By Beth David, Editor
Representatives from PJ Keating met with the Acushnet Planning Board on 8/6/26 to present a series of proposed changes to the operations at the South Main Street plant.
The quarry, asphalt mixing, and crushing operation has been mired in controversy in recent years due to noise, dust, and odor complaints by nearby residents. The situation got worse in 2021 when the company moved the asphalt plant to the front of the property, closer to South Main Street and more neighbors. (See 11/11/21 issue.)
The move resulted in a series of lawsuits, countersuits, and finally a resolution with the company to be able to resume most operations.
At the 8/6 meeting, PJK representatives said the proposed changes were in keeping with a host community agreement (HCA) they made with the town. They will be moving some operations to the back of the property, and expanding some.
The operations include asphalt mixing, concrete mixing, aggregates (different size stones), crushing. The quarry is where the material is excavated and then broken up at different locations on the site. Some material is trucked in. Various sizes of stones and sand are sorted and stored on site for customers to pick up and truck out.
The busy operation supplies aggregates to hundreds of companies, resulting in a steady stream of heavy trucks in and out all day,
Company representatives said the changes will make it quieter for neighbors and produce less dust around residences.
Neighbors were skeptical.
“We’ve been fighting this battle for 35 years,” said Gilbert Martin. “The answer is not to make it bigger.”
He said the answer is for the company to stay within the boundaries and keep it quiet and clean.
“How on earth is expanding going to make it better for the neighbors,” said Mr. Martin. “I don’t understand that logic.”
Michael Desrosiers asked a few questions about the changes in the operation for the last couple of years.
PJK president, Derrick Hill, said the company will be ramping up some operations, including the hot mix asphalt and aggregate sales.
So the blasting and dust will get worse, said Mr. Desrosiers. It is strictly an economic issue for the company, he said, without consideration for the neighborhood.
Mr. Desrosiers also said that in the beginning only the Board of Health responded to neighborhood concerns.
“You’ve been a great neighbor the last two years. I don’t want to see that change,” said Mr. Desrosiers. “I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you.”
“Our goal is to be a good neighbor,” said Mr. Hill. “We’re doing what we can to create that goodwill.”
He said the HCA has specific provisions for mitigating dust, noise and odor.
Mr. Desrosiers scoffed at the idea of monitoring, saying they had monitoring before and the company did what they wanted anyway. He said the Board of Health needs to get involved for the new proposal to move forward.
“They’re the only ones who stood by us,” said Mr. Desrosiers.
PB Chairperson, Mark Francois, said they had nothing to do with the BOH. He said the PB was there to talk about set backs, and mitigating dust, etc. He emphasized that it was the first meeting, and the plan would be subject to peer review and be scrutinized by other boards.
“I know it’s the beginning,” said Mr. Desrosiers. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know there’s going to be problems.”
He said they should go to his house in the summer to see how bad it gets.
“I just don’t know why we’re doing this dance again. It’s great right now. Let’s just leave it,” said Mr. Desrosiers.
Mr. Martin also invited them to go to his house and “have them run a couple of loads.”
“You will see,” he said.
Christian DeSousa, said the public had no input in the HCA. It was not a public forum.
Mr. Martin said they were blindsided by the proposal.
In the end the board continued the public hearing to 9/3.
In another matter, the PB approved a special permit for a shared driveway off Mendall Road for a property at Mendall Road and Perry Hill Road owned by Frank and Karen Knox, to connect three lots
David Davignon of Schneider, Davignon and Leone, told the board the project also required two variances, which they received from the Zoning Board of Appeals.
One variance was to reduce the leveling area from 50 feet to 25 feet due to the steep hill off Mendall Road. The other was to change the radius of one of the turns, or the driveway would be in the middle of the lot.
The ZBA granted both variances.
The project also received approval of the stormwater permit and approval from the Conservation Commission for various portions of the driveway.
Homeowners will be required to create a homeowners association to maintain the driveway and stormwater infrastructure.
Abutters were not thrilled with the plan.
Robert Howland said he was worried about water runoff and the clearing of so many trees.
Mr. Davignon explained some of the stormwater mitigation in the plan. He said the water will drain past Mr. Howland’s property.’
Mr. Howland was not impressed with the plans. He said good luck getting a plow down there.
“At least I’ll have a nice place to walk my dog,” said Mr. Howland.
Linda Taylor said she was concerned because the driveway would pass so close to her house. She also insisted that she only got notice for one of the public hearings. When shown the green card for the one in question, she said it was not her signature.
Ms. Taylor asked if the developers could at least put up some arborvitaes or other plantings along the part of the driveway that passes close to her house to provide some privacy.
Mr. Davignon said he could ask the home owners, but he could not promise anything. Board members confirmed that the bylaw regulating shared driveways did not give them authority to mandate the plantings.
The board approved the driveway with one condition, that the developers move one of the lots to comply with the setback or get a variance from ZBA.
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