B. Outside Mountain Community CentersIn many areas, severe limitations exist for septic tank absorption fields because of steep slopes, depth of rock and coarse textured soil.
The health of the community's residents and its environment depends on an adequate and safe supply of water. While some residents in the community are served by a water district, others depend on less certain groundwater supplies drawn from individual wells and must dispose of waste water through a septic system. Land development affects both the quantity and the quality of the groundwater. Because of this direct link, the impacts of existing and future development on this sensitive resource should be studied and managed effectively.
Protect the community's groundwater supply from significant depletion and contamination.
1. There should be a balance between the availability of water and its use to ensure that water resources are not depleted.
2. Development in the North Mountains area should be at a scale consistent with available water resources.
3. Water quality should be maintained or improved as new development occurs.
4. Wildlife access to water and riparian habitats should be protected, maintained, and where possible, enhanced.
In addition to the following policies, the criteria in the Mountain Site Design Criteria section which apply to water and sanitation should be followed.
Red text identifies policies which can be applied in the land use review processes.
1. The existing groundwater resources should be protected. The County should require new or expanded development to provide evidence of existing potable water before lots are sold.
2. Industrial material, waste storage and livestock manure piles should be managed to protect surface water and groundwater quality.
3. Jefferson County Health and Environmental Services should actively explore alternatives to the standard soil absorption systems to treat sewage effluent.
4. The County should facilitate the distribution of information regarding water quantity and quality and sanitation problems so individuals know about problems and can take appropriate actions.
5. Criteria for hydrologic studies should be adopted as part of the LDR which will ensure that information provided in the hydrologic studies, described in Policy B.1.b., enables reviewers to evaluate whether or not the objectives of this Plan have been met.
6. The State should be encouraged to more strictly enforce the conditions placed on well permits and water augmentation plans.
7. Increased awareness of problems associated with special districts has resulted in a growing public concern about the economic viability of these districts. For this reason, the County is encouraged to evaluate these problems during service plan reviews and undertake appropriate action to secure legislation and/or regulations to better control the formation and operation of special districts.
8. A comprehensive study of groundwater quantity and quality should be completed by the State and County for as much of the study area as possible. The community should participate in this study. Upon completion of this study, the conclusions of the study should be incorporated into this Plan.
9. Upon completion of the water quantity and quality study, the County should work with the State Engineer to establish the minimum lot size for mountain areas which will protect water quality and quantity, as determined by the study.
B. Outside Mountain Community Centers1. When rezoning is proposed, lot sizes less than 10 acres should only be allowed if:
a. There is a public water and/or sanitation district;
b. A hydrologic study is presented demonstrating:
1) an adequate water supply for the needs of present and future residents;
2) no adverse impact on neighboring water users;
3) nitrate contamination will not be a concern for future or existing residents.
c. The hydrologic studies should include:
1) an assessment of fracture flow, including the flow rate of water through the area;
2) consideration of the area's potentiometric surface to determine groundwater flow and needed recharge areas.
d. The applicant can demonstrate an effective alternative to protect water quality for existing and future users. Some examples are:
1) individual water treatment systems;
2) extra deep casing of wells;
3) clustering of individual sewage disposal systems to maximize well to leach field distance;
4) utilization of community wells to maximize well to leach field distance.
2. Unless public water and sanitation is available, lots should be a minimum of 3.5 acres, even if the criteria listed in 1.b. and 1.c. are met. An explanation of the relationship of gross density earned by slope to minimum lot size appears in the Appendix.
3. The existing groundwater resource should be protected. New or existing development should not be allowed to deplete the existing groundwater supply beyond the ability of the local area to recharge itself.
4. New public water and sanitation districts, public sanitation or public water districts outside of mountain community centers can be formed when one or more of the following conditions exist.
a. Water quality or quantity problems exist which can be mitigated. The boundaries of the new district should be limited to the problem area.
b. The new district will facilitate a better site design, e.g., the clustering of housing units might preclude installation of individual wells and septic systems.
5. To create a more dependable water and sanitation or public water district, the water source should be one that is legally and physically available. Two water sources are preferred as the source of water for the public: water and sanitation or public water district, except for small districts. Wells outside the stream alluvium should not be allowed as the sole or primary source of water for a public water and sanitation district, or public water district.
6. New wells should be discouraged inside a public water and sanitation district or public water district after a district is formed because of the potential depletion of groundwater and the loss of water not recharged to the local area.
7. Within a public water and sanitation district, the housing densities recommended in the Housing section of this Plan should be followed.
8. Conversion of wells from residential to commercial use should comply with the regulations of the State Division of Water Resources.
1. Development should meet the same criteria listed in Policy #1 of "Outside Mountain Community Centers".
2. To provide coordinated planning and provision of services, each mountain community center should have a single management authority that provides water and sanitation services, i.e., one public water and sanitation district versus multiple districts.
3. Creation or expansion of public water and sanitation districts or public water districts should be based on the following criteria.
a. The ability to ensure adequate water supply (pressure/volume), meet all health and fire standards, etc. in new areas.
b. There are suitable guarantees of an adequate physical and legal supply of water for all lands to be served.
c. There is hydrologic evidence that neighboring water users will not be adversely affected.
4. When a new or expanded water and sanitation district is to be formed for a mountain community center, provision should be made to allow existing well and septic systems to remain in use until the property is sold, the user voluntarily chooses to become part of the district, or the property is phased into the system.