More than 20 years ago, the Warren Select Board issued a right of way to the owners of a property that abuts the former town dump. The property’s current owner is looking to sell and wants to change the placement of the town dump’s driveway so that the property will not include any portion of the dump. The select board recently discussed the issue.
“McCain Engineering approached us on the owner’s behalf about exact placement of the driveway and we agreed on a location,” Warren Select Board chair Andy Cunningham said. Engineer Gunnar McCain suggested that the town may want to buy the land, which the select board passed on to the town’s conservation commission.
Cunningham, along with board member Luke Youmell and town administrator Cindi Jones, met with Don Marsh from Grenier Engineering to walk the property and the proposed right of way location to the Harmon property. Marsh noted a small rust-colored seep flowing from the lower section of waste which flows through the woods. (Such seeps are typical of waste sites). This seep dissipates prior to entering a small brook which then flows to the Freeman Brook. There was no evidence of iron staining on the bottom of the brook which would be expected if the seep had significant flows and impacts. He also noted there are appliances and car parts scattered around the site.
The board met with Gunnar McCain to offer an alternative alignment which most likely does not impact the area where waste is likely to be present. McCain had requested at that meeting that the town determine if waste is present within the new alignment which the board declined. Marsh suggested the town does not disturb the closed dump and there is no need to perform an environmental study known as a Phase 2 ESA. If the town allows the neighbor to cross through the property, any drive design and/or testing would be performed by the neighbor at their expense.
Cunningham agreed that the town would do the necessary legal work for the 1.5-acre section of the Harmon property that has gabage located on it if the property owner wanted to give that section back as a donation to the town. Select board member Devin Klein Corrigan commented that before the board makes any decision about the right of way that she would like to hear from the town conservation commission regarding the complete 10.85-acre parcel as a parcel for conservation that the town could purchase.
“There is a discussion ongoing with the town select board vis a vie access to the property across land owned by the town,” conservation commission chair Jito Coleman said. “The Harmon property is located in one of the primary wildlife corridor areas in Warren. Our interests are focused on working to make any development the least harmful to the corridor as possible.”
