The meeting’s most pressing topic centered around a septic system repair on Cadman’s Neck Road, represented by Len Potter. This project required careful planning due to the lot’s limited size, measuring only 5,116 square feet. Potter detailed the necessity for several waivers and variances, explaining that the proposed system would be less than 10 feet from the south property line and only 70 feet from an existing well on Cadman’s Neck Road, falling short of the standard 100-foot distance requirement. Additionally, the existing well on Cadman’s Neck Road is 27 feet from the proposed septic tank, while the required distance is 50 feet, and 34 feet from the proposed septic system. The board recognized the necessity of these variances due to the lot’s constraints and the inclusion of a denitrification component that facilitated a reduced leech field area by 35.5%.

The board’s approval came with conditions, including a three-bedroom deed restriction, three years of well testing, and two years of nitrogen testing for the denitrification system. Matt, a participant in the meeting, confirmed no formal hearing was necessary with the Conservation Commission (ConCom) since the project did not affect any resource areas except a flood zone at the lot’s rear. The nitrate levels from a well on Cadman’s Neck Road measured 8.6, remaining below the threshold of 10, prompting the board to pursue ongoing monitoring due to the wells’ proximity.

Following this, attention turned to a revised septic system repair plan for a property on State Road, presented by owner Elmer Armando Gorteo and representative Alex Gordex. The updated plan sought compliance with current Title 5 regulations and included requests for local upgrade approvals. Notably, Gorteo requested to reduce the well setback from the required 100 feet to 50 feet and to modify the distance from the leaching bed to the existing crown space slab of the porch from 10 feet to 6 feet. The proposal also included using one test deep hole instead of two, justified by concerns that additional digging could disturb existing systems.

During the discussion, Matt inquired about the proximity of the water line to the property, highlighting that crossing Route 6 would involve considerable costs and complexity to obtain the necessary permits. Despite these challenges, the board approved Gorteo’s plan, conditioned on a three-bedroom deed restriction, local upgrade approvals, and a hold harmless agreement.

In addition to these significant approvals, the meeting addressed several other items. A proposal for a six-bedroom new construction on Horseneck Road, submitted by the Rachel Berkeley Trust, was approved unanimously. The board also scheduled a public hearing for stormwater regulation revisions on April 27 and discussed the logistics of an upcoming household hazardous waste day on March 28, emphasizing the need for pre-registration due to limited capacity.