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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08ORDINANCE NO. 8 AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE SANITARY DISPOSAL OF SEWAGE IN THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS, CALIFORNIA. TRE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF LOS ALTOS HILLS DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. This ordinance shall apply to all territory embraced within the incorporated limits of the Town of Los Altos Hills, State of California. SECTION la. Definitian of "Health Officer": "Health Officer" shall mean the Santa Clara County Health Officer, his assistants, or authorized deputies acting as health officer of the Town of Los Altos Hills. - SECTION 2. It shall be unlawful to maintain, or use, any residence, place of business, or other building or place where persons reside, congregate, or are employed which is not provided with means for the disposal of sewage, either by a flush toilet connected with a sewage system approved by. the Health Officer, or when it is judged permissible by the Health Officer, a privy which meets the requirements of construction and maintenance hereinafter described. SECTION 3. Every building mere persons reside, congre- gate, or are employed which abuts a street or alley in which there is an approved ppblic sanitary sewer, or which is within 200 feet of an approved public sanitary sewer, provided a right of way can be obtained, and if possible grade is present, shall be connected to the sewer, by the owner or agent of the premises, in the most direct manner possible, and with separate connection for each home or building. SECTION L.. It shall be unlawful for any person to con- struct or maintain any privy, cesspool, septic tank, sewage treat- ment works, sewer pipes or conduits, or other pipes or conduits for the treatment or discharge or sewage or impure waters or any matter or substance offensive, injurious or dangerous to health, whereby they shall do any of the following: (a) Overflow any lands whatever; (b) Empty, flow, seep, drain into or affect any springs, streams, rivers, lakes or other waters within the Town of Los Altos Hills, PROVIDED HOWEVER, if with respect to existing septic tanks, sewage treatment works, sewer pipes or conduits or other pipes or conduits for the treatment or discharge of sewage or impure waters, it would be exceptionally difficult, if not impossible to comply with the provisions of this Section of this Ordinance, the Health Officer shall have the power by special permit to allow such varia- tions from the provisions contained in this Section as will prevent unnecessary hardship or injustice and at the same time most nearly accomplish the general purpose and intent hereof. SECTION . Every residence, place of residence, or other building or place where persons congregate, reside, or are employed, and which does not abut a street or alley in which there is an ap- proved sanitary sewer, or which is not within 200 feet of an approved public sanitary sewer, shall be provided with aprivate water flush toilet, or if the opinion of the Health Officer conditions permit, a privy, by the owner or agent or occupant of the premises; said water flush toilet system, or privy, to be built or rebuilt, con- structed, altered or reconstructed, or maintained in such manner as to meet the requirements of construction and maintenance herein- after described to -wit: A. Private Sewage Disposal Systems. 1. At any residence, place of business or other building where there is installed a water flush system or sewage disposal system which is not connected to a public sewer system, and where the customary users do not exceed fifteen (15) in number, there shall also be established or installed a private sewage disposal system. Said disposal system to consist of a septic tank and a system of underground drains for the disposal of the tank effluent. Said tank and drains shall be so constructed as to meet the requirements of construction and maintenance hereinafter described. (a) SEPTIC TANKS. The septic tanks shall be of two compartment construction; the first compartment being twice the capacity of the second. Said tank shall be of a type, constructed and located in accordance with the recommendations of the State Department of Public Health and the Health Officer. If it is neces- sary to install the tank above the ground surface, it must be made air and odor tight. The septic tank, distribution box if used, and all inlets and outlets thereto, shall be water tight. (1) SIZE. The minimum capacity of the septic tank shall be 700 gallons. (2) MATERIALS. The septic tank shall be constructed of concrete, irrigation heart grade redwood or equal, or some other material of equal durable and waterproof qualities approved by the Health Officer. (b) DRAINS. The effluent from the septic tank must dis- charge into an approved absorption field. The construction shall be such that the sewage shall at no time flow over the top of the ground. The absorption field shall be laid at a grade of not more than two (2) inches in one hundred (100) feet. The effluent lines shall be laid in a trench at least twenty-four (24) inches wide, which has a layer of one to two inch loose rock An the bottom at least twelve (12) inches deep and at least four (4) inches over the top of said effluent lines. The minimum length of the effluent leaching lines shall be one hundred and twenty-five (125) feet. Additional length of effluent line may be required by the Health Officer if unusual conditions are encountered. In any case where the topography or area of any lot, piece or parcel of land upon which a septic tank is erected, maintained, constructed, or is proposed to be erected, maintained or constructed, is