AGENDA DATE: 12/02/2020
TITLE:le
The Regents School - Private Central Sewerage System
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Resolution for a private central sewer system for The Regents School
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Richardson, Walker, Kamptner, Herrick, Filardo, McCulley, Pohl
PRESENTER (S): Frank Pohl
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Jeff Richardson
BACKGROUND: As required by County Code § 16-102, the property owner has notified the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of the intent to construct a private central sewer system to serve its proposed development.(Attachment A) County Code §§ 16-104 and 16-105 require the Board to consider this proposal and either approve or deny this request. On September 18, 2019, the Board approved Special Use Permit (SP201800011) with conditions to allow construction and operation of a private school (The Regents School) on Tax Parcels 07500-00-00-06600 and 07600-00-00-01700. The Board also approved a request in conjunction with SP 2018-11 for a special exception. This request is specifically for a shared Central Sewerage System to be located on the properties of The Regents School and the adjacent Trinity Presbyterian Church (Tax Parcel 07600-00-00-017C0). Both properties are in the Neighborhood 6 comprehensive plan area and the jurisdictional areas of the comprehensive plan.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Thriving Development Areas: Attract quality employment, commercial, and high density residential uses into development areas by providing services and infrastructure that encourage redevelopment and private investment while protecting the quality of neighborhoods
DISCUSSION: This proposal is for a private gravity main, sanitary sewer pumping station, and force main, which are needed to connect the existing and proposed buildings to the public sewer located along Fontaine Avenue. Though the property is in the County’s Jurisdictional Area for public water and sewer, the Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) has determined that there is no cost effective means of providing public sewer service to these two parcels and does not envision that a public pump station in this location could ever serve a large enough population to justify the ongoing maintenance cost. Therefore, the ACSA recommended that the owner connect to the existing lift station on the adjacent Church property to provide sewer service. Public sewer service is not available to the property.
This proposal includes constructing a gravity collection system on The Regents School property to serve 11 buildings that would discharge to a private pump station located on the adjacent Trinity Presbyterian Church property (refer to Attachment B for the preliminary plan, profiles and calculations). The existing pump station, owned by Trinity Presbyterian Church, serves two existing buildings. Adding 11 buildings from the Regents School property to this pump station would require the replacement of the existing pump station to accommodate the additional flows. Section 16 of the County Code defines a central sewerage system as a system “designed to serve three (3) or more connections”. Because there would be more than 3 connections, this system is considered a “central system” requiring Board approval.
Though several available alternatives would avoid the need for the central system, the conceptual site plan submitted with the approved SP201800017 included six separate structures and included the central system as proposed in this application. Also, the ASCA suggested early in the project that the school try to utilize the Church’s pump station if they were able to reach an agreement, to take advantage of the station during the week when the Church is minimally occupied.
Alternatives to a central sewerage system include:
1) Providing six separate, onsite septic systems, each with its own distribution box and primary and reserve drainfield. This is considered an inferior alternative because of adjacent environmental features (Moore’s Creek, which is an impaired perennial stream) and its higher probability of failure; and
2) Utilizing six individual duplex pumps and wet wells to serve the 11 proposed buildings, which apparently could be done "by-right” but is considered to have a higher failure potential by both staff and the applicant’s consultant. Failure could potentially impact the impaired perennial stream.
Staff reviews requests such as this for technical feasibility and for conformity with the Comprehensive Plan. The County Engineer has reviewed this request and has no objections, noting that the system will be designed and constructed to public utility standards and the pumping station will be permitted by DEQ. The Comprehensive Plan discourages central systems in the Rural Area, but does not contain guidance on central systems in the Development Areas.
Staff is of the opinion that allowing the central system would result in fewer impacts and risks to scenic and natural resources and in a better site design with fewer site impacts. The central system would be classified as a DEQ Class I system, which provides the highest level of safety and reliability. For these reasons, staff is supportive of the request and recommends approval of the proposed central sewerage system.
Staff recommends that, if approved, the Board impose conditions requiring that:
1. the central sewerage system be constructed in accord with the Preliminary Central Sewage System Plan (Attachment B) and DEQ Reliability Classification Worksheet (Attachment C);
2. final plans and specifications be submitted and approved with the final site plan by the County Engineer prior to commencing construction of the sewerage system;
3. prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy for any building to be served by the sewerage system, the owner provide documentation to the satisfaction of the County Engineer that the system was constructed in accord with public utility standards;
4. the owner(s) of Parcel ID numbers 07600-00-00-01700 and 076000-00-017C0 assume full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the sewerage system; and
5. if requested by the County Engineer, the owner annually document compliance with all State operation and maintenance requirements.
BUDGET IMPACT: Minimal staff time would be required to review final design documents, completion reports, and to verify that ongoing maintenance is being provided.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Board adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment D) approving the installation of a central sewerage system (pump station and gravity sewer), subject to the conditions therein.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Owner’s Request Letter
Attachment B: Preliminary Central Sewerage System Plan
Attachment C: DEQ Reliability Classification Worksheet
Attachment D: Resolution