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Oak Bluffs health board approves septic setback variance for 13 County Road
Summary
The Oak Bluffs Board of Health unanimously approved a septic-system variance for 13 County Road to allow a MicroFAST upgrade and reduced setbacks after town health staff said the proposed location was the best available option and no additional bedrooms were requested.
The Oak Bluffs Board of Health on June 2 approved a variance allowing reduced setbacks for a septic system at 13 County Road, Map 7 Parcel 9, the property owner Michelle Strong's representative told the board.
Cody Coutinho presented plans on behalf of Vineyard Land Surveying & Engineering, saying the existing 1,000-gallon tank has deteriorated and the owner seeks to replace it with a MicroFAST tank and pump chamber to move effluent to a nearby leaching field. Coutinho said the design "put it as far away from the other systems as they could," and the application requests no additional bedrooms. The variance packet lists setback differences including leaching facility to wetland (100' required, 77' proposed) and multiple leaching-facility-to-leaching-facility distances in the coastal district as low as 34'.
Health Agent Alexa Arieta told the board she conducted the percolation test and concluded "this was the best location for the system." After brief technical questions from board member Thomas Zinno about alternative Star systems, Dr. James Butterick moved to approve the variance; Zinno seconded and the board voted "all in favor." The minutes record a unanimous approval; no individual roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript.
The variance clears the way for the property owner to proceed with the proposed MicroFAST installation subject to permitting and installation inspections. The board did not record additional conditions in the minutes; the Health Agent and applicant will follow standard permitting steps.
