Board of Adjustment

THE CITY OF CHANDLER BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT WILL MEET FOR A SCHEDULED MEETING MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2014 IN THE CITY HALL OF CHANDLER, TEXAS AT 6:00PM AGENDA A. CALL TO ORDER B. INVOCATION C. ROLL CALL AND ANNOUNCE IF A QUORUM IS PRESENT D. AGENDA CHANGES E. REGULAR SESSION: Subjects to be discussed or upon which any formal action may be taken are as follows: 1. Consider and act on Resolution NO. R-041414 requesting variance for a less than 1000 gallon grease trap for Wades Place Restaurant. F. Adjournment In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Chandler will provide for reasonable accommodations for persons attending meetings. To better serve you, requests should be received 24 hours prior to the meetings. Please contact Shirley Parmer, City Secretary at 903 849-6853 CERTIFICATION I certify that a copy of the April 14, 2014, agenda of items to be considered by the Chandler Board of Adjustment was posted on the City Hall bulletin board on April 9, 2014. ________________________________ Shirley Parmer, City Secretary I certify that the attached notice and agenda of items to be considered by the Chandler Board of Adjustment was removed by me from the City Hall bulletin board on the ______ day of ____________, 20___. ______________________________ Title CITY OF CHANDLER Staff Report PROJECT: Variance for smaller grease trap V-14-01 DATE: BOA: 4-14-14 REQUEST: The property owner is requesting a variance for a grease trap of less than the required 1000 gallons. PROPERTY OWNER: Wade McIntyre PROPERTY 106 Main Street, Wades Place DESCRIPTION: ZONING: B-1 OVERVIEW: Wades Place Restaurant opened in 2011. At the time the restaurant opened the city gave Mr. McIntyre permission to use a smaller under sink grease trap. This agreement was not in writing and it is disputed as to whether the permission was permanent, temporary or conditional. In an effort to clarify this dispute Mr. McIntyre is making a formal request for a variance for a smaller grease trap to the Board of Adjustment, as is allowed in the Chandler Code of Ordinances. The following is the from the Chandler Code of Ordinances relating to Grease Traps: ***** Chandler City Code Section 13.03.135 Traps and Separators (b) Requirement. Traps or separators shall be provided where, in the opinion of the water and sewer superintendent, they are necessary for the proper handling of waste containing ingredients harmful to the building drainage system, the public sewer, or the sewer treatment plant or processes, which such waste to include but not be limited to grease trap waste, grit trap waste, and liquid waste. 1 (c) Size and type. (1) An establishment having a water flow of 50 gallons per minute or greater shall install a 1,000- gallon, 750-pound trap or separator. (2) An establishment may request a variance and apply for permission to install a smaller trap or separator. Any request for a variance must be accompanied with an engineer’s report showing a water flow of less than 50 gallons per minute. Such a variance request shall be made to the Board of Adjustment. (d) Uses requiring grease trap. A grease trap shall be installed in the drainage system section of the system where, in the opinion of the water and sewer superintendent, a hazard exists: restaurants, hotel kitchens or bars, factory cafeterias or restaurants, clubs, or uses where grease can be introduced into the drainage system in quantities that can cause line stoppage or hinder sewage disposal. ***** Mr. McIntyre was allowed to make this variance request without the required engineers report since the city had the following formula to determine a flow rate of 41 GPM. Determining Flow Rate* Grease traps are sized according to the rate of incoming flow, in gallons per minute (GPM). According to the below calculation the flow rate of the 3 compartment sink that flows into the grease trap at Wades Restaurant is 41 GPM. Therefore the owner is eligible to request a variance for a smaller grease trap. Calculate the capacity of the sink in cubic inches (measurements of one compartment), and multiply that total by the number of compartments: Length (Inches) x Width (Inches) x Depth (Inches) = Cubic Inches 18 X18 X 13 = 4,212 cubic inches per compartment Convert the capacity from Total cubic inches to gallons per minute (GPM): 2  Number of Compartments ÷ 231 = GPM 3 / 231 = 55 Adjust for displacement (displacement takes into consideration the actual useable capacity of your sink): GPM x 0.75 = GPM 55 X 0.75 = 41 GPM The resulting GPM is the required flow rate to drain the sink in one minute. You would then choose a grease trap with a GPM flow rate close to this number. *All calculations, formulas, and charts used to determine grease trap sizing and capacities are widely accepted by most plumbers and regulatory agencies. Grease Trap Design and Operation A grease trap is designed to prevent greasy substances from entering plumbing systems, septic tanks, and waste water treatment facilities where they are difficult to process and may create a number of environmental problems. A grease trap is often specified for a pot washing sink or commercial dishwasher. A flow restrictor on the inlet side of the trap slows incoming effluent material and redirects it through baffling inside the trap. This slowing and baffling process allows lighter-than-water substances (grease) to accumulate inside the trap above the static water line. Local plumbing codes typically determine design and installation criteria, but they typically follow the guidelines set forth by the Plumbing & Drainage Institute (PDI). Operation