The City of Meridian has filed a lawsuit against the Bittercreek Meadows Homeowners Association, demanding the HOA pay to decommission a sewer lagoon pond that serves the Kuna-area neighborhood. The HOA, in turn, says it's Meridian that's breaking the rules, arguing the city's own lawsuit violates a settlement agreement the two sides struck more than a decade ago.
According to BoiseDev, the dispute traces back to a 2013 settlement agreement between Bittercreek Meadows HOA and the City of Meridian. Under that agreement, Meridian was required to provide sewer services to lots in the neighborhood and later pay to connect the subdivision to Kuna's sewer system, per the outlet's reporting. The settlement reportedly spelled out that Meridian would cover connection fees, conveyance fees, and other charges, along with all construction work needed to link the subdivision to Kuna's wastewater treatment plant and any repairs to improvements disturbed in the process.
The settlement calls for Meridian to connect Bittercreek Meadows to Kuna's sewer service. But the city argues that connection can't happen until the neighborhood's sewer lagoon pool is decommissioned, and that the HOA — not Meridian — should foot that bill, the outlet's report states.
Who Built the Pond, and Who Owns It
The Bittercreek Meadows HOA disputes that position. The HOA says decommissioning the pond is necessary work that Meridian must pay for under the terms of the settlement agreement, and contends the settlement specifically requires Meridian to close the sewer lagoon ponds at its own expense as part of connecting the HOA to Kuna's municipal sewer system, per BoiseDev's reporting on the HOA's claims. The HOA further argues that Meridian's lawsuit itself breaches that settlement agreement.
Ownership of the pond is also part of the dispute. The HOA owns the pond, according to the reporting, while Meridian's lawsuit states the city has maintained it since the development began. Meridian's suit also asserts the city did not build the pond and was not involved in the decision-making process that led to its creation.
Separately, the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality requires the sewer lagoon pool to be decommissioned, the outlet reports — a regulatory backdrop that sits behind both sides' insistence the other should pay for the work.
A Decade-Old Settlement Resurfaces
A separate archived City of Kuna record references an agreement between the Bittercreek Meadows HOA and Meridian tied to the city's decision to eliminate a planned lift station that would have provided sewer conveyance for the development. That fragment also mentions a sewer pipe considered a property appurtenance and an easement tied to the lagoon, though the surviving excerpt is too fragmentary to fully explain how those pieces fit into the current fight over the pond.
Trial Scheduled for Spring 2027
For now, both Meridian and the Bittercreek Meadows HOA are asking a judge to decide which party is responsible for decommissioning the pond, BoiseDev reports. A trial in the case is scheduled for April 5, 2027.
Reporter Sydney Kidd covers development and growth across the Treasure Valley for BoiseDev.
