Re: request for council action-MUSA

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Mike Gaffron From: Alike Gaffron Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 8:27 AM To: 'Hanson, Phyllis' Cc: aswell, Tom; Colvin, Kyle; Darren Amundsen; Jessica Loftus Subject: E: Orono Orchard Road consideration for sewer Attachments: 0 Orono Orchard Road -Site Location Map and Airphotos.pdf; 20 Orono Orchard Road - opo &Site Issues Sketch.pdf; 20 Orono Orchard Rd Septic Data.pdf; 20 Orono Orchard oad -Letter from Property Owner.pdf Tom/Phyllis/Kyle— After my discussion with the neighborhood representative,the conclusion we reached is that we will not consider providing sewer to the entire neighborhood at this time. Perhaps sometime in the far future. However,we do wish to pursue extending a sewer Ii e to serve one property,at 20 Orono Orchard Road. This lot is smaller than most in the neighborhood; although it i 2 acres in gross area,it has only%acre of dry buildable land,the remainder being wetland. The basis for the request is hat the property has an existing septic system that is largely unknown as to design, location or capacity, but is at least 3 years old, not conforming to any current standards and determined to be non-compliant, and will have to be replace at some future time that the house is occupied or rebuilt. The existing house is more than 60 years old. Construction of a new conforming on-site system appears to be impossible because: -the non-wetland area of the property is only 3/4 of an acre; -part of the dry-buildable area is encumbered by a driveway easement that serves 2 neighboring homes; - required setbacks from the well,from the wetland on the north side of the property,from a small creek that runs through the front yard,anfrom the house,garage, property boundaries and driveways, leave only an area just north of the house that is wooded nd has a slope averaging 20-25%. This area is approximately 40'x70'and due to its slope draining toward the easem nt driveway,would not be a feasible treatment system location. The soils in this area normally require mound s tems, making the steep slope a limiting design factor. I have attached a topographic depiction of the site showing setback requirements and the only area that meets setbacks. Also attached is a copy of our septic system record for this property, a site location map showing the existing MUSA,and two airphotos. Also attached is a letter from the property owner requesting the connection. Stantec Engineer Darren Amundsen has indicated that an extension of the existing municipal sewer in Orono Orchard Road to this property could be accomplished relatively easily at the time the MCES forcemain construction in Orono Orchard Road is being done this summer. This would be simply the placement of approximately 700'of 1-1/2" pressure sewer line in the same excavation as the MCES forcemain, connected to an existing City manhole. The property owner would have to connect into this small pressure line with an individual grinder station. The property is not within the MUSA, but is just across the Luce Line Trail from the MUSA. My assumption is that the property would have to be incorporated into the MUSA before an actual connection to the sewer would be allowed. I'm looking to you for a few items at this point: 1) Your confirmatiojn that the property would qualify for an exception to Met Council density calculation concerns associated with MUSA additions, because 1)the house was built before 1985; 2) has a septic system that is defined as non-compliant,and 3)doesn't have a viable site to construct a replacement system. If this does not qualify as an exception, I will need your assistance in understanding the density calculation impacts. 2) Your direction asito whether we should submit this as a minor Comp Plan/MUSA amendment or proceed via some other route. 1