Alternative solution found after tenants were told to vacate while park puts in code-compliant sewage systems
Residents of the Windsor RV Park recently averted eviction after the town was able to successfully work with property management company Thomsen Properties to facilitate the provision of code-compliant sewage services at the site.
According to Public Works Director Shannon Cotulla, Windsor RV Park had been notified in 2018 about the non-compliance of a sewage dumping site at the front of the park. The town must enforce state regulations in order to maintain its State National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit required to operate the wastewater treatment facility legally.
“We have certain things we’re allowed to do with waste water. One of the prohibitions was accepting waste from a dump station, which was out there,” Cotulla said.
Despite the town’s intervention, Cotulla said, the property managers continued to accept sewage through the provision of “honey wagon” services, as a letter from Thomsen Properties refers to the sewage dump station.
On Aug. 3, the Town of Windsor issued a cease-and-desist letter to Thomsen Properties, ordering that they immediately cease all non-compliant activity.
Thomsen Properties sent residents a letter informing them of the cessation of sewage disposal services, and said that construction to add sewage connections to each unit would soon be underway. Up to 40 residents were issued notices, according to the Town of Windsor.
“If everything moves along with current planning, we will most likely be breaking ground in September to construct sewer to each space,” the Aug. 9 letter reads. “However, the project could take 60 days or more to complete. The 60 days in an estimate because we are at the mercy of the state and local inspectors’ schedules. Of course, the project cannot be completed without both governments’ approval.”
After residents received notice about potential evictions at certain properties in order to install the sewage connections, Windsor Town Councilmember Esther Lemus said they contacted the town for help, or out of anger.
“People were very distressed. There were a lot of people asking for the town’s help, notifying us about what was going on. It was mostly distress, but eventually that ends up becoming anger, especially if there’s some misinformation. There was some anger directed at the town. They said we cut off the services. I think people wanted answers, and this thing was unfolding very quickly,” Lemus said.
She said that many residents misunderstood the situation and attributed blame for the evictions to the town — that they thought the town itself was evicting residents. This was primarily fueled by social media misinformation, something Lemus said happens sometimes with emotional issues affecting town residents.
“Unfortunately, that does happen,” she said. “Assumptions are made when people don’t necessarily have the correct or accurate information — and then it spreads like wildfire. I find it important to clear any misinformation.”
Lemus said Town Manager Ken MacNab and the community development department, upon learning of the developing situation, notified Legal Aid of Sonoma County to assist residents, and began reaching out to the RV park owners to help find a solution.
Ultimately, the property owners decided that, as the RVs may not be able to be moved without sustaining damage, an alternative solution was needed. They decided to hire a septic service to dispose of residents’ waste water in the interim, while their contractor works to find a way to provide permanent sewage connections without requiring residents to vacate during construction.
A representative from Thomsen Properties, of Newport Beach, declined to comment on the situation, except to confirm that eviction notices had been issued in order to deal with the sewage problem prior to reaching a resolution that would not require evictions.
