SEDRO-WOOLLEY — The City Council could agree to a new Secret Harbor home and lift its years-long moratorium on sewer connections. But the hottest topic at Wednesday’s council meeting may be something not on the agenda — garbage.

Annie Janicki is encouraging residents to attend and to tell the council to sign a settlement aimed at keeping Deluxe Recycling and Disposal out of town. The settlement offer before the city was issued by the county last week, and the city has until 4 p.m. Thursday to sign it.

Deluxe wants to build a 30,000-square-foot refuse facility near Sedro-Woolley High School, and Janicki has appealed it. Her first appeal, to the city hearing examiner, was denied and her current appeal, to Skagit County Superior Court, would be resolved by the county’s proposed settlement.

Council members have been reticent to offer an opinion on the settlement, which would require a reversal of the city’s long-held position that private transfer stations are allowed in the city.

Council members have said they will discuss the settlement offer during executive session, a portion of the meeting that is not open to the public and which is commonly held to discuss legal matters. But Deluxe opponents will have an opportunity to speak during a public comment period held at the beginning of the meeting.

A proposed settlement with Secret Harbor did make the regular agenda. The settlement would allow the organization to locate a home at 939 State St. for six boys who are in the state’s care and have had to overcome behavioral problems stemming from abuse or neglect.

Last month, Hearing Examiner Tom Moser denied a conditional-use permit application from the organization even though city staff recommended approval. Following that decision, Secret Harbor told the city it can open the home even without the permit because the Washington Housing Policy Act makes it illegal to have a different policy for housing those with handicaps than individuals without handicaps.

The settlement before the council Wednesday would remove the conditional-use permit requirement as long as Secret Harbor meets other requirements issued by the city.

Also Wednesday, the council could reverse a decision that has been on the books even longer.

Sedro-Woolley adopted the current sewer connection moratorium in June 2004 and has shifted the affected area since, as work to expand sewer capacity progressed. Now, according to a memo to the council, “the public works director is confident that the City’s capacity problems no longer exist and therefore, the basis of the moratorium no longer exists.”

City officials have blamed the sewer moratorium for stalling development in the city and earlier predicted a flood of project proposals once the moratorium was lifted. Now, however, officials have lowered their expectations due to the ongoing slump in the building industry and other economic woes.

* Elliott Wilson can be reached at 360-416-2147 or at .