Broccoli Patch.The current project being presented to the Town of Chester Planning Board and Zoning Board under the name "Broccoli Patch" is a proposal to create a large Whiskey Distillery, an 8000 sq. ft. catering hall, a new residence, a 20 ft. circumferential water silo and a storage shed on the small 2 acre parcel located on Creamery Pond at 1355 Kings Hwy. in Sugar Loaf. This project violates numerous local codes and would serve as both a threat and detriment to the residents of Creamery Pond and the hamlet at large.
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Site Plans:
Current Proposal Original Proposal
Why is this Project a Threat to Creamery Pond?
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USE/CODE – Manufacturing within the Sugar Loaf district is expressly limited, not allowing for more than 2 employees and limiting production area to less than 50% of retail use. There is good reason for this, as Sugar Loaf is an artisan village and not a factory development. This project would violate town code pertaining to manufacturing as well as many others. Click here for more information on use and code violations.
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- Safety – Distilleries create an enormous amount of ethanol during both manufacturing and aging. This ethanol has a very low flash point and is incredibly volatile. This project puts that volatility and fire hazardousness in close proximity to homes and businesses.
- Click here for more information on safety and fire hazardousness.
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- Runoff pollution and flooding – The site for this construction is on a small, sloping parcel of land in the 100 year floodplain. The plan requires massive land disturbance proposed within 25 feet of Creamery Pond and within the flood plain, thereby creating a great potential for flooding to nearby homes and businesses. It also creates a likelihood for pollution to the pond via runoff.
- Click here for more information on runoff and pollution.
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Air pollution – Whiskey distillation has black fungus concerns in addition
to odor that will go far beyond the property boundary.
Click here for more information on distillery fungus and air pollution.
Air pollution – Whiskey distillation has black fungus concerns in addition
to odor that will go far beyond the property boundary.
Click here for more information on distillery fungus and air pollution.
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- Parking – the plan for this site lacks adequate parking; overflow parking at the catering hall venue will limit parking in the hamlet for residents and their businesses’ patrons for several hours.
- Click here for more information regarding parking and traffic
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Noise and light pollution – the developer of this project has already applied for a variance to have noise and music until 12am seven nights a week. The hamlet includes residences and businesses with lots close together; therefore loud music and similar disturbances will be a nuisance, particularly across the open water.
Click here for more information regarding Light and Noise Pollution.
Click here for more information regarding Light and Noise Pollution.
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- Buffer and Landscaping – the owner’s prior clear cutting of mature trees against Town code now limits the ability to screen project for noise and lighting.
- Click here for more information on environmental destruction and clear cutting.
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- Water/Sewer usage – the proposal is an overdevelopment of the site when there are limited resources to share in the hamlet’s current and future growth. The Town needs to consider comprehensive planning for the hamlet specifically and should evaluate the already developed lots in the hamlet and the needs to service those before allowing new uses.
- Click here to learn more about the water and sewage effects of this project
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- Variance – there is a cemetery located on the perimeter of the property. The developer wants relief of the Town’s cemetery law requiring 100 foot set back so he can build within 60 feet of the cemetery, thereby ignoring the purpose of the law and setting a precedent for other applications for the same.