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Select Board outlines septic and site-plan steps to speed rebuild after fire
Summary
A homeowner seeking to rebuild after a fire asked the board to waive a full site plan and reuse an existing septic; town staff said a certified evaluator and a pocket septic plan are required to demonstrate the existing system's suitability and recommended steps to expedite a foundation permit.
A Brentwood homeowner seeking to rebuild on the footprint of a home lost to fire asked the select board to waive a full site plan and to allow reuse of an existing septic system to reduce cost and speed reconstruction.
Town staff (Chuck) told the owner that New Hampshire DES rules typically require a certified evaluator and a pocket (shelf) septic plan for new construction when there is no formal record of a system. As Chuck explained, if the existing system can be evaluated and proven functional for a three-bedroom home, the town can accept a pocket plan and the owner could delay installing a replacement until failure occurs. "If this is to scale... and they can identify the property markers, they're the two reference points we need to find location for existing and proposed," Chuck said, describing the survey and pocket-plan steps required.
Board members discussed foundation-only permits as a way to expedite site preparation before frost, and staff agreed to help the homeowner locate designers and evaluators who can perform test pits and prepare a pocket plan. The board encouraged the owner to secure a septic designer and return with verified plans; staff said they would work to move the permit through as quickly as procedural requirements allow.
