HomeMy WebLinkAboutOctober 29, 1990 Special MeetingA Joint Worksession of the Frederick County Board of
Supervisors and the Frederick County Planning Commission was
held on October 29, 1990, at 7:30 P.M., in the Board of Super-
visors' Meeting Room, Frederick County Courthouse, Loudoun
Street Mall, Winchester, Virginia.
PRESENT FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVI Kenneth Y. Stiles,
Chairman; Roger L. Crosen; W. Harrington Smith, Jr. and Charles
W. Orndoff, Sr.
PRESENT FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION James Golladay,
Chairman; Beverly Sherwood, Vice - Chairman; Carl McDonald; Roger
Thomas; George Romine; Doug Rinker and Manuel DeHaven.
STAFF PRESENT John R. Riley, Jr., County Administrator;
Stephen F. Owen, Assistant County Administrator and Robert W.
Watkins, Director of Planning and Development.
After a moment of silence, Mr. Stiles stated that the
purpose of the meeting was to consider the problem of the
alternative sewage disposal systems.
Mr. Watkins presented background information and concluded
that regulations needed to be developed by the Health Department
for the on site discharge systems and that authority needed to
be clearly established for the Health Department to inspect and
monitor the systems.
Dr. Weiss, District Director of the Health Department,
reviewed information on discharge systems in the County. He
stated that there were fifty six sand filter and fourteen
mechanical systems operating in the County. He said that
permits had been issued for one hundred eight additional sand
filters and eleven additional mechanical systems. He reviewed
data on eight systems in the County, including four sand filters
and four mechanical systems. He stated that malfunctions were
clearly evident in five of the eight systems. He stated that
malfunctioning chlorinators were the most common problem.
Mr. Custard, from the Health Department, presented the
Department's current interim policy on the alternative systems
which is based on the recommendations of the VPDES Committee.
He described manpower, equipment and laboratory needs. He
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stated that the Health Department needed to be given authority
as an agent of the State Water Control Board to carry out
inspections and enforcement actions. He requested that the
local health office be allowed to use funds returned to the
County for monitoring equipment. He invited the Board and
Commission to visit systems in operation.
The need to insure compliance before a certificate of
occupancy is issued by the County Inspections Department was
discussed.
Mr. Hagy, from the Health Department in Richmond, described
efforts underway to produce new regulations in Richmond.
Bob Holmes, a local Soil Scientist, asked why the dis-
charges from such systems could not be discharged under the
surface.
Mr. Hagy stated that drainfields could be installed for the
discharges from sand filters. He said that in such cases, a
more shallow soil profile of twelve instead of eighteen inches
would be allowed.
Mr. Todd Stone, from Stone Manufacturing, a manufacturer of
aerobic systems, stated that they have a maintenance contract
for the systems they sell that have been approved by the Health
Department. The contract requires inspections twice a year and
provides for servicing of the units.
Mr. Wetherington, from Stone Manufacturing, stated that the
current provisions of the Code of Virginia give the Health
Department the authority to enforce regulations for all sewage
systems.
It was stated that there were seven or eight Stone systems
operating in Frederick County.
Dr. Weiss stated that chlorination may be a problem on
these systems and that chlorinators were purchased separately
from other vendors. Dr. Weiss emphasized the importance of
chlorination to the protection of public health.
Mr. Stiles stated that the problems with the alternative
systems involved environmental protection issues and equity
issues. Lots have been previously approved for septic systems
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that cannot now receive such approvals. He said that the State
agencies needed to consider the fairness and equity issues.
Mr. George Cather, resident of the County, described the
problems he had had with the Health Department. He stated that
lots that had been denied for septic systems were later approved
after he sold the land.
Mr. Stiles stated that this type of occurrence left a
public perception of unfairness in the Health Department. Mr.
Stiles instructed the staff to develop proposals to be submitted
to the Planning Commission addressing these issues.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:00 P.M.
C1 oard of Su (ervisors