MINUTES OF MEETING
SHARON BOARD OF HEALTH
April 25, 2011
A meeting of the Sharon Board of Health was held on Monday, April 11, 2011, beginning at 7:35 PM at the Sharon Town Office Building. In attendance were Suzi Peck, Chair; Stan Rosen, Andrew Stead, and Ed Welch. Jim Andrews, Health Agent for Engineering, was also present.
Variance Hearing: 109 Beach Street
Steve Rumba, Collins Engineering Group, presented plans for a septic system repair for 109 Beach Street, on behalf of owner Tilden Kaufman. Existing system, leach field, and dry well in the back of the property; Assessors’ records reflect 4 bedrooms; owner states it is a 3 bedroom home; proposed design is for 3 bedrooms. Suzi Peck expressed concern that someone could later turn it into a 4 bedroom home. Jim Andrews stated he did not see a possibility for 4 bedrooms in that home. Stan Rosen suggested a deed restriction for 3 bedrooms.
Jim Andrews stated the current system did not pass Title 5. Request to also go to Conservation Commission. Depth to groundwater is 5'; system to be mounded. Suzi Peck: if FAST system were used, need for variances could be reduced. Andy Stead: alternative system would not make a big difference. Jim Andrews stated this is the best that can be done in this location for a 3 bedroom home. Stan Rosen: concerned about large reductions requested for setback from Bordering Vegetated Wetlands to Soil Absorption System. Suzi Peck requested a floor plan of the house.
VOTED: (Peck/Rosen)unanimously to approve the request for Local Upgrade Approval from Title 5 and variance from Article 7...as listed in the letter dated March 7, 2011, from Collins Engineering Group, for the property at 109 Beach Street, contingent upon the assessors’ agreement that this is currently a 3 bedroom house....that the floor plan reflects a 3 bedroom house....with a 3 bedroom deed restriction. Such demonstration that this is a 3 bedroom home is to be provided to the Board of Health by the next meeting of May 16, 2011.
Sheila Miller: Update on Emergency Planning
Sheila Miller, Public Health Nurse, provided the Board with an update on Emergency Planning progress. Linda Callan, with Barry Zlotin’s assistance, has been helpful with technology in moving forward. CDC requirement of Technical Assistance Review (TAR) is completed. The big push this year is regarding “individuals requiring additional assistance”....includes many populations. Region 4A hired Carpathia group to work on a plan for this. Health Department role in weather-related disasters would be to open up shelters. Re Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS): At High School.....we need to medicate 100% of population within 48 hours in a worst-case scenario, e.g., an anthrax attack. Civil Defense has signage; MOU signed with Police Dept.; Barry Zlotin and Chuck Levine are starting a
badging campaign; plans are to re-start the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). Our region set aside funds to produce a public service announcement to recruit for the Medical Reserve Corps. Effort needs ongoing communication with the public. The (Health Dept.) All Hazards Plan is part of the comprehensive Emergency Hazards Plan, which is to be housed at the Fire Dept. Copy of Health Department plan also resides in Health Department. With Chief Mann retiring, no one has taken over responsibility for heading up emergency planning for town; Town Manager’s responsibility to have someone in charge.
Sheila Miller expressed disappointment re the Ipad initiative; email just received that, due to long list of conditions by DPH, including prohibition of developing any custom software for any mobile device, Ipads will not be ordered through the region. Current grant year ends late July. Work plans were to be in place by March first. Now approx. $8000 left available and up in the air. Next Region meeting is May 12. Stan Rosen questioned whether future announcements of awards, etc., will be directly forwarded to BOH. Sheila Miller noted that there was a mis-communication in 2009....the award letter which should have been sent to the BOH chair was just posted on the web on the Huddle set. Going forward: notice of fund distribution directly to BOH, rather than just on Huddle. She noted that there
are good working relationships with all the departments in the town.
Finbar Griffin: Mick Morgan’s...outdoor seating.
The owner of Mick Morgan’s (former Bickford’s location)was present at the Board’s request to discuss the total amount of seating for the restaurant, including both inside and outside seating. Stan Rosen reviewed that the septic system was approved for a certain number of seats and needs to be limited to that amount, including the planned outdoor seating. Mr. Griffin stated that there are 200 seats on the inside; 125 planned for the patio.
Jim Andrews stated that all public records on Bickford’s re septic are missing from DPW. He noted that, according to the Building Inspector, the occupancy and seating hasn’t changed since the new system was built by RAGGS in 2004. Mr. Griffin will contact the property owner for the plans for the system. Otherwise, a survey of the property will be needed. B.I.G. Septic has been servicing the septic system...monitoring every couple of weeks. He plans to pump the grease trap once every 3 months.
Suzi Peck stated that when outdoor seating has been added to establishments, the Board has capped the total number of seats that can be occupied at any one time. Finbar Griffin stated that this will not be a problem...that he does not anticipate ever having the maximum number of seats filled...that the outdoor and indoor balances out. He will get back to the office shortly regarding the plans and .may or may not have to come back to BOH.
Nitrate Loading: 27 Livingston Road
Ed Welch expressed concern that, at the meeting of April 11, the BOH did not discuss the ZBA nitrate loading requirements when discussing this proposal; i.e., that the ZBA has established specific square foot age requirements for the number of bedrooms in a property within the water protection districts. He suggested that the BOH should have asked for a set of plans to see the number of bedrooms. Suzi Peck responded that, although the BOH is also concerned about nitrate loading, all the BOH can enforce are BOH rules....not ZBA rules. Therefore, the BOH had stated that the proposal would be approved as long as the system fully complied with both Article 7 and Title 5. Andy Stead noted that this is why each applicant has to go to various boards for approval....that each board knows and enforces its
own regulations. Ed Welch again stated that the BOH is also concerned about nitrate loading. Suzi Peck suggested that the BOH adopt the ZBA nitrate loading rules and incorporate them into Article 7, thus allowing the BOH to enforce these rules as well. Jim Andrews will review Article 7 to see if there are any other items which should be added, removed, etc. Then the Board will hold a hearing to revise Article 7.
In the meantime, the Board agreed to send a letter to the ZBA on the issue of 27 Livingston Road vis a vis nitrate loading....noting that, although this proposed system meets the requirements of Article 7, this matter showed a gap in regulatory jurisdiction...and encouraging the ZBA to enforce its nitrate loading rules.
Pot Luck Supper Information Sheet
The pot luck supper information sheet will be put on the BOH webpage.
Minutes of Meeting: April 11, 2011
VOTED: (Peck/Rosen) unanimously to approve the minutes of the meeting of April 11, 2011, as amended.
Contract for Health Agent for Sanitary Inspections and Enforcement
As required, bids for this contract were provided to 3 potential bidders, including the incumbent. Bids are due back by April 29th. The BOH will decide ON May 16 whether or not they want to interview any or all applicants....interview(s), if desired, would be held on June 6th.
210 North Main Street
The Board reviewed the request for change in use from Steve Jackson, property owner.
VOTED: (Rosen/Stead) unanimously to approve the request for use of the property as a massage establishment, with the restrictions placed at the last meeting: a maximum of 4 massage therapists at any one time; the establishment must be fully compliant with state massage licensing requirements. If Ms. Ward should decide to increase services, e.g., with classes, etc., she would need to return to the Board of Health.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:45 PM.
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