Waste developer seeks site expansion

Feb 26, 2014

The Planning Board continued a public hearing for proposed changes to a state-of-the-art recycling facility at 50 Cranberry Highway on Wednesday night.

The facility is projected to recycle between 90 and 95 percent of accepted waste. New Bedford-based waste management company ABC Disposal Services, Inc. will operate the site. Green Seal Environment, Inc. worked with ABC Disposal on the project.

Green Seal representative Gary James met with the board to discuss the new plans.

The first proposal is to enlarge the building on the site from 88,900 square feet to 94,270 square feet, which is needed to house all waste handling operations.

James said the expansion lets developers put a roof over a loading dock. The developer asked to modify the site’s pavement footprint to allow truck traffic around the entire building.

The expansion would also require moving a transformer and fuel tank and pump on the site.

Town Planner Mary Crain is reviewing the plans, as is the town’s engineer. Chair Arnie Johnson said the board must be thorough to avoid mistakes.

“It’s happened from time to time. It might just be a few [changes,] and then you go down to the site and you see something and say, ‘where’d that come from?’” Johnson said. “We like to double check ourselves so we don’t have an issue later on.”

The board continued the hearing to its March 11 meeting. The board is expected to vote on the issue on March 25.