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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPitkin.EH.264322303816 ()TO: FROM: RE: DATE: MEMORANDUM Board of County Commissioners Suzanne Konchan, County Manager Lee Cassin and Betsey Kipp, Environmental Health W/J Expanded Filing 2, Septic System Information August 19,1996 Purpose: This memo provides a summary of technical information and the conclusions of CH2MHill's two reports. A Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) conducted these studies, and this memo summarizes the engineer's analysis. It first summarizes CH2MHi11's examination of the adequacy of existing septic systems on the W/J Ranch. It also describes alternatives CH2MHill discussed for resolving problems with existing septic systems. Finally, it describes CH2MHill's analysis of the ability of platted vacant lots to accommodate septic systems in Filings 2 and 3. Discussion: Details, conclusions, and recommendations are the result of the RPE's analysis, physical examination and in -field measurements of existing systems, and review of existing permits. I. * ADEQUACY OF EXISTING SEPTIC SYSTEMS: A. Present condition and performance of existing septic systems and system sizes • Septic systems in Filing 1 are presently sized for the existing 2-bedroom homes. (There is a formula for the area required per bedroom. The actual area was determined by in- field measurements of the systems. Dividing the actual area by the required area per bedroom tells how many bedrooms the systems were designed for.) • Septic systems in Filing 2 are adequately sized for 3 of the 6 existing homes. The other three homes have septic systems that are too small to comply with present regulations. Five of the systems are on a different lot. • Septic systems in Filing 3 are adequately sized for some of the existing homes, but too small for others. B. Expansion potential to size allowed by approvals • CH2MHill notes, "the majority of the lots in both filings [1 and 3] would have difficulty with installation of a septic system designed to serve a four bedroom house under the best circumstances." • In Filing 2, there are 6 developed lots. Three do not have room for any septic system. Two have room for expanded systems by removing driving and parking areas. One may have room to expand if parking areas and water lines are removed. Page 2 • CH2MHill notes that "if the County wishes to allow the addition of bedrooms, it should evaluate servicing these subdivisions in an area' wide wastewater treatment plant rather than by individual systems." C. Location of systems within lot boundaries that the system serves Setback Requirements (These are the required separation between septic systems and water lines, property lines, buildings, wells, irrigation lines, etc. ) • In Filing 1, according to the CH2MHill report, only 1 of the 27 houses has a septic system that meets the setback requirements in the County regulations • In Filing 2, only 1 home has a septic system on its own lot, and it does not meet setback requirements. • In Filing 3, 6 of the septic systems do not meet setback requirements; 1 does. D. Large number of septic system repairs at W/J • There has been an unusually high number of repairs of septic systems at W/J. We do not know why so many systems needed repair permits, and why some systems had to be repaired twice within a few years. E. Lack of permits and RPE designs for Filing 1 • There is no record of any septic permits for the new septic systems in Filing 1, either in our files, or in the records of installers, engineers, or consultants. Permits were required for this work. Our department also has logs of all the permits issued, and a permit for Filing 1 of W/J does not appear on the log. • There are two septic systems in Filing 1 that the regulations required to be designed by a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE), but there is no indication of an RPE design. II. * Alternatives/Actions to resolve systems on adjacent lots • If there is a package treatment plant, all homes and lots can continue to exist as is, and homes can be expanded • Lot line adjustments and/ or elimination of lots to allow other lots to expand would allow the remaining lots to be developed and the existing houses to expand. Any relocation or expansion of a septic system requires compliance with the present code. III. * Ability of platted vacant lots to accommodate septic systems within Filings 2 and 3 • There are 9 vacant lots in Filing 2. Seven (7) could accommodate homes and individual septic systems by relocating existing septic systems that encroach onto these lots; relocating roads and parking areas; and relocating water lines. The other 2 lots may be too constrained if relocated septic systems cannot fit on their "own" lots Lot expansions may be an available option. • Printed on Recycled Paper Page 3 e There are 3 vacant lots in Filing 3. Two can accommodate individual septic systems. The third has two existing septic systems from other houses located on it, and it may not be possible to relocate one of these. IV. * Recommendation: CH2MHi11's report states that the State is "unlikely to approve a system which is not adequately sized to serve all three filings." The Division has told us the same thing, that they "would be unlikely