BETHEL—The Bethel Board of Appeals last week voted 3-1 to affirm the Planning Board’s approval in June of a propane facility just south of Bethel off Route 26.

The appeal was made by Mike and Ewa Zeoli, who live on Forest Drive. They are abutters to the proposed site and have expressed strong opposition, citing issues including traffic safety, noise and visual impact.

Everett Propane of West Paris  bought a 4.24-acre property at 175 Walkers Mills Road in Bethel last summer. Owner Scott Everett said he plans to install two 30,000-gallon tanks and a 1,000-gallon propane pump station for filling and refilling 20-pound tanks.

The Zeolis purchased their property in August 2018, after Everett had already bought his property. They said they were not informed about the project when they bought the house.

The property is located just past Bennett Automotive on the right leaving Bethel. The applicant plans to turn part of the house and garage on the property into office and storage space. A propane distribution facility will be built at the back of the property.

A road leading to the back of the property will be built almost across from the entrance on Sunset Road.

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The tanks would be more than 250 feet back from Route 26. Their visibility will be mitigated by planting trees on each side of the tanks, according to the plan.

A bobtail truck will make four trips a day in and out of the facility. A tractor trailer truck will make one stop per day at the facility.

Appeals decision

In its written decision, the Appeals Board addressed concerns by the appellants about traffic safety at the site by noting the Planning Board’s statement that the Maine Department of Transportation had issued a driveway permit off the state road, and it was not in the Planning Board’s jurisdiction to rule on it because MDOT is the agency that has that authority.

Regarding noise impacts, the board said that noise measured from trucks comparable to those that will use the facility generated the same decibel levels at the distance of the property lines as the current ambient noise in that area does.

The board also concurred with the Planning Board that the applicant had made significant effort to minimize the visual impact of the facility through landscape features such as berms and plantings.

Voting in favor of the decision were Wende Gray, Dwayne Bennett and Lennie Shaw, with Fran Head opposed.

The appellants have the right to take the issue to Oxford County Superior Court if they wish.

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