ELLSWORTH – An Otis woman accused of violating the land use ordinances in her town has agreed to move from her Point Road home until a functioning septic system and bathroom can be installed there.

Ellen Tice has 14 days to leave her home at 261 Point Road, according to an agreement she and town officials reached Tuesday morning in Ellsworth District Court.

The agreement also requires her to pay $1,000 in fines instead of the $15,000 in fines the town could have charged her.

Otis officials took Tice to court last month for violating a local ordinance that requires all residential structures to have subsurface wastewater disposal systems. Violations of the law carry a minimum fine of $100 a day.

Tice moved to the property last fall. She said her son built her home, which is a wooden structure 12 feet by 22 feet, and started on the septic system but stopped after becoming frustrated with town officials. The home has no bathroom and no running water.

Otis attorney David F. Szewczyk said the fines mounted because Tice’s son was previously living on the property. The violations continued after she moved there, despite being warned about the septic problem, he said.

The agreement restricts Tice and anyone else from living at the property. It also orders her to pay the town $3,723 in attorney fees.

Tice said she plans to stay with a friend until the septic system is finished. She received a low-interest federal loan and has been contacted by a contractor willing to do the installation work for free.