to approve any site applications at W/J until there is a master plan for the whole area." CH2MHi11 recommended a package treatment plant and recommended that any common system be maintained and operated by the Aspen Consolidated Sanitation District (ACSD). CH2MHill stated, "It is also recommended that if the county wishes to allow the addition of bedrooms, it should evaluate servicing these subdivisions in an areawide wastewater treatment plant rather than by individual systems." The CH2MHi11 report also states that "approval by the State of the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant is not assured. Approval is much more likely if all the filings are addressed." "It is recommended that the installation of an extended aeration plant be pursued. It is also recommended that consolidation of the wastewater treatment for the three filings be further pursued and researched." Printed on Recycled Paper TO: FROM: RE: DATE: MEMORANDUM Board of County Commissioners Suzanne Konchan, County Manager Lee Cassin and Betsey Kipp, Environmental Health W/J Expanded Filing 2, Septic System Information August 19,1996 Purpose: This memo provides a summary of technical information and the conclusions of CH2MHill's two reports. A Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) conducted these studies, and this memo summarizes the engineer's analysis. It first summarizes CH2MHil1's examination of the adequacy of existing septic systems on the W/J Ranch. It also describes alternatives CH2MHi11 discussed for resolving problems with existing septic systems. Finally, it describes CH2MHil1's analysis of the ability of platted vacant lots to accommodate septic systems in Filings 2 and 3. Discussion: Details, conclusions, and recommendations are the result of the RPE's analysis, physical examination and in -field measurements of existing systems, and review of existing permits. I. * ADEQUACY OF EXISTING SEPTIC SYSTEMS: A. Present condition and performance of existing septic systems and system sizes • Septic systems in Filing 1 are presently sized for the existing 2-bedroom homes. (There is a formula for the area required per bedroom. The actual area was determined by in- field measurements of the systems. Dividing the actual area by the required area per bedroom tells how many bedrooms the systems were designed for.) • Septic systems in Filing 2 are adequately sized for 3 of the 6 existing homes. The other three homes have septic systems that are too small to comply with present regulations. Five of the systems are on a different lot. • Septic systems in Filing 3 are adequately sized for some of the existing homes, but too small for others. • B. Expansion potential to size allowed by approvals • CH2MHill notes, "the majority of the lots in both filings [1 and 3] would have difficulty with installation of a septic system designed to serve a four bedroom house under the best circumstances." • In Filing 2, there are 6 developed lots. Three do not have room for any septic system. Two have room for expanded systems by removing driving and parking areas. One may have room to expand if parking areas and water lines are removed. Page 2 • CH2MHill notes that "if the County wishes to allow the addition of bedrooms, it should evaluate servicing these subdivisions in an area wide wastewater treatment plant rather than by individual systems." C. Location of systems within lot boundaries that the system serves Setback Requirements (These are the required separation between septic systems and water lines, property lines, buildings, wells, irrigation lines, etc. ) • In Filing 1, according to the CH2MHil1 report, only 1 of the 27 houses has a septic system that meets the setback requirements in the County regulations • In Filing 2, only 1 home has a septic system on its own lot, and it does not meet setback requirements. • In Filing 3, 6 of the septic systems do not meet setback requirements; 1 does. D. Large number of septic system repairs at W/J • There has been an unusually high number of repairs of septic systems at W/J. We do not know why so many systems needed repair permits, and why some systems had to be repaired twice within a few years. E. Lack of permits and RPE designs for Filing 1 • There is no record of any septic permits for the new septic systems in Filing 1, either in our files, or in the records of installers, engineers, or consultants. Permits were required for this work. Our department also has logs of all the permits issued, and a permit for Filing 1 of W/J does not appear on the log. • There are two septic systems in Filing 1 that the regulations required to be designed by a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE), but there is no indication of an RPE design. II. * Alternatives/Actions to resolve systems on adjacent lots • If there is a package treatment plant, all homes and lots can continue to exist as is, and homes can be expanded • Lot line adjustments and/ or elimination of lots to allow other lots to expand would allow the remaining lots to be developed and the existing houses to expand. Any relocation or expansion of a septic system requires compliance with the present code. III. * Ability of platted vacant lots to accommodate septic systems within Filings 2 and 3 • There are 9 vacant lots in Filing 2. Seven (7) could accommodate homes and individual septic systems by relocating existing septic systems that encroach onto these lots; relocating roads and parking areas; and relocating water lines. The other 2 lots may be too constrained if relocated septic systems cannot fit on their "own" lots Lot expansions may be an available option. Printed on Recycled Paper Page 3 • There are 3 vacant lots in Filing 3. Two can accommodate individual septic systems. The third has two existing septic systems from other houses located on it, and it may not be possible to relocate one of these. IV. * Recommendation: CH2MHill's report states that the State is "unlikely to approve a system which is not adequately sized to serve all three filings." The Division has told us the same thing, that they "would be unlikely to approve any site applications at W/J until there is a master plan for the whole area." CH2MHi11 recommended a package treatment plant and recommended that any common system be maintained and operated by the Aspen Consolidated Sanitation District (ACSD). CH2MHi11 stated, "It is also recommended that if the county wishes to allow the addition of bedrooms, it should evaluate servicing these subdivisions in an areawide wastewater treatment plant rather than by individual systems." The CH2MHi11 report also states that "approval by the State of the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant is not assured. Approval is much more likely if all the filings are addressed." "It is recommended that the installation of an extended aeration plant be pursued. It is also recommended that consolidation of the wastewater treatment for the three filings be further pursued and researched." Printed on Recycled Paper MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners Suzanne Konchan, County Manager FROM: Lee Cassin and Betsey Kipp, Environmental Health RE: W/J Expanded Filing 2, Septic System Information DATE: August 19,1996 Purpose: This memo provides a summary of technical information and the conclusions of CH2MHi11's two reports. A Registered Professional Engineer (RPE) conducted these studies, and this memo summarizes the engineer's analysis. It first summarizes CH2MHi11's examination of the adequacy of existing septic systems on the W/J Ranch. It also describes alternatives CH2MHi11 discussed for resolving problems with existing septic systems. Finally, it describes CH2MHill's analysis of the ability of platted vacant lots to accommodate septic systems in Filings 2 and 3. Discussion: Details, conclusions, and recommendations are the result of the RPE's analysis, physical examination and in -field measurements of existing systems, and review of existing permits. I. * ADEQUACY OF EXISTING SEPTIC SYSTEMS: A. Present condition and performance of existing septic systems and system sizes • Septic systems in Filing 1 are presently sized for the existing 2-bedroom homes. (There is a formula for the area required per bedroom. The actual area was determined by in- field measurements of the systems. Dividing the actual area by the required area per bedroom tells how many bedrooms the systems were designed for.) • Septic systems in Filing 2 are adequately sized for 3 of the 6 existing homes. The other three homes have septic systems that are too small to comply with present regulations. Five of the systems are on a different lot. • Septic systems in Filing 3 are adequately sized for some of the existing homes, but too small for others. B. Expansion potential to size allowed by approvals • CH2MHil1 notes, "the majority of the lots in both filings [1 and 3] would have difficulty with installation of a septic system designed to serve a four bedroom house under the best circumstances." • In Filing 2, there are 6 developed lots. Three do not have room for any septic system. Two have room for expanded systems by removing driving and parking areas. One may have room to expand if parking areas and water lines are removed. Page 2 • CH2MHi11 notes that "if the County wishes to allow the addition of bedrooms, it should evaluate servicing these subdivisions in an area wide wastewater treatment plant rather than by individual systems." C. Location of systems within lot boundaries that the system serves Setback Requirements (These are the required separation between septic systems and water lines, property lines, buildings, wells, irrigation lines, etc. ) • In Filing 1, according to the CH2MHill report, only 1 of the 27 houses has a septic system that meets the setback requirements in the County regulations • In Filing 2, only 1 home has a septic system on its own lot, and it does not meet setback requirements. • In Filing 3, 6 of the septic systems do not meet setback requirements; 1 does. D. Large number of septic system repairs at W/J • There has been an unusually high number of repairs of septic systems at W/J. We do not know why so many systems needed repair permits, and why some systems had to be repaired twice within a few years. E. Lack of permits and RPE designs for Filing 1 • There is no record of any septic permits for the new septic systems in Filing 1, either in our files, or in the records of installers, engineers, or consultants. Permits were required for this work. Our department also has logs of all the permits issued, and a permit for Filing 1 of W/J