The Pembroke Library meeting room was filled with people concerned with the impacts of the proposed RiverMarsh 40B project at the Pembroke Zoning Board of Appeals hearing held on August 3rd. Many people spoke out about impacts ranging from traffic to the environment. The neighbors’ hydrologic consultant made several comments regarding the potential impacts from the wastewater and stormwater treatment systems and their proximity to the groundwater table, to each other and to steep slopes. Concerns were raised regarding the potential for bacteria from dog waste to be generated and potentially enter the already impaired North River, and for increasing the buffer to streams and wetlands adjacent to the site. And lastly the interpretation of the North River Scenic Corridor line continues to be disputed with the developer’s attorney’s claiming they had delineated it correctly and the neighbors’ consultant disputing that they did not. The proposal has not been before the North River Commission yet to make a determination of the corridor line.
NSRWA Executive Director Samantha Woods also was in attendance and echoed the neighbors’ consultants concerns and added that the stormwater and wastewater infrastructure maintenance and replacement costs must be guaranteed by the developer in order to ensure their proper operation into the future.
The Pembroke Zoning Board of Appeals will host another public hearing on September 28th. Please put this on your calendar and make your voice heard. Public comments provided to the Zoning Board of Appeals assists them in making a determination as to whether to deny or condition the project to protect the wetlands.