But first, Triple T Trucking must get the OK from Winchester residents to put the project in front of the town's Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustments.
A pair of articles on the town's warrant for Town Meeting on Tuesday asks voters to amend zoning ordinances to allow Triple T to build its facility on 250 acres it owns on Route 119, just west of Winchester.
The composting operation would take up about 25 acres of the property.
"Most people would be in favor of some type of composting operation," said Ken Cole, a member of Winchester's Planning Board and Zoning Board of Adjustment.
But, he said, people are rightfully concerned about what type of materials Triple T plans to bring to Winchester. Others in town, said Cole, are in favor of the project, which would bring industrial development and jobs to town.
Though there is no proposal before the town, said Cole, Triple T has been to Winchester at least five times to discuss the project with town agents.
The reason the ordinance needs to be changed, said Norm Mallory, the president of Triple T, is because the ordinance was written at a time when Winchester was mentioned as a location for a waste burning facility and a sludge handling operation.
"They wrote the ordinance 20 years ago to prevent any of that from happening," Malloy said
But what Triple T is proposing has no similarities to a burn or sludge facility, he said. "This is a green thing."
The composting materials will be mostly food waste from restaurants and shopping centers. There will be no animal carcasses and very few meat scraps, said Mallory.
Materials will be shipped from all over the tri-state area region to Winchester.
Currently, most of the composting materials Triple T collects goes to a facility in Greenfield, Mass., said Mallory. But a new facility needs to be built in the region because Greenfield is "maxed out at this point," he said.
States around the country are pushing municipalities to reduce their waste stream by 50 percent, said Mallory, and besides recycling, composting is one of the best ways to do that.
Mallory said the facility would have a minimal impact on the surrounding community.
"You're not going to smell anything," he said.
Waste will be mixed with sand, which will be mined on site, and then placed in bags for composting. In bags, the materials compost more quickly due to increased temperatures.
The compost is intended to be used by landscapers and homeowners, said Mallory, and is considered organic.
Town residents are also concerned about what the facility might mean for traffic traveling through Winchester. Mallory said the operation would see about 25 trucks a day.
Winchester has lost a lot of industry in the past three decades, including the Atlantic Paper Mills, Beaman Lumber, the Lawrence Tannery, the Paper Services Mill and a box mill.
If the composting facility receives approval, said Mallory, it could bring between five and 15 jobs to Winchester. It would also add to the tax rolls, and Winchester could collect a per-ton fee for compost leaving the site.
It could take anywhere from nine months to three years to get the facility approved and up and running, said Mallory.
Article 35 on the town warrant calls for a change that would allow composting facilities "by special exception in the agricultural and commercial districts, subject to multiple conditions and still prohibit facilities designed to incinerate or dispose of solid waste."
A change suggested by Article 40 would allow special exceptions for facilities "designed to process, recycle, treat and transport solid waste, refuse and putrescible materials."
"Certainly there is a measure of people not in favor of it," said Robert Gary, Winchester town administrator. "But there are some people who like that idea of having the possibility of a facility with strict restrictions."
Triple T's 250 acres was zoned industrial many years ago, said Cole, but nothing was ever done with the property.
"It's a good spot for it," said Cole. ( sure, he won't be bothered by the noise of 25 trucks going in and out, why should he care? )
Once again something is getting shoved down the throats of Winchester's citizens, supposedly for the good of the town ; however, like everything else, there are two sides to this story .. read on;
submitted by email ....
"…Waste will be mixed with sand, which will be mined on site…", there is what happens to the remaining property of his 250 acres. We are not only getting a trash facility; but a gravel pit as well. How long will it be before he begins selling sand and gravel materials as well to augment his trash business?
Our pristine forest is going to be destroyed! Does anyone realize that there are several wetlands on this property? And that two creeks go right through it to the Ashuelot River?
People need to realize that we are getting a "snow job" from Triple T. Our town needs to listen to some engineers and experts that are NOT in the pockets of the Waste Managers. Everyone right now is listening to one side of this issue!
They will be making money both ways - trash coming in and out. The town will not be making large profits off of this project (show me a dump that has a high property value) and the majority of the land will remain in "current use". According to the article he plans to use only 25 acres for the facility.
Also, keep in mind that this land was purchased knowing fully well that our town has strict zoning laws against such an operation.
Submitted by -
Kim Gordon 239-7263
We agree VOTE NO on Articles 35 and 40 .. or regret it later, when it's too late to chjange your mind.
