Woodbury Select Board Special Meeting
March 5, 2026, 6:00 P.M.
At the Woodbury Town Office
6:02 PM The Woodbury Select Board Special meeting was called to
order. Present were Select Board Members Chris Casey, Diana Peduzzi, and John
Gordon. Also Town Clerk Robin Durkee. Jonah Meacham, Zoning Board chair,
joined the meeting late.
No adjustments were made to the Select Board agenda.
There were no public comments.
6: 10 agenda item: To review the Swenson Quarry expansion for benefit of John
Gordon who was elected as a Select Board member at Town Meeting on Feb 28,
2026. Because of time constraints recently imposed by the State (District 5
Environmental Commission), it is necessary to bring John up to speed in preparation
for some decisions that the WSB may have to make soon.
Diana prepared and handed out a 3-page packet of summary notes. First was a
general history of Swenson Granite permit history since 1986, then a summary of
correspondence for the recent pending permit request, starting in June 2025. Copies
of other documents and correspondence were also provided for John.
Town and state reviews proceed in parallel. An early contact with Bob Martin, Town
Zoning Officer, was unclear and Bob told the applicant that no zoning review would
be needed. When the Town received a copy of the permit application Swenson
had submitted to the District Commission, it was obvious that the big project needed
a local review. Diana called Bowmen, Swenson’s engineering consultant, to let them
know a permit was needed and soon the zoning permit application came in. Under
Woodbury’s Zoning Ordinance, the quarry qualifies as a Non-Conforming Use and
the standard is, the Board of Adjustment must find that the project will not result in a
detrimental effect on the community. The Zoning Board of Adjustment has held
two well-attended hearings on the application.
In Dec 2025, Diana called the District Permit coordinator to let her know that the
Town of Woodbury would like to be involved and requested that the Commission
schedule a hearing. District Coordinator sent Polycor/Bowmen a message stating that
they could not go forward until they had a statement from the Town. The Zoning
Board of Adjustment held two hearings, November 18 and January 14. After the first
hearing, Bowmen responded with a letter. suggesting a change to the traffic pattern –
they would use the old (lower, private) road for the trucks that will be hauling the
crushed material and during the winter all trucks would use that road. After the
second hearing, Bowman responded with other capitulations, they would limit loaded
truck trips to 40, from the original proposal of 50. Other conditions requested by the
ZBA were agreed to.
Diana listed the names of people who attended the hearings and who might request
party status at the Zoning Board level, which would give them the right to appeal.
These are property owners who are either adjoiners or in the immediate
neighborhood: Robin Durkee, Carol Ray, Tim Perry, Wayne and Gail Prescott,
Brandy Smith, Skip Linsday, Mark Danner/Jennifer Lovin, and Roy Eastman.
The Select Board qualifies as a "Statutory Party" under Act 250 and has a different
path from the ZBA. They can decide to rule with the Zoning Board of Adjustment or
go a different way, it would be good if they can come to an agreement. The ZBA has
another deliberative session next Thursday March 12. The Town needs to respond
by March 17, 2026. Diana drafted a letter outlining some proposed conditions that
the Town can ask of Swenson. More trucks will increase wear and tear on Cabot
road. The per-square-foot assessment of 6.5 cents has been in place since 2001 with
no increase. Just to meet the rate of inflation, we should be getting 12 cents
now. Chris believes that we should ask for 12 cents.
Also, the USDA/NRCS project Michael Gray has been working on, requires a 25%
town match and this has not been budgeted for. If Swenson would donate the rock
needed for the project, that would qualify as match. Without this the project might
not happen this year and the grant could be lost. The bank has eroded in the last two
flood years and the pavement is starting to break down at the edges. Jonah (zoning
Board Chair) states that the only things that Bowmen has not addressed are the tower
and dust (silica) which can travel 50 miles with the wind. Cloud Alliance owns the
tower, and the tower needs to be moved for the expansion. The town cannot
negotiate for the privately-owned tower. The town emergency services rely on the
tower.
The Board asked Diana to touch base with Colen Johnson and let them know
informally, of the two requests the town is considering. If we can come to a
agreement before March 17, the Act 250 hearing will not be requested.
The meeting adjourned at 7:10 P.M.
March 11 ‘ZOZf:
I
Diana Peduzzi