Developer to seek sewer service from New Bern

A real estate developer planning a subdivision and retail project about two miles west of Havelock has turned down a plan to have the city provide sewer service.

Ellis Development Company, which has plans to build up to 550 homes off U.S. 70 across from Stately Pines, has decided to look at New Bern to provide sewer service.

The city had offered to extend sewer lines to the development and work out a service agreement with New Bern to pump sewage from the pipes to its treatment plant and set up boundaries for service.

City Manager Jim Freeman told the Havelock Board of Commissioners Monday night that he still believes the service agreement is a good idea, despite developer Eddie Ellis' decision to seek sewer service from New Bern.

"I think there are a lot of good things in doing this with the city of New Bern," Freeman said.

He said the tentative proposal was to use Catfish Lake Road as the dividing line, with Havelock providing sewer to points east of the road, and New Bern points west.

Diane Miller, city spokeswoman, said the city wanted Ellis to pay for the sewer line extension and tap fees because the costs could not be reasonably passed on to city taxpayers and sewer system customers.

Ellis said his original planned called for hooking up to New Bern's sewage system about five miles away, but he decided to approach Havelock about its sewage lines, which were just about two miles away.

He said he had proposed an 8-inch sewer line, but the city sought a 12-inch wide pipe. Ellis said the pipe and tap fees would have totaled about $3 million.

"I think Havelock was trying to make the best deal for Havelock, but we were trying to keep costs low so we could provide more affordable housing," Ellis said. "I think it's unfortunate that we couldn't make it work for both sides. It wasn't for lack of effort."

Ellis said the city also wanted to supply the subdivision's water, but Ellis said the development doesn't need city water.

"In the end, real estate is a giant math problem, and we just couldn't get the numbers to work for both of us," Ellis said.

Ellis said he had yet to reach an agreement with New Bern on extending sewer lines to the subdivision.

Ellis said the entire development is 325 acres, with 165 acres set aside for between 450 and 550 homes called Croatan Station. About 70 acres along U.S. 70 are commercial, where Ellis said a grocery store, car lot or fast-food restaurant could be built.

He said plans also call for an 85-acre park that would be a permanent wood preserve with hiking trails.

He said the development is still in its planning stages.

"We're probably not going to be pushing dirt out there until next year," he said.