Shovels should be in the ground later this summer in the Lansing area, where, despite some citizen protest, a new sewer system is coming through.

Austin City Council on Monday passed a series of resolutions that will make the controversial project a reality. Council still needs to officially approve bids on the project — which will cost a little more than $3 million — but that should happen in early August, with construction starting not long after that. When all is said and done, more than 200 residential units in the area will receive sewer, with costs being split up evenly among property owners depending on how many units they own.

However, because the project was delayed due to a number of citizens who voiced and wrote complaints, construction may not be completed this year as originally anticipated. City engineer Jon Erichson said it would take “a nice fall” to get the entire project in before frost and snow comes.

Still, Monday’s vote was a victory for those who have clamored for sewer in the area for years. With the nearby Cedar River being rated as one of the five most endangered and polluted rivers in the country, advocates said the need for sewer was becoming greater by the day.

Dan Franklin, a retired engineer who lives in the Lansing-area’s Woodhaven addition, is one such resident who had been pushing for the project for several years.

“I’m very thankful for the vote,” he said after the meeting. “I’m thankful for all the hard work. We want to start protecting our environment.”

David Larson, also a Woodhaven resident, spoke about the environmental aspect of the project during the meeting as he advocated for the sewer system.

“It was a pristine, blue river,” he said of the Cedar. “Here is an opportunity to do something about it.”

But, as has been the case throughout the process, a number of citizens voiced their opposition during Monday’s meeting. While not debating the need to clean up the Cedar River, those against the project generally argued that the project was being unfairly assessed on them — to the tune of nearly $16,000 per person — and that they couldn’t afford it.

Some citizens also said they hadn’t been informed of the annexation process that brought them into the city, while others have said at past meetings that they have perfectly good septic systems and shouldn’t have to pay for a new sewer.

With the complaints still on the book, the city will conduct appraisals of the properties of the roughly 60 people who are formally opposed to the project. Then, the city will meet with these people at a hearing to officially determine their assessments — which may be no different than the ones approved Monday night. If they remain opposed to the project at that point, they do have the option to file lawsuits in district court — which some citizens threatened would happen.

“We will file a class action suit,” area resident Bob Allen said during Monday’s meeting.

At worst, the city would be looking at a little more than $1 million in legal fees and lost assessments if everyone opposed files suit and succeeds in court. But council showed confidence in the sewer plan — and its fairness — by going forward.

“I think this project is one of the fairest we can offer,” councilman Dick Pacholl said. “To change it now, I don’t think is fair.”

Councilman Steve King, who was the first council member to address the crowd after hearing a number of comments, echoed Pacholl’s sentiment, adding that Erichson and his engineering department put together a good plan that should go forward, despite criticism.

“I came to the conclusion that this was best for the city of Austin,” he said. “The gut told me this needs to go through.”

But King’s gut decision wasn’t easy to come by. One by one, council members said that it was a difficult decision, and they realized not everyone would come away happy. When asked if it was his most difficult decision as a council member, King probably spoke for the rest of council with his quick answer: “Yes it was, absolutely.”

Read previous Herald stories on the Lansing-area sewer project

Lansing sewer project could be altered, but city is on the clock

Sewer project up in the air