Agenda - 06-05-1989 - Laserfiche WebLink

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• jjii 2 It389 111 DISTRIBUTED };') UU -2212 Stansbu* Chapel Hill, N.C. 27516 June 1, 1989 Moses Carey, Chairman Orange County Board of Commissioners P.O. Box 8181 • Hillsborough, N.C. 27278 Dear Moses: • • I would like to urge you, and other members of the Board, to deny the Special Use Permit application for McLennon Farm Subdivision. I have great concern about the alternative wastewater system proposed close to intermittent stream draining into Neville Creek. The chances of such systems failing at some time are high, and the procedures for correcting failures are not very satisfactory. If suitable soils--even marginal ones--are in short supply (as at the McLennan Farm site), there may be no way to bring the system into compliance. What then? The developer who put in the system to maximize profits is usually long gone. The Division of Environmental Management provides minimal supervision of these systems and has not acted decisively or quickly when failing systems are brought to their attention. (See attached news article) . Continued Con- tamination of the water supply is likely unless, and until, sewer service can be extended. Sewering in the University Lake Watershed so far from axisting lines would be very expensive. Constructing sewer lines in some parts of the waterhsed would be also technically difficult and environmentally damaging, involving the risk of lift stations and above water crossings of major tributaries, or even University Lake itself. Allowing the use of alternative systems in other areas of the county may cause problems for unsuspecting home buyers and their near-by neighbors, but experimenta- tion in our fragile University Lake Watershed has the potential for threatening • the health and safety -of the entire community. Sincerely yours, Lois Herring •