Update: Becker County Zoning Ordinance Amendments - Public Hearing, Tuesday, June 22 

Becker Co. COLA was well-represented at last evening's Planning Commission meeting to hear public comment on proposed amendments to the county Zoning Ordinance regarding replacing the "stringline" method of determining setbacks from the lake, water-oriented accessory structures and impervious coverage on shoreline lots. As he always does, COLA Environment Committee Chair John Postovit presented background on how these amendments were researched and formulated. COLA secretary Barb Halbakken Fischburg and VP Terry Kalil also attended. After hearing public testimony, all amendments to the Zoning Ordinance were unanimously recommended for passage by the County Commission which will hear the matter at their meeting on Tuesday, June 28 at 8:00am.

To be presented to the Becker Co. Commission on Tuesday June 28, 2011:

Shoreland On-site Sewage Treatment System Compliance & Education Program

It is a policy of Becker County to conduct a program requiring periodic inspections and recertification of Sewage Treatment Systems, which are located on riparian property within the 1st Tier of a lake. The program purpose is to identify and abate systems that do not meet the standards specified in Minnesota Statute 115 and Rules 7080. The program will initially focus on General and Recreational development lakes, which have been ranked in order of susceptibility.

The Zoning Administrator will establish a schedule of lakes to be inspected each year. A records survey will be conducted to identify those properties that do not have a sewage treatment Certificate of Compliance and those systems with a Certificate of Compliance that is greater than ten (10) years old. 

The property owners of systems requiring inspection/recertification will be notified by correspondence from the Zoning Office. The property owner is subsequently responsible for contracting for an inspection by a qualified, licensed inspector and is required to provide a Certificate of Compliance or a Notice of Noncompliance within the time line determined by the Zoning Office. The Zoning office will monitor responses to assure that a valid Certificate of Compliance has been received from each property owner and take action as necessary to enforce this policy.  In the case of controversy or complaint, the County and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will inspect the system in question and adjudicate.

The Zoning Administrator will allow access to the property records should a Lake Association and/or Watershed District wish to conduct an Educational Program relating to the status of sewage treatment systems within the Association/District boundary. It would be the responsibility of those entities to fund the necessary records research.

Lake Associations are afforded an opportunity to petition the County for repositioning within the Sewage Treatment System inspection schedule given supermajority, sixty percent (60%) approval of the affected property owners. The goal of this program will not be deterred by such action and it remains with the County discretion to accommodate the petitioned request.

Approved as a Resolution by the Becker County Commission

Becker County COLA supports this policy. Contact John Postovit with questions.