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Selectmen cautious about allowing private OBD pipe through town culvert; say private sleeve or formal easement needed
Summary
Penn Rhodeen asked the Selectmen to allow his septic OBD discharge pipe to run through a town culvert. Selectmen raised liability concerns and said he should run his own sleeve or secure easements; they indicated a town-meeting vote or formal easement may be required before allowing the installation.
Stonington — Property owner Penn Rhodeen asked the Board of Selectmen whether he could run an on-board discharge (OBD) pipe through a town culvert under Indian Point Road; the board repeatedly expressed concern about town liability and maintenance obligations.
Rhodeen told the board he wanted the pipe routed through the culvert rather than create a separate road cut; TM Billings said the town prefers property owners to install privately maintained sleeves to avoid future responsibility. "If the culvert plugs or the town has to repair the road, we don't want to inherit responsibility for someone else's septic pipe," TM Billings said.
Selectmen and staff said a private sleeve or documented easement from abutting landowners would be the safer route. Several board members said that, depending on the final configuration, allowing the pipe could require a town-meeting easement or other formal approvals to protect town interests.
Why it matters: Allowing a private discharge to run through a town culvert raises maintenance, liability and regulatory questions for the town. A failing culvert could affect drainage and road integrity.
What’s next: TM Billings said she will follow up with legal counsel and ask the applicant to provide any necessary easements and DEP documents; the Selectmen deferred a final decision until those items are provided.
Ending: The board declined to approve the request without formal easements or an agreed approach that removes town maintenance responsibility for the pipe.
