§ 24-33. Operational permit required.

(a)

No person, firm, corporation or other entity shall use, or cause or allow the use of, any nonstandard system or a standard system for which monitoring is required as a condition of a permit or other grant of approval (hereinafter referred to as monitored system) within the unincorporated area of Sonoma County unless a valid operational permit is in effect for such use. Use of a nonstandard system without a permit or with a revoked permit is a public nuisance per se.

(b)

The board of supervisors shall establish a fee or schedule of fees for operational permits, to be collected by the director of permit and resource management department. Where the system is of such design that inspection is not required by the health officer or by the regional water quality control board, the fee may be waived by the director of permit and resource management department.

(c)

Upon payment of all fees and submission of an application which demonstrates to the director of permit and resource management department's satisfaction that the system will not have an adverse effect on ground or surface waters, or upon the public health, and no significant effect upon the environment, an operational permit may be issued for a period of one (1), two (2) or three (3) years. The director of permit and resource management department or his/her duly authorized representative shall determine the length of time an operational permit may be valid for each individual sewage disposal system in accordance with departmental guidelines. The same standard shall govern both initial issuance of a permit and annual renewal. The director of permit and resource management department shall issue regulations governing application of the above criteria to nonstandard systems. The term "adverse effect" shall be defined by the director of permit and resource management department, but shall include cumulative effects.

(d)

The director of permit and resource management department or his duly authorized representatives shall be granted a right to come on to the property of grantor and to bring associates and employees of the regional water quality control board to inspect and to monitor the standard or nonstandard on-site wastewater system when needed. The right of access to the property to inspect and to monitor the standard or nonstandard system shall be conveyed to the county of Sonoma in the form of a recorded easement. The director of permit and resource management department or his duly authorized representative may release the easement upon determination that connection to public sewer is made or when determined the easement is no longer required as per Streets and Highways Code Sections 8300 et seq.

(Ord. No. 4906 § 5 (A) (part), 1995; Ord. No. 4330 § 2, 1991: Ord. No. 3293 § 2.)