Board of Health grants septic variance for 93 Parmenter Road after hearing on failing system

The Framingham City Board of Health voted unanimously April 8 to grant a local well variance and a local upgrade approval for a failing septic system at 93 Parmenter Road.

The vote followed a public hearing during which Cornerstone Engineering representative Vito Colona and city staff described a failing on-site septic system and a replacement design constrained by ledge, wetlands buffers and existing wells. Colona said the existing tank showed “it was backing up and coming out the top of the septic tank,” and presented a replacement system sited to avoid neighboring wells while asking the board for relief from a strict local setback and a one‑foot reduction in required separation from seasonal high groundwater.

The proposal seeks two forms of relief. First, a local well variance to allow the new leach field to be closer than the city’s 150‑foot setback from the property’s on‑site well while maintaining the state Title 5 minimum of roughly 100 feet to neighboring wells. Second, a local upgrade approval to reduce the required separation from seasonal high groundwater from 4 feet (typical for new construction) to 3 feet for this repair, allowing the project to avoid installing a pump and to work with the home’s existing plumbing. Colona said the design uses an alternative treatment system that the state permits to operate with as little as 2 feet of separation, so the requested relief is a smaller reduction than state allowances.

Board members asked whether abutters had been notified and whether the project would increase wastewater flow or cross water lines. Colona said the required abutters had been notified by certified mail and that the proposal would not increase household flow because it is a repair, not an expansion. He also said the well supply lines would not cross the sewer lines for the new system. The engineer noted portions of the parcel are covered by a conservation restriction and that wetlands buffers constrained siting options.

After closing the hearing, a member moved to grant the requested variance and upgrade approval. The motion passed 3‑0 with 0 opposed and 0 abstentions; the board recorded the variance as granted.

The board’s decision documents the requested relief as specific to the parcel at 93 Parmenter Road and leaves in place state Title 5 requirements for neighboring wells. The applicant will proceed with permitting and construction consistent with the relief granted and any conditions the board’s permit imposes.

Clarifying details about the site provided at the hearing include that the lot totals about 5 acres with approximately 1.9 acres of usable area due to a conservation restriction, that the neighboring well on 95 Parmenter was sited to be at least the 100‑foot Title 5 arc away, and that the board was asked only for local relief (not a state waiver).

Votes at the hearing were recorded by show of hands; the board’s minutes will list any permit conditions and the formal motion language.