08-23-1993 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ORONO COUNCIL MEETING • HELD AUGUST 23, 1993 SEPTIC UPGRADES - CONT. For properties that have a failing or illegal system, site evaluation and system upgrade would be required before any permits are issued. When ground conditions don't allow a site evaluation, the owner acknowledges some risk in proceeding without a site evaluation. Alternative solutions could be: 1. Site evaluator to identify probable sites for system upgrade meeting setback and slope requirements and soil conditions. 2. Building permit applicant should provide evidence of a contract with a site evaluator so there is proof the upgrade will be done as soon as weather conditions permit. 3. Applicant should agree in writing to complete the septic upgrade within the appropriate time frame for his project. 4. Applicant should agree in writing that the construction project will stop if the site • evaluation finds there is no way to repair the system. If no way is found to repair a system, the City would issue no further permits until the situation is resolved (possibly holding tanks or a variance). There is concern over certain areas of the City which the 1980 Comp Plan identified as areas to monitor for future sewer. If there are a number of systems within one of these clusters that are failing, perhaps a better solution than repairing each system would be to consider sewer for that area. The time frame for repairs may need to be extended. Mayor Callahan noted that this study has been because changes have been made to the time frame allowing repair of failing systems, two years instead of one. Gaffron confirmed there are about 1100 septic systems in the City. Possibly half of these systems could be affected but until inspections are completed, this is a rough estimate. This would be one -fourth of all homes in Orono. If each system cost about $3,000, it would cost residents of the City almost $2 million to repair or replace their systems. is 5