Why are our Zoning and Planning Boards scheduling extra meetings per month in order to push the application for a proposed hot mix asphalt plant through as fast as they can? How can they honestly say that they are not prejudiced and have already made up their minds when complying with Mitchell in this hurry up process? What's so special about someone from out of state getting his way? This plant poses a great threat to the so Protected Aquifer Zone, where the Town gets it's drinking water and many in the area have wells along the river.
Just this month alone, 5 meetings have been scheduled for hearings;
The Winchester ZBA meets 1st Thursday of the month;
Zoning Board of Adjustment Notice of Hearings 11/4/10
The ZBA will review an application for a special exception to article XXII, section J, subparagraph 1 of the Winchester Zoning Ordinance and if the application is accepted as complete the board will move into a hearing on the matter.
The applications have been submitted by SVE Associates for Mitchell Sand & Gravel. The requests are to construct and operate a Hot Mix plant. The location is on Keene & Payne Roads, map15, lot 51.
If decisions are not reached, the hearings will continue at the next meetings without further notice. The applications are available for review in the Land Use Office during regular business hours.
Zoning Board of Adjustment Notice of Meeting 11-08-10
1. The board will continue the hearing on Mitchell Sand & Gravel, LLC application for a Special Exception.
2. Any other business.
The ZBA granted them their special exception to construct and operate the plant in the Agricultural Zone for no good reason.
The Winchester Planning Board meets the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month;
Planning Board Notice of Public Hearing 11-01-10
The board will review a request submitted by Robert VanDyke of Rindge. The request is for an extension from the Winchester Subdivision Regulation Section 4,D,9, which requires that a subdivision plan be recorded 90 days after approval, and Section 4,D,8, which requires that active and substantial development commence within one year as authorized by RSA 674:39. The property/project is located on Keene Road, map 15, lot 53.
If a decision is not reach on this matter, the hearing will stay on the agenda until it is approved or disapproved without further notice. This request is on file at in the Land Use Office at the Town Hall for review during regular business hours.
This business was re-scheduled shortly before the meeting without prior notice to Dec. 6th, 2010
Margaret Sharra didn't even have the decency to call the abutters to notify them of her decision to postpone the meeting before leaving work for the afternoon.
The Winchester Planning Board will be meeting on 11-15-10 at 6:30pm on the Main Floor of the Town Hall, 1 Richmond Road for the following:
1. The board will review an application for subdivision submitted for Anthony Maggio and if accepted move into a hearing on the matter.
2. At 7pm the board will review an application for site plan review submitted for Mitchell Sand & Gravel, LLC and if accepted move into a public hearing on the matter.
3. The board will review the minutes of 11-01-10 for approval.
4. The board will continue the public hearing on the site plan review regulations.
5. Any other business.
Planning Board Notice of Meeting 11-29-10
The Winchester Planning Board will be meeting on 11-29-10 at 7pm on the Main Floor of the Town Hall, 1 Richmond Road for the following:
1. The board will continue the public hearing on the site plan application for an asphalt plant. Mitchell Sand & Gravel, LLC is the owner.
2. The board will review the minutes of 11-15-10 for approval.
3. Any other business.
Those of you concerned about your drinking water, excessive traffic ( 96 trucks a day spewing C02 ) noise, harmful and carcinogenic fumes wafting over your neighborhoods and polluting your properties, might just want to come voice your opinions to the PB Monday night as they continue to ignore the pleas and concerns of the public.
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15 comments:
Oh but lest we forget, the Planning board said that environmental issues are NOT a concern of the Planning or Zoning board and when you bring up environmental issues at a Selectman's meeting ( Clean Power, Van Dyke, or the asphalt plant) or a Planning Board Meeting or a ZOning Board meeting you are ignored, told to sit down or the mike is taken away from you. THe only GREEN the town hall understands and protects is the green that passes their palms!!!!!!
This is why the tax rate dropped this year as the select people want us to think that we are flush so when the town is sued we won't mind paying more for their arrogance. Perhaps we could send them all to the village that is missing their "idiot." Maybe now the people in this town will not be led around like sheep. Then too, anyone can raise sheep!
Don't know anything about pollution with this type of plant, but assuming here is, its just over the hill from Mr. Ruth. You would think he would be the first to question the environmental impact on this area.
Hasn't the ZBA been sued in this matter already? How can our boards continue to hold meetings if a lawsuit has been filed, doesn't that basically put all of this on hold until the suit has been ruled on?
And you're right Informer, why the big rush, I don't ever remember the ZBA and Planning boards meeting so many times in one month. What's really going on here?
And I quote Irene Ruth, "...I was ready to be opposed to the plant, but then I did some research..."
Then Gus said, "...I recused myself from sending a letter to the board," from the Conservation Commission. Didn't matter that the letter was written by his wife!
Then P-Squared opened his mouth (gag) and beseeched the audience to volunteer for a committee and not express your opinion!
The whole process is flawed, didn't we hear that fellow Hitchcock say that they received a guarantee that their plan would be approved by the town before they went and spent money on site preparation and buying a used plant? What kind of crap is that? Seems to me that these hearings are merely a show and that this is already a done deal. I can see this whole mess ending up in a court battle and the town of Winchester getting soaked for lawyer fees. Glad I live in Swanzey, you people really need to clean house and get rid of these immoral people you have on your boards.
