Possible change to homebuilding regulations in Grayson Co.
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Updated: 11:26 PM Jun 23, 2009
Possible change to homebuilding regulations in Grayson Co.
GRAYSON COUNTY, TX -- Grayson County commissioners are considering changing requirements when it comes to homebuilding. While the decision is up to commissioners, it could effect the lives of every resident who lives in the county.
Posted: 10:01 PM Jun 23, 2009
Reporter: Rashi Vats
Email Address: rashi.vats@kxii.com
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GRAYSON COUNTY, TX -- Grayson County commissioners are considering changing requirements when it comes to homebuilding. While the decision is up to commissioners, it could effect the lives of every resident who lives in the county.

Half an acre of land for an on-site septic system will be a new concept for Grayson County.

With that idea, a 10 acre land could have 20 of these septic tanks.

It's up to the Grayson County Commissioners to make the decision, and not everyone is in favor of the proposal.

"It's more economical for developers to develop property. We haven't had any significant development of property in two or three years now. It is just about dead," said Gene Short, the Precinct 4 Commissioner.

Jackie Crisp of Precinct 3 is in favor of keeping the requirement to one acre.

"Do we want to take the finances and make it a worse place to live or do we want to keep the county clean and have it be a nice place to live," said Crisp.

If the septic systems are not maintained, the county could be in a mess.

Lanny Jarsh has been installing these systems for over 20 years.

Although half an acre would mean more work, and in turn, more revenue for him. He still doesn't think it's a good idea.

"It might work well. It's what are you going to do 10 to 15 years from now when that piece of property, when that system fails or when you have something else happen to that. That is when the half acre is really a bad deal," Jaresh said.

Cost is another factor.

It could be more expensive to install a septic system in a half acre than an acre.

"This septic tank isn't as expensive as the aerobic tank behind me. It is all dependent on the soil. That is why an on-site evaluation is required.

"Every on-site needs to be decided at the planning of the house. If it is not, that is where the problems will lay," said Jaresh.

"If you keep it maintained and controlled and everything, it will work in a perfect world. If I forget to go out there and maintain and service it. All of a sudden my neighbors. It is stinking over there where the raw sewer has been dumped out on the ground."

"We have complaints all the time, but when you cut from acre to half an acre, that will double your complaints obviously," said Crisp.

"We have maintenance problems with they system now with a one acre lot. I don't see that increase more if we go to the half acre lot," Short said.

Half of the commissioners want to stay with the one acre requirement, half don't.

But they have one message.

"I'd like for the people to give us their opinion that live out in the country."

They are gathering more information to make the best decision for the county.

That decision could be made as early as next week.


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