REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Councilmember Chahal's Request Related to Resident's Request for Financial Assistance with Sanitary Sewer Overflow [Council Pillar: Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency]
Report
BACKGROUND
On April 26, 2020, Councilmember Chahal (Attachment 1) sent an email to the City Manager and Assistant City Clerk requesting an item be placed on an upcoming City Council agenda related to a resident, Mr. Meng Tung Lim, has requested Council for financial assistance to repair the lower lateral sewer at his home.
Per Council Policy 30, Adding and Item to an Agenda (Attachment 2), the Mayor or any individual Council Member may submit a written request to the City Manager's Office for inclusion of an item on a City Council agenda, provided the request is received two (2) days prior to the public release of the agenda packet. It is worth noting that the City Council Policy does not require a staff report on the matter, rather the request for it to be added for future consideration.
Attachment 3 includes additional documentation requested to be attached by Councilmember Chahal.
DISCUSSION
Mr. Lim is a resident at 1731 Roll Street and has called in City sewer crew for the recurring sewage backup at his residence, apparently due to tree root intrusion into the sewer lateral. The City crew cleared the sewer lateral line from the property line cleanout to the sewer main (lower lateral) and performed the closed-circuit television (CCTV) of the sewer lateral to determine the condition of the lateral. The CCTV identified that the lateral has multiple offsets and separations at the joints at number of locations that required a replacement of the lower lateral (from the cleanout to the City's main).
In the City of Santa Clara, the entire sewer lateral (from the building to the City-owned sewer main) is owned by the property owner; the property owner is therefore responsible for maintenance and repairs to the entire lateral. See City...
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