11-22-1999 Council Work Session - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

began close cooperation with the Hennepin Soil and Water Conservation District in soil analysis for septic system design. Beginning in 1976, the City has required engineered site evaluation and proof of adequate area, ground water and percolation rate prior to rural lot division approval. This has become the most critical criteria in all rural subdivision considerations. Fin ally, in in 1978, all of the above regulations were codified into one comprehensive on-site sewage treatment ordinance which in cludes included a City inspection program and mandatory use and maintenance provisions for all existing systems. In the late 1980*s the MPCA recodified it*s on-site sewage treatment rules as MR Chapter 7080. In 1992 the City of Orono revised its ordinances to incorporate the Chapter 7080 standards, while retaining certain standards which were more restrictive than those in Chapter 7080. and required City licensing of site evaluators. Bv the mid 1990's the MPCA began to license Individual Sewage Treatment System HSTS) professionals, and the City dropped its local licensing requirements. During the late I990's the State Legislature has made annual changes to the provisions of Chapter 7080 which the City is monitoring on an ongoing basis. City ordinances will be revised as necessary to meet Chanter 7080 requirements as they evolve. The most recent Chapter 7080 revisions allow local units of government to approve and allow the use of "performance systems”, i.e. septic systems of an innovative or unusual design which do not meet historically accepted "prescriptive ” svstem design parameters, such as height above seasonal saturation, etc. The intent of this new State regulation is that the actual site-specific environmental impacts of each individual performance svstem installed, shall be monitored on an ongoing basis, and if maximum impact parameters are exceeded, the svstem must either be made compliant, or abandoned. There are numerous risks involved with the acceptance of such systems, and the City of Orono will proceed cautiously to ensure that new technology will be given a "fair shake". At the same time, the City will not allow new technology to become an administrative burden nor allow it to result in properties which have no options should the new technology fail to provide adequate sewage treatment and disposal Each on-site system is periodically inspected by the City to assure proper use and adequate maintenance. Orono's on-site sewage treatment ordinance mandates that each system owner properly use and maintain his system so as to assure adequate sewage treatment. There are two very inn ovative important parts of Orono ’s ordinance. First is that these provisions are administered and enforced by a City On-Site Systems Manager who devotes full time to administration of the ordinance. Second is that this program is totally financed by user fees: - Developers pay for the City's site analysis and review through special application fees; Contractors pay for site inspections through construction permit fees; and - Periodic inspection of existing systems is paid by the on-site landowner who is sent an annual inspection fee bill similar to utility billing practices in other cities. Orono's On-Site Management Program includes educational materials and typical review of site evaluations and system designs. The un ique An important feature is a programmed inspection of I I I I I I CMP 6-26