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Board approves ecological wastewater-treatment project with landscape variances
Summary
The planning board approved GE2026-4707, allowing an applicant to install a primarily underground ecological filtration system with limited above-ground structures and an alternative to the required high-intensity landscape buffer; staff set standard conditions and permits remain under review.
The Planning and Zoning Board approved a development-standard variance package for case GE2026-4707 that permits an ecological (natural filtration) wastewater-treatment system with an alternative landscape buffer in lieu of the UDO's high-intensity buffering rules.
Staff explained the proposal had triggered new UDO development requirements—sidewalk and high-intensity buffer rules—because of the project's size and adjacency to residential parcels. Applicant representatives described a natural filtration system that uses lined cells of sand, gravel and native, low-stature vegetation; most treatment occurs underground and only a small above-ground control building and clubhouse were shown on renderings.
Presenters emphasized a minimal above-ground footprint and the use of berms and native plantings to provide screening. An applicant representative said the design "is basically a self serving type of system" and stressed the project would not increase public access or traffic. On stormwater and operational safety, the team stated they had modeled storm events and "we modeled, 8 inches in a 24 hour period of rain, and you might see an inch, something along with it," and said visible standing water should be unlikely because of plantings and design.
Board members pressed about sidewalks, fencing and maintenance. The applicants said sidewalks are not present on that side of the street and they are not proposing new public sidewalks; they also described an opaque fence around only the control building rather than a perimeter fence and said they currently have at least one camera on the building but could add more. Staff recommended approval with standard conditions; a motion to approve was made, seconded, and carried by voice vote.
During discussion an applicant cited longer-term recycling goals, saying the site's process water currently uses about 1,000,000 gallons a month and roughly 900,000 gallons "goes back to the city to be treated," and that partial recycling could reduce the town's wastewater burden. The approval requires the applicant to complete required building-permit reviews and comply with any conditions in the staff report.
