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Two policies regarding septic systems met with approval by the Kosciusko County Board of Health Tuesday.
The first policy requires that when a small lot undergoes rebuilding or major exterior renovation, the septic system must be updated, expanded and/or relocated to guard the public health.
Major remodeling projects may include, but are not limited to: adding a second story to a house, significantly changing the footprint of the structures on the lot, adding two or more bedrooms, increasing driveway space on the lot or any alteration to the lot that substantially reduces available area for future septic repair and/or expansion.
In addition, water wells also may have to be relocated to the satisfaction of the health department. In such circumstances, the environmental field staff may request the landowner to provide a more formal scaled site plan that offers more precision then the traditionally requested site plan. If doubt remains as to the proposed systems' ability to protect the groundwater or nearby lakes, streams or ditches, the staff may request a review of the project by the health officer whose decision is final and only subject to appeal before the board of health.
Dr. William L. Remington, Kosciusko County health officer, said there are times when KCHD Administrator Bob Weaver or Neal Brown, environmental scientist with the Health Department, deal with septic tanks where there are "gray zones." Weaver and Brown want a policy in hand they can refer to if a developer challenges them.
"This is a non-issue in places that have a sewer," Remington said.
Weaver said the health department, for the last three or four years, has been requiring septic systems to be updated whenever someone updates their property. Most of the time, builders are OK with upgrading the septic system.
The other policy requires that when a home on a lake is torn down and rebuilt, the septic must be 50 feet from the lake. The state has required 50 feet since 1986, but the county has been allowing 25 feet, which was the old rule from the 1950s.
"This is when you level a lot and restart," said Weaver. New homes on lots that have never had a home built on them already require the septic to be 50 feet from the lake, stream or ditch.
The new policies are effective Jan. 1.
In other business, Weaver updated the health board on several recent issues in the county.
On the West Nile virus, he said, the county tested probably close to 50 birds. Of those, one was found with the virus. Once one bird tests positive, the state doesn't test anymore because they assume the virus is in the county.
Stagnant bodies of water in the county were treated for mosquito larvae and the treatment should be good for 30 days. With the cooler weather, Weaver said, "the cool night slows down the development of the larvae."
This was the first year the county implemented the larvae spraying program. Weaver said he's not sure they want to get into adult spraying because of all the complaints and problems Allen County is having with their program.
"We're picking a very environmentally friendly product, I think," Weaver said of the spraying in Kosciusko County.
Another issue Weaver touched on was the issue of minimum lot size for septic systems. Currently, the county requires 15,000 square feet minimum lot size, but the health board previously voted to require 20,000. However, while the Kosciusko County Area Plan Commission sided with the health department on the increase in minimum lot size, the county commissioners did not agree.
"The commissioners are reluctant to rule on a lot size that would cover every single contingency," said Weaver. What the commissioners may approve, he said, is basing the minimum lot size on the square footage of a home. Plan commission director Dan Richard and Weaver are working on a plan that would require a minimum of 15,000 square feet for a property with a home up to 1,500 square feet; a home up to 3,000 square feet would require 18,000 square feet minimum lot size; more than a 3,000 square feet home, 20,000 minimum lot size is required. He said the commissioners seemed receptive to such a plan but nothing official has been presented to them yet.
The next Board of Health meeting will be Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.
Members of the board include Dr. Wymond B. Wilson, Dr. John W. Jones, Dr. Dennis Woodward, Dr. Karen Boling, Dr. Thomas Howard and Joan Darr.
