Thursday, April 12, 2012

Gray Water Proves a Gray Area

At last night's Planning Commission public hearing on the proposed plan for 347 Warren Street, attorney Brian Herman seemed to do his client more harm than good in his presentation of the project. He first set the cat among the pigeons when he told the commission that the principals were applying for a full liquor license and that the indoor part of the bar, which will be open year round, would serve food. Michael Davis, in his two previous appearances before the commission, had told them the bar would serve only beer and wine, and the plans submitted for the bar did not include a kitchen. The commission's fear that they were being asked to review a site plan that kept changing was dispelled after Giovanni di Mola, the manager of 3FortySeven, made a hasty call to Davis's brother in California, who is a partner in the project (Davis himself was out of the country), and confirmed for the commission that the intention was to serve only beer and wine and explained that the food served in the bar during the winter months would be prepared by a caterer at a different location and delivered to the site.  

At one point, the meeting was reduced to an argument between Herman and Carl Whitbeck, legal counsel for the Planning Commission, about the number and placement of food trucks on the site. While Herman continued to insist that his client needed flexibility when it came to the size and number of trucks, Whitbeck, with voice raised, stated unequivocally that "the placement of units on the site requires site plan approval." When commission member Laura Margolis offered a way that flexibility might be achieved within constraints, Whitbeck said, "Why are we negotiating? We say what he needs to do."

In the end, the issues seemed to distill down to one: how gray water produced by the food trucks, primarily as a result of handwashing, would be contained and disposed of. Sam Starr, owner of Truck Pizza, offered the information that the "mobile vendor code book" required that food trucks be fitted with a 40-gallon holding tank for gray water, which could be removed or emptied and the gray water disposed of at a waste water treatment plant. Whitbeck said he was unfamiliar with the relevant laws and would have to review them before he could advise the commission about whether or not having a 40-gallon holding tank for gray water complied with the health code. 

Although the room was filled to overflowing with what appeared to be supporters of the project, only two people actually offered comments: John Friedman and Victor Mendolia. After identifying himself as an alderman representing the Third Ward, "where this project and most of the restaurants in Hudson are located," Friedman said that he had spoken with restaurant owners and constituents who lived in proximