Roll Call & Call to Order - Acting Chair Declan O'Connor, Members Wayne Corey, Geoff Gilchrist and David Bond, Associate Member Daisy Beal, voting member on Nordic application and Hugh Townsend, member, who is currently a non-voting member on the Nordic application. Steve Ryan, former Board Chair and now an Associate Member of the Board, has recused himself from participating in review of the Nordic Aquafarms 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 3,400 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; [dba 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 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 easement area on the Ekrote property 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. Board is now reviewing the Preliminary Plan application. • 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. NORDIC PUBLIC HEARINGS AND PERMIT CONCERNS DECEMBER 18, 2019 PLANNING BOARD MEETING 4.1 Overview of Board review of the Nordic Aquafarms Permit applications that has occurred to date and current schedule for future Board reviews. - Wayne Marshall, Director, Code & Planning. 4.2 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy City Zoning and Site Plan Ordinance requirements regarding the project's impact on Air Quality, particularly reference Attachment 31, Air Emissions, in the Nordic applications and supplemental information submitted by Nordic Aquafarms. 4.2.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives regarding new information on Air Emissions. 4.2.2 Presentation/Comment to Board by 'Parties in Interest'; hearing continued from October 9, 2019, and will include comment on new information. 4.2.3 Public Hearing on Air Quality concerns; hearing continued from October 9, 2019, and will include comment on new information. 4.2.4 Board deliberations on Air Quality concerns. 4.3 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy City Zoning, Shoreland and Site Plan Ordinance requirements regarding the project's visual impact on the scenic and natural beauty of the area and aesthetics. This hearing involves the updated scenic assessment report submitted to the Board by Nordic Aquafarms. 4.3.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives regarding the revised visual assessment report. 4.3.2 Presentation to Board by 'Parties in Interest' on the revised visual assessment report. 4.3.3 Public Hearing on the revised visual assessment report. 4.3.4 Board deliberations on the revised visual assessment report. 4.4 Board review and discussion of the project application and public hearings conducted to date, including the identification of Board requests for additional information from the Applicant and for research and/or response by City staff and technical experts.
Roll Call & Call to Order - Acting Chair Declan O'Connor, Members Wayne Corey, Geoff Gilchrist and David Bond, Associate Member Daisy Beal, voting member on Nordic application and Hugh Townsend, member, who is currently a non-voting member on the Nordic application. Steve Ryan, former Board Chair and now an Associate Member of the Board, has recused himself from participating in review of the Nordic Aquafarms 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 3,400 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; [dba 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 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 easement area on the Ekrote property 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. Board is now reviewing the Preliminary Plan application. • 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. NORDIC PUBLIC HEARINGS AND PERMIT CONCERNS DECEMBER 18, 2019 PLANNING BOARD MEETING 4.1 Overview of Board review of the Nordic Aquafarms Permit applications that has occurred to date and current schedule for future Board reviews. - Wayne Marshall, Director, Code & Planning. 4.2 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy City Zoning and Site Plan Ordinance requirements regarding the project's impact on Air Quality, particularly reference Attachment 31, Air Emissions, in the Nordic applications and supplemental information submitted by Nordic Aquafarms. 4.2.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives regarding new information on Air Emissions. 4.2.2 Presentation/Comment to Board by 'Parties in Interest'; hearing continued from October 9, 2019, and will include comment on new information. 4.2.3 Public Hearing on Air Quality concerns; hearing continued from October 9, 2019, and will include comment on new information. 4.2.4 Board deliberations on Air Quality concerns. 4.3 The Board will consider if Nordic Aquafarms can satisfy City Zoning, Shoreland and Site Plan Ordinance requirements regarding the project's visual impact on the scenic and natural beauty of the area and aesthetics. This hearing involves the updated scenic assessment report submitted to the Board by Nordic Aquafarms. 4.3.1 Presentation by Nordic Aquafarms representatives regarding the revised visual assessment report. 4.3.2 Presentation to Board by 'Parties in Interest' on the revised visual assessment report. 4.3.3 Public Hearing on the revised visual assessment report. 4.3.4 Board deliberations on the revised visual assessment report. 4.4 Board review and discussion of the project application and public hearings conducted to date, including the identification of Board requests for additional information from the Applicant and for research and/or response by City staff and technical experts.