The residents of the Village at Mattapoisett think paying for their own trash pickup is rubbish. Getting the Planning Board to add them onto the town's trash collection route, however, could prove challenging.

When the private development was originally approved by the Planning Board, one of the conditions of the permits was that property owners pay for their own trash pickup.

ABC Disposal Service’s contract with the town states all addresses can receive garbage pickup.

Jerry Dugan, operations director for ABC Disposal, said if the community gets approval from the town, then it would indeed be covered under the current contract, but the Planning Board does have to approve it.

Now, representatives from the Village at Mattapoisett are asking the Planning Board to change the conditions set up before the development was built to allow ABC to pick up their trash as part of the town's contract not through a separate agreement.

“We pay our taxes like everybody else,” said Steve Pickup, a resident at the Village. “Because ABC is willing to pick up everybody’s trash under the town’s contract, how does it make any sense that we should continue paying for trash pickup?”

The Village residents pay ABC approximately $8,000 a year for the service, according to Pickup.

He said almost every other private development in town has trash pickup, and the Village residents will not seek other changes to the original agreement, such as having their private street plowed.

But putting the Village on the town's trash route wouldn't be totally free. While there is no fee to add addresses, the town does pay for the collected trash (though not recycling).

According to Board of Health Agent Dale Barrows, it costs $23 per ton at present and will jump to $65 per ton when the contract with SEMASS expires in February.

According to Planning Board Chair Thomas Tucker, the Bay Club and a development on Brandt Island also pay for their own trash pickup.

He also said the board has not been keen on allowing developments to change the original terms of their permits.

Tucker could think of three instances during his time on the board where requests were denied, including an appeal from the Mattapoisett Landing developer. The development was to be for people 55 and older, but the board received a request to reduce the minimum age requirement for homeowners.

"That was a tied vote and a tied vote is a no vote," said Tucker.

It's unclear how the board will vote when Pickup comes before the meeting, but it has denied a request from the Village in the past.

The original developer had agreed that residents would keep $50,000 in an account held by the town in case of emergency repairs to things such as the detention pond on the property.

Interest above that amount could be used to pay for upkeep.

The full amount was never put in the account, so there was not enough interest accrued to pay for repairs. The residents asked to borrow from the $50,000 but were denied.

"They had to come up with the money out of pocket to bring everything up to snuff," said Tucker.

What will happen with the current request is unclear.

"I honestly don’t know where this is going but we shall see," Tucker said.

Pickup has had been waiting about two months to get an answer from the Planning Board. He and a fellow resident, Dan Daluz, asked the board to continue their hearing until all members were present.

The next meeting of the Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.