Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that establishes rules for the use of sewage and septic systems by local jurisdictions.

Highlights:

• Authorizes local jurisdictions to adopt a “growth tiers” system that determines the usage of septic systems and sewage systems within its jurisdictions (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the growth tiers will have the following criteria (Sec. 2):
• Tier 1: areas that are served by public sewage systems;    
• Tier 2: areas that are planned to be served by public sewage systems;
• Tier 3: areas not planned for sewage service, not “dominated” by agricultural or forest land, not planed or zoned by a local jurisdiction for land, agricultural, or resource protection, preservation, or conservation and are one of the following
• Municipal corporations not served by a public sewage system;
• “Rural villages”;
• Mapped locally designated growth areas;
• Areas planned and zoned for large lot and rural development;       
• Tier 4: areas not planned for sewage service and are planned by a local jurisdiction for land, agricultural, or resource protection, preservation, or conservation or are areas “dominated” by agricultural or forest land.

• Specifies that local jurisdictions that have not adopted growth tiers may authorize the residential minor subdivision served by on-sit sewage disposal systems, or major or minor subdivision served by public sewer in a Tier 1 area (Sec. 1).

• Specifies if there is a conflict in growth tier designation between jurisdictions, the conflict will be resolved by the Department of Planning (Sec. 1).

• Requires local jurisdictions that adopt growth tiers to submit the location of the growth tiers, a map of the area showing planning and zoning characteristics of each tier, and existing and planned water and sewer services to the Department of Planning (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes rules for the use of sewage and septic systems by local jurisdictions.

Highlights:

• Authorizes local jurisdictions to adopt a “growth tiers” system that determines the usage of septic systems and sewage systems within its jurisdictions (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the growth tiers will have the following criteria (Sec. 2):
• Tier 1: areas that are served by public sewage systems;    
• Tier 2: areas that are planned to be served by public sewage systems;
• Tier 3: areas not planned for sewage service, not “dominated” by agricultural or forest land, not planed or zoned by a local jurisdiction for land, agricultural, or resource protection, preservation, or conservation and are one of the following
• Municipal corporations not served by a public sewage system;
• “Rural villages”;
• Mapped locally designated growth areas;
• Areas planned and zoned for large lot and rural development;       
• Tier 4: areas not planned for sewage service and are planned by a local jurisdiction for land, agricultural, or resource protection, preservation, or conservation or are areas “dominated” by agricultural or forest land.

• Specifies that local jurisdictions that have not adopted growth tiers may authorize the residential minor subdivision served by on-sit sewage disposal systems, or major or minor subdivision served by public sewer in a Tier 1 area (Sec. 1).

• Specifies if there is a conflict in growth tier designation between jurisdictions, the conflict will be resolved by the Department of Planning (Sec. 1).

• Requires local jurisdictions that adopt growth tiers to submit the location of the growth tiers, a map of the area showing planning and zoning characteristics of each tier, and existing and planned water and sewer services to the Department of Planning (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text