Commissioners flag septic limits as barrier to village businesses and a general store

Commissioners told the planning commission that Bakersfield’s largely septic‑based wastewater system limits density and has constrained past business expansions. Chair and multiple members described the general store’s challenges—renters above the store and septic capacity limiting services—and said a community wastewater system could change what is feasible in the village.

The presenter agreed this is a constraint and pointed to examples in nearby towns: "There are towns—Highgate and South Hero—that are in various stages of getting wastewater systems for their village," the Agency official said, noting those are multi‑year efforts. The presenter recommended leaving language in the plan that allows for municipal wastewater to be considered if and when the town decides it is needed, but not treating a system as an immediate priority.

Commissioners discussed potential site planning so future options remain available, including identifying a location with good soils north near the river that could accommodate a leach field. One commissioner asked whether a small municipal treatment system could cost about $1,000,000; that figure was discussed as a rough order of magnitude and would require detailed analysis before any decision. The commission asked staff to include implementation steps and options for financing or phased approaches if the town wants to pursue a community wastewater solution.