Fieldstone Market’s ongoing expansion is considered inconsequential to its septic usage, and therefore the Marion Board of Health granted the store with two waivers during the board’s July 25 public hearing on the matter.
Representing owner Arnie Johnson, Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering submitted a variance request from the Marion Sanitary Code, hoping for a judgment to allow Fieldstone to avoid spending for a septic system with denitrification technology and also a variance request from the state Title 5 environment code regarding multiple compartment tanks at the 806 Mill Street (Route 6) location.
As proposed, the first compartment would have a 1,000-gallon capacity and the second a 500-gallon capacity, both falling below what is required.
Grady summarized the expansion project at Fieldstone that was recently vetted by the Planning Board. He said there will be no new plumbing fixtures with the expansion, no additional employees, and no additional consumption of water. Grady said the expansion is merely to better service customers.
Title 5 classifies Fieldstone as a supermarket and renders it subject to the same regulations as Shaw’s or Stop & Shop, for instance. The leaching field, Grady said, will be expanded.
“It would be a significant change to remove the septic tank … that’s a heavier lift relative to changing the soil-absorption system,” he said.
Board member Dr. Ed Hoffer asked if Fieldstone has public toilets. Arnie Johnson explained that the bathrooms in the store are used mainly by employees but accessible to patrons.
Grady said the expansion will include 1,500 square feet of store space and the rest for storage. There is no sit-down food service in the store. Arnie Johnson said he would like to fill up the new space with specialty items and widen the aisles in the store.
Fieldstone’s parking expansion will free up 11 or 12 spaces for customers. Arnie Johnson touched on other expenses such as car-charging stations but noted that he is avoiding following the trend seen elsewhere in the state toward using tents to accommodate busier seasons, a practice that he said would result in the town collecting less in property taxes.
Asserting a lack of clear evidence supporting the town’s denitrification bylaw, board member Albin Johnson renewed his push to abolish it or at least put it aside until the state requires more of the town than it presently does under Title 5.
Dr. Ed Hoffer asked if Fieldstone would consider testing for current nitrogen levels. Citing the recommendation of George Heufelder, the sanitation expert who serves as Marion’s consultant, Dr. John Howard asked essentially the same question, seeking a cost estimation. Heufelder’s correspondence to the board suggested that due diligence requires some measure of testing.
“We’ve done that,” said Grady, estimating 90 to 100 milligrams. “It’s probably twice what a single-family home is.”
Grady said Fieldstone is compliant with Title 5, except for the two tank sizes, the subject of the other variance request before the board.
“We don’t anticipate flows to increase, so what’s there is adequate,” he said, noting that the septic tank has an effluent filter. “What it all comes down to is cost is one of the factors, and we’re not anticipating any additional demand. It’s dry sales space.”
Arnie Johnson said he would love to tie into town sewer but cannot afford the cost of building his own line to the nearest connection point.
Satisfied that Grady has done his due diligence in studying the wastewater situation at Fieldstone, Hoffer said he considered it reasonable to grant the waivers. Albin Johnson seconded Hoffer’s motion and Howard agreed, making it a unanimous vote.
Updating the board on 76 Piney Point Road, Rick Charon of Charon Associates said the property will use the Singulair denitrification system. He said there is an increase in flow to 735 gallons with a 1,300 square foot leaching field. There are no variances requested. The board accepted his report.
Asked by Albin Johnson, Charon estimated that a regular Title 5 system for that size house would cost approximately $30,000 and close to $10,000 more with the denitrification technology.
In her update to the board, Health Director Lori Desmarais noted recent cases of animals found to have rabies and people who have suffered cat bites.
In her Disease Update, Desmarais said there is evidence in town of tickborne illnesses, mostly Lyme disease. The Health Department has conducted some education at the Cushing Community Center on heat, especially as it affects older adults.
The Health Department also talked to Recreation Director Scott Tavares at the Recreation Department and conducted education with children and sent them home with information.
“I believe it’s going to be something we can continue to do,” said Desmarais, who said interest was also high at the Touch a Truck event held this summer at Silvershell.
Desmarais confirmed that as of the July 25 meeting, the town had seen Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in mosquitoes but not yet in any animal or human.
In an Arbovirus update, Desmarais reported that on July 2 and 3, the state announced the discovery of the first West Nile-infected mosquito and the first EEE-infected mosquito.
Beach updates are available at marionma.org.
Marion is one of 16 municipalities across Massachusetts with a Community EMS program.
In other business, Gabrielle Almeida was reappointed as health specialist to the Public Health Excellence Grant Southcoast Collaborative.
The next meeting of the Marion Board of Health was not announced at adjournment.
Marion Board of Health
By Mick Colageo