Agenda - 01-18-1994-IX-A - Laserfiche WebLink

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8 . -3- identified defects in the Piney Mountain LPP System in the spring and summer of 1993. With proper administration of State regulations, future sewer systems in the Rural Buffer can be designed, installed and maintained properly. It is certain that no purchaser of a lot at Piney Mountain can be blamed for the failure of our LPP System. The choice of unsuitable soils, the design, construction, maintenance and approval of the LPP System were the responsibility of others. The key to prevention of similar requests in the future, therefore, cannot lie in penalizing current owners. Approval As Soon As Possible Thank you for facilitating communication between Orange County Staff and Piney Mountain by arranging for meetings with your staff and by assigning Paul Thames to act as liaison to Piney Mountain from Orange County. Thank you also for placing the petition of Piney Mountain on the agenda of the January 18 meeting of the Orange County Commissioners. There is considerable urgency to Piney Mountain's petition. On December 1, 1993, the emergency operator of the Piney Mountain LPP System, Harrco Utility Corporation, submitted a request to make repairs totalling $207,610.57 (a copy of which you have previously received). Harrco has never tested the Piney Mountain soils, and at the time it recommended these repairs, Harrco did not have the results of the Kays Soils Report. Thus, Harrco has made no determination as to whether the Piney Mountain LPP System will operate adequately even after the these repairs are made. In fact, the Kays Soils Report indicates the LPP System will not operate properly for long. Piney Mountain has filed objection to Harrco's proposed assessment for capital improvements to the Piney Mountain LPP System (copy previously submitted to you), and a hearing has been set for February 24, 1994 on the assessment by the Utilities Commission. Obviously, the members of Piney Mountain are trying to avoid paying for extremely expensive repairs to an LPP System which will shortly have to be abandoned. In order to avoid making the futile repairs, and begin constructing an environmentally safe alternative system as soon as possible, we must be able to act quickly on the installation of the pressurized sewer line to Durham's municipal line. Piney Mountain has already made presentations to the OWASA Board (on December 10, 1993 - copy of statement previously submitted to you) and to the Chapel Hill Town Council. We are on the agenda of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen on January 18, at the same time we will be on the agenda of the Orange County Commissioners. We understand that there is to be a retreat attended by representatives from OWASA, Orange County, Chapel Hill and Carrboro on February 5, 1994, at which time Piney Mountain will be discussed. Piney Mountain