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County adopts septic ordinance amendment to help long‑standing small lots, with board adding oversight questions
Summary
The board approved Ordinance 2026‑28 to allow administrative variances for subsurface sewage treatment systems (SSTS) on existing small lots (including holding tanks with clarified placement rules), while commissioners pressed for periodic inspections and assurances pumpers will document tank integrity.
Pine County commissioners voted July 21 to adopt Ordinance 2026‑28, amending the county subsurface sewage treatment system (SSTS) ordinance to create an administrative variance pathway for existing, high‑density seasonal recreational lots that cannot meet Minnesota rule setbacks.
County administrator Kelly Schroeder said the change is aimed at locations such as Pathfinder Village (she estimated roughly 1,290 parcels) and will allow the county to permit holding tanks that in some cases may be placed up to zero feet from structures "including underneath the structure," while clarifying the county won’t place permanent structures on top of tanks. She told commissioners that the MPCA raised concerns about language implying tanks would be sited under structures and the ordinance added clarifying text to prevent that.
Commissioners pressed on operational details: whether pumpers and hauling capacity are sufficient, how tank integrity is verified, and whether compliance inspections should be required. Schroeder said certified pumpers can submit a tank‑integrity form and that the ordinance includes a five‑year compliance check; some board members asked that the county consider adding an explicit compliance‑inspection requirement and possibly refer that language back to the zoning board for review.
The ordinance was adopted after public testimony (Glenn Sladek asked whether new inspections would be mandated for current owners and expressed concerns about testing rigor), and commissioners approved the ordinance by roll call.
