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Land Use Program
Purpose
The Land Use Program's charge is to ensure that existing and proposed land developments align with public health and safety and the environment in Humboldt County. Every place of human occupancy or dwelling must have an approved means of sewage disposal. If a community sewage collection and treatment system is not available, an approved on-site sewage disposal system permitted through this program is the typical alternative.
Next steps for draft Waterless Toilet Systems ordinance
Staff in the Land Use Program have developed a draft Waterless Toilet Systems ordinance intended to replace the existing Experimental Disposal Systems Program Title VI, Division 1, Chapter 5 (https://humboldt.county.codes/Code/615) of Humboldt County Code. The new ordinance proposes to designate waterless toilet systems as a permittable alternative to flush toilets.
Comments received from the public, related to the ordinance, are being reviewed and considered. The draft ordinance will be scheduled for Humboldt County Board of Supervisors review and ratification in the near future.
A draft version of the Waterless Toilet Systems ordinance is available here (PDF). envhealth@co.humboldt.ca.us
Local Agency Management Program (LAMP)
Humboldt County’s Local Agency Management Program (LAMP) and its two component documents, the Onsite Wastewater Treatment System (OWTS) Regulations and Technical Manual (RTM) and Title VI, Divisions 1 and 2 of Humboldt County Code, provide the regulatory framework for oversight of OWTS and ensure compliance with the State Water Resources Control Board’s Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS Policy).
With input from local agencies, environmental groups, consultants and other stakeholders DEH has tailored the LAMP to improve OWTS management through appropriate regulations customized to consider the sensitive areas within the varied climate and geology of the north coast.
The LAMP was approved by the Board of Supervisors in November 2017. Final approval from the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board came in February 2018.