such that the minimum requirements for the length of effluent leaching lines cannot be complied with the Health Officer may grant a special permit for the erection, construction or maintenance of shorter effluent leaching lines, or other means of effluent disposal, if in his judgment such other means or shorter effluent lines are sufficient to provide for the efficient disposal of the effluent without endangering public health or safety. (c) CESSPOOLS. It shall be unlawful to use cesspool for the disposal of sewage without a permit from the Health Officer. - 2 - v r (d) SEWER WELLS. All sewer to be a public nuisance. It shall be maintain or operate a sewer well, and stitute a misdemeanor. wells are hereby declared unlawful to drill, construct, such an offense shall con - 2. At any residence, place of business, or other build- ing where there is installed a water flush system of sewage disposal, which is not connected to a public sewer system, and where the customary users exceed 15 in number, there shall also be established or installed a private sewage disposal plant, the plans and con- struction of which, in each separate case, shall be approved by the Health Officer. B. Pit Privy. 1. It shall be unlawful to use a pit privy for the dis- posal of sewage without a permit from the Health Officer. When in the opinion of the Health Officer the conditions permit the disposal of sewage by means of a pit privy, said privy, if established or installed, shall be so constructed, built, rebuilt, or maintained that: (a) The privy shall be placed at a distance approved by the Health Officer from all wells, streams and dwellings; (b) The sewage deposited therein shall not fall upon the surface of the ground, but shall enter into a vault or pit in the ground or a compartment built for that purpose; (c) Said vault and building thereon shall at all times be inaccessible to insects, rodents, or other animals; (d) The pit vault or compartment, together with the floor riser seat and other portions of the building shall as a unit prevent the entrance of either rain or surface water into the pit below; (e) All privy buildings shall be kept in clean and sani- tary condition at all times; 2. Chemical privies, septic privies, concrete vault privies, or other privies not heretofore mentioned may be used only with the special permission of the Health Officer. SECTION b. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to construct, build, or rebuild any residence, place of residence, or other building or place where persons congregate, re- side or are employed which is not to be connected to an approved public sanitary sewer without first submitting plans of the means of sewage disposal to the Health Officer, and obtaining a permit therefor as herein provided. Such plans shall include the plot plan of the premises with sufficient elevations, the size and type of septic tank, and a plan of the absorption field, giving all dimensions and other pertinent information. Every applicant for a permit shall pay to the Health Officer for each permit issued and at the time of issuance a fee of $5.00 for each sewage disposal system. SECTION 7. No building permit as required in the Town Zoning Plan Ordinance, End any amendments thereto, shall be issued for say building which is not to be connected to an approved public sanitary sewer, without the written approval of the Health Officer of the plan of the means of sewage disposal for said building. SECTION 8. No Certification of Occupancy shall be issued - 3 - .'y ' y It '. for any building which is not connected to an approved public sani- tary sewer without the written approval by the Health Officer of the means of sewage disposal for said building. SECTION 9. It shall be the duty of the Health Officer to enforce the provisions of this ordinance, and in the performance of this duty the Health Officer or his duly authorized agent is hereby authorized to enter at any reasonable hour any premises as may be necessary in the enforcement of this ordinance. SECTION 10. Any person, firm or corporation who violates or refuses or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished Vupon conviction by a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than V5on or by imprisonment in the County Jail for not more than six (6) months or by both such fine and imprisonment. SECTION 11. Any ordinance or parts of ordinances in con- flict with this ordinance are hereby repealed. SECTION 12. If any section, subsection, paragraph, sen- tence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid, such decision shall not affect,the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance and each section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause and phrase thereof irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared unconstitutional or invalid. SECTION 13. This ordinance shall not be construed as im- posing upon the Town of Los Altos Hills any liability or responsibility for damage resulting from the defective construction of any sanitary disposal system as herein provided, nor shall the Town of Los Altos Hills or any official or employee thereof be held as assuming any such liability or responsibility by reason of the inspection autho- rized thereunder. SECTION 1lt. This ordinance is hereby declared to be an urgency measure and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health and safety, and shall take effect and be in force forth- with from and after its final passage and approval. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Town Council of the Town of Los Altos Hills, this 14th day of February , 1956, by the following vote: AYES: Councilmen Bledsoe, Dungan, Fowls, Rothwell, Mayor Treat NOES: None ABSENT: None a or ATTEST: City Clerk - 4 _ GERTIF Tru Cop Cb CNS