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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLtr from West Barn Water CommMEMORANDOM TO: Town of Barnstable Zoning Board of Appeals FROM: Mark Nelson, P.G. Chairman West Barnstable Water Commission RE: Special Permit Request for 970 Main Street (Route 6A) West Barnstable DATE: March 5, 2025 The West Barnstable Water Commission held meetings on February 18, 2025, and February 25, 2025, to discuss the request for a special permit to allow the continued use of the property at 970 Main Street in West Barnstable as an auto repair facility, a use that is not allowed in the West Barnstable Village District. As discussed below, our concerns focus on the impacts of the auto repair facility on drinking water quality for the property and the abutting properties. The allowed uses and activities in West Barnstable Village District were established with a recognition of the need to protect the quality of the groundwater that is withdrawn by the private wells used by West Barnstable residents. The existing auto repair facility is a non-conforming use in this district. If it is to remain in operation the impacts of the activities at the site on groundwater quality should be evaluated in detail and the design of the property and the future operations should be managed in a way that will protect our resident ’s water quality in a manner similar to the uses allowed in the West Barnstable Village District. Very little information has been provided by the applicant documenting the risks the repair facility poses to private wells on the property and surrounding area. Further information is needed to evaluate this issue. An inventory of hazardous materials stored at the site should be provided along with the protocols used by the facility to collect, store, and dispose of hazardous materials. The Water Commission requests that the Zoning Board of Appeals require the applicant to develop and submit a Comprehensive Site Assessment Report providing this information. The site assessment should include the testing of soil, groundwater, and the private wells in the vicinity of the property for volatile organic compounds, total petroleum hydrocarbons, metals and any other hazardous materials used or generated at the site. The site plan provided by the applicant provides no information on the locations of septic systems on the property. The locations of the private wells on the property and adjacent properties are also not provided. This information should be included on an updated site plan to properly evaluate the risks associated with the use of the property. If the setbacks between septic systems and private wells do not meet the current state and local requirements then the applicant should be required to upgrade these facilities. If private wells are located adjacent to areas where auto repairs are conducted or vehicles are stored, then new locations for these wells should be considered. The site plan provided no information on the management of stormwater at the site or the capture of hazardous materials that may be accidentally released at the property. The applicant should provide a proposed stormwater management plan for the property to prevent the runoff of stormwater and associated hazardous materials onto adjacent properties and to prevent the infiltration of hazardous materials into the ground where they can impact drinking water quality. The parking of automobiles on gravel, or pervious surfaces readily allows the infiltration of hazardous materials if they are not properly managed. The applicant should provide a detailed plan for the collection, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials, including those that are within the automobiles brought to the site for repair and those used in the repair process. This is necessary for the Town to evaluate the ongoing risk from the operations at the site. A spill response plan should be provided to the Board for review and evaluation. The threat of a hazardous materials release from such a facility is real, and proper measures should be in developed to report, evaluate and remediate such a release. This plan should include an agreement to regularly test the drinking water wells at the property for hazardous materials and to test the water quality of wells on adjacent properties. It should also include a plan to respond to any detections of hazardous materials in these wells. The processes used to manage the wastewater from the washing of vehicles should be described by the applicant, including all measures to prevent the release of contaminated water to the ground and underlying aquifer. A photo included in the Board’s project file shows that wastewater from the washing process just drains out of the building into the ground. This presents a significant water quality risk from hydrocarbons, paints, cleaning solutions and other potentially hazardous materials. Finally, the size of the current and proposed vehicle storage areas should be reduced so the property line setbacks are properly met. Having damaged vehicles parked on the property line or directly adjacent to Route 6A is inappropriate and fixed setbacks should be established. The zoning in West Barnstable has been established recognizing the potential impacts of commercial activities on the private wells used by our residents. The Zoning Board should ensure that this property is designed and managed in a way that protects the drinking water quality of the people working and living at the site and those that depend on clean drinking water on adjacent properties. Thank you for your consideration of these issues.