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Resident urges clear ordinance language to keep 4,000‑sq‑ft septic reserve areas out of building envelopes
Summary
At the Planning Board meeting June 16, resident George Lavash asked the board to adopt explicit ordinance language defining the 4,000‑square‑foot septic reserve area so builders and planners know it must be a contiguous area reserved for leach field placement and not overlapped by building envelopes or driveways.
George Lavash, a Litchfield resident who gave his address as 13 Pearson Street, told the Planning Board on June 16 that the town’s subdivision plans should include a clear definition of the 4,000‑square‑foot septic reserve area and rules about how it may be used. "That 4,000 square feet can only be used for a septic system or a replacement septic system," Lavash said, summarizing state language and citing a neighboring town’s ordinance as a model.
Lavash said that in past subdivision approvals he has seen septic reserve areas placed where houses and driveways were also planned, and he urged the board to require yield plans to show a contiguous 4,000‑square‑foot area separate from building envelopes. "If you made that a requirement on the yield plan, then you would get a true representative representation of houses that could be built," he said.
Board members and staff discussed how much evidence to require on conceptual plans. A member noted that yield plans are typically conceptual and that requiring test pits on every hypothetical lot could increase the applicant’s burden. Lavash replied that simpler checks — such as showing a contiguous box with appropriate slopes that does not include the building footprint or driveway — could reduce ambiguity.
The board agreed the question deserves further review in a workshop. Joan McKibben, the planning board administrator, said staff will bring the matter back for discussion and that the item could be added to an upcoming workshop agenda. Members flagged a related topic: whether the town’s current wording effectively requires the reserve to be "reserved septic area" (i.e., not buildable) and whether enforcement has been consistent.
Why it matters: clear, enforceable plan standards can prevent developers from counting hypothetical lots on yield plans that cannot meet septic sizing requirements, and they reduce later disputes or corrective actions after construction begins. The board asked staff to examine state guidance and provide model ordinance language and enforcement options at a future meeting.
Next step: The board agreed to put the topic on a workshop agenda for a more thorough review of ordinance language, yield‑plan requirements and potential test‑pit standards.