There are several very good people on the board who take their responsibilities to the town and the applicant seriously. These few will look at the information presented from both sides and do their own research and will act with an open mind and then vote one way or the other fairly, following the law. There are others who follow the lead of the Board's Chairperson, who don't do their homework and who think that this is a great thing for Winchester. John Pasqarelli for one, Gus Ruth for another despite what he says in public. Their actions have spoken volumes during these proceedings. My question, among others for the Board, is how does having this asphalt plant in Winchester fall under the Town's Master Plan? Where's the benefits for the town as a whole? The only ones I see getting any benefits out of this are Mitchell, his employees and the attorneys they have hired.
Some may say I am prejudiced because this proposal is across the highway from my home and they'd be right; but not because I'm a NIMBY. Just who in their right minds would want something that is highly documented and proven to cause many health issues, has been proven to release carcinogenic matter into the air, the ground and surrounding waterways and could quite possibly end up ruing the aquifer for many many of my neighbors as well as myself and even those of you further downstream who either have wells or rely on the Town's water supply. Is this really worth the risks when you look at the big picture? Where's the benefits for us? Does it outweigh the risks?
If that's not bad enough, we'll be subjected to extended hours of operation, even night time hours and they even suggested running 24 hours a day if they had to and we've been told to expect up to 100 heavily loaded trucks coming out of that driveway each and every day including Saturdays. That's an awful lot of extra traffic, noise and air pollution from the diesel fumes and exhaust and dust kicked up going up and down that dirt and gravel driveway.
Neither our volunteer Fire Dept. or Swanzey's is equipped or trained to handle a potential disaster and would be at the mercy of Keene or Concord to come to our aid. Toxic fumes from a fire would spread for miles and no one can say for sure what effects they would have to people exposed to them.
There are many people in the village that are elderly and already have their share of health issues. There are young children who will be highly susceptible to the air pollutants they'll be breathing every day while they are outside and my particular concern is for my wife who suffers from COPD; should she be forced to stay inside just so someone can make a buck? And what about the people in Swanzey who live in the mobile home park who are right up against this property, is anyone thinking of them, their children or the elderly living there?
There are many factors involved in coming to a decision on this proposal, many cons and as I see it, really no pros. We can only hope we can persuade the Board to vote with a conscience and to respect the rights of people to which they are responsible to and to do the right thing. Winchester does not need to have an asphalt plant built in it's Protected Aquifer Zone; nor allow our neighbors to suffer the consequences for the actions of a few.
Any letter from the Conservation Commission is written by the Secretary not Irene and quotes a decision/motion made by the commission, in this case a motion to advise the Planning Board and express concerns regarding the asphalt plant. Mr. Ruth or Mr. Hann have to recuse themselves in a Conservation Commission vote of this type where they sit on more than one board and the vote is directly involved with their place on another board as in this case. No monkey business just proper procedure.
Absolute horse manure Irene !! Nice try, but we all know better.
Blog I am still waiting for Mr.Ruth's resignation. After all how do we know how he will behave in a meeting when someone disagrees with him. I want someone who does not act like a two-year old representing the town in meetings. Think about that for awhile.
So Gus, when can we expect your resignation? Today! That would be great!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gus, "I recused myself from any vote on that decision," but it's NOT in the minutes nor any mention that he didn't recuse himself from the discussion. Nor for matter of fact did John Hann! The ZBA Chairman & the Conservation Chairman both discussing projects that were set to come before them.
Margaret Sharra said, "Gus it is up to you, as we discussed in the past..." She then read the ConCom letter to the audience and guess what? I heard - "November 24, 2010...regarding approval of the plans...we would like the board to consider water testing...Respectfully submitted, Irene Ruth acting secretary of the Conservation Commission"
After reading the comments from "Acting Sec..." it's time for Gus Ruth to resign. He's on all the boards and does not recuse himself. We are getting wise to his actions.
So Gus is today the day that you resign and while you are resigning perhaps Ms. Sharra should consider it also.
Please read the minutes of the selectman's meeting from the last Wednesday in November. It seems as though we have are now paying the land use assistant for an additional 6 hours per week due to the increase in work between the planning and zoning boards. Food for thought-let's eliminate the cigarette breaks. Elimination of those breaks over a four day period would allow all of the work to be done and we would not have to pay for an additional six hours a week. Yes, I am a former smoker and know that each "break" is about 10 minutes and that is not the truth. We all know it is at least fifteen minutes a butt by the time you get out the door and back to your desk. Fifteen minutes in my book is an hour and a half a day. An Hour and a Half times 4 is SIX hours a week. So you tell me, who is the accountant watching dollars being spent by the board?
Perhaps the board should institute a non-smoking policy! It certainly would save the town money.
Besides the 4-5 or more butt breaks a day, wasting out tax dollars, how about just showing up for work on time every day when you are suppose to?
Wednesday I drove down to the Town Hall to pick up some information I had requested weeks ago and found this person was not at work, in fact neither our town administrator or the executive secretary knew of her whereabouts. Seems she didn't even bother to let anyone know where she was and why she wasn't at work. I guess this is what the town refers to as accountability and why there's no need for time clocks to make sure our tax dollars aren't wasted.
Maggie may have been there all along. Did you check the broom closet she might have been picking out a new ride.
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