Valley Mill Page 1

Project Background

Valley Mill Corporation filed a Notice Of Intent with the Pittsfield Conservation Commission on August 23, 2003. The only households that had to be notified of the filing were the five that abutt the property on which the work was to be done. During the Conservation Commission hearing at least one of these abutters questioned the accuracy of the map in locating her home in relation to the site, and at least three of these abutters raised questions about how high the water gets in their yards. The August 23 hearing was “continued”. The households were not informed that they could attend the site visit that the Conservation Commission scheduled. The households were not informed that the Conservation Commission could be making a decision at the September 19 hearing without having to notify them again. The households were not informed that they had a right to appeal that decision. At the August 23 Conservation Commission hearing, the Commissioners did discuss whether or not this was truely “redevelopment”. According to the minutes of the meeting Jim Scalise from SK Design said that the Commission could allow “work to redevelop a previously developed riverfront area provided the proposed work improves existing conditions.” After visiting the site, at the September 19 Conservation Commission hearing they apparently decided it was redevelopment, although the only comment in the minutes is that the Conservation Agent “asks if anyone questions the category of redevelopment?” There is no answer in the minutes. Apparently no one questioned whether the Mean Annual High-Water line was correct, even though the abutters had raised questions about annual flooding. The Commissioners voted to issue an Order Of Conditions, thus granting Valley Mill the first local permit they needed.

Valley Mill Corporation is proposing to build a Construction and Demolition Waste Processing and Transfer Site on the banks of the Housatonic River in Pittsfield. The site will receive construction and demolition waste by way of trucks, sort and process the incoming material, then ship the resulting material out by train and trucks. BEAT supports recycling of construction debris and recognizes the need for this type of facility in the area, however, this is the wrong location for such a facility.
The site is surrounded on three sides by residential areas and a park, and is on the bank of the Housatonic River. The site is currently used by local residents for cross-country skiing, hiking, and walking along the river and serves as part of the wildlife corridor between October Mountain State Forest and Pittsfield State Forest. The site is also a community corridor used by residents to walk between their homes, Clapp Park, and Morewood Lake. BEAT helped organize a neighborhood group that has been opposing this siting. The group has met with the Mayor and with City Council members who have expressed an interest in finding an alternative site within Pittsfield for the project. The Pittsfield Conservation Commission however has already issued Valley Mill Corporation a permit (Order of Conditions).