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Library architects seek waiver to install septic leach field within town setback
Summary
KCS Architects presented a waiver request to reduce Kensington's 35-foot setback for a new leach field at the library addition, citing state well-protection radii, a 10-foot building setback, limited site area (about 0.5 acre) and the need for a reserve area; the design team said the proposed location is about 31 feet from the property line in one corner.
Steve Goldberg of KCS Architects presented the Kensington Library addition and formally requested a waiver from the town's 35-foot setback so a replacement leach field and septic system can be installed on the constrained site.
"That's why we're asking for this waiver," Goldberg said, explaining that the property overlaps multiple required setbacks—including a state 10-foot building setback and a town 35-foot property-line setback—leaving only a narrow strip (about 0.5 acre total) where a leach field could fit.
The project team described site constraints: the new leach field must remain at least 75 feet from the property's private well; shown drawings place parts of the proposed leach field about 31 feet from the property line at one corner, exceeding the setback by about 4 feet in places. Rockingham County Conservation District review (Tom) reported no design objections other than the town setback.
Board members and consultants discussed alternatives, including elevating the system, using a reserve area shown on the plans, or relocating the leach field to a second on-site location. The design team said a reserve area exists and that the system uses a small mound (roughly a 1-foot mound) rather than a large aboveground structure.
The Selectboard agreed the waiver discussion is substantial and useful but deferred final action pending an informational presentation to the planning and zoning boards and receipt of further technical clarifications; the project team said it will appear before the planning board on August 19 for a fuller review of floor plans and site design.
