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PORT TOWNSEND — A City Council effort to roll back sewage plant development charges met strong opposition Monday from a dozen residents, many members of People for a Livable Community.
The council is considering the elimination of the $5,000 sewage system impact fee as a way to encourage low-income housing development.
The charge is collected from those building new homes and connecting to the sewage treatment system.
Fee revenues are used to pay the debt previously incurred to construct the city’s sewage treatment system, including the plant and pipes.
Council members believe lowering the costs for homebuilders could mean lower-cost housing development. However, they could not agree dropping the charge would result in more low-cost housing construction.
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