The information below is included in the Erie County Comprehensive Plan Section 4.9.20 Development of New Subdivisions.

In addition to the future expansion of Erie County owned sewers, consideration must also be given to the development of new subdivisions requiring sewer connections. Erie County owned and maintained waterlines and sanitary sewers may be extended by developers upon receipt of a plan approval for the Erie County Sanitary Engineer and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. All extensions must meet the Erie County and EPA specifications and are subject to inspection and approval by the county before the county accepts the line(s) for ownership and maintenance.

There currently exists four cost mechanisms a developer may use to pay for the extension of such projects. The cost mechanisms a developer may use are as follows:

1. The developer may construct a waterline and/or sanitary sewer extensions at their own cost. The developer would recoup the cost in the sale of the developed property.
2. A developer may petition the Erie County Commissioners to extend water/sewer lines. The properties benefiting from said extension would be assessed for the cost of said extensions.
3. A developer could request to enter into an Ohio Revised Code 307.73 agreement with the Board of Erie County Commissioners which would allow the developer to receive reimbursement for some of the cost they paid towards waterline and sanitary sewer extensions. The entire project cost is broken up to a front footage cost to all benefiting properties. Any non-participating property owners would be required to pay a front footage tap fee collect by the county and paid back to the developer at such time said tap application is made.
4. A small development whose proposed buildings are located within a reasonable distance of an existing county owned and maintained water line and/or sanitary sewer, where there will be not more than one single family or one duplex placed on said development, may apply to the Board of Erie County Commissioners for an Accommodation Water and/or Sewer Tap Agreement. This agreement shall allow the developer to extend a service from the county waterline and/or sanitary sewer for said development, however, the developer will agree to pay any future tap fees and/or assessments should the county proceed with extending waterlines and/or sanitary sewers past the property being served by the accommodation taps. This includes tap fees under an Ohio Revised Code 307.73 (external site) agreement for line installed by another developer. 

The Erie County Commissioners have the right to refuse to allow any of the above cost mechanisms or refuse extension of water and sanitary sewer lines should there not be capacity available if any problems with availability of county funds exist.

Further, the county, if funds are available and the Board of Erie County Commissioners agree may participate in paying for costs for oversizing waterlines, sanitary sewers and pump stations needed for further development beyond the initial developers project. In this case the county may establish special tap fees for the further developed area to pay for the cost of the oversizing including, but not limited to, impact fees.