Planning board approves proposed propane bulk tank at 180 West Hill Road pending fire‑dept, finance and state approvals

The Gardiner Planning Board approved a site plan to add a bulk propane storage tank adjacent to an existing tank at 180 West Hill Road, subject to three conditions: the applicant must (1) provide a written letter from the fire department documenting fire‑protection review, (2) provide a letter demonstrating financial capacity to complete the project, and (3) supply a copy of the required Maine fuel board/state permit (and any DEP permit) before final plan signoff.

Doug Garrett, representing 180 West Hill Road LLC, told the board the new tank will sit adjacent to existing heating‑fuel infrastructure on a paved area behind the business. Garrett said the site already contains fuel storage that has operated for decades, and that the new tank would be installed on a concrete pad with standard secondary containment, chain‑link fencing and engineered valves. Crown Energy Solutions’ representative Kyle Thrasher explained mechanical safety systems: internal valves, pneumatic shutoffs with heat‑sensitive links and other redundancies designed to limit vapor release or liquid release in unusual events.

Planning staff and board members reviewed site plan checklist items and applicable standards. Code Enforcement Officer Chris McNeil noted the request is an expansion of an existing (nonconforming) fuel storage use rather than a new, unrelated use within the HDR/Shoreland district; the lot itself is not being enlarged. The board confirmed hydrant locations and recent hydrant flow testing scheduled with the water district; staff agreed to collect the fire‑department flow letter and other agency responses and file them in the application record.

Environmental and shoreland standards were discussed. Board members confirmed the proposed physical work (concrete pad, two short stanchions and a trench for electrical service) sits outside the 250‑foot shoreland review band for Pleasant Pond; the existing business sits in an older, legacy fuel‑storage location and the new tank will be placed on the paved area. Members asked how leaks would be handled; Crown Energy’s representative explained valves are built to close automatically in the event of a fire or a sheared connection and that propane vaporizes quickly. Staff noted the state fuel board permit and the Maine DEP process (if applicable) govern permitting and safety requirements for aboveground storage.

Before voting the board asked for three items to be provided and filed: (1) a written letter from the fire chief confirming review and any recommended conditions, (2) a financial‑capacity letter (a bank or lender letter confirming the applicant’s ability to complete the project), and (3) a copy of the Maine fuel board permit or other DEP authorization once issued. With those conditions the board voted to approve the site plan. The motion passed unanimously.

What happens next: the applicant must supply the three requested documents to planning staff; staff will file the items and, after the state permit is provided, the board will release the plan for installation. The applicant also must obtain any required building permit for the concrete pad and coordinate final inspection with Code Enforcement.