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where septic systems could not be constructed for environmental reasons (e.g., in the Happy Valley area). Although the numbers are small overall in terms of properties impacted, staff continues to believe that the policy of denying sewer connections to new subdivisions outside the City is a reasonable approach to controlling County development adjacent to our boundaries. In the Hempy/Faber situation, County staff has denied the installation of a septic system only because of proximity to a City sewer main. Otherwise, a septic system could be safely constructed and would meet all County health requirements. Staff appreciates the County preferring a sewer connection to the City's system from a treatment perspective but believes it unreasonable to place the City in a position of having to provide utility service to County property. We believe the County's policy of requiring connection only makes sense from a land use perspective if a County sewer is available within 200 feet of the property rather than if City sewer systems were within 200 feet of the property or if the properties annex to the City. Subsequent to the Hempy/Faber lots, the Council approved connection to another new house on a vacant lot within the Remen Tract area. A de facto policy has been developed here to grant sewer connections to existing lots. Here, water is already available, and sewer mains are typically very close to these lots. Requests for Utility Connections Within the Sycamore Road/Happy Valley Area From time to time, the City receives requests from residents in the Happy Valley/Sycamore Road area for sewer and/or water service. (Staff estimates the number of requests to be about 10 in the last 10 years.) Typically these requests have been made because the septic system is in need of replacement and/or existing water well has become contaminated. As in the Remen Tract, where the septic system has failed but the property is within 200 feet of an existing sewer line, the County Department of Environmental Health will not allow the system to be replaced or repaired. Rather that Department insists that the property owner connect to the sewer line, regardless of whether the line is a City line or a County line. As to water, for most property owners it is more economical to connect to the City water system than to construct a new well. In May 2000, the City received a request from Mr. Frank Yao to connect to sewer and water services at 969 Sycamore Road. As stated above, the City normally requires that the property annex to the City in order to receive City utility services. However, as indicated earlier, the City is obligated to serve water to parcels located within the former Pleasanton Township Water District boundary. The Yao property was determined to be just outside that boundary. The Yao parcel is contiguous to the City Limit boundary line; however, this parcel is only 1.97 acres, and annexing in small "piece meal" areas is discouraged by LAFCo. This parcel SR:02:284 Revises SR 02:276 11/19/02 Page 5 of 10