Months of public hearings for a 42-unit apartment building at 37 Hartford Ave. ended at the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission meeting on April 10.
Vessel RE Holdings and Vessel Technologies, Inc., again presented its case for approval of a septic system and argued against the alternative—connecting to the town’s sewer system.
Vessel Vice President Josh Levy argued that constructing a line to the Bank Street sewer hub would be too expensive, and that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) wouldn’t approve it. Granby’s town planner had said there was no plan to extend the sewer line. However, Director of Community Development Abby Kenyon clarified the DOT position. During her recent conversation with Ron Ferris at the DOT, he said a connection is possible.
A heated exchange occurred between commission member Nicholas Dethlefsen and Vessel’s Levy and James Sipperly as they described a red maple swamp’s (the wetland) ability to attenuate nitrates from any source. Dethlefsen asked if the Vessel representatives were saying nitrate seepage from the septic system would be absorbed by the red maples, thus confirming runoff would occur.
Dethlefsen said that sounded as though Vessel would use the red maple swamp to process runoff from its system and argued there would be impact to the wetland. Sipperly said any minimal amount of input would be attenuated and would not cause “significant adverse impact”, the level of impact Vessel asserts must occur for the IWWC to deny a permit.
The Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Farmington Valley Health District’s approval is required for the project. Levy said that the twice-revised plot plan and newly-revised septic design had been submitted to both agencies on April 1. CDPH had requested additional perk tests at the bottom of the hill.
IWWC Agent Cameron Covill added that CDPH had several concerns, including soil testing results, the relocation of a retaining wall that would reconfigure and breach the hill leading to the wetland, and Vessel’s outstanding fees.
Covill cautioned that when Vessel addresses these issues plan changes will be inevitable. He advised that approval before they are addressed would not be prudent or in the best interest of the town or Vessel.
Attorney George Schober, representing Peter Voskowsky, an abutting landowner, presented an Environmental Intervention Petition, giving Voskowsky standing in the case. After some discussion of its impact, the commission accepted the petition. Voskowsky claims the project will cause irreparable damage to his property—the wetland. He has the right to appeal the commission’s decision.
Voskowky’s farm road skirts the edge of the wetland. He presented a video of groundwater seepage from the hill that flows across the road into the wetland. He contends septic seepage will do the same.
Ending a long session, and a months-long public hearing, Chairman John Laudati formally closed the public hearing. Revised plot and septic plans will require further appearances by Vessel. The next IWWC meeting is May 8, where commission discussion and perhaps a permit decision will be made.
To watch the April meeting or read the full minutes, visit granby-ct.gov under agendas and minutes for IWWC.