Memorandum
Date: February 6, 2024
To: The Honorable Bruno Sabatier, Chair
Lake County Sanitation District Board of Directors
From: Scott Harter, Special Districts Administrator
Subject: Consideration of request approving exception to Lake County Sewer Code Section 205, which would require APN 039-402-390-000 (3944 Pine Ave., Clearlake) to connect to the public sewer.
Executive Summary:
I was initially contacted by Mr. Eric Torbet with an inquiry about the use of a humanure composting and greywater diversion option for his property located at 3944 Pine Ave. in Clearlake in July 2021. At that time I advised him I would be supportive of a properly designed and permitted greywater diversion system however I had concerns about the humanure proposal. I directed him to the City Building department and Lake County Environmental Health to address that aspect of the proposed project. I also advised him that per our Sewer Use Ordinance, Section 205 requires a property to connect to the public sewer if within 200' feet of it. The property at 3944 Pine Ave. is fronted by a gravity sewer main and per the record drawings there is a sewer lateral stubbed out to serve the property. I advised him that I as the administrator do not have the liberty to waive that requirement and that an exception to the requirement could be requested of the Board (per Sec. 204). During that initial email exchange, I also advised him that I would not be supportive of an exception to the ordinance, noting that this innovative, potential project may be better suited to a rural setting and not one where a public sewer system was in place.
Mr. Torbet then worked with the City of Clearlake and Lake County Environmental Health to receive approval on his proposed project. Having secured approval from those agencies he formally approached the District last month requesting that an exception to the requirement to connect to the public sewer be considered by the Board.
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