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Board reviews Bartlett Bay wastewater plant rebuild, presses for wetlands, landscaping and lighting details
Summary
The South Burlington Development Review Board reviewed a site-plan amendment to rebuild the Bartlett Bay wastewater plant, questioned tree clearing and landscape budgeting, and asked the applicant for a wetlands compliance report and a photometric lighting plan before continuing the application to Nov. 4.
South Burlington’s Development Review Board took up a major refurbishment of the Bartlett Bay wastewater treatment plant on Oct. 7, asking the city and consultants for more documentation on wetlands, screening, landscaping-calculation methods and off‑site lighting impacts.
The application from Hoyle Tanner on behalf of the City of South Burlington would demolish seven buildings and a storage tank and build six new structures at 15 Bartlett Bay Road, relocate the driveway and make related site improvements. “The plant has been operating for a little over 20 years since its last refurbishment, and these facilities need continued investment to keep operating, at a high level, protect public health and the environment,” said Tom DiPietro, the city’s public works director.
Board members pressed the applicant on tree clearing along Bartlett Bay Road and on the wetland buffer. The applicant provided a plan showing existing impervious area as 5,165 square feet and proposed impervious area as 3,658 square feet, a net decrease the applicant said is a delta of 1,507 square feet; the board asked for a formal exhibit and computation to verify those numbers. Members also debated how to count costly, specialized process equipment when calculating the landscaping budget; the applicant said it used building construction costs (excluding equipment) to arrive at a roughly $39,000 landscaping figure.
Lighting generated sustained discussion. Staff asked for fully shielded fixtures and photometric data; the applicant said the floodlights above the clarifier tanks were required for safe operations. The project manager told the board that those floodlights were necessary for facility operation and the board concluded it needed a photometric study to evaluate off‑site impacts. “I believe I’m hearing that the board would like a photometric study, please,” the chair said during the exchange.
On several technical points the board requested further materials: the approved wetlands permit and accompanying wetland scientist data; clarified landscaping cost worksheets showing which line items the applicant argues are industrial equipment exempt from the landscaping base; and revised plans for curbing, fencing and bike parking. After hearing public concerns and staff recommendations, the board voted to continue the Bartlett Bay site‑plan application SP 2536 to Nov. 4, 2025 to allow the applicant time to provide the requested documentation and revised plans.
