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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996/12/05 - Board of Health I � MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH APPEAL HEARING December 5, 1996 ATTENDANCE: Dr. Mark E. Trucksess, Health Officer Pam Denton, Lead Environmental Health Specialist Jim Tobey, Environmental Health Specialist Brent Long, Board of Health Clerk Rick Buechel, Appellant Joyce Johnson, Certified Designer/Installer APPEAL HEARING - RICK BUECHEL Health Officer Mark E. Trucksess called the appeal hearing to order at 10:00 a.m. He asked, when presenting testimony, that each person state their name. The hearing would begin with a presentation of the chronology of events by the Health Department staff, after which the appellant would be heard, and then open discussion. Pam Denton, Environmental Health Specialist, presented written copies of the chronology of the history of the lot, 'Mr. Buechel's application for variance with attachment, and copies of three permit applications. She informed that the first permit activity on record was in May, 1969. A septic system was permitted and installed on the property. According to the as-built, there was 146 lineal feet of drainfield, but the permit did not document the width of the trenches. If the trenches were 2 feet wide, which was the most common in 1969, the drainfield would be 292 square feet. According to the records, this drainfield is 60 feet from the bulkhead. The next permit action was in February, 1981, at which time a repair permit was submitted. However, there was no reason stated in the file why the repair permit was submitted and no apparent site inspection or work activity. In June, 1985, another repair permit was submitted for a grease trap addition. Joyce Johnson, certified installer, had signed the as-built but the document listed the installer as "unknown." Ms. Denton interpreted this as-built as not showing the addition of a grease trap, but it did elaborate on the type of system which was there. It gave the trench length as 112 lineal feet and 54 inches below ground. It appeared to show only one tank, not a second grease trap. Another permit was applied for in December, 1988. This time, test holes were evaluated. A note on the permit indicated that it was for a second tank. The as-built done in 1989 showed that the second tank was installed but the first tank became the grease trap. The permits and activity do ' not seem to match, but the dates and the as-builts.were submitted. In May, 1996, an environmental health review was applied for by Mr. Buechel who indicated that he wanted to utilize the septic system for a residence. Because there was no soil log information, the Health Department needed to determine the soil depth and type in the drainfield area. Jim Tobey, Environmental Health Specialist, conducted an on-site inspection in May, 1996. He looked at 3 test holes on the property. One hole had standing water at 58 inches below grade and the soil type was an established fill of coarse sand and gravel, which was known as Type e e drarn �e�d'a oad Oft tb tel 1n er ides 11%w 11%,�,,at oA0 OF�A1,T8 water °n twe e Was Sta1'a1ha5 Stand dyes not COiJl`ZTY 1 bec 5,1 was dings tine ad th NIXgp1�AQQea,-Deee� Stan root runoff. 1�nThis at iel tiori. The Bu�helof 5 that there a , and acrO springs uld app y vertical separa tade� d • ya�e z oted was feet aw y as from ack�'`'° lacks be1oW & pW 1sO " a160 er w setb use it ches es bet soil. p' ood Ca" ditch war 100 foot an6beca at 541n 5% inch et A K at the e water th in May at d the Wat dra�nfreld has lad th d tort e Surf ac showed the file dep meet r 0 consecutive water tially, ri1 It appea unity nson stand drainfield,Oen ditch. 3 as actually Ore than e prOX s d . does'no form code due to tr n 19g5 by the e w bpttpm pf Of the effluent an It meet fitted ection pSe as-bullt sub o the $ite ins4 inches betweent eat and disp according only dequately reSt�utatS, .that leaveS will not a were grade s Stem until 1991 there t table This y 1969 up l the present, according to l 'Permit 1n 199 code. ortgina p From time Of the e facility' alas ThEPA manual estimates t all day, from the d out Of th 13 employ teen employees, working Apparently tavernS in been used by up to loyee per day' T gallons per day. over the last 5 marine and b each lamp of 1 Buechel,the facihty 'has Y the dralnf�eld lar and Mr. Buechel was requesting a e are g daily flow mtO g8 gallons p law g ate ail t 1 A 4 bedr " house would generate 411 gallons gallonshaVe an estim received abou would Stem has Only h°use and accorg to state and local regulations, the years,the.sy 'ea for a 4 bn Sewage flowhjS s4i does not meet code and will not that the system be an expansion eet current code' eahhDenent's concerns were treatment and per day• That required to n1 e sew g Thex re-treat device which meets Treatment ae would be dispose°f th that a p final drainfield. system treat Or is requiring well as a adequately The dep ent into