Town sorts options for gravel pit reclamation
Toolbox
By SANDI SWITZER HERALD CORRESPONDENT - Published: October 26, 2009
WALLINGFORD – Reclaiming the northern slope of the municipal gravel pit as required by the state may present some fiscal challenges for town officials during the next budget cycle.
The Wallingford Select Board discussed a variety of reclamation options for the Waldo Lane pit at a recent meeting. While officials did not agree on a course of action, they indicated a professional assessment of the property was needed.
An engineer could provide the town with a feasible solution that would satisfy Act 250 officials, according to Selectman Joshua Gilman
"We may need to pay an engineer to do a cost analysis," he said.
The state Natural Resources Board notified the town last year it was in violation of its Act 250 permit for failure to reclaim the pit by the October 1999 deadline.
In the notice, the state ordered the town to "immediately commence with reclamation plans" or "immediately develop a new reclamation plan and apply for an amendment" to the Act 250 permit.
State officials have acknowledged the town had not reclaimed the area by the deadline because it did not own the land at the time.
The Wallingford Park Association transferred ownership of the sand-and-gravel pit, area ball fields, Elfin Lake beach property and transfer station land to the town in 2005.
Among the options board members discussed were the purchase of the adjacent Thomas Phillips property to use material to reduce the slope, purchase material from Phillips for the project or use material from the nearby transfer station land.
Phillips characterized the northern slope as "an 80-foot head wall" that would require 100,000 yards of material as fill. He said there was not enough material around the transfer station to do the job.
The landowner suggested if the town were to purchase his property for the project, they could screen enough material for winter road sand to avoid paying that annual $32,000 expense.
"To reclaim the bank without my property will cost about $400,000 to $500,000," Phillips said. He added he would be willing to sell his property to the town for $150,000 and it would require an additional $50,000 to do the work.
However, neighbor Melissa Whitmore countered the Act 250 permit limited activities at the pit and, therefore, the town could end up owning Phillips' property with no guarantee they could extract sand for road use.
"We're between a rock and a hard place on that one," Selectman Charlie Angel responded.
Board members agreed the next step would be to hire an engineer to provide cost assessments and options for reclamation plans. The next municipal budget could include engineering expenses, Select Board Chairman William Brooks said.
He indicated the town would eventually select the best option for the project and then present it to voters for approval.
"The first step is to get the town on board with the most cost-effective way to proceed," Brooks said.
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