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Residents press ZBA for studies after proposal for Birdseye contractor yard and stone‑cutting
Summary
The Ferrisburgh Zoning Board continued a public hearing on a proposed Birdseye Building Company contractor yard with on‑site stone cutting after neighbors raised concerns about noise, silica dust, slurry disposal and well protection; the applicant said stone cutting would be periodic and use wet‑cutting controls.
The Ferrisburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment on July 1 continued consideration of Application 26‑076, a proposal by Birdseye Building Company for a contractor’s yard with on‑site stone cutting and about 36,000 square feet of new building area on the north side of Tupper’s Crossing.
Applicants Brett Combs and Galen Hagen described the project as an initial contractor yard and material storage area, with stone cutting “performed in support of the company's masonry work rather than as a stand‑alone manufacturing operation.” The board repeatedly asked for a clearer, more narrowly scoped description of the applicant’s proposed initial uses before it can evaluate permit conditions or approve development.
Neighbors and nearby property owners voiced a series of technical and health concerns. Adjacent property owner Aubrey Choquette asked for a professional sound study and said he doubted the proposed operation could comply with the town’s 60‑decibel performance standard. Choquette also raised silica dust, stormwater management, traffic, and groundwater protection as outstanding issues. "A professional sound study should be completed before the application proceeds," he said.
Other neighbors focused on well protection and wastewater from stone cutting. Matt Harkins asked how water used during stone cutting would be managed in an area without municipal sewer service, and several commenters emphasized potential long‑term impacts on private wells. Andre Emmell described multiple generations of his family living on his property and urged the Board to carefully consider groundwater risks.
On operational details, Brett Combs estimated storage piles would be 10 to 12 feet high and typical truck traffic one to two deliveries per day. Galen Hagen said the company had performed about 80 hours of stone cutting during the previous year and that wet‑cutting methods would be used to control dust; he added that slurry generated during cutting would be collected and disposed of at an approved facility rather than left on site.
Board members said the application in its current, conceptual form lacked the technical detail the ZBA requires. "If the applicant intends to pursue stone‑cutting operations, the revised application should include sufficient technical information to demonstrate compliance with the performance standards contained in the Zoning Bylaws," Vice Chair Dave Mentzer said, identifying noise mitigation, dust management, and groundwater protection as principal issues requiring engineered solutions.
After public testimony, Combs thanked neighbors and said the company would work cooperatively with the community, adding that if stone cutting could not reasonably satisfy applicable standards it would be reconsidered as part of the proposal. The ZBA voted unanimously to continue the hearing to its next regular meeting on Aug. 5, 2026.
What happens next: The Board asked the applicant to submit a revised application with a clearly defined initial scope of operations and technical demonstrations covering noise, dust/slurry management, wastewater handling, and site‑specific traffic and lighting plans. Public notices and any additional written comments submitted will be distributed before the continued hearing.
