FRYEBURG – An application to build a Poland Spring truck loading facility in the eastern part of town on Route 302 will be the hot topic of discussion at a Fryeburg Planning Board meeting tonight.
The meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., will be in the Fryeburg Rescue Barn to accommodate the expected crowd, said Planning Board Vice Chairman Carmen Doughty on Monday.
The board received a preliminary application from Nestle Waters North America Inc., which owns the Poland Spring brand, in July. This will be the second meeting on the proposed facility.
“This meeting is just to add more information and to find the application complete,” Doughty said, adding that Nestle representatives will be on hand during the meeting to answer questions. “No decision has been made yet, and none will be made tomorrow night, either.”
While the public was allowed to speak at the board’s July 26 meeting and will again be allowed to comment and ask questions tonight, the formal public hearing is not likely to be held until the board’s Sept. 27 meeting, Doughty said. A decision on the plans could be made once the hearing has been held.
Water trucked out from the Route 302 site would be drawn from an aquifer located just over the town line in Denmark, Doughty said. Denmark would have to approve use of the aquifer, which does not directly serve Fryeburg, she said.
Many residents have expressed concern over issues such as traffic and noise that may be caused by the facility. Doughty said the state has approved a driveway on Route 302 to accommodate the loading station, but Nestle still would have to comply with the town’s zoning ordinance before receiving approval for the project.
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