HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Health Meeting Minutes - 09 26 2007_201402051513458554BOARD OF HEALTH
TOWN OF NANTUCKET
MINUTES – SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
NANTUCKET SUPERIOR COURTROOM
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Willauer, Mr. Kopko, Mr. Chadwick, Ms.
Roggeveen, and Mr. Reinhard
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
AGENDA
Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m.
1. Concerns from the public. None noted.
2. Unanimous approval of minutes of August 22, 2007.
3. Variance request – 10 Tennessee Ave. – Homeowner is seeking a variance from
Madaket Reg. 51.00 and Title 5 15.00 distance requirement. Alternative design
system will be utilized. Unanimous approval of variance request by BOH.
4. HO Ray discusses sharps disposal program between Nantucket Health
Department and Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The state is moving towards
requiring disposal containers and disposal collection sites for used needles.
Pharmacies will hand out small disposal units with needle prescriptions. The full
containers can be dropped off at the hospital, the fire department or the health
department. The health department will also have new disposal containers for
pickup.
5. Harbor Watershed Inspection Update – December 14, 2007 Zone A deadline is
fast approaching and appears unreachable. The inspections are increasing and the
public is lining up to get them done. Through no fault of the general public, the
December 14th date will be hard to reach. Hundreds still need to be inspected.
HO Ray suggests 12-18 month extension. At a public hearing, set as November
28, 2007, HO Ray will suggest a one-year extension for Nantucket Harbor, and an
18-month extension for Madaket Harbor. The public is making a good faith effort
to get their inspections done, and as we are limited with inspectors, HO Ray
doesn’t feel that penalizing the homeowner is fair at this time. Nantucket
Harbor’s TMDL is just being received and Madaket Harbor is 12-18 months away
from completion. We are the first community in Massachusetts to have a harbor
watershed district and to conduct inspections of every septic system within the
harbors.
BOARD OF HEALTH MINUTES - 9/26/2007 -2-
HO Ray shows maps of both harbor watershed districts. In Nantucket Harbor,
there are 602 septic systems; 238 have been inspected; 225 have passed and 13
have failed (5.4% failure rate). In Madaket Harbor there are 447 systems to be
inspected; 44 have been inspected, and 11 have failed (25% failure rate).
Madaket has old homes and older septic systems on very small lots. The
Tennessee Avenue area is contributing to Hither Creek. The low areas in
Madaket will be problematic. We may see tight tank installations (currently 5
year – seasonal use only). As the estuaries report on Madaket Harbor is 1-2 years
away from finalization, HO Ray recommends extending the inspection time frame
for Madaket as well.
After the TMDL numbers are received, long range zoning, land use, harbor use
and public health regulations may be implemented.
BOH unanimously approves scheduling of public hearing on this matter and
would like to hear from inspectors at this time. BOH asks area associations to
become involved to motivate homeowners in their respective areas to get
inspections done.
6. HO Ray announces the DEP meeting on delivery of TMDL draft document will
occur on October 9th at 6-8 p.m. at the NHS café.
7. Questions/concerns from the BOH. Ms. Roggeveen asks about the scheduling of
a public hearing for the rental regulations. HO Ray is working on scheduling with
two health agents from the Cape to coordinate their attendance at this hearing.
BOH adjourns at 6:40 p.m.