If you own land

with a septic tank and undertake a construction

or renovation project, the location of your

septic tank could play a big role in what you are

able to do.

That point was

reinforced during discussions of the Peachtree

City Council meeting, as a proposed ordinance

addressing the involvement of the Health

Department in the approval of building projects

was considered and ultimately tabled June 17, to

be heard again July 1.

A specific instance

where a citizen was preparing his property for

the installation of a pool motivated Councilwoman

Carol Fritz to take action. She recounted a

resident's troubles at 606 Haddington Lane, in

the Stoneybrook subdivision, in a memo to city

manager Jim Basinger that was entered into the

record Thursday night.

According to Fritz,

the resident consulted with the Health Department

before he purchased his property and agreed to a

location for his pool near his house because of

the septic system. He later built a retaining

wall and damaged his required alternate drain

field. The only other suitable place for an

alternate drain field is his front yard, which

would require a drip system and the removal of

all trees in the front yard, a violation of the

subdivision covenants.

Fritz pointed out

that if proper procedures had been in place, the

Building Department could have consulted with the

Health Department before issuing a permit for the

retaining wall. As it happened, the wall was

noticed by a health official during its

construction, and he asked a Building Department

official about it.

Fritz, in her memo,

asked for city staff to draft an ordinance

requiring the Health Department to be involved in

any building permit or variance requests

involving lots with new or existing septic

systems.

Councilman Jim Pace

pointed out that if this were a problem in

Peachtree City, it would likely be as important

for the entire county, and maybe the county

should take the lead on this. He added that he

preferred the applicant bear the burden for

getting the proper approval for a particular

project rather than the city or the county.

According to

Councilwoman Annie McMenamin, the old ordinance

should be enforced and there may not be the need

for another rule.

City attorney Rick

Lindsey, while stressing that he was not

recommending approval or denial of anything,

noted that there was a potentially important

difference between the old ordinance and the new

one. The old ordinance specifically mentioned

"proposed" septic systems and made no

mention of existing ones. He added that

"good lawyering" would immediately spot

this discrepancy.

While all four

council members (Mayor Bob Lenox was absent)

agreed that it was an important issue, not

everyone was comfortable with the ordinance as

presented at the June meeting. Thus, a move was

made to table, and it passed unanimously.

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