The Freeland Sub Area Planning Committee moved a step closer last Thursday to completing the comprehensive sewer plan for South Whidbey’s fastest-growing urban area.

Members of the committee unanimously agreed on a site for location of the treatment plant and a site for land application of effluent, a crucial part of developing a sewer system for Freeland.

For purposes of completing the plan, committee members approved locating the future treatment facility on the north side of pasture land along Highway 525 south of Bush Point Road. Under the plan, treated effluent would be pumped to an abandoned rock quarry on 740 acres of land clear cut a decade ago by the Trillium logging company. The property is located just off Bounty Loop in Freeland.

The committee had previously considered other options. According to Island County Engineer Gary Hess, the current owner of the pasture land where the treatment plant would be sited — Robert Fletcher — has expressed an interest in selling the land for the treatment plant and applying the effluent. But the land doesn’t perk well enough for a treatment and effluent application to take place on the same site.

Alex Chin, an engineer with Tetra Tech/KCM — the company that is developing the sewer plan for Island County — reviewed other options during last week’s planning committee meeting. Another location considered by the engineer and county officials was a site nearer to Freeland for both the treatment plant and land application. A joint sewage treatment operation with the Holmes Harbor Sewer District was also considered. Both of these were dismissed because of high costs and incompatibility.

The next step in the process will be a meeting for public input in January. Then, the Island County Commissioners will get a briefing on the completed plan before it is sent to Department of Ecology for approval.

Hess said it will be at least five to seven years before sewers could become a reality in Freeland.

Development of the system, if approved, would be in stages. The first phase would provide sewer service to Freeland’s business district. Residential areas would receive services after that. The plan includes all properties within the boundaries of the Freeland Water District.

Island County has budgeted $185,000 for development of the sewer plan. According to Hess, the work is still being done inside this money constraint.