Mello’ Trash Station Under Major Development Review

GEORGETOWN – G. Mello Disposal Corp. goes again this week before the Planning Board, which has already ruled it does not want the trash processing company to build a 550-ton, per day transfer station on Carleton Road.
The board’s decision was reversed on appeal by Land Court Justice Kevin Smith, who found that the planning board could not deny Mello the right to build the trash station, but could impose “reasonable” limitations.
The court sent Mello back, over its objection, before the planning board to consider the proposed station under a new Major Development Project bylaw. The court ruled that the Major Development Review is required because the station exceeds 30,000 square feet, including the access road.
The town and Mello, which wants to phase out its current transfer station on Rte. 133, are still waiting for the court to rule on a separate appeal of the town’s Conservation Commission’s denial of a permit for the station.
If the court upholds the ConComm’s denial, the station, no matter its size, cannot be built on the Carleton Road site.
Mello did win the approval of the town’s Health Board, which limited the new trash station to 150 tons per day for the first and second years of operation, 350 tons per day for the third, 450 tons per day in year four and 550 tons per day for year five.
The Health Board also restricted operations during rush hour traffic in the morning and evening and mandated a police detail at the intersection of Rte. 133 and Carleton Road for the first 60 days of operation. All tractor trailers leaving the station must turn east on Rte. 133 toward Interstate 95.
And it ordered Mello to reconstruct the narrow and deteriorating Carleton Drive, which would be the only access for the 18-wheeler trucks and smaller vehicles to the station.