02-27-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Orono To: Melanie Curtis From: Roger Peitso �W CC: Jeremy Barnhart Date: 7/9/2017 Re: 4380 Sixth Avenue North Council Exhibit B #17-3901 Comments: Septic design professionals have identified difficulties in finding a second or alternative treatment site, on the property located at 4380 Sixth Avenue North. City Code Section 58-47 (d) requires a second treatment site and bars the City of Orono from issuing any permits for building expansion or accessory structures without identification of a second treatment site. However, Code Section 58-73 does allow a variance from the requirements of Code Section 58-47 if approved by the On -Site Systems manager (myself), or the City council. The difficulties in finding two septic sites is caused by lack of space on the lot and being able to maintain legal setbacks for the septic sites due to: wetlands on the edges of the property; the size and shape of the lot; and limited areas of undisturbed original soils large enough to support two treatment sites. The current septic system is non-compliant and must be replaced when the property is sold. One Type I Standard five -bedroom site has been identified and a new system will be installed as required by City of Orono Code at the point of sale. This new system should be able to support the needs of the current house, which has three bedrooms, and allow for expansion up to five bedrooms for 40 years or more with proper care and maintenance. if the system were to fail, depending on the cause, it is feasible that the mound could be re -built in the same place using new materials. If failure was due to soils lacking the capacity for treatment, pre-treatment technology could be added to the system allowing the same treatment area to be used. It would be my recommendation that a variance from the two site requirement in Section 58-47 be approved because of the hardship it would cause to the current or future owners of this property, resulting in limited or no options to improve or construct structures on this property which would otherwise be allowed.