Scotts Valley Approves $144,000 First-Ever Sewer Checkup Before Rainy Season

Scotts Valley has never fully examined the condition of its sewer pipes, most of which date to the last century. On Nov. 4, 2026, the City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2099, hiring RH Borden to acoustically screen about 50 miles of sewer line and roughly 1,450 manholes. Residents also used public comment to press the city on park crowding and overgrown trees on city land.

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• Council awards $144,000 sewer assessment to low bidder RH Borden by unanimous voice vote
• About 85% of sewer pipeline is from the last century, and its condition is unknown
• A citywide sewer lateral inspection requirement is likely coming, according to staff
• Council reports: a pending $11M Safe Streets for All grant and a citywide inclusionary housing expansion
• Neighbors cite a 20-signature petition over pickleball crowding; a greenbelt resident flags fire risk

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Sewer System Gets Its First Full Diagnosis

The basics: The contract pays for acoustic screening, a sound-based method that checks pipe segments between manholes without sending cameras through every line. The results will feed a red, yellow and green GIS dashboard that ranks which pipes need attention first.

Why it matters: Scotts Valley has no dedicated sewer collection staff and mostly reacts to spills after they happen. A condition map lets the city prioritize cleaning and repairs before the rainy season, which can reduce spills and the fines that follow them.

"85% of our pipeline is from the last century, basically," said Wastewater Division Manager Jeremy Long.

Where things stand: The city has roughly 55 to 60 miles of sewer line. RH Borden will screen more than 50 miles, leaving out about 5 miles of 18-inch line, and grade nearly 1,500 manholes. The city issued its request for proposals Sept. 23, and proposals were due Oct. 5. RH Borden submitted the lowest bid. The contract is capped at $144,000 and fits within the 2026-27 Wastewater Enterprise Fund budget. Because that fund is paid for by sewer ratepayers, the contract requires no money from the general fund.

Council questions focused on logistics and history:

• Timing: Staff said the work will take about three weeks and start as soon as possible.
• Past inspections: None were comprehensive. Staff said camera (CCTV) inspection had been too costly.
• Old pipe materials: Staff said the city knows of no Orangeburg pipe in the system.
• Traffic: Members asked about lane disruptions. Rodolfo, of city public works staff, said the public will be notified and that "this is a fast-moving operation."

The lateral question: Councilmember Derek Timm raised a policy issue beyond the contract. Sewer laterals are the private pipes that connect homes and businesses to city mains.

"A lot of cities in the county have moved to require sewer lateral inspections," Timm said, asking whether Scotts Valley would require inspections when a property is sold.

"We're going to be implementing a similar requirement as our neighbors in the county," Rodolfo responded.

The other side: No one opposed the contract, but residents tested the plan. Steve Hockstead, a public commenter, supported the assessment and asked what budget exists for repairs and whether older clay pipe would be replaced, and with what materials. Long said the city does not need new money to act on the findings. "We do budget every year to have pipeline work done," he said.

A second public commenter questioned whether roughly 1,300 manholes could realistically be inspected in about three weeks, and whether that count was right. Long corrected the figure upward: "It's 1,450, I believe."

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council adopted Resolution 2099 by voice vote (For: unanimous, as declared by Mayor Donna Lind; individual votes not recorded). Sewer ratepayers fund the study through the enterprise fund. Neighborhoods near spill-prone lines stand to benefit most if the findings shift crews from emergency response to planned maintenance. Homeowners should watch the lateral inspection rule closely, because that requirement would put costs on private property owners at the time of sale.

What's next: Screening is expected to start as soon as possible and take about three weeks, with public notice beforehand. The results will set priorities for future repair spending. Staff did not give a date for the sewer lateral inspection proposal.

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Council Reports: Grants, Housing and Senior Scams

Why it matters: The roughly 15 minutes of member reports previewed several items likely to return as council business, including housing policy, grant money and pedestrian safety near schools.

Where things stand:

• Safe Streets: The city has applied for an $11M Safe Streets for All grant and expects a decision in the new year.
• School-area safety: The Safety Action Committee is working on pedestrian safety and signage at Bean Creek and Oak Lane, near the middle school. These projects may eventually reach the capital program.
• Inclusionary housing: The city plans to extend inclusionary housing rules beyond the former redevelopment area. Those rules require new developments to include affordable units. Councilmember Greg Wimp described the effort as "expanding the inclusionary housing to the borders of the whole city." The item will return to council.
• Aging services: The Master Plan for Aging is under review amid federal cuts.
• Medicare scams: Vice Mayor Steve Clark urged seniors to stay alert during Medicare open enrollment. "The scam artists are on the loose," he said.
• Other updates: Members also covered a business license tax review and a holiday shop-local program. They reported on the Santa Margarita groundwater plan and on Regional Transportation Commission closed sessions on Segment 12. Other updates included a Measure D five-year plan hearing, a Metro hydrogen fueler and housing at the Watsonville Transit Center.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council took no action. Of the items reported, the inclusionary housing expansion carries the highest stakes for developers and affordable housing advocates, because it would apply the requirement across the entire city.

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Residents Press for Action on Parks, Greenbelt

Why it matters: Two residents raised neighborhood problems they said have gone unresolved for months. The council made no response to either during the meeting.

Pickleball pressure: A public commenter said 20 neighbors signed a petition in February seeking relief from heavy parking and visitor traffic tied to a park and its pickleball court. The commenter cited trash, alcohol, late-night arrivals, blocked driveways, and harm to habitat and safety. The commenter said the Park Commission is surveying again. The commenter asked the council to press the commission and to relocate the court.

Greenbelt trees: Hockstead first praised parks crews for their cleanup after summer events. He then said 15 to 16 trees on city-owned greenbelt land near his Coast Range Drive home have gone untrimmed. He said the new landscape contractor only blows off the trail, and that he has had no response in five months since a June request. Hockstead noted the area's high fire risk and the roughly $219 annual assessment he pays for maintenance that he says is not happening. He asked for permission to remove one tree himself for $150 on Dec. 2.

What's next: The parking and crowding concerns remain with the Park Commission. The greenbelt request remains with Public Works.

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Minor Items

• Traffic safety grant: The police department received a $60,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, Interim City Manager Stephanie Hill reported.
• Signal upgrades: Seven traffic signals on Scotts Valley Drive and Mount Hermon Road will be upgraded. The work will be coordinated with utility and sidewalk work tied to nearby developments.
• Enforcement: Hill's report also noted a coordinated traffic enforcement operation.
• Consent agenda: The council approved the consent agenda and regular agenda by unanimous voice vote, with no changes.

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Looking ahead: Several items are expected to return to the council: the citywide inclusionary housing expansion, a decision on the $11M Safe Streets for All grant in the new year, and a likely sewer lateral inspection requirement.