The Miner Lake Sewer Task Force has informed the Allegan Township Board that the petition effort to request creation of a Sewer Special Assessment District has been suspended after falling short of the required threshold.

Under the proposed district, the petition required signatures from property owners representing more than 50% of the land area within the proposed Special Assessment District. We collected signatures from more than 100 parcels, representing more than 40% of the proposed district. While this reflects significant support from many property owners, it was not enough to formally request that the Allegan Township Board begin the hearing process for formation of a Special Assessment District.

We have advised the Township Board that the petition effort is suspended, but we will still provide an in-person update at the July Board meeting on Monday, July 6, 2026.

This effort was pursued because of:

• Clear support our residents expressed for developing a sewer plan for Miner Lake
• Information gathered over the last several years related to poor soil conditions around Miner Lake, limited lot sizes, and the lack of complete documentation for many existing septic systems
• The Eutrophic state (overall water quality) and growth of aquatic plants and algea

From the beginning, we understood that investing in a sewer system would not be something everyone agreed with. Some homeowners have already experienced the very real difficulty of dealing with a failing or inadequate septic system, including the challenge of replacing a system on a lot that may not meet current standards. Others have not experienced those issues, or do not believe they are likely to face them. Only time will tell how those individual circumstances develop, but the information gathered to date shows that soil conditions and typical lot sizes around Miner Lake are not favorable for long-term reliance on individual onsite wastewater systems.

Michigan is the ONLY state in the country that does not require regular inspection of septic systems. However, there is legislation in the State Senate that could create statewide septic system inspection requirements. it is reasonable to expect that if Michigan adopts more formal septic oversight, properties near lakes, streams, wetlands, and other sensitive water resources may receive particular attention. Should inspections or required corrective actions become mandatory, demand for engineers, health department review, construction crews, and materials could increase significantly. That may make future individual or community solutions more difficult and more expensive than what we are facing today.

For now, the sewer petition effort has been suspended. I know that many residents with aged or failing systems now face difficult decisions about what to do next. Unfortunately, the options are limited and in many cased they are quite frankly expensive and undesirable.

We heard from many residents during the petition collection process, and we appreciate the time people took to ask questions, share concerns, and consider the information. We plan to conduct additional surveys to better understand residents’ thoughts on the overall process, the cost concerns, and what matters most to property owners as the community considers any future options.

I want to personally thank the members of the Sewer Task Force for the incredible amount of time and care they have invested over the last several years. Their work helped bring clarity to a complicated issue, and they made a consistent effort to focus on facts rather than hype or panic.

Thank you as well to the Miner Lake community. This is not an easy topic, and neighbors will continue to have different views about the best path forward. Overall, the community has remained respectful of one another and of the Task Force as we worked to share accurate information and help property owners make an informed decision on an important issue.

We will continue to share updates as appropriate.