C h i l m a r k B o a r d o f H e a l t h
M i n u t e s
Wednesday, November 12th, 2008
Chilmark Town Hall
5 pm
Present: Katie Carroll, Mike Renahan
Also Present: Derrill Bazzy (on behalf of Reid Silva), Chris Alley, Frank Daly, Marina Lent (Secretary)
Minutes of October 15th unanimously adopted, no quorum present to adopt Minutes of October 17th.
There will be a flu clinic for Chilmark at the nursing clinic on November 19th at the Chilmark Community Center. Registration forms are available at the front desk, and people are directed to call Nicole Barlett at the Vineyard Nurses Association in advance to sign up for a flu shot.
Prosterman (Map 33 –Lot 154) Derrill Bazzy, South Mountain Company, presented on behalf of Reid Silva. An addition is being proposed which will expand an existing bedroom, relocate and existing bathroom, renovate an existing kitchen, and add a remote outdoor shower. These changes do not change the number of bedrooms for the residence. The existing septic system has been monitored by Doug Cooper, and was found to be in good working order. The addition does not change stipulated distances from the building, as the addition will be place on pier footing, rather than a foundation wall.
An inspection of the 1979 septic system in November 2001 showed no evidence of any failure conditions. The residence remains seasonal-only. New plumbing will be installed for the bathroom being replaced.
The proposed additions do not change the number of bedrooms in the residence. The BOH unanimously approved the proposed septic design.
Grin Acres (Map 21– Lot 10, 13,14) Darrill Bazzy, South Mountain Company, presented on behalf of Reid Silva. Derrick’s house was sold, new owners are Joel and Marcie Greenberg, through the Grin Acres Family Ltd Partnership. They are proposing a new septic system, increasing capacity from four bedrooms to six. The proposed new system meets all set-back requirements, and is the requisite 300ft from the Durst septic system.
The BOH concluded that no variance plan is needed, and approved the proposal unanimously.
Chapman (Map 26 – Lot 2) The BOH had a preliminary discussion with Chris Alley regarding construction of a new septic system. The existing septic system was built in 1993 with a 1,000 gallon tank. The proposal will replace this with a 1,500 gallon tank. The proposed 2-ft deep trenches maintain the requisite groundwater separation.
Under the old Title V, capacity for the proposed system to serve the 4-bedroom house would be 772 gallons. The owner is also planning to construct a garage with an office above it, which would be a 5th bedroom for the system. A poolhouse which has been under discussion but is not currently actively being planned would bring the bedroom total to six. Under the old Title V, the capacity of the proposed septic system could accommodate all these plans. If the new Title V calculations were used, a new trench would have to be built, giving a total of three 40ft, 2’x2’ trenches.
Mike Renahan noted that new construction should be done using the new Title V.
The proposed septic is <30 ft from Flanders Road. However, as this is not a neighboring property, it was deemed not to require a variance.
The BOH requested that a field inspection be done, and additional documentation provided, including confirmation of the 2 ft depth of the trenches. The Board will then consider accepting a recalculation of capacity according to the old Title V.
Holly Farm (Map 13 – Lot 7, Map 14 – Lots 7,9) Chris Alley presented. The Cagney estate at Roaring Brook has a house on the property with a 1,000 gallon septic tank and a leaching pit. The second house has a separate septic system connected to 6 leaching pits which were found to contain groundwater, and are thus deemed a failure.
A number of soil survey test holes revealed kaolin and sand. Test holes 3 and 4 showed good sand. The property appears to be a bed of kaolin/sand mix with a ridge of sand on top of it.
The proposed system will tie flow from 8 bedrooms to a 1,500 gallon pump chamber.
The property is also laced with wetlands. The proposal doesn’t meet the requirement of 150 ft distance from the wetland. A variance will be required to approve the proposed 114 ft distance.
The Board approved the proposal for the Holly Farm property with the following conditions:
- A 1,500 gallon tank replacing the 1,000 gallon tank
- A wetlands variance reducing the distance from 150’ to 114’
- Move the sewer line 4’ to created a 50’ distance from the wetland
- Label the well on the proposal
- Carry out a well test.
Tabor (Map 20 – Lot 95) Frank Daly presented two questions: what to do with an existing sink in the garage which is not hooked up to the septic system and presumably runs straight into the ground, and a request from owner as to whether a new septic system was really needed. The BOH noted that the report transmitted in the letter of 9/23/2008 from inspector Pachico was definitive: a new septic is needed. Frank Daly asked the Board wither the existing 1,000 gallon tank could be used as a pump tank, and a new 1,500 gallon septic tank placed next to it.
