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Engineers describe small wetland impact for Woodside Road car wash; commission will send letter and request MSDS and filter details
Summary
GPI presented a plan to redevelop an auto‑sales lot into a tunnel car wash that would remove about an acre of pavement, add stormwater treatment and require a ~965–1,000 sq ft wetland disturbance for a culvert; commissioners agreed to send a letter of no objection to Planning/ZBA but added a request for filter specifications, MSDS, and sludge‑disposal details.
Representatives from engineering firm GPI described plans to redevelop an existing auto dealership parcel on Woodside Road into a tunnel car wash and related site work, and the Hooksett Conservation Commission voted to send a letter of "no objection" to the Planning Board and Zoning Board while requesting additional technical information.
Pat McLaughlin, GPI project manager, and Jason Bullduck, a certified wetland scientist, told commissioners the proposal reduces about an acre of impervious pavement and adds above‑ground stormwater best‑management practices where none currently exist. "We're reducing about an acre of pavement out here, which is allowing us to put in stormwater treatment for the new development," McLaughlin said. Bullduck said the design keeps the existing hydrology intact by conveying flow through a short, embedded culvert; the team plans to size the culvert to meet DES requirements for a 50‑year storm.
During discussion commissioners pressed for operational details. Philip Fortunidis asked about a statement in project materials that 68% of wash water is recycled and where the remaining 32% goes. Crystal Robbins, construction manager for Washwell Car Wash, stated: "I did just text my boss who knows everything about it, and he did say the vacs are filtered." Presenters also said remaining waste water that is not recycled would go to the municipal sewer system. Commissioners expressed concern about potential PFAS and other contaminants in vacuum debris and wax/sludge and asked for Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and specific filtration specifications so they can evaluate downstream impacts on town sewer and nearby wetlands.
The commission amended a motion to send a letter of no objection so it would also request copies of MSDS sheets, the types of filters used in vacuum and filtration systems, and clarification about sludge disposal. The amended motion passed on a voice vote and staff said they will send the letter to both the zoning and planning boards and provide a copy to GPI.
The presenters confirmed they will submit an NH DES (NHDS) application that addresses state review for the wetland impacts; they noted the culvert would be embedded and sized to provide a natural bottom in accordance with state standards. The commission asked staff to include the requested MSDS and filtration information in the letter and to follow up with operations staff for additional technical data before final decisions by the ZBA or Planning Board.
