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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: February 19,1999 Item No.: j ^ Department Approval: Administrator Approval: Name: Michael P. Gaffron Title: Senior Planning Coordinator Agenda Section: Zoning Item Description: Sewer Connection Request, 465-485 Orono Orchard Rd. S. - Edward Hamm List of Exhibits A - Letter of Request 2-9-99 and Attachments B - Topography Review Summary of Request Bruce Palmer on behalf of Edward Hamm is requesting that the main house and 2 guest houses on the Hamm property be allowed to connect to municipal sewer. The existing municipal sewer ends one block away, near the intersection of Barrett Avenue and Dickenson Street. Hamm would pay all costs of connection. Criteria for Sewer Connection Because the Hamm property is outside the MUSA, it could only be sewered a) if Council chooses to amend the MUSA boundary, or b) if Council concludes that the property meets the criteria for using one of the City's 50 'floating* sewer connections approved by Met Council in 1996. That approval limited the use to existing residences adjacent to existing sewer lines. The City has informally established additional criteria for use of those connections, including: - existing system must be failing, and - must demonstrate that septic options are not available. History of Septic System Problems The Hamm property has an ongoing history of septic problems dating to the early 1980's. Past repairs have proven ineffective in part due to the heavy clay soils on the entire 1 8-acre site. New trench systems installed in 1981-82 failed within a year, and subsequent investigations into volume of water use and potential inflow/infiltration problems resulted in pipe replacements and further system expansions. These repairs never were completely successful nor were they ever completely satisfactory to Mr. Hamm. Perhaps the main reason the systems have 'limped' through the '80s and '90s is that occupancy of the home and guest houses has been seasonal. The systems were last inspected by Steve Weckman in July 1998 and were found to be non- conforming (lacking 3' separation) and failing due to surface discharge. Mr. Hamm is intending some major remodeling of the main house this year, and would like to resolve the septic problem on a permanent basis.