MINUTES OF MEETING
SHARON BOARD OF HEALTH
February 8, 2010
A meeting of the Sharon Board of Health was held on Monday, February 8, 2010, beginning at 7:30 PM at the Sharon Town Office Building. In attendance were Stan Rosen, Chair, Andy Stead, Vice-Chair; Suzi Peck; Jay Schwab; and Ed Welch. Also present was Jim Andrews, Health Agent for Engineering.
Discussion of plans for playroom — 15 Condor Road
Xuemei Zhong and Wenda Gao, new homeowners, presented their plan for a playroom and office in the attic, along with realtor Demetri Kakos. When the applicants applied for a building permit, they were told that they might not be able to add a room to the house....so they were forwarded to the BOH. Total space of planned area on second floor = about 1200 square feet. House is a 4 bedroom house according to assessors’ plans.
Suzi: latest septic design = 3 bedroom; previous design = 4 bedroom. Suzi: proposed design might be considered a bedroom by BOH rules. She questioned the present size of the leaching field...whether or not the system would be sufficient to handle 5 bedrooms. Andy: need an “as-built” plan to make a determination. Jim Andrews: the tank is not an issue.... In 1987, per Title 5, you would size the system, e.g., 1500 gallon tank with only 3 flow diffusers..possibly because it was slightly less expensive to build with 3 flow diffusers, rather than 4. Jim Andrews: this is an a groundwater protection district...must comply with 1995 code per Article 7. Stan Rosen: how to determine, in good faith, that this system is sized properly for bedroom system. The house was sold as 4 bedroom home.
Homeowner stated that the area they plan to renovate will not meet the definition of a bedroom per Article 7....there will be no privacy and the area will be used by all members of the household. Suzi Peck: it might be easy for someone to convert the open area to a closed “bedroom”.
Stan Rosen: 1st issue: house has been known as 4 bedroom house and, also, as a 3 bedroom house. Question of compliance of the septic system/leaching field for a 4 bedroom house. Suzi: must bring up to 1995 code if adding habitable space...in a groundwater protection district...i.e., expanding the leaching field. Since non-conforming lot, if want to expand habitable space, need to go to ZBA and bring leaching field up to 1995 code.
Jim Andrews: the homeowners purchased the house as a 4 bedroom home; represented properly as a 4 bedroom; they should be allowed to use the space...keep the septic system....if add a room not to be considered a “bedroom”.
Stan Rosen: if homeowners were not planning to build on the 3rd floor, they could just move in. Since they are planning to build, they need to go to ZBA....Jim Andrews would report to ZBA on BOH discussion.. BOH could then review design plans for renovation...and report to ZBA on septic plans. Jim Andrews estimates expansion of the leaching field to = $10,000 to $15,000. Suzi Peck encouraged them to consider expanding the leaching field to a 5 bedroom field....as long as setbacks can be met. For BOH would need a detailed drawing for expansion plans for 3rd floor.
Update on Shaws’ Plaza septic system
Irv Frankel, Property Manager, and Steve Nelson, Clearwater Recovery: Presented update on improvements; now, operators would be aware of any pump failure. Have found that most of the problems were coming from Kindercare....cleaning chemicals. Now meeting BOD and TSS...still not meeting nitrogen levels...although greatly improved. Jim Andrews: progress ongoing...will take time. The Board asked that Shaws continue to provide routine reports on testing.
Zostavax Vaccine:
Stan Rosen reported that the state is now making available additional adult vaccines to Boards of Health, including Varicella, Zostavax (for age 60 and up), and TdaP....on a limited time basis. Vaccines will be provided free of charge, so the Board of Health will be able to provide to the community at no charge. Other communities will now be providing without the requirement of a physicians’ note.
VOTED: (Welch/Rosen) unanimously to no longer require a physician’s. note to dispense Zostavax .
Ethics commission.
The Board reviewed a reminder from Marlene Chused about the mandatory requirement for online training from the Ethics Commission.
Viewpoint software
The Board reviewed a memorandum from Peter O’Cain about software to make the permitting process more transparent. The Board agreed to let Peter O’Cain know that it approves such a concept.
PCBs.
Andrew Stead provided information on PCBs found in caulk in older buildings. It was agreed to forward to the Standing Building Committee and Ken Wertz for their information.
Minutes of Nov. 2, 2009
VOTED: (Welch/Stead) Welch, Stead, and Schwab voted to accept the minutes of the meeting of November 2, 2009. Peck and Rosen abstained.
Minutes of January 25, 2010
VOTED: (Peck/Rosen) Peck, Rosen, Stead, and Welch voted to accept the minutes of the meeting of January 25, 2010, as amended. Schwab abstained.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:30 PM.
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