Memorandum
Date: March 31, 2020
To: The Honorable Moke Simon, Chair, Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Jan Coppinger, Special Districts Administrator
Subject: (Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District, Board of Directors) Approve an exception to the Lake County Sewer Use Code Sec. 205, allowing APN# 050-441-36 to remain on septic system until such time as the system is in need of repair or replacement, at which time the property owner will be required to connect to the public sewer at the owner's expense.
Executive Summary: (include fiscal and staffing impact narrative):
A public sewer system has been approved for the Anderson Springs Community and is nearing completion.
Per Sec 205 of the Lake County Code (Sewer Use Ordinance), “The owner of any building situated or constructed within the District and abutting on any street in which there is now located or may in the future be located a public sewer of the District, is hereby required at his or her expense to connect said building directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance, within ninety (90) days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within two hundred (200) feet of the property line.”
Prior to finalizing the plans for the new sewer district, some property owners had already invested a considerable amount of money installing or upgrading their septic systems after the fire. Originally we had considered a “Step System” which would utilize septic tanks but the plans changed to a “Grinder Pump” system which does not use septic tanks. To be fair to those property owners and assist fire victims in their recovery process, we agreed to allow property owners the option of being “grandfathered” in to remain on septic until such time as their septic system failed and needed repairs or replaced.
We made it very clear that no new permits would be issued to repair or replace septic tanks or leach lines. To be “grandfathered” in, the property owner had to provide documentation that their septic tank was inspected and approved by the Environmental Health Department.
While installing the new public sewer system, the property located at 11211 Anderson Springs Road, (APN# 050-441-36) was found to present multiple challenges. The home has very little area for the grinder pump and is situated on a hill in a manner that the entire house plumbing would need to be reversed to accommodate the grinder pump. This would cost the property owner a considerable amount of money and would take up what very little yard they have available. The sewer line would have to be directed up their paved driveway, resulting in additional costs.
The owner has requested that they be grandfathered in since their septic system is new and in excellent working order. They do not have the means to reverse the plumbing in their new house at this time.
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Recommended Action: Staff is requesting that you approve an exception to the Lake County Sewer Use Code Sec. 205, allowing APN# 050-441-36 to remain on septic system until such time as the system is in need of repair or replacement, at which time the property owner will be required to connect to the public sewer at the owner's expense.