Brandt Island homeowners say they've gotten the run around from town boards when it comes to problems regarding water and septic issues. At a Planning Board public hearing on Monday night for Brandt Point Village housing development, residents said it's time for a change.

“I think all the boards in this town need to come together and find out what the heck is going on,” said Mike Rocha. “If it doesn’t happen, I’d like to propose a vote of no confidence in the board.”

The point of the hearing was to discuss a proposal from the Brandt Island Realty Trust. The trust wants to enlarge the number of bedrooms allowed under its special permit, but neighbors say a full study by the Department of Environmental Protection is needed, as well as a gathering of town of town boards, before any changes are approved.

In 2006, the trust received Planning Board approval for the 41-house development off Brandt Island Road. The permit allowed for two and three bedroom houses for a total of 90 bedrooms. Now, the trust wants an amendment that would allow every house to have three bedrooms by changing a room designated as a den or office to a bedroom.

“What everyone has to realize here, if this gets voted down, it doesn’t change the number of houses, the footprint of the houses,” said trust attorney John Williams.

He added that homeowners could easily turn the den or office into a bedroom anyway.

Williams said the change would necessitate a larger septic system and the trust would install a more environmentally friendly one that would keep more nitrogen out of the water supply and produce a cleaner product on the back end.

Gina Shorrock was concerned about failures in septic system that might affect neighbors and said the contingency fund, paid by Brandt Point Village homeowners, was insufficient.

“There’s no town water,” said Shorrock of the homes surrounding the development. If something happens, she said, “What do we do then? I want the DEP involved.”

Shorrock also called for the town to request a bond from the developers as a protection. Others agreed.

“If you’re so confident in this system, why don’t you and the developers put up a bond to protect the people who have been there for 20 or 30 years?” asked Rocha.

Others echoed the call for both DEP involvement and a better contingency fund.

Several abutters said the first phase of the development, six houses, already left them with flooding and problems with their wells.

“The aquifer was definitely changed when the lots went in,” said Geoff King. “You’re putting a larger system in the ground. It’s going to affect it again.”

Al Loomis of MacKenzie Engineering said the development should not negatively affect the water table and that runoff was the same and even less in some places.

“Despite your studies and your catch basins and all we’ve heard people say, what’s happening is not meshing with your engineering,” Lisa Winsor told Loomis.

Since a new house went in near his home, Todd Philie said his yard continually floods.

James Macomber said his sub pump used to run every eight minutes, but the new houses have increased runoff and now it runs every six minutes.

“The issues need to be addressed,” said Macomber. “We can’t take any more water.”

Windsor questioned if the houses being graded at a higher elevation was affecting the water flow and if it was figured into the engineering study.

Williams said the grading was determined by the water table on each lot.

Others asked if the development could bring drainage all the way to the ocean. Currently much of the runoff funnels into a brook that Fred Reusch said is causing flooding into the woods by his home.

Planning Board members said some of the issues were outside their jurisdiction and belonged to the Conservation Commission and building inspector.

But many residents said they had been bounced around between board and officials without getting answers.

Planning Board Chair Thomas Tucker said a meeting of several boards could be a good idea.

The board closed the public hearing and said the members would discuss the amendment at the June 2 meeting.