§ 24-56. General provisions.

Upon application by the owner of record, and upon payment of such fees as set by resolution of the board of supervisors, the director of permit and resource management department ("director") shall review the application and may issue a transferable certificate vesting certain rights to run with the land subject to the conditions listed below.

The issuance of a vesting certificate is solely a right to construct a septic system and its issuance does not obligate any other department to issue a permit. The purpose of this article is to protect the certificate holder from subsequent changes in the law, thereby providing some degree of certainty for a limited period of time.

(a)

Term of Vested Right to Construct System. Upon the director's approval of a private sewage design, a vesting certificate upholding the design shall be issued and remain void for a period of three years from the date the certificate is issued, or until the system is constructed, whichever is sooner. The certificate shall be valid only for the approved site, designated system type, and stated capacity.

(b)

Term of Vested Right to Obtain Building Permit. A vesting certificate for a constructed system shall guarantee well and septic section of permit and resource department clearance of the subject parcel for issuance of a building construction permit for a term of two (2) years from date of final approval of the constructed system.

(c)

Prohibition of Experimental and Innovative Systems. No site shall be vested for a system currently classified by the department's innovative systems regulations as experimental or innovative. Only sites suited for systems classified as alternative or standard may be vested.

(d)

Recording. The permit and resource management department shall provide a certified copy of the vesting certificate to the property owner so that the property owner may record the document if desired.

(e)

Prohibition of Systems Requiring Waste Discharge Requirements. No site shall be vested if the proposed septic system installation would require waste discharge requirements from the Regional Water Quality Control Board unless discharge requirements are specifically waived in writing by the Regional Board.

(Ord. No. 5004 § 1, 1997: Ord. No. 4906 § 5 (D), 1995: Ord. No. 4629 § 1, 1993.)