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Chisago County board approves reduced shoreline setback for septic replacement at Olinda Trail
Summary
The Board of Adjustment & Appeals approved a 15‑foot variance allowing a holding‑tank septic replacement as close as 35 feet from the Ordinary High Water Level at 31620 Olinda Trail; the approval includes conditions including an SSTS permit, tank top at grade and a one‑year use requirement.
The Chisago County Board of Adjustment & Appeals on April 30 approved a Variance allowing a replacement septic holding tank to be sited as close as 35 feet from the Ordinary High Water Level (OHWL) of North Center Lake at 31620 Olinda Trail.
Beth Gervais, Land Services Coordinator, told the Board the property owner, Raymond Keller, sought a 15‑foot OHWL setback variance because the existing septic system appears non‑compliant and much of the 1.06‑acre parcel lies within the FEMA floodplain where new systems are not permitted. Gervais said the Zierke Soil Testing report showed a holding tank would require a smaller variance and “the proposed 35' setback was an improvement over current conditions.”
Keller, the property owner, told the Board that the existing tank "had never been pumped" and that he plans to have it pumped and removed as part of the replacement. He said the alternate site for a new system is steeper and wooded and could cause erosion, and that the chosen location minimizes disturbance. Keller also confirmed he would reinstall a walkway over the new tank area using pavers rather than a concrete slab.
John Sutcliffe moved to adopt Resolution No. BOAA2026‑0401 approving the variance; Jolene Wille seconded. The motion passed unanimously (Carlson, Sutcliffe, Wille, Yeager voting AYE). The Board recorded the following key conditions: the holding tank must be installed in general conformance with submitted materials dated March 25, 2026; the system must comply with all other required setbacks and may not be located within the FEMA flood zone; the permit holder must obtain a Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (SSTS) permit prior to installation; the top of the holding tank shall be level with the ground surface and at least 10 feet from the Olinda Trail Right‑of‑Way; and the Variance must be used within one year of approval or it becomes null and void.
The Board noted the Technical Review Committee raised only a minor concern about impervious surface coverage (staff said the site is under the 25% maximum). Gervais also reminded the Board the state 60‑day review period for the variance was scheduled to expire June 1, 2026.