does not appear on the log. • There are two septic systems in Filing 1 that the regulations required to be designed by a Registered Professional Engineer (RPE), but there is no indication of an RPE design. II. * Alternatives/Actions to resolve systems on adjacent lots • If there is a package treatment plant, all homes and lots can continue to exist as is, and homes can be expanded • Lot line adjustments and/or elimination of lots to allow other lots to expand would allow the remaining lots to be developed and the existing houses to expand. Any relocation or expansion of a septic system requires compliance with the present code. III. * Ability of platted vacant lots to accommodate septic systems within Filings 2 and 3 • There are 9 vacant lots in Filing 2. Seven (7) could accommodate homes and individual septic systems by relocating existing septic systems that encroach onto these lots; relocating roads and parking areas; and relocating water lines. The other 2 lots may be too constrained if relocated septic systems cannot fit on their "own" lots. Lot expansions may be an available option. Printed on Recycled Paper Page 3 • There are 3 vacant lots in Filing 3. Two can accommodate individual septic systems The third has two existing septic systems from other houses located on it, and it may not be possible to relocate one of these. IV. * Recommendation: CH2MHill's report states that the State is "unlikely to approve a system which is not adequately sized to serve all three filings." The Division has told us the same thing, that they "would be unlikely to approve any site applications at W/J until there is a master plan for the whole area." CH2MHill recommended a package treatment plant and recommended that any common system be maintained and operated by the Aspen Consolidated Sanitation District (ACSD). CH2MHi11 stated, "It is also recommended that if the county wishes to allow the addition of bedrooms, it should evaluate servicing these subdivisions in an areawide wastewater treatment plant rather than by individual systems." The CH2MHi11 report also states that "approval by the State of the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant is not assured. Approval is much more likely if all the filings are addressed." "It is recommended that the installation of an extended aeration plant be pursued. It is also recommended that consolidation of the wastewater treatment for the three filings be further pursued and researched." • Printed on Recycled Paper MEMORANDUM TO: Board of County Commissioners FROM: Betsey Kipp, Environmental Health Dept. DATE: May 13, 1996 RE: Letter to W/J Homeowners Attached is a copy of the letter that was mailed to all homeowners at the W/J Ranch. May 13, 1996 Dear W/J Homeowners: ASPEN • PITKIN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT This letter is to let you know our department's process for reviewing and approving building permits for any ,remodels, additions, or basements. The size of your home and the number of bedrooms allowed is a function of the land area available on your lot. We will need to confirm and be provided with the following information 1. Percolation report for your lot 2. Site plan showing surveyed property lines and the location of your house on the lot 3. Floor plans of existing rooms and proposed rooms 4. Verification of the size and components of the individual sewage disposal system which services that dwelling 5. Location of water supply lines. Unfortunately, there is.a lack of documentation and permits or as -built drawings (especially in Filing #1). With information that we do have, it appears that many homes do not have their leach fields on their own lot, or share leach fields with other dwellings. Many property lines also appear to encroach on the setback requirement from a leach field. This means that, for many homeowners, there is not enough room on their lot to'increase the sewage disposal system as required. In addition, until land is available for these expansions, building permits cannot be. signed. If your sewage disposal system reaches its absorption capacity, • does not function properly, and is on another lot, it is possible that there may not be adequate room on the your lot to•install the replacement system. When this department learns that a system is no longer working,' we are required to issue a notice of. violation (NOV) andset a date for its repair. As the homeowner, your responsibility will be to fill out the application with fee, and provide us with the information as noted above. • • 130 SOUTH GALENA STREET • AsPFN, COLORADO 81611 . PHONE 303.920.5070 • FAx 303.920.5197 Printed on recyiled paper It is important to remember that field verification will be necessary by a member of this department when sewage disposal system components must be exposed due to a lack of documentation. This will be required for repairs or expansions for most lots. We anticipate that there will be many questions as your plans develop. The staff at the Environmental Health Department is qualified to answer those questions and to design individual sewage disposal systems/repairs should that be necessary. We look forward to working with each homeowner. Sincerely, Q Betsey ipp Envir mental Health Officer 920-5438 cc: Woody Creek Caucus Board of County Commissioners