.

But City Manager Bill Moss said Naples tried applying for grants to help offset some of the costs. He suggested costs could be less, but they wont know until work begins in the fall.

Naples is contributing $250,000 and is only charging an impact fee and costs to install meters. City officials point out that Bembury residents also arent being assessed $65,000 for water lines. Officials may help by seeking bids for a contractor to remove septic tanks and extend pipes. Otherwise, homeowners must find contractors for an expected $2,000 job.

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Naples council to ask Bembury Drive residents to pay $26,000 to hook up to water, sewer