Septic ordinance under
consideration By MONROE ROARK
Staff Writer
If you own land
with a septic tank and undertake a construction
or renovation project, the location of your
septic tank could play a big role in what you are
able to do.
That point was
reinforced during discussions of the Peachtree
City Council meeting, as a proposed ordinance
addressing the involvement of the Health
Department in the approval of building projects
was considered and ultimately tabled June 17, to
be heard again July 1.
A specific instance
where a citizen was preparing his property for
the installation of a pool motivated Councilwoman
Carol Fritz to take action. She recounted a
resident's troubles at 606 Haddington Lane, in
the Stoneybrook subdivision, in a memo to city
manager Jim Basinger that was entered into the
record Thursday night.
According to Fritz,
the resident consulted with the Health Department
before he purchased his property and agreed to a
location for his pool near his house because of
the septic system. He later built a retaining
wall and damaged his required alternate drain
field. The only other suitable place for an
alternate drain field is his front yard, which
would require a drip system and the removal of
all trees in the front yard, a violation of the
subdivision covenants.
Fritz pointed out
that if proper procedures had been in place, the
Building Department could have consulted with the
Health Department before issuing a permit for the
retaining wall. As it happened, the wall was
noticed by a health official during its
construction, and he asked a Building Department
official about it.
Fritz, in her memo,
asked for city staff to draft an ordinance
requiring the Health Department to be involved in
any building permit or variance requests
involving lots with new or existing septic
systems.
Councilman Jim Pace
pointed out that if this were a problem in
Peachtree City, it would likely be as important
for the entire county, and maybe the county
should take the lead on this. He added that he
preferred the applicant bear the burden for
getting the proper approval for a particular
project rather than the city or the county.
According to
Councilwoman Annie McMenamin, the old ordinance
should be enforced and there may not be the need
for another rule.
City attorney Rick
Lindsey, while stressing that he was not
recommending approval or denial of anything,
noted that there was a potentially important
difference between the old ordinance and the new
one. The old ordinance specifically mentioned
proposed septic systems and made no
mention of existing ones. He added that
good lawyering would immediately spot
this discrepancy.
While all four
council members (Mayor Bob Lenox was absent)
agreed that it was an important issue, not
everyone was comfortable with the ordinance as
presented at the June meeting. Thus, a move was
made to table, and it passed unanimously.
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