Council to discuss English Village

The City Council will be discussing the future of the English Village at tonight's regular meeting.

A public hearing was conducted at the Feb. 8 council meeting where several people voiced their opposition to any significant changes to the tourist area around the London Bridge.

A large portion of the English Village is due to be sold unless the city acquires the property. Conceptual drawings unveiled last year by Havasu English Village spokesman Larry Heath showed multi-leveled condominiums being erected on the site as well as a clock tower. This drawing sparked immediate negative reaction from council members and the public.

Most of the people who spoke at the Feb. 8 meeting asked the City to leave the English Village as it is and to revive the area by bringing back the businesses and entertainment that made the English Village popular for tourists and residents for decades.

Mayor Bob Whelan asked that options be given to City Council at tonight's meeting. Action may be taken depending on the options.

Also on the agenda for the meeting are several water and wastewater issues, including authorizations to file for new water and wastewater rate studies.

The city has been looking at ways to increase revenue for the sewer project after recent figures showed the cost had risen to $499 million for the bond project. The bond project was passed in 2001 at a cost of $463 million, but construction costs have risen nearly 20 percent and water consumption has gone down nearly 30 percent on average.

In addition, growth patterns and the proportion of single-family, multi-family and commercial hook-ups are substantially different than originally projected, resulting in less revenue.

Raising treatment capacity fees, also known as "hook-up fees," from $2,000 to $3,250 also has been proposed, but Councilman Don Clark has said he is strongly opposed to any increase in the treatment capacity fee.

In a related issue, City Council also will be looking at a contract for the design phase of the North Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. Construction was delayed on the treatment plant by about 18 months to help defray costs and close the $35 million gap in the bond project.

The city also will consider authorizing participation in the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program and an intergovernmental agreement with the Arizona Department of Transportation for phase three of the Pima Wash Multi-Use Path Project.

The issue of the new mall also is being addressed as the city looks to redesign a water line to accommodate the mall project.

The issue of the 29 homeowners with grinder pumps has been moved to the March 8 council meeting at the request of Jim Melton, a representative of the homeowners. Melton was concerned that the lengthy agenda for tonight's meeting would limit the time available to adequately cover the issue.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. with an executive session. The public portion begins at 7 p.m.

You may contact the reporter at ditullio@havasunews.com.

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