[MassHistPres] Septic Vent Pipes in LHDs

[Anne Forbes]

The Acton HDC reviews septic vent pipes, and their placement, within the 
historic districts.

Several years ago we worked with both the local Health Dept. and a septic 
installer to explore code requirements and the alternatives available that 
would still meet them.  The result is that we don't review the mounding of a 
system, but a certificate of appropriateness is required before a septic 
permit can be issued.  We require the "stovepipe" type of vents, in a dark 
finish, at the minimum number and the minimum height allowed by the Health 
Department.

We have also successfully worked with applicants and installers to locate 
the vents in unobtrusive positions, and to provide landscape screening if 
they are near the street.  We discovered that many engineers' plans place 
the vents kind of arbitrarily, and that they can often be repositioned 
closer to the back or the edges of the property.

Anne Forbes, Acton HDC
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "GRETCHEN SCHULER" <ggschuler at verizon.net>
To: "Historic Preservation List-serv" <masshistpres at cs.umb.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:27 PM
Subject: [MassHistPres] Septic Vent Pipes in LHDs


> Are there any local historic district commissions that review new septic 
> systems on historic properties - I am having difficulty calling the vent 
> pipe a structure and of course the septic system is a structure but 
> becomes covered with topsoil even when a mounded system is installed so 
> that it is essentially landsdcaped with grass.  The change is so 
> substantial particularly when half of the district is in a floodplain and 
> aquifer protection district - but who knew when those early settlers 
> established some of these town centers.  The Board of Health regulations 
> are so stringent and provide little wiggle room for design?  Any thoughts 
> as to whether we should even be involved? and if so how best we can affect 
> a good outcome.
>
> Gretchen Schuler
> Wayland Historic District Commission
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