The Chaffee County Board of Health granted a variance to allow installation of an on-site well and an on-site wastewater treatment system (OWTS) at 22555 Martin Street in Garfield, contingent on a required state variance from the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

Public health staff reviewed the application and recommended approval only if the applicant first secures the state variance permitting reduced horizontal setbacks between wells and soil-treatment areas. Staff noted the proposed system would be a higher-level treatment system and that plan review, permitting and inspections would be required; operations and maintenance would be enforced through a required maintenance contract.

Neighbors at the public hearing raised concerns about precedent and the small lot sizes in the river-to-Highway 50 Garfield area, noting most properties rely on Monarch Lodge’s regulated water and sewer system. One nearby property owner said the subject parcel encroaches on his lot and warned against any installation that would use someone else’s land. Another resident expressed concern that future property owners might be unable to install wells or septic systems if multiple variances are approved.

The board’s conditional approval requires the applicant to obtain the Division of Water Resources variance for reduced setbacks before the county will allow the OWTS setback reductions; staff and the applicant acknowledged additional engineering work, encasement of piping and inspections will be necessary if the state variance is granted.

Next steps: the applicant must secure state approval for reduced well setbacks; if that is granted, the county will proceed with plan review, permitting and inspections and require an operations-and-maintenance contract for the system.