APPEAL SUMMARY

Status: Decision Rendered
Appeal ID: 18644 Project Address: 4846 N Vanderbilt St
Hearing Date: 11/7/18 Appellant Name: Angel York & Darin Wick
Case No.: P-007
Appeal Type: Plumbing Plans Examiner/Inspector: Andrew Gulizia, McKenzie James, Joe Blanco, Jim Bechtel
Project Type: residential Stories: 2 Occupancy: humans? Construction Type: residential
Building/Business Name: Fire Sprinklers: No
Appeal Involves: Erection of a new structure LUR or Permit Application No.: 15-149959-RS
Plan Submitted Option: pdf   [File 1]   [File 2]   [File 3] Proposed use: house

APPEAL INFORMATION SHEET

Appeal item 1

Code Section

OAR 918-770- 0320

Requires

Allows the use of composting toilets that meet NSF Standard No.41

Code Modification or Alternate Requested
Proposed Design

The proposed design is for a site-built composting toilet system that meets the new IAPMO 2017 Water Efficiency and Sanitation Standard (WE Stand) as described in the attached application, "Q-and-A", and final recommendation from the Alternative Technologies Advisory Committee.

Reason for alternative

A composting toilet system is more water efficient and resilient than flush toilets, and more effectively maintains local soil quality. Site-built systems of the type we propose have been in use for many years, and where testing data is available they outperform standards for municipal sewage treatment. Anecdotal evidence also indicates that they are more reliable and effective than many commercial systems that meet NSF-41.

See attached documents for more details.

Prescriptive code exists for such systems in the IAPMO 2017 Water Efficiency and Sustainability Standard (WE Stand). From the attached ATAC recommendation, "Although the use of IAPMO WE Stand has not been approved by the State of Oregon, the BDS Building Official received oral approval from the State Plumbing Chief on October 2, 2018, to use the WE Stand provisions as an alternate method."

APPEAL DECISION

Use of composting toilet: Granted provided the 16 recommendations of the Alternative Technology Advisory Committee are followed.

The decision may also be revoked if determined to present health or sanitary violations by Code Compliance.

The Administrative Appeal Board finds with the conditions noted, that the information submitted by the appellant demonstrates that the approved modifications or alternate methods are consistent with the intent of the code; do not lessen health, safety, accessibility, life, fire safety or structural requirements; and that special conditions unique to this project make strict application of those code sections impractical.

Pursuant to City Code Chapter 24.10, you may appeal this decision to the Building Code Board of Appeal within 180 calendar days of the date this decision is published. For information on the appeals process and costs, including forms, appeal fee, payment methods and fee waivers, go to www.portlandoregon.gov/bds/appealsinfo, call (503) 823-7300 or come in to the Development Services Center.