West Charlotte Village Wastewater Planning Committee Begins Work
by Vince Crockenberg, Committee Member,
September 23, 2010, page 4.....

During the 2009 Town Meeting, voters asked the Selectboard to “explore the construction of a public or community facility or facilities for the purpose of providing wastewater disposal for residential and commercial use in West Charlotte village.”
At its August 23, 2010, meeting, the Selectboard appointed a planning committee to examine this issue and report back on the need for such a facility, or facilities, by January 7, 2011. The committee consists of Vince Crockenberg, Jennie Auster, Dana Farley and Dave Marshall. Members of the committee have experience in civil engineering, land use planning, and hydro-geology.
The committee began work on September 14 and will be meeting on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Charlotte Town Hall. The public is welcome to attend these meetings and assist the committee with its work.
The West Village-Commercial zoning area the committee is focusing on is bounded on the east by Route 7 (but includes Steve’s Citgo and Uncle Sam’s), on the west by the railroad tracks (including Lynrick Acres), on the south by the southern boundary of the Old Lantern property on Greenbush Road and on the north by the Davis property at 2511 Greenbush Road. The Town Plan calls for new growth to occur within this area, but the poor septic quality of the soils will not support the expansion of existing uses or the introduction of new businesses or residents into the West Village without the construction of additional wastewater disposal facilities.
The committee’s initial efforts will focus on identifying: 1) the existing status of wastewater disposal conditions in the West Village, 2) potential locations of future growth and build-out areas based on the goals outlined in the town plan and in current zoning regulations, 3) potential wastewater disposal sites within the West Village district, 4) costs for developing various community or municipal wastewater disposal solutions and 5) potential implementation policies.
Following its preliminary work on these issues, the committee will develop a questionnaire to be distributed to West Village residents and businesses. The questionnaire is intended to measure the West Village’s interest in pursuing one or more of the municipal or community-based wastewater disposal solutions identified by the committee in its initial meetings.
In addition to its regularly scheduled meetings, the committee plans on holding public hearings to introduce its findings and to solicit additional input on the issue.
Those who cannot make the meetings may keep abreast of the work by the committee by visiting its link (“Town Committees”) on the Town of Charlotte website at charlottevt.org.