01-27-1992 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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TO: PROM: DATE: RE: jAff pStephen Weckman, On-Site Systems Manajysr ^ ^ 7 Orono City Council January 17, 1992 laerCiTy Proposed Changes to the Orono Municipal Code Related to On-Site Sewage Treatment Systems I Orono's On-Site Sewage Treatment Code is in need of revision. Since the septic code was last revised in 1978, construction techniques and State of Minnesota minimum requirements have changed considerably. Our existing "On-Site Sewage Treatment System Design Manual" (Resolution #894) is out of date. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is moving towards a state-wide acceptance of the "Individua'' Sewage Treatment Systems Standards Chapter 7080" within the next few ears. Chapter 7080 is already mandatory in shoreland areas. Chapter 7080 replaced the "WPC-40" state recommended code of the late 1970's, on which cur current code was modeled). The purpose of this memo is to describe the changes proposed to bring our code up to date. In Section 5.37 we propose that all septic installers licensed in Orono have at least a provisional "Individual Sewage Treatment Systems Certificate" issued by the MPCA. Previously we did not require this because the State certification pr: vram was not widely publicized and many contractors were hindered ')<>'. being able to readily obtain a certificate. The certification program is now past its infancy and virtually all local septic contractors have been trained and certified by the State. Requiring them to have a certificate insures us they have at least this itinlmum training. A new section. Section 5.38, will be added requiring the licensing of site evaluators/system designers. This section is being added to assure a minimum standard of competence, since proper site evaluation and system design is one of the most critical phases of development with septic systems. Staff has long felt that the City needs a tool such as licensing to deal with site evaluators who consistently submit unsatisfactory wor)c. Unfortunately, the ability of the State to revoke a certificate has yet to become a reality. In Section 12.30, Subd. 1, a number of definitions have been revised to match the definitions in the MPCA Regulations Chapter 7080. Some definitions were dropped from our list as they would be an excessive duplication. The various definitions of systems categorized by design definitions, construction status definitions, and conformity definitions, have been reorganized and in some cases renamed to be more clear in intent and consistent with Chapter 708C. Finally, all definitions were purged of regulatory language or standards, to make them pure definitions. All regulatory language or standards was then inserted in the appropriate regulatory code sections.