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Council considers permits for porta-potties, graywater and limited alternative wastewater systems
Summary
City staff proposed a two-track permit approach to allow temporary or alternate wastewater solutions (porta-potties and graywater systems) for certain nonresidential projects during the moratorium. Septic systems would be treated as a higher-review category. Council asked clarifying questions and directed staff to draft ordinance language.
City of Sandy staff presented a draft regulatory approach to let some developments use alternative wastewater systems while the city remains under a sewer moratorium.
Project lead Josh Soper told the council that the proposed approach would allow applicants who receive approval for an approved alternative wastewater system to pursue land-use applications while being exempt from the moratorium because they would not immediately connect to the public sewer. "Anybody who is able to get a permit approval for an alternative wastewater system would be able to then submit for [a] land use application because they would be exempt under the moratorium," Soper said.
Two-track proposal
Staff described a two-track review:
- Streamlined review for two system types the city expects most often: porta-potties (temporary hauled collection) and graywater systems (internal reuse of non-toilet wastewater such as sinks and process water). Those systems would be eligible for a relatively direct review process and subject to objective criteria (use type, no public-facing uses, no impact on the city's wastewater system, adequate detection/containment, screening, and accessibility requirements).
- A second, higher-review track for other alternatives (including septic). Those proposals would have to meet the same baseline criteria and also show they are not materially injurious to surrounding properties; council and planning commission review would be required for these discretionary approvals.
Connection, timing and conditions
Staff proposed several conditions for any approved alternative system: applicants must install all internal plumbing and upstream infrastructure to a point of connection in the public right-of-way but would delay physical hookup until the city directs connection; porta-potties would be removed within 90 days after the city directs connection; graywater systems could remain in place long-term if appropriate; other systems would be evaluated case-by-case and the council could require connection on a specified timeline.
Council concerns and clarifications
Council members raised several concerns: whether porta-potties are appropriate for customer-facing businesses (food carts, retail), the desirability of septic systems for some industrial users, the extent to which applicants should be required to construct public mainline extensions in advance, and how quickly the city would compel reconnection when sewer capacity becomes available. Staff agreed to add explicit language requiring installation of private infrastructure to the right-of-way and to clarify how required mainline extensions would be addressed in review.
Next steps
Council signaled support for drafting an ordinance to implement a permit pathway but did not adopt final code language. Staff were asked to return with ordinance text for formal adoption and to include specific duty-to-install language for private infrastructure to the right-of-way and clearer criteria for when the city would require connection.
