The Moon Lake Estates land development project will move forward, but the city waterline grant request has been put on hold following feedback from last nights Jefferson City Council meeting where several residents and Council Members expressed concerns and questioned the City’s priority on serving it’s existing customers.
“When we envisioned this project, we were really excited to work hand-in-hand with the City,” said developer Kyle Mayden,” because we knew the benefits this would bring to both the City in new revenue streams and the development by benefitting from city water supply. What we never envisioned was opening this Pandora’s Box of issues with Jefferson’s woefully inadequate water system. So, we’re going back to the water supply drawing board and will be looking at other, perhaps less appealing, options and shift gears to pursuing our water from a source that can better facilitate the development.
Robin Moore, JEDCO secretary and local business owner, addressed Council during public comment on the development’s tie in to the city water system.
“What about existing residents who cannot flush a toilet while a shower or sprinkler system is running? And this new subdivision, outside the city limits, gets a new $1.2 million water line from our taxes?” She said. “Moon Lake Estates and the county will be the only ones benefiting with the new waterline.”
JEDCO is funded from sales tax revenue inside the City Limits, and has been approached with a request to partially fund the waterline project.
Moore advocated for the development of a strategic plan for the city, a project she has championed in JEDCO the last year, before moving forward with future developments.
A strategic plan could encompass a future railroad quiet zone, if that’s what the community wants,” she said. “It could also include an animal shelter, better water system, parks, a historic district, downtown aesthetics and improvements, if that’s what the city wants. It would show what progress could be in 5,- 10-, 20-years down the road. But it would be a plan of the people and not a few selected folks.”
Mary Humphrey expressed concerns over the possible annexation of the new development, which, she said is in a floodplain. “It’s also personal for me,” she said. “I’m two blocks from a water line with my little cabin, I’m not rich but I don’t have water.”
Ward 2 Councilman Gary Amburn said “We’ve indicated we intend to do a study on this, so the discussion is moot at this time to me.”
“We are listening to, and trying to be cognizant of, what we’re being told by different members of the community, not just those in favor of the project,” Mayden said. “And, although this water issue with the city is clearly a problem that has existed in Jefferson for many, many years prior to our arrival – at this time, we’re simply going to step back; pull our grant request to tie into the City water system, and we will explore other avenues to supply water for our future residents.
“What we never intended to do here is tax what now appears to be a previously overburdened water system. Just based on the feedback we’ve gotten directly and seen online – it is clear to us that maybe the city needs some time to address this problem.”
“This pivot will also take annexation of our development by the city off the table, so I think at this time, this development will continue to move forward as a county subdivision, which we are perfectly happy with.
“We never wanted to disrupt any of our neighbors,” Mayden continued. “We hoped they could share the view that our success down there is to the mutual benefit (by way of increased property values) of the entire community. Y’all clearly have some problems and issues with the Jefferson water system, and I think until the City addresses some of these previously existing supply issues, we’re just not going to pursue tying into a city line.
“We wish the City well, and hope they can get their water issues resolved to everyone’s satisfaction,” Mayden said.