It is a generally accepted planning principle that the provision of centralized water and sewer services is a major determinant in the density and location of new development in an urbanizing area. In the 1960's and 1970's, federal and state governments heavily subsidized the extension of water and sewer services into the suburban areas surrounding our nation's cities and towns. Viewed from the local government perspective, this "inexpensive" funding source made the extension of water and sewer services an attractive capital investment for many communities. Unfortunately, the provision of such services also contributed to urban sprawl. This pattern of urban sprawl tends to drive up the costs of providing other public services to a rather widely scattered population.
In the 1980's, local governments have witnessed a dramatic decline in the amount of funding available at the state and federal level for programs and facilities of all kinds, including water and sewer facilities. Local governments are finding it increasingly necessary today to carefully plan for public water and sewer services and to provide them only where such needs can be fully justified. At the same time, water and sewer service extensions are being viewed increasingly as an effective growth management tool. It is now generally understood that local government provision of water and sewer services can influence the location, density, and timing of development. Additionally, because costs have become so critical in building such services, the methods by which water and sewer facilities are financed are also being employed to positively influence development within an urbanizing area.
The City of Salisbury, like many other cities nationwide, has elected to employ its water and sewer service authority to help guide development in a proactive manner. The intent is to encourage an urban form which can be more economically serviced by water and sewer lines, as well as by other municipal services.
The Growth Strategy Map which is a part of this Strategic Growth Plan, identifies three key areas which are to be treated differently in terms of the provision of public water and sewer services. The primary growth area includes all of the area within the existing City limits, plus a surrounding, relatively close-in area that can be economically financed and served. This is the area where the City would most like to encourage new development as well as infill development and revitalization.
The secondary growth area, (the area just outside the primary growth area) is also viewed as having a favorable location for future development.
However, because the secondary growth area is less economical to serve, the City will participate in the costs of water and sewer extensions to this area to a lesser extent than it will for development in the primary growth area. The outermost limit of the secondary growth area is known as the urban services boundary, the line beyond which the city will normally not extend either water or sewer service.
Outside the urban services boundary lies the rural area, an area that is clearly less economical to service than the primary or secondary areas. A complementary objective accomplished by designating the rural area, is to preserve appropriate agriculture and open space within the planning area.
It should be noted, however, that in the event of a major economic development project, the City's policy of no service to rural areas can be overruled. For a major economic development project to be serviced with public water and sewer, it would have to meet all of the requirements of the Economic Development policies contained in this Plan, as well as any other applicable policies, plans and regulations.
| POLICY 3.1 | Water and sewer services should be concentrated within the limits of a geographically defined urban growth area. The primary growth area should receive first priority for the provision or enhancement of water and sewer services. |
| POLICY 3.2 | The city shall afford the highest level of participation in the costs of providing water and sewer to properties within the primary growth area, to enhance appropriate urban-level development. |
| POLICY 3.3 | The secondary growth area should receive a lesser level of city participation in the costs of providing water and sewer services to properties within this area. |
| POLICY 3.4 | The city shall not participate in the extension of water and sewer services to properties in the rural area (outside of the urban growth area).exceptions to this policy may include the provision of services to other local governments and cooperative agreements on major economic development projects. |
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