Overview

The traditional method for enlarging Johnson County Wastewater’s sewer service area is to petition to add the described land to the Consolidated Main Sewer District (CMSD). If the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approves the enlargement, JCW staff will manage the project and the cost of the project will be paid by the CMSD.

Petitioning Process

Step 1: Any property owner interested in joining the Johnson County Service Area may submit a request for information meeting to JCW’s Planning group. Upon receipt of three meeting requests, JCW will determine the study area which would be served by a proposed system of sewers and will make a preliminary determination of the necessary sewerage facilities and costs to serve the study area.

Please contact our Planning group to submit a request for information meeting at 913-715-8520 or JCW-Solutions@jocogov.org.

Step 2: Property owners within the study area will be mailed the notice of an information meeting approximately two weeks prior to the scheduled meeting. The meetings are typically held during evening hours for the convenience of property owners.

At the information meeting, JCW’s New Development Engineering staff will present the proposed boundary and necessary sewerage facilities to serve the study area. They will also discuss project schedules and costs.

Step 3: Following the information meeting, materials concerning the study area, including a preaddressed postage paid postcard, will be mailed to all property owners in the proposed study area. The property owners are encouraged to return the postcard to JCW indicating whether or not they would sign a petition to have their land included in the service area.

Property owners are not bound by this postcard because it is only used for information so that JCW staff can determine the feasibility of proceeding with the petitioning process.

Step 4: Following the postcard survey, JCW staff will share the survey results with all of the property owners within the study area and notify them as to whether or not a petition will be prepared.

Step 5: If property owners are interested in circulating a petition after JCW has determined that an enlargement of the CMSD is feasible, JCW staff will prepare a petition for use by the property owners in obtaining signatures. The petition is valid for a two-year period from the date the petition is released.

When the owners of at least 51 percent of the included land area have signed the petition, petitioners may submit the petition to JCW for review.

Step 6: If JCW staff determines that the petition is valid, they will request that the Johnson County Board of Commissioners conduct a public hearing to consider including the petition area in the CMSD.

Step 7: Property owners within the petitioned area will be mailed notice of the public hearing on the petition approximately two weeks in advance. A notice is also published in a local newspaper at least 10 days before the hearing, informing property owners of the scheduled public hearing. Public hearings are typically held during evening hours for the convenience of property owners.

At the hearing, various aspects of the proposed CMSD enlargement will be discussed, and property owners will have an opportunity to make comments.

Step 8: Following the hearing, (approximately three weeks later) the Johnson County Board of Commissioners will determine whether or not the petitioned area should be included in the CMSD. Such approval will include authorization of design and construction of the associated sewer facilities.

Applied Charges

Capital Charges: The capital charges are paid to the CMSD, and help the CMSD fund capital projects including the petitioned project.  Additional revenues are collected by the CMSD at the time a permit is issued for a building to connect to the sanitary sewer system. Permits will not be issued until the necessary sewerage facilities have been completed.

For enlargements approved prior to August 25^th of any given year, inclusion of the annual System Availability Charge (SAC) will begin on that year’s November tax bill. Districts enlarged after August 25^th will be assessed SACs in the following tax year. All properties within the enlargement area will be subject to the annual SAC at rates determined each year by the BOCC. Owners of agricultural or properties with an occupied residence who did not sign the petition may apply for and may be eligible for deferment of the SAC.

User Charges: A user charge based on water use and sewage strength is charged for buildings connected to JCW sewers. The user charge is billed bi-monthly for homes and monthly for commercial buildings. Once properties are connected, the capital charge will move from the tax bill to the user charge bill and charges on the tax bill will cease.

Overview

Should the traditional petitioning process not generate enough property owner interest, a contract district may be formed by a property owner within the study area. Before a contract district may be formed, an information meeting and postcard survey must be held as described under the Traditional Petitioning Process. In forming a contract district, the property owner or developer must enter into a contract with the Johnson County Board of Commissioners, agreeing to cost sharing with the CMSD. If the contract district is approved by the Board of County Commissioners, design and construction of the required main facilities may begin. The contract district will include construction of the same facilities located on the property owner's land which would have been constructed by the CMSD under the traditional petitioning process. In addition, it will include construction of all downstream facilities necessary to obtain sewer service as determined by JCW’s Planning group.

Project Funding & Management

Project funding will be obtained by one of the following cost-sharing options. The CMSD portion of each cost-sharing option will be funded by the capital and user charges described under the Traditional Petitioning Process section. These charges will be applied to all land in the contract district.

Developer Managed Projects: The developer or property owner manages and funds the project. The developer's engineer will obtain competitive bids to select a construction contractor for the project. The CMSD will reimburse the developer up to 90% of eligible costs without interest during the first five years after project completion, up to 80% for five to 10 years, up to 70% for 10 to 15 years, and no further reimbursement after 15 years. 

Reimbursement is based on 50% of the capital revenues received from properties within the boundaries of the contract district and from any additional properties which use the facilities constructed by the contract district. Those revenues include the capital charges and connection fees. Reimbursement is issued annually, in April, for the preceding calendar year.

JCW Managed Projects: JCW manages the project and the developer or property owner pays 10% of the estimated project cost prior to the time that the contract district is formed. At the end of the project, costs are certified and the 10% share will be adjusted by additional charge or refund, as appropriate. The BOCC and JCW reserve the right to deny this option, if projected revenues are not expected to pay a sufficient share of the 20-year debt service needed for the project.

City Partnership Projects: A city may contract with JCW to form a partnership. JCW manages the project and the city prepays 50% of the estimated project cost. The city may receive up to 100 percent reimbursement of its 50% share without interest. Reimbursement is 50% of any capital revenues received from any properties using the facilities, except the property in the original contract district area.