COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Coldwater Zoning Board of Appeals approved an 18 foot front yard setback variance request from the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities on Wednesday for the construction of a wastewater equalization tank to within 32 feet of the B.P.U.’s east property line.
Assistant City Manager Keith Baker said the tank is part of a B.P.U. expansion project and he corrected the actual cost of the project saying it would cost $9 million, not $3 million as had been mentioned in a previous staff report.
The Coldwater Planning Commission tabled a site plan for the project two weeks ago when concerns were raised about odor coming from a pair of uncovered 500,000 gallon wastewater tanks.
No CBPU representatives attended the meeting and it was tabled after Baker had to field a number of questions. The site plan will come back before the Planning Commission during a special meeting on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
Coldwater City Manager Jeff Budd told the Z.B.A. odor will not be a problem. But the odor equipment would not be added immediately.
The expansion would increase capacity at the wastewater treatment plant and is scheduled to go to bid next month. Baker said the tanks would store wastewater before it’s treated.