ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
December
13,
1973
)
ANNA G. BACIK
)
)
)
v.
)
PCB 73-433
)
)
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
)
)
OPINION AND
ORDER
OF THE BOARD
(by
Mr. Dumelle)
On November 211, 1973, Anna G. Bacik filed a Petition for
Variance from Order No. 7 of League of Women Voters v. North
Shore Sanitary District, PCB 70-7, 12, 13, and 14, in order to
obtain sewer connection permits for two proposed single family
residences to be located in Lake County, proximate to the
intersection of Broadview and Washington Streets, in Highland
Park, Illinois. The Agency filed a Recommendation to deny the
variance request on November 21, 1973.
Mrs. Bacik alleges that
the
contract to sell the two lots, subject to obtaining a sewer
permit,
will
expire on December 15, 1973.
Mrs. Bacik alleges
that because o:f the cost associated with confining her husband
in a nursing home for the elderly, she is suffering from a financial
crisis. The variance petition states that Mrs. Bacik and her
husband raised and sold flowers on the lots in question, deriving
a substant:ial portion of their annual income from the proceeds
of the sale of these flowers. Because Mr. Bacik has been confined
to a nursing home, Mrs. Bacik alleges that she has not been able
to raise and sell the flowers on the two lots. She therefore
alleges the need for the revenue of the sale of the two lots to
avert a financial crisis.
The proposed sewer connections would presently be tributary
to the Gary Avenue Sewage Treatment facility. however, dry weather
flows from the Cary Plant will be diverted to the
Clavey Plant
no later than I)ecember 1, 1973. Total flows from the Gary Plant
are scheduled for diversion by July 1, 1974. Thus, when the proposed
homes are ready for connection, the connection will be made to the
Clavey Road Sewage Treatment Plant. Data furnished by the Agency
shows that during September, 1973 the Clavey Road Sewage Treatment
Plant effluent averaged 7 mg/l BO1) and 18 mg/i suspended solids.
10 —361
-7-
The Agency objects to the connection regardless of
Clavey’s present treatment levels and regardless to the expansion
of secondary treatment to 18 mg/I MGI) expected by March 1, 1974
at the Glavey plant. The Agency states that the diversion program
being implemented to divert flows from Lake Bluff, Lake Forest,
and the Lakefront plants to Clavey on or about February 1, 1974,
may again overload the Clavey plant.
The Agency notes that when
the plant expansion 18 mg/i
MCD in March,
1974 is completed, addi-
tional connections may be
permitted. The Agency believes that
additional sewer connect:ions should not be allowed until the Clavey
Plant has exhibited proper operation at sufficient capacity.
The Agency objects to the grant of a variance stating that
Mrs. Bacik’s hardship is only temporary in nature. Mrs. Bacik
has alleged that the confinement of her husband to a nursing
home is for an indefinite period. The Board implied in Roach
V.
Environmental Protection Agency, PCB 73-324, November 1, 1973,
that it could grant a variance to a petitioner to enable a
petitioner to sell a vacant lot with a sewer connection permit.
The Agency
objected in
Roach stat:ing that a variance does not run
with the land and it has again raised this objection.
Because Mrs. Bacik is suffering a financial hardship due to
the confinement of her husband and the limitation on her income
resulting from her husband’s confinement in a nursing home, the
Board feels that a variance is warranted.
This opinion constitutes the Board’s findings of fact and
conclusions of law.
ORDER
The Board hereby grants to Mrs. Anna G. Bacik a variance in
order to obtain sewer connection permits for the two proposed single-
family residences.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dr. Odell abstained.
I, Ghristan L. Moffett, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control
Board, hereby certify the above Op:inion and Or er were adopted on the
/2~’~day of December, 1973 by a vote of
—~
Illinois Pollution
rol Board
10
—362