Roll Call & Call to Order - Secretary and Acting Chair Declan O'Connor, Members Wayne Corey, Geoff Gilchrist and David Bond and Associate Members Daisy Beal and Hugh Townsend. Chair Steve Ryan has recused himself from participating in review of the Nordic Aquafarm application.
Development Review - Nordic Aquafarms Permit Applications, Including Site Plan Permit, Shoreland Permit, Zoning Use Permit, Significant Groundwater Well Permit and Significant Water Intake/(Waste)Water Discharge Pipe Permit Nordic Aquafarms, Inc. has submitted an application to develop a land based salmon aquaculture facility on a 56 acre site located on the northwesterly side of Route One near the lower reservoir of the Little River. The applicant proposes to develop the project in two phases over 5 or more years. Total production capacity at build-out is estimated to be 72,732,000 pounds (33,000 metric tons) of salmon per year. Phase 1 involves the construction of about 414,450 square feet of buildings, and Phase 2 involves the construction of about 392,804 square feet of buildings; each phase involves rearing and processing a similar amount of salmon. The facility would use a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) to process water used in rearing the salmon in land based tanks. At full build-out, the facility is projected to use about 1,205 gallons of freshwater per minute (gpm) and about 3,925 gallons of saltwater per minute. The freshwater is proposed to be obtained from three sources: the Belfast Water District (about 500 gpm), on-site groundwater wells (about 455 gpm) and the extraction of surficial water from Reservoir 1 on the Little River (about 250 gpm). Saltwater will be obtained from Belfast Bay via two new off-shore water intake pipes that extend about 6,300 feet from the High Annual Tide into the Bay. The RAS system also involves Nordic Aquafarms treating and regularly discharging the freshwater and saltwater (wastewater/effluent) used to rear salmon back into Belfast Bay via a discharge pipe that extends offshore about 3400 feet from the High Annual Tide. The 56 acre site that Nordic Aquafarms, Inc. proposes to develop includes parts of all of the following properties, as such are identified on the City of Belfast Tax Assessor maps: • Map 29, Lot 39, located at 285 Northport Avenue that is owned by the Belfast Water District (about 29 acres): • Map 4, Lot 104, located off of Northport Avenue that is owned by Sam Cassida (about 12.5 acres): • Map 4, Lot 12A, located at 22 Perkins Road that is owned by Goldenrod Properties, LLC; (Mathews Brothers - about 14.5 acres): and • Map 29, Lot 36, located at 282 Northport Ave, that is owned by Richard Eckrote (easement for construction of water intake/wastewater discharge pipes). The Belfast Planning Board is responsible for the review of the following permit applications: • Chapter 82, Shoreland. Shoreland Permit for construction of facilities in the Shoreland Zone, including but not limited to the proposed water intake and discharge pipes. Part of project site is in the General Development Shoreland district and the Ekrote property easement area is in the Limited Residential Shoreland district. • Chapter 90, Site Plan. Project requires a Site Plan Permit for a project that may substantially affect the environment. • Chapter 102, Zoning. Project requires a Use Permit for a project that qualifies as a Site Plan. Most of project is in the Route One South Business Park zoning district and the Ekrote property easement area is in the Residential II zoning district. • Chapter 102, Zoning. Project requires a permit for the location and use of Significant Groundwater Wells; reference Article VIII, Division 7. • Chapter 102, Zoning. Project requires a permit for the location of Significant Water Intake and Significant Water Discharge/Outfall Pipes; reference Article IX, Div 2. Note to Public: The Nordic Aquafarms permit application can be viewed on the City website, cityofbelfast.org. Reference planning and codes, Nordic Aquafarms Permit Applications. Application also can be inspected at Code & Planning Department offices in City Hall. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE SCHEDULED TO OCCUR ON THE NORDIC AQUAFARMS PERMIT APPLICATIONS AT THE AUGUST 5, 2019 PLANNING BOARD MEETING 4.1 Description of Nordic Aquafarms Permit Review Activities that have occurred to date, overview of August 5 Agenda, and overview of future meeting reviews - Wayne Marshall, Director, Code & Planning. 4.2 Planning Board will determine which Board members will serve on the review of this application and determine if any Board member has a conflict of interest. 4.2.1 Board member declaration of potential conflicts. 4.2.2 Applicant and 'Party in Interest' opportunity to raise potential conflicts. 4.2.3 Board determination of who will serve and response to potential conflicts. 4.3 Planning Board will determine who may qualify as a 'Party in Interest'. Board will review and act on statements by persons/entities who request status as a 'Party in Interest' that were submitted by July 30, 2019 in accordance with the First Procedural Order of the Belfast Planning Board (Board Order is attached to this Agenda). 4.3.1 Board review of statements for 'Party in Interest' status. 4.3.2 Board finding on who qualifies as 'Party in Interest' 4.4 Planning Board will determine if Nordic Aquafarms, per requirements of Chapter 90, Site Plan and Chapter 102, Zoning, has demonstrated that it has established Right, Title and Interest to properties associated with its application. Board will consider information in the Nordic Aquafarms application (reference Attachment 8), statements/information submitted to the Board by July 30, 2019 (reference First Procedural Order of the Belfast Planning Board), and will consider opinion of City Attorney William Kelly who will review all information submitted. The Board will not be conducting a public hearing on this issue and will not be accepting any public comment/information submitted after July 30. 4.4.1 Attorney Kelly presentation to Board on Right, Title and Interest. 4.4.2 Board finding on Right, Title and Interest. 4.5 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy requirements in Chapter 90, Site Plan, and Chapter 102, Zoning regarding Financial Ability --- Does Nordic Aquafarms have adequate financial ability to develop the project in a manner consistent with state and local performance, environmental and technical standards? Attachment 9 in the Nordic Aquafarms application addresses Financial Ability. 4.5.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives. 4.5.2 Presentation to Board by 'Parties in Interest' 4.5.3 Public Hearing on Financial Ability 4.5.4 Board deliberations on Financial Ability 4.6 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy requirements in Chapter 90, Site Plan, and Chapter 102, Zoning regarding Technical Ability --- Does Nordic Aquafarms have adequate the technical ability to develop the project in a manner consistent with state and local performance, environmental and technical standards? Attachment 29 in the Nordic Aquafarms application addresses Financial Ability. 4.6.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives. 4.6.2 Presentation to Board by 'Parties in Interest' 4.6.3 Public Hearing on Financial Ability 4.6.4 Board deliberations on Financial Ability
Roll Call & Call to Order - Secretary and Acting Chair Declan O'Connor, Members Wayne Corey, Geoff Gilchrist and David Bond and Associate Members Daisy Beal and Hugh Townsend. Chair Steve Ryan has recused himself from participating in review of the Nordic Aquafarm application.
Development Review - Nordic Aquafarms Permit Applications, Including Site Plan Permit, Shoreland Permit, Zoning Use Permit, Significant Groundwater Well Permit and Significant Water Intake/(Waste)Water Discharge Pipe Permit Nordic Aquafarms, Inc. has submitted an application to develop a land based salmon aquaculture facility on a 56 acre site located on the northwesterly side of Route One near the lower reservoir of the Little River. The applicant proposes to develop the project in two phases over 5 or more years. Total production capacity at build-out is estimated to be 72,732,000 pounds (33,000 metric tons) of salmon per year. Phase 1 involves the construction of about 414,450 square feet of buildings, and Phase 2 involves the construction of about 392,804 square feet of buildings; each phase involves rearing and processing a similar amount of salmon. The facility would use a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) to process water used in rearing the salmon in land based tanks. At full build-out, the facility is projected to use about 1,205 gallons of freshwater per minute (gpm) and about 3,925 gallons of saltwater per minute. The freshwater is proposed to be obtained from three sources: the Belfast Water District (about 500 gpm), on-site groundwater wells (about 455 gpm) and the extraction of surficial water from Reservoir 1 on the Little River (about 250 gpm). Saltwater will be obtained from Belfast Bay via two new off-shore water intake pipes that extend about 6,300 feet from the High Annual Tide into the Bay. The RAS system also involves Nordic Aquafarms treating and regularly discharging the freshwater and saltwater (wastewater/effluent) used to rear salmon back into Belfast Bay via a discharge pipe that extends offshore about 3400 feet from the High Annual Tide. The 56 acre site that Nordic Aquafarms, Inc. proposes to develop includes parts of all of the following properties, as such are identified on the City of Belfast Tax Assessor maps: • Map 29, Lot 39, located at 285 Northport Avenue that is owned by the Belfast Water District (about 29 acres): • Map 4, Lot 104, located off of Northport Avenue that is owned by Sam Cassida (about 12.5 acres): • Map 4, Lot 12A, located at 22 Perkins Road that is owned by Goldenrod Properties, LLC; (Mathews Brothers - about 14.5 acres): and • Map 29, Lot 36, located at 282 Northport Ave, that is owned by Richard Eckrote (easement for construction of water intake/wastewater discharge pipes). The Belfast Planning Board is responsible for the review of the following permit applications: • Chapter 82, Shoreland. Shoreland Permit for construction of facilities in the Shoreland Zone, including but not limited to the proposed water intake and discharge pipes. Part of project site is in the General Development Shoreland district and the Ekrote property easement area is in the Limited Residential Shoreland district. • Chapter 90, Site Plan. Project requires a Site Plan Permit for a project that may substantially affect the environment. • Chapter 102, Zoning. Project requires a Use Permit for a project that qualifies as a Site Plan. Most of project is in the Route One South Business Park zoning district and the Ekrote property easement area is in the Residential II zoning district. • Chapter 102, Zoning. Project requires a permit for the location and use of Significant Groundwater Wells; reference Article VIII, Division 7. • Chapter 102, Zoning. Project requires a permit for the location of Significant Water Intake and Significant Water Discharge/Outfall Pipes; reference Article IX, Div 2. Note to Public: The Nordic Aquafarms permit application can be viewed on the City website, cityofbelfast.org. Reference planning and codes, Nordic Aquafarms Permit Applications. Application also can be inspected at Code & Planning Department offices in City Hall. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE SCHEDULED TO OCCUR ON THE NORDIC AQUAFARMS PERMIT APPLICATIONS AT THE AUGUST 5, 2019 PLANNING BOARD MEETING 4.1 Description of Nordic Aquafarms Permit Review Activities that have occurred to date, overview of August 5 Agenda, and overview of future meeting reviews - Wayne Marshall, Director, Code & Planning. 4.2 Planning Board will determine which Board members will serve on the review of this application and determine if any Board member has a conflict of interest. 4.2.1 Board member declaration of potential conflicts. 4.2.2 Applicant and 'Party in Interest' opportunity to raise potential conflicts. 4.2.3 Board determination of who will serve and response to potential conflicts. 4.3 Planning Board will determine who may qualify as a 'Party in Interest'. Board will review and act on statements by persons/entities who request status as a 'Party in Interest' that were submitted by July 30, 2019 in accordance with the First Procedural Order of the Belfast Planning Board (Board Order is attached to this Agenda). 4.3.1 Board review of statements for 'Party in Interest' status. 4.3.2 Board finding on who qualifies as 'Party in Interest' 4.4 Planning Board will determine if Nordic Aquafarms, per requirements of Chapter 90, Site Plan and Chapter 102, Zoning, has demonstrated that it has established Right, Title and Interest to properties associated with its application. Board will consider information in the Nordic Aquafarms application (reference Attachment 8), statements/information submitted to the Board by July 30, 2019 (reference First Procedural Order of the Belfast Planning Board), and will consider opinion of City Attorney William Kelly who will review all information submitted. The Board will not be conducting a public hearing on this issue and will not be accepting any public comment/information submitted after July 30. 4.4.1 Attorney Kelly presentation to Board on Right, Title and Interest. 4.4.2 Board finding on Right, Title and Interest. 4.5 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy requirements in Chapter 90, Site Plan, and Chapter 102, Zoning regarding Financial Ability --- Does Nordic Aquafarms have adequate financial ability to develop the project in a manner consistent with state and local performance, environmental and technical standards? Attachment 9 in the Nordic Aquafarms application addresses Financial Ability. 4.5.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives. 4.5.2 Presentation to Board by 'Parties in Interest' 4.5.3 Public Hearing on Financial Ability 4.5.4 Board deliberations on Financial Ability 4.6 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy requirements in Chapter 90, Site Plan, and Chapter 102, Zoning regarding Technical Ability --- Does Nordic Aquafarms have adequate the technical ability to develop the project in a manner consistent with state and local performance, environmental and technical standards? Attachment 29 in the Nordic Aquafarms application addresses Financial Ability. 4.6.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives. 4.6.2 Presentation to Board by 'Parties in Interest' 4.6.3 Public Hearing on Financial Ability 4.6.4 Board deliberations on Financial Ability