This article shall be known and may be cited
as the "Patton Township Ordinance Implementing Pennsylvania Sewage
Facilities Act."
Inspections of applications and the site and
the installation itself shall be in accordance with the provisions
of Section 7 of the Act. The Township Supervisors shall from time to time designate
and appoint a Sewage Enforcement Officer who shall carry out the inspections
in accordance with this article, with Section 7 of the Act and also
with the rules and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
Department of Environmental Protection, which are incorporated herein.
[Amended 9-23-1987 by Ord. No. 87-223; 2-12-1997 by Ord. No.
97-337]
This Township hereby enacts and ordains and
adopts as part of this article, the rules and regulations of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection, including
Title 25, Chapters 71, 72 and 73, as amended. All such rules, regulations
and standards are incorporated in this article by reference. Copies
of these regulations shall be available for inspection at the time
of application for a permit. This Township further reserves the right
to adopt, by resolution, additional rules and regulations as it shall
deem necessary and proper relating to individual and community sewage
disposal systems, which additional rules and regulations, to the extent
appropriate, shall be construed as part of this article. In the event
of conflicting requirements, the more stringent requirement shall
prevail.
[Amended 9-23-1987 by Ord. No. 87-223]
A. In addition to
the standards presented in Chapter 73, as amended, of the Department
of Environmental Protection Rules and Regulations, the following provisions
shall apply in Patton Township. In the event of a conflict between
the provisions hereinafter presented and standards within Chapter
73, the more stringent standard will apply, as determined by the Sewage
Enforcement Officer.
B. Dual absorption
areas. After the effective date of this article, individual on-lot
sewage system permits will only be issued if two acceptable absorption
areas are identified on the lot for which the permit is requested.
Each area must be of sufficient capacity to handle the entire effluent
loading and must have piping which distinctly separates it from the
other. Both areas must be staked out during residence construction
to assure their integrity. Destruction of one of the absorption areas
during construction will result in revocation of the building permit
unless a replacement area is found. Furthermore, all deeds must carry
a restrictive covenant assuring the alternate bed area is identified
and protected from subsequent construction activity.
(1) In the case
of a proposed subdivision plan, evidence of two acceptable absorption
areas per lot will be required before the plan is approved. Both areas
must accurately be shown on the subdivision plan.
(2) In the case
of a lot which exists prior to the effective date of this amendment,
the requirements of this section will apply unless a replacement area
cannot be found. A permit may be issued under such circumstances,
and such permit must bear a notation that no suitable replacement
area exist.
(3) At the option
of the homebuilder, the dual absorption area requirement may be met
by installing both at the same time. In those cases, gate valves shall
be installed in the effluent piping from the septic tank to control
the flow so that only one area is in use at a time.
(4) In the case
of an IRSIS, a second acceptable absorption area will not be required.
The IRSIS absorption area shall be clearly demarked on the final subdivision
plan.
[Added 2-12-1997 by Ord. No. 97-337]
C. All excavation
for absorption areas shall be with hoe-type equipment to protect the
soil within the area. Trucks and other heavy equipment shall not run
on excavated areas.
D. The piping used
within gravity distribution drainfields shall be rigid and perforated.
Slotted pipe is not acceptable, nor is coiled plastic pipe. The rigid
pipe shall have standard dimension ratio no greater than 41.
E. The piping used
for building sewers, across backfill areas and under traffic areas
shall be Schedule 40 plastic pipe or an equivalent acceptable to the
Sewage Enforcement Officer.
F. Effective with
adoption of Ordinance 2007-487, the following construction standards
shall apply:
[Added 10-24-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-487]
(1) Existing
metal septic tanks shall be replaced with a precast concrete tank
upon notice from the SEO.
(2) All access
and inspection ports to septic tank and other below-ground system
appurtenances shall be extended to within 12 inches of ground surface.
(3) An inlet
inspection port shall be provided on all septic tanks.
(4) An outlet
filter shall be provided on all septic tanks.
[Amended 9-23-1987 by Ord. No. 87-223; 8-14-1996 by Ord. No.
96-330]
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions
of this article or of the Act or the rules, regulations or standards
promulgated hereunder, or who resists or interferes with any officer,
agent or employee of the Township in the performance of their duties
shall, upon conviction thereof in a summary proceeding before any
Magisterial District Judge in the county in which the offense was
committed, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 and court
costs, including reasonable attorney fees, and not more than $600
and court costs, including reasonable attorney fees, to be paid to
the Township of Patton. If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals
the judgment, the municipality may enforce the judgment pursuant to
the applicable Rules of Civil Procedure.
[Amended 9-23-1987 by Ord. No. 87-223]
Any request for a variance from the requirements of this article shall be made to the Zoning Hearing Board in accordance with the provisions of §
425-82, Zoning.
[Amended 9-23-1987 by Ord. No. 87-223;
at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
In accordance with Section 12 of the Act, 35
P.S. § 750.12, the Township shall have the power to institute
in the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County, Pennsylvania, proceedings
in law or in equity to restrain any and all violations of Section
7 of the Act, 35 P.S. § 750.7, and the provisions of this
article. Such proceedings shall be instituted in the name of the Township
of Patton.