the sy as aitrn stem &SP sa d 11 be incorp°rated tanks On Ms. Johnson replied that there Stan „were two septic enton sta� the as-built Dr. Trucksess was asked if there tanks Ms' D oogt for 1969, but it appeared that Dr. Trucksess Septic It was a very' g 000 gallon 1969 til someir. Ms. Johnson stated that when were two was completed.in o action taken,un wa for and n k the end At that time, they could grid reViewing lied additional tan or an,so additional feet were added. permits were app to be a T Salvage inter,did not appear many feet h'dded. Ms. Dent®1l Asied Union ember ho", Ms, lohn`led that the fgj only One line Th rem Permit She could not of the Sy Ste Del, had been HoweveT, on the history the drainfield. Ms or the current distanC@ � ® d onto that it was 112 fee clarif�cat1On order to ad prided I requested in Johnson resp drainfield. Ms. in the perm* that the inconsistencies locat1ons do not read stated with 112 lineal feet' end the bulkhead,y apply to Ms. Denton a System It does not in the hearing- It 's very deep system. standu aration, and - ; oO4r86 d ravel. It is a It also has 1t IS sand an g pn the Othfr �� pro no treatment. IA soil that p Department feels that during the la @ The Health use is an expansion to the has been nvn��e Of th@ road. bedroom house, bei Suit add a 4 of. 5 artment was @-4howl The Health Dep HowRliv�,� ®® meet current code. y eet current code. would not hav to bsolutel nl ��® ® would be required. t� ��A � r ry OF HEALTH MASON COUNTY BOAR-5,1996 Appeal_December,5,1996 d he wrote . Buechel Apr Department visited the site an Perhaps Page 3°f 5 per day were figured for the Marina.s the fact commented that Mr.Denison °allons f the iper ep of on the record, Mr Ms. Johnson regarding how t g also n ears ago, M Buechel remarked that, roximately 2 e could be seen a letter to Boba of the record. Mr in to see if dy that was not p Ms. Johnson informed that try art of the that a dye test had been done. water all afternoon trying test had been p Denison put dye in the se con w danDr Trucksess asked if the dy Dr. Trucksess asked if in the Canal, but it never Mr. Buechel answered that it was not. the survey. Mr. Buechel replied it had not. survey being done at that time. k based on e tested during and one 1,100 gallon tan it had been dye 000 gallon tank, good setup d the pre- hel remarked that there was one 1� could be removed an ed. c Dr. Trucksess commented that it looked like a Mr. Buechel Performed. the pumping report he had receive Denton noted that one tan ecord of the a test being p for re-treatment to to installed. tat p d• She stated that she had onrbut he did not believe the notes related treatment device installed- of the notes written by Mr Denis She did have cop probably only one to a permit. le capacity in the tanks p flexible, He was It ro osal was for a 4-bedroom home. system,r.Buechel commented that the aHi more than am to utilize the existing y eld In M would be requiredi f necessary 1,200 gallon tank 3-bedroom a required for the drain 1 and could reduce it to a the square footage a successful dye test,he however, just shy of meeting and having appeared the system was J h drainfield, e over-capacity tank, and almost enough from commercial to residentiience • having an uate since it was going d the system would be adeq n,s arguments, which are valid, but based on his expel believe stem would accommodate a with prior owners and leasers, he believes the sy stated that he understands Ms. Den ° and discussions residential use. Dr. Trucksess asked for further testimony h the dye test was conducted, Canal- -Environment Health Specialist, stated that even though followed which being conducted currently on Hood Cana . Jiro Tobey,Env e testing protocol was it probably was not consistent with the dye packets, or that the p not be dye present or fecal record of it being dyeaoveghat there may or may He did not see any o f other sites to p of the test, but he was requires the checking coliforms present. Mr. Buechel stated he could not address the validity certain there was a dye test performed. the -built in 1985 showing the 112 feet indicated Ms. correctly ton Ms. Denton asked Ms. Joh4� 6'nson Ms f Johnson replied it was correct, it was really deep. that the the depth was work very "sell for disposal,but it was not capable -critical, tSO stated that the drainfield would As they know now, treatment prior to disposal t adequate treatment of sewage. Hood Canal to get it cleaned up. To permit something which much work has been Would not take ake place, would be against all the work which has been done, they know treatment • Dr. Trucksess asked why Mr. Buechel did not want to modify the system. Mr. Buechel answered that he wanted to further develop the property. This is an existing facility and it falls under gent criteria for repair. The entire parcels were 500 feet of water froth, Any Aff ,dif MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH Buechel Appeal-December 5,1996 Page 4 of 5 development on