Hague board sets April public hearings for multiple Lakeshore septic-variance requests

The Hague Town Board on the evening of March 11 voted to set public hearings for four separate wastewater-system variance applications affecting small parcels along Lakeshore Drive.

Chair opened the hearing sequence and said the board would schedule the four matters for its April 8 meeting at 6 p.m. The variances affect parcels owned or applied for by Russell Cole, John Brady, Bruce Kornhoff and Eliza Smith; board members discussed constraints including steep slopes, shallow usable soils and setback conflicts. "We have is an existing lot, rather small lot, 0.333 acre, with an existing house," said the Presenter describing the Cole application, noting limited area that meets the 15% slope threshold for leaching fields.

Bob Holmes, an engineer representing multiple applicants, told the board the Brady application would require seven variances and described a plan to upgrade septic tanks and pump effluent across the road to reuse an existing leaching footprint. "As part of this application, we are seeking 7 variances," Holmes said. Holmes also described an Elgin enhanced-treatment unit proposed for several properties and, for the Kornhoff parcel, said nine variances are required because tank and distribution components sit within current setback areas.

Board members raised no substantive objections at the meeting and carried motions to set each of the four public hearings for April 8 at 6:00 p.m., allowing additional time for health-department review and for applicants to provide supplemental information. The Chair noted that an earlier variance hearing for Charles and Sheila Boss had been left open and would remain so until the April meeting.

The hearings will allow neighbors and regulators to review the proposed variance scope, soils data and the health-department recommendations before the board takes any final action.