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5 <br />provides assurance that the Planning Staff will continue to explore options <br />by which the original intent of Article 6.23.10(c)6 can be met. <br />Commissioner Gordon expressed a concern with applying this <br />amendment to all stream buffers. Commissioners Carey and Willhoit said they <br />were satisfied that this amendment would not have a significant impact on <br />other stream buffers in other watersheds. <br />A RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE PLANNING STAFF TO EXPLORE MEANS BY WHICH <br />TO DETERMINE EFFECTS OF CERTAIN SEPTIC SYSTEMS ON WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS <br />WHEREAS, Orange County has demonstrated a commitment to protect drinking <br /> water supplies by adopting watershed protection standards which in <br /> many aspects exceed minimum standards required by the Division of <br /> Environmental Management; and <br />WHEREAS, the standards adopted by Orange County require that new septic <br /> system drainfields be located at least 300 feet from reservoirs, <br /> and that buildings be located at least 150 feet from reservoirs; <br /> and <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners, in recognition that these <br /> setback requirements may pose a hardship on development of existing <br /> lots, has approved an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance which would <br /> provide an administrative procedure for consideration of a <br /> reduction in setback requirements on existing lots when specific <br /> criteria are met, and <br />WHEREAS, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority staff had recommended that <br /> those criteria include a provision that administrative reduction <br /> of septic system setbacks adjacent to a reservoir not be allowed <br /> in situations where water quality problems were present in the <br /> reservoir which could be attributed to a failing septic system <br /> within 300 feet of the reservoir; and <br />WHEREAS, the staffs of the Orange County Planning Department, Orange County <br /> Environmental Health and Orange Water and Sewer Authority have <br /> concluded that a baseline level of coliform within a reservoir is <br /> needed to determine if water quality has been impaired due to the <br /> failure of a septic system within 300 feet of the reservoir; and <br />WHEREAS, there are no baseline coliform levels established for University <br /> Lake, Cane Creek Reservoir, Lake Orange or Corporation Lake; and <br />WHEREAS, the amendment provision recommended by OWASA staff has not been <br /> adopted by Orange County due to the lack of information available <br /> by which to determine if a failing septic system has affected water <br /> quality in the reservoir; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> hereby directs the Planning staff, Environmental Health staff and <br /> the County Engineer to continue to explore possible means, <br /> including but not limited to the feasibility of measuring of <br /> baseline coliform levels, by which to determine if a malfunctioning <br /> septic system within 30o feet of a water supply reservoir has <br /> affected water quality within the reservoir and to report its <br /> findings and recommendations on this matter to the Board of <br /> Commissioners no later than July 1, 1995. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />