“innovative infrastructure
solutions”
Michael Collins, a key
figure in this region’s sustainability planning, will be the speaker at Rural
Nelson’s monthly meeting. While on
staff at the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission, Mr. Collins was largely
responsible for the creation of the “Sustainability Accords” that underpin much
of local comprehensive planning today.
He is currently director for Planning and Technology at ENSAT, a
Culpeper-based firm. Collins will talk
about new technology that will allow the clustering of homes in rural areas
without the construction of sprawl-encouraging centralized water and sewer
systems. Nelson County’s draft
Comprehensive Plan calls for “rural villages” and the approaches being
developed by ENSAT may make such development feasible.
Wednesday, April
17
7:30 Pm
622
Front Street, Lovingston
Sponsored
by:
Rural Nelson, Inc.
P. O. Box 401
Lovingston, VA 22949
434-263-5000
info@ruralnelson.org
www.ruralnelson.org
The
Public is invited!
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RURAL NELSON AGENDA
Wednesday, April 17, 2002
7:30pm – Rural Nelson’s Office – 622 Front Street
-Welcome and Introductions – Al Weed
-Speaker – Michael Collins, Director of Planning & Technology with
ENSAT. Topic: new technology that will allow clustering of homes in
rural areas without the construction of sprawl-encouraging centralized
water and sewer systems.
-Treasurer’s Report – Joyce Burton
-Fund Raising - Al Weed – Volunteers needed for beer service at Oak
Ridge May 4 & 5 from 12-5pm
-April RN Board Meeting Report – Al Weed
-Comprehensive Plan Update – Al Weed – encourage Supervisors to move
forward with a Public Hearing and adopt a Plan
-Member Announcements
-Design Ordinance Task Force – Volunteers needed
-Other Business – Next Rural Nelson Meeting on Tuesday, May 7 at
7:30pm at the office at 622 Front Street. Speaker: Mr. Steve Talley
of Canaan Valley Institute
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Kim T. Cash
Field Officer
Rural Nelson, Inc.
P. O. Box 401
(622 Front Street)
Lovingston, VA 22949
434.263.5000
Email: info@ruralnelson.org
www.ruralnelson.org
RURAL NELSON MINUTES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2002
RURAL NELSON OFFICE
NEXT MEETING: TUESDAY, MAY 7TH, 2002
Al Weed opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m., and everyone introduced
themselves. Then Al introduced Michael Collins, who wasn't able to
make it to talk at the Annual Meeting in March. He is Director of
Planning and Technology with ENSAT, and his topic is new technology
that will allow clustering of homes in rural areas without the
construction of sprawl-encouraging centralized water and sewer
systems."Toward Integration of Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
with the Comprehensive Plan."
Michael Collins began by saying that because of his background in
this area he appreciates the kind of work that Rural Nelson is involved
in. He feels that our Comprehensive Plan has a useful vision for
improving rural villages. ENSAT is an environmental and consulting
firm which got started in the early nineties, and which deals with
water issues and wastewater design.
Mike stated that infrastructure policy and regulations have more of
an impact on growth management than comprehensive plans, which explains
his interest in alternate technology in water infrastructure. There is
a need for a trillion dollars of investment in this field. The usual
paradigm in wastewater systems is either individual septic tanks or
central water and sewer. Individual systems are cheap. They pollute
ground water and have a short life span (5-10 years). They are never
designed to be a permanent wastewater solution, or to protect ground
water. Central water and sewer is used consistently because people
understand it. It is growth-inducing and a polluter. Much of the Los
Angeles water supply is contaminated by slow leaks from the central
system.
The key is to take the concept of decentralized water and wastewater
technologies, and yoke it to centralized management. An example of an
alternate water supply technology is a community well system that can
serve many homes. Mike emphasized that what he enjoys about his work
is the integration of ecology, science and engineering, and policy and
planning.
With alternate wastewater systems it is very important to have
improved on-site management, regulated and overseen by local
government. Management should not be carried out by neighborhood
volunteers. Mike went on to describe four types of alternate
wastewater systems that could play a role in the development of the
small rural villages described in our Comprehensive Plan. He assumed a
village of 80 homes, using 300 gallons per day per house, and a rural
utility to inspect, monitor, maintain and construct these
technologies. Issues to be considered in choosing such a system are
watershed protection, desired future land use, the level of the
public's involvement and the cost-sharing arrangements. He went on to
superimpose what has already been done in Texas onto what could be done
in rural villages in Nelson County.
The first system to be described was a small-scale collection system
using dispersed low-pressure dose fields. This uses an interceptor at
each home, the solids are settled out, a small size pipe is used, and
it's less expensive than traditional septic systems. There are four
tanks for periodic dosing from which material goes out into trenches
serving as multiple dispersal fields. All the waste from this village
is being dealt with where it's produced. It is not being hauled away,
nor is it traveling over miles and miles of sewage lines. Material is
spread evenly and there are no periodic surges to harm the system.
The next to be described was small-scale collection using a
biofiltration system. It can be used on one-fifth of an acre, with
dispersed treatment plants throughout the village. Once treated, the
effluent can go into a dry swale where it is absorbed into the ground.
Following was a large-scale (for a larger village) collection
strategy using a low-pressure dosed dispersal field. It can use pumps
to drive the effluent uphill, if necessary. It uses a four-acre site
with trenches, which function in the same manner as with the small-
scale collection system.
Last of all he described a large-scale collection strategy using a
biofiltration plant with all effluent directed to a .8 acre site.
Comparative costs: conventional on-site sewage systems range around
$3,500. The alternative system costs are within this range. Many
localities try to discourage community utility systems. There are
often problems when they are privately managed around "package plants."
Many of these bad stories revolve around maintenance work done by
volunteers instead of a dedicated staff. There are water supply
issues, and also other management issues.
Mike has worked with Charles City County to develop a new memorandum
of agreement for performance standards. The county has soil that
requires throwing out the septic system regulation book. Some see
these performance standards as opening Pandora's box, with the result
being that people will think they can build anywhere. Current
regulations can discourage building where there is poor soil.
Where are alternate wastewater systems being built? In addition
to Charles City County, Virginia, alternate strategies are also being
used in Winfield Township, Pennsylvania, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and
on two sites in California.
Mike emphasized that implementation of the village concept requires
compatible infrastructure. Just imagine, he concluded, a situation
where the villages of the county had recharge areas for well fields
extending into wooded mountains upgradient from towns, and nearby
wastewater treatment located downgradient. It could be one version of
a model capture-release system, perhaps including reuse of the
wastewater for irrigation or greywater residential needs!
In answer to questions, he stated that you get rid of the leakage
problem with an effluent system because the pipe is smaller. ENSAT
would love to work with the county to come up with a companion document
on water infrastructure to go with the new Comprehensive Plan. Al
pointed out that it would be interesting to examine a town like
Nellysford, which is constrained by how it can develop because of soil
conditions, and look into what one of these alternate strategies would
do for the situation. The power of all this is in allowing engineers
to work constructively with ecologists. A listener present said he is
involved in building individual septic systems each with its own
biofiltration system. He works in Augusta County for a private firm.
The question arose as to what the economy of scale is that would make
these alternative strategies attractive. The answer varies according
to the size of the lots involved. One of the problems in Nelson county
is how to find a second site for a septic system on a lot constrained
by its geographic features, such as creeks, etc. He emphasized that
these decentralized systems need to be managed by professionals and
regulated by governments.
Joyce Burton gave the Treasurer's Report. $5,500.72 has been spent
to date this year. We have gotten $9,600.00 in contributions. The
balance in the account is $14,835.
Fundraising: we have an opportunity to work pouring beer at Oak
Ridge, the weekend of May 4th and 5th, at the first Annual Rodeo. If
we can raise the volunteers, we can make $700 for Rural Nelson. Kim
needs to hear from volunteers.
Prior to the general meeting there was a board meeting. It dealt
with how to get our product out to a larger audience, our product being
Kim's excellent minutes of the meetings she attends. Our objective is
to get a newsletter out once a month, which will include analysis of
the material collected. We are going to look into getting a grant to
fund this effort.
Al pointed out the need to keep the pressure on to encourage
Supervisors to move forward with public hearings on the Comprehensive
Plan.
On Mondays through the month of May there will workshops on the
sustainable harvesting of timber. They will be held at the Electric Co-
op from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The charge is $35. There will be three
speakers each evening. For more information, contact Michael LaChance
at the Extension Office.
The Nelson Down River Race will be held Saturday, May 4th. This is
a seven-mile course on the Tye River.
Al asked for volunteers willing to be on a Commercial Design
Committee. The aim will be to examine design ordinances around the
state, and decide what would be appropriate in Nelson County.
The next meeting will be Tuesday, May 7th at 7:30 p.m., at the Rural
Nelson Office, 622 Front Street in Lovingston. The speaker will be Mr.
Steve Talley of the Canaan Valley Institute. He will be talking about
the kind of grants they make. The June meeting we hope will be on land
conservation and the purchase of development rights.
The Friends of the Rockfish Watershed (FORW) has gotten a grant
that funds building two informational kiosks, and wants to know if
Rural Nelson wants to be involved. At the Nelson County Summer
Festival in June Friends of the Rockfish Watershed will share a table
with Rural Nelson. Volunteers are also needed to man a table at the
Nellyford Farmers' Market once a month. We are also on the lookout for
groups that need speakers so that we can get our message out.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:35 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Mary Buford Hitz
Secretary
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Rural Nelson, Inc.
P. O. Box 401
(622 Front Street)
Lovingston, VA 22949
434.263.5000
Email: info@ruralnelson.org
www.ruralnelson.org