the property would require him to look for a drainfield site on the upland because it would not be practical to place it on the waterfront. His objective was to get this system grandfathered. This site would be incorporated to the drainfield space off the water site, if and when future development takes place. Dr. Trucksess asked if the calculations changed at all for a 3-bedroom residence. Ms. Denton replied that the tankage was more than adequate assuming the lid was fixed on the one tank. The drainfield has enough square footage for a 3-bedroom residence in Type IA soil. Only 300 square feet is required. However, the problem was treatment. During the on-site, only 1 test hole had standing water at 58 inches. The other two test holes did not have water at that time. This may be tidally influenced. Dr. Trucksess asked if adding a pre-treatment device would take care of the treatment concerns. Ms. Denton responded that she would need the review of the Health Services Director, but she believed that if a pre-treatment device was submitted for this system, and it was a 3-bedroom residence, it would be considered. The drainfield is sized for a 3-bedroom residence. If pre-treatment is added, the treatment standard would be met and that is what they were trying to achieve. Dr. Trucksess wondered if it would be appropriate to test the system if it was not currently being used. Ms. Denton answered that Department of Water Quality did try to complete a dye test on the property after May some time, but because the use was limited, a dye test was not done. Mr. Buechel asked if he could speak off the record for a moment. Dr. Trucksess approved the request. Dr. Trucksess commented that the vertical separation was minimal and the soil type was poor. He believed that once the system was used, the sewage would be disposed of in Hood Canal. He believed there should be pre-treatment added to the system. He wondered if there was a projected date for future development. Mr. Buechel replied that he was actively pursuing the purchase of additional upland property for a backup drainfield site. He wanted to sell part of the property right away to his sister so she could build a home, but they knew from discussions with the Health Department staff, that current setbacks for a new home could not be met. Dr. Trucksess asked when construction would begin on Mr. Buechel's residence. Mr. Buechel answered that the preliminary work for a repair of the foundation was done, and they were waiting for approval on a few other permits. Dr. Trucksess stated he did not believe he could approve the appeal. He would like the Health Department to work with Mr. Buechel to see if there was some reasonable way this system could be upgraded to treat the sewage for a 3-bedroom home. He did not know what the cost of pre- treatment would be. Mr. Buechel responded it would be approximately $9,000 to install a sand- filter. The lot his home is on was not that wide. There is a lot next to it which he hoped to sell to his sister. So, he did not want to consume that waterfront property with a drainfield and sand filter. He wanted to get the project completed on the property he had. Ms. Denton stated that one of Ms. Johnson's preliminary proposals was that of a sand filter and perhaps a community system. It may be possible to install an aerobic unit in the place of one of the tanks and actually tie into the drainfield, assuming Mr. Buechel was going with a 3-bedroom residence. However, the aerobic devices do require ongoing maintenance and operation which adds to the perpetual • MASON Buechel gPpeal�D BOgRD OF$FACT$ ge 5 of 5 tuber 5,1996 . cost. Dr. Trucksess wondered if the asked if-there was or if it drain�eld would an estimated could be need to b ated cost for an the Health gravity, Ms Denton a pressurize aerobic Services Director. replied that she d after it CO unit. gravity distrib However Would roes out of the Ms. Johnson to v tY di ution can be utilized, currentl need to review the aerobic unit wed by the Because y' - long as the ' alternatives. Health S of the depth Y meet Treatment with Ms. JohnsonServices Director. P of the s ment Standard II estimate MS• Johnson and Ystem, the request d $6,000 for the ' Ms. D Would need Mr. Buechel asked installation of Denton discusse on his What appeal o an aerobic d Possible appeal re pp°rtunities L11t• from the time quest was denied. Dr. were available Of his decision to Trucksess answered to him'if Dr. Trucksess's appeal to the Bo that Mr. Buechel decision Dr. Trucksess denied and of Health. would have 30 days matter two- Mr• Buechel's re Y fold, He Would quest for appeal. appeal process. . Work with the Mr. Buechel stated he Buechel's A Dr, Trucksess Health Department o would address the Application for formally denied the n design and also Variance/Appeal, appeal by cornpletin continue his g Section D of Mr. Hearing adjourned, MASON COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER Mark E. Trucksess 1 ' 0�1 r � S 1,L wt