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Board continues Elm Road retaining-wall and septic proof-plan after applicant offers alternative design
Summary
Steve Marsh, speaking for the Elm Road applicant, offered a 'proof plan' to explore a drip-dispersal/nitrogen-reduction alternative that could reduce retaining-wall height; the board voted to continue the item for further review and town-counsel consultation because the wall remains integral to the system and sits within required setbacks.
At the public hearing for 0 Elm Road, engineer Steve Marsh asked the board to consider the submitted plan as a 'proof plan' so his team could pursue an innovative alternative (drip dispersal plus nitrogen reduction) that may reduce the retaining wall’s height and length. Marsh said the approach would allow a smaller wall and could be superior for environmental protection: "primarily drip dispersal and then possibly nitrogen reduction, which, we would be able to reduce the height of the wall," he said, and offered to return with a refined design after further review.
Board members replied that they were open to reviewing alternatives but expressed concern that the retaining wall is an integral component of the proposed septic system and that it encroaches within 10 feet of the property line and may exceed four feet in height. The board voted to continue the hearing while staff and counsel review additional documents so members can determine whether to treat the work as repair or new construction and how prior approvals on nearby lots affect precedent.