Reviewing the proposal, the BOH noted that the test hole used to demonstrate the proper soil was not identified on the plan. Furthermore, the test hole used was located only at one end of the septic trench field. Mike Renahan suggested that an auger hole to the depth of the field would indicate whether the soil beneath the field is suitable. The BOH confirmed that the pump alarm will be connected to the house.
The BOH requested that the soil data be added to the plan, the test hole used be labeled, and that additional soil data be collected to confirm suitability of soil underlying the entire septic leaching field. The BOH is prepared to review such data and approve the proposal at its next meeting on November 19th.
The BOH stated that the sink in the garage should either be served with a separate septic system (which faces the challenge of unsuitable soil), tied into the septic system (which is rendered impractical by the elevation) or eliminated.
Rosenbaum (Map 4 – Lot 8) The BOH reviewed a letter from architect Moira Fitzgerald, describing an addition to an existing 3-bedroom house with a 4-bedroom-capacity septic system. The owners are eager to get a certificate of occupancy. However, the floor plan of the house post-addition reveals a study with 6-foot doors which constitutes an additional bedroom under Title V.
The septic system itself appears to be in order. Built in 1986, a letter of inspection dated 10-10-2008 reveals a 1,000 gallon tank with minimal solids.
The BOH advises that the owners take action to disqualify the study from being a bedroom. For example, doors and hardware could be removed from the study, creating an open space, or, alternatively, the owners could deed-restrict the study, pledging that it will not be used as sleeping quarters.
Klein (Map 32– Lots 52,53) The Board noted receipt of the as-built letter for Moses West Road
The following Invoices were approved for payment:
- MV Refuse Disposal & Resource Recovery District, Invoice No.2647, 2008 Q2 inspection 50%, $221.80
- MVRDRRD, Inv.No.2637, Quarterly drop-off Contract Q2 FY09 $6,641.62
- MVRDRRD, Inv.No.2684, SEMASS MSW, $2,300.75
- Araujo Bros. Menemsha Bathhouse Standard Unit Rental, $150.00
Coastal District Regulations Attorney Michael Goldsmith (Reynolds, Rappaport & Kaplan, LLC) sent a letter regarding the draft Coastal District Septic Variance Regulation. He made minor changes to the document’s section reference from 3.21 to 3.20. No other changes are required. He also noted that under Massachusetts law the BOH is required to “publish in a newspaper of general circulation in each of two successive weeks at least 14 days before your hearing on adopting the regulations”, and to inform citizens at the hearing of the reasons for exceeding the State’s minimum requirements.
A New federal Pool Law The “Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act” will go into effect on December 19, 2008. It applies to “semi-public pools”, and is thus relevant to the few such pools existing in Chilmark.
Simon (Map 19 – Lot 7.2) Ronnie Simon wrote a letter to the BOH requesting a one-year extension of the septic permit which expired in September 2008.
The BOH determined to issue a one-year extension, valid until the date one year after expiry of the existing permit, 09/07/2009. The BOH will send a letter to that effect.
Miscellaneous
The BOH noted receipt of a memo from the State regarding the impact of budget cuts on local public health endeavors.
A bacteriologic report of 9-24-2008 tested positive for coliform in the storage tank at Dutcher Dock. Katie Carroll noted that the Menemsha Water Company has tested clean since that date. Menemsha water will be turned off for the season on November 15th, to resume on April 15th of the following year.
The BOH noted receipt of copies of letters written by Sylvia Yeomans to the Medical Reserve Corps and the Drinking Water Program of the DEP informing them of her retirement. In connection with this last, the BOH determined to enquire whether Alan Wilder would be available to do inspections of the Menemsha School (currently housing the Police Department) and the Chilmark Community Center.
The BOH also discussed the question of how to address the cost of having Doug Cooper do inspections for Reid Silva, and suggested that the Town could split the cost with Reid.
The meeting adjourned at 6:55am.
_____________________ _______________________ _____________________
Katherine L. Carroll, Chair Michael A. Renahan Janet L. Buhrman
Chilmark Board of Health Chilmark Board of Health Chilmark Board of Health
These minutes have been transcribed from a tape. The tape is on file and available for perusal.
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