8 comments:
I have a booklet passed out when the composting organic waste system was presented at a selectmen meeting. On page 11 of this booklet it illustrates two compost bag with a Schematic ventilation system with a fan that blows in air in to the bags. A (important part of the system)
Composting in the Ag-Bag system normally takes 10-16 weeks.
week 1-2 (mesophillic phase)Strong aeration.
week 3-10 (thermophilic phase) Very strong aeration
week 11- (cooling phase) moderate aeration
Aren't the owners advocating no order. I don't want this in my neighborhood and wouldn't expect you to accept it in your neighborhood. I am voting... No way Jose' not in my town. We are trying to improve our image not tear it down.
March 9, 2009 4:36 PM
All of the Planning Board minutes for the month of July 2008 are missing from the Town website along with the Board of Selectman's evening meeting on June 18, 2008 (the work session is listed). This was the date in which Triple T Trucking attended the BOS meeting. There was a presentation by Norman Mallory & Peter Gaskill at this time and several audience members voiced their complaints about it.
Does anyone have a copy of these minutes?
It simply amazes us that these people continue to try and hide information from the public .. aren't they PUBLIC SERVANTS, or are we their subjects?
To get the information you seek you can fill out a "Right To Know" request for the dates of the meeting minutes you want a copy of and present it to Bob Gray or Ellen Cole, be sure to get a copy and have it signed as your receipt for your request. They will have 5 days in which to respond. You will get the dumbed down version of what transpired as they are not required to write them up verbatim. The tapes of these meetings would give you more detail; but you can bet your last dollar, these are long gone. If you need the form, follow the link on our main page or email us and we'll send you one all filled out for you to sign.
To the anonymous poster above, here's the BOS minutes of 6/18/08 in regards to Triple T Trucking...
Meeting now open to public ..
Peter Gaskill and Norman Mallory from Triple T Trucking approach the board. Their company has purchased property in Winchester in hope of building a plant that accepts compost able solid waste. They understand the current zoning doesn’t permit this type activity and are here to start the conversation and provide information. They have brought information documenting the process their plant would use. Further, there is a plant in Greenfield MA that currently composts solid waste. This plant will test the technology that is to be used at the plant Triple T would like to build. Once testing starts, both Mr. Gaskill and Mr. Mallory indicate they would be happy to have anyone from Town tour the facility and ask questions. Gus mentions again that in order to amend zoning, it will require a warrant article to be placed on the March 2009 ballot. Both men indicate they are aware of this. There is a good bit of additional discussion regarding things such as whether there is an odor (no due to vessel process), how many employees (5 initially) and how the end product is used (soil supplement, erosion control, fertilizer). Additionally, Triple T is a trash removal company that offers potential to work with or in place of our current transfer station. Roberta encourages them to hold informational sessions with the townspeople this fall.
Sherm opens this segment up to the floor for questions.
Karen Berthiaume asks about how much trucking there will be. Mr. Gaskill responds 50 trucks per day in and out. Sharon Laurie asks how this will affect property values. Mr. Mallory indicates they will increase. John Pasquarelli suggests the Town build and operate our own plant. With this, Sherm closes the
questions. Sherm encourages the two gentlemen to schedule time with the Planning Board, and thanks them for their time tonight.
I strongly believe the wrong message has been sent out to our community on the composting facility. I would welcome any of you to read the article in Bio-Cycle magazine (June 2008) that gives you important information and provides you with great details of what exactly "Triple T Trucking" does to help our earth and moving forward with the 21st century with advanced composting, organics recycling and renewable energy. Read the article before you speak further and degrade a company who is providing great efforts to many other communities and going green!
You can polish a turd, but it is still a turd. Fighting to make the town a better place is what we need to do. I don't think this is the rite time to let something like this in.
Yes, the wrong message was that Triple T would benefit our town. We did read it and we say Go GREEN in Vernon! Or try Antioch!
We already have enough trash / compost and no profit from it.
LEAVE US ALONE!
Its really simple. STOP harming the environment - it is bad enough already - what is wrong with people? Oh wait. That's right. It comes down to the "all mighty dollar." Well isn't it funny how even the dollar is made with things from our planet. This company is whacked = we all know it. Let whomever likes them (or themselves) stick up for their ridiculously greedy ways - defense is the first obvious clue that even THEY know what they're doing WRONG. Makes me sick,
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