of Wade’s Place restaurant The restaurant uses 95% paper products which produce no grease into the grease trap. Only the plates used for steak and 3 the cooking pots washed in the three compartment sink would introduce grease into the grease trap. All cooking grease is disposed of separately and does not go into the grease trap. According to Stanley McCurley, the city’s water and sewer operator, in the three years since the opening of the restaurant, no sewer blockages due to grease have been identified and grease coming from the restaurant has not been identified as a problem in the overall system. However, he has also mentioned that grease builds up over time in a pipe and that just because there have not been any grease blockages does not mean that grease is not building up in the line. Existing Grease Traps in Chandler Per city code, Chandler requires a minimum of 1000 gallon grease trap unless a variance is granted. To date only Pop’s Restaurant has requested to have a smaller grease trap. The reason for this request and city support was that he could not locate a grease trap on the rear of the restaurant which would flow to the sewer main. This request and ultimate permission was not done through a variance. The following lists all the grease traps in the city their size and the schedule on which they are cleaned. Name Tank Cleaning Size Schedule Brookshire's Two 90 Days 1,000 Gal Chandler Elementary School 2,500 90 Days Gallons Chandler Intermediate School 2,000 90 Days Gallons Chandler Nursing Center 1,000 90 Days Gallons China Chef 1,000 90 Days Gallons KT's Seafood 1,500 90 Days Gallons Los Dos Potrillos 1,000 90 Days Gallons Pop's Honey Fried Chicken 55 30 Days Gallons San Pedro's 1,000 90 Days Gallons 4  Sonic Drive-In 1,000- 90 Days 1,500?? Taco Bell 1,000 90 Days Gallons Wade's 55 30 Days Gallons Whataburger 1000 90 Days Gallons All Grease Traps are required to be cleaned on a regular basis. The following is the City Code as it relates to the required cleaning. ****** Chandler City Code Sec. 13.03.135 Traps and separators (i) Cleaning. (1) Frequency. (A) An establishment having a trap or separator larger than a 1,000-gallon, 750-pound trap or separator [shall clean said trap or separator] every 90 days, with the beginning date being the date of installment of the trap or separator. (B) An establishment having a trap or separator smaller than a 1,000-gallon, 750-pound trap or separator shall clean said trap or separator every 30 days, with the beginning date being the date of installment of the trap or separator. (2) Proof of cleaning. (A) All establishments having a trap or separator shall provide written verification to the city from a state-certified trap or separator cleaner that the trap or separator has been cleaned. Such written verification must be provided to the city within three (3) business days of the cleaning. (B) Should the written notification noted in subsection (2)(A) above evidence a trap or separator that was over 75% full upon cleaning, the establishment in question shall be required to install a larger trap or separator. ****** Traps that are 1000 gallon or larger are located in the ground and to be cleaned they must be pumped out. A licensed vendor must perform this service and is required to provide the city a record of this 5  cleaning. Smaller under sink grease traps are cleaned out manually and do not require a licensed vendor to perform the service. This self-cleaning must be done monthly but is not required to be reported to the city. TESTIMONY: At the Board of Adjustment meeting testimony will be available from Mr. Wade McIntyre, owner; Jim Moffeit, city administrator in 2011; David Smith, building inspector and Stanley McCurley, city’s water and wastewater operator. CITY CONTACT: John Taylor, City Administrator 6 CITY OF CHANDLER RESOLUTION R-041414 RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER APPROVING VARIANCE #V-041414 FOR A GREASE TRAP OF LESS THAN 1000 GALLONS. WHEREAS, the Chandler City Code Section 13.03.135 Traps and Separators provides that Traps or separators shall be provided where, in the opinion of the water and sewer superintendent, they are necessary for the proper handling of waste containing ingredients harmful to the building drainage system, the public sewer, or the sewer treatment plant or processes, which such waste to include but not be limited to grease trap waste, grit trap waste, and liquid waste. WHEREAS, the Chandler water and sewer operator has determined a grease trap is required for Wades Place, 106 Main Street; and WHEREAS, the Chandler City Code Section 13.03.135 Traps and Separators provides that an establishment may request a variance and apply for permission to install a trap or separator smaller than 1000 gallons if the water flow into the trap is less than 50 gallons per minute; and WHEREAS, the city has determined that the water flow is less than 50 gallons per minute; and WHEREAS, the Board of Adjustment conducted a hearing on such Variance request NOW, THERFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT OF THE CITY OF CHANDLER, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That Wades Place, 106 Main Street, is granted a variance for a grease trap of less than 1000 gallons. SECTION 2. This variance may be revoked by the Board of Adjustment upon proof that damage is occurring to the city’s sewer system due to grease from this place of business. PASSED AND APPROVED by City Council in Chandler, Texas, on this the 14th day of April, 2014. The City of Chandler, Texas ________________________________ Ann Hall, Mayor _____________________________________ Shirley Parmer, City Secretary