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    J INoNAJORDEROF HE BOAn.D b~I
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    lonia Baptist Churc\ bled a Petition for Variance
    n July 1, 1974 WhiC1i requested relief from an Agency imposed
    sewer ban On July 1, 1974 the Board entered a “more information
    order requiring Petit oner ~o rile an Amended Petition. On July 9,
    a 974 the ~gercyfilei a teccninendation to gre-it the permit and a
    tecommendation that tFe filing of an Amended Variance Petition
    was not ne-essary. Because the Agency’s Recommendation supplied
    Vie necessary infor aton in order to evaluate Petitioner’s
    reouoqted variarce tbe Board ias decided to aroceed without the
    requested Mended Variance Petition
    Pct..tioner seeks relief from an Agency imposed sewer
    ban
    n itockford, Winnebago County llinois. Petitioner seeks relief
    in order to construct 350 feet uf trunk line sewer extension in
    crder to provide a sewer connection for a partially constructed
    chtrch building Located at 1720 ‘lorgan Street. The new church is
    ‘eing constructed to replace an older church located on the same
    site which was destroyed by fire. The Agency rates that the
    congregation’s pastor has stated that 95 of the 150 church members
    live in the immediate neighborhood of the church, and that the
    church building will be used solely for Sunday services.
    The Agency imposed a sewer ban on the Rockford sewers on
    February 6, 1974 because of hydraulic overloading. In addition,
    since September 1972, the Rockford Sanitary District has refused
    to certify permit applications in accordance with Rule 912(a)
    of the Water Pollution Regulations because of the District’s
    concern that proposed sewer extensions would be tributary to
    surcharged interceptors.
    The Agency recommends that Petitioner’s variance request
    be granted because the church facility would only contribute
    between 300 and 500 gallons of sanitary waste on Sundays. The
    Agency states that this amount of waste would not significantly
    13—539
    increase the waste load on the Rockfora overloaded sewers
    b any messurable degree In addition, the Agency states
    because 9Sf of the church congregation resides in the immediate neign-
    borhooc, that the churches sewer would not constitute a significant
    increase to loads aireacy served by the sewers in question.
    Tt is is because on Sunday mornings there would merely be s
    snif~i~r location or the source of the wastewater addea to tne
    sewers in question.
    The Board has decided to grant the requested variance
    which wil allow the church to connect to the Rockford sewer
    system because or the negligible increased load to overloaded
    sewers whIch were the subiect of the Agency sewer ban, In
    addition, the Board relies upon the fact that Pet~taonerbegan
    construction of the church prior to the impositior of the sewer
    oa~ Petitioner has previously sought to adapt the old septic
    systert ~hicb had served the former church before it was destroyed
    by fire However the Winnebago County Health Bepartment would
    not permit the use of this old. septic system or its modification
    Petitrorer has investigated the cost of a new septic system which
    is reported to be between $3,000 and $3,500, Because of the
    small magnitude o~the environmental effect of Petitioner~s
    requested relief versus the expense to the Macedonia Baptist
    Church, the Board finds that Petitioner~s variance request
    should be granted,
    The Agency recommends a grant of Petitioner~s requested
    variance subject to the condition that ~no additional connection~
    be made to the 350 foot sewer extension until overloaded conditions
    are relieved downstreajnu The Board fines from the facts presented
    in this case that such a condition is not warranted Such a
    condition if it were imposed by the Board would be tantamount
    to a Board imposed sewer ban under Section 33(c1 of the Environ-
    mental Protectior Act, The facts presented in this proceeding
    do not warrant the public notice and hearing required by Section
    33 of the Act,
    This Opinion constitutes the Board s nindings of facts ad
    and conclusions of a~,
    ORDEP
    The Pollution Control Board nereby grants the Macedon~a
    Baptist Church of Rockford, Illinois a variance from the Agency
    imposed sewer bar, in order to construct and connect a sewer system
    to serve the Macedonia Baptist Churcri,
    IT IS SO ORDEREr’
    I, Christan L, Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control Board
    hereby certify the above Opinion and Order were acopted on the ~day
    of September, 1974 by a vote of
    ~
    ~tanL,Moffe,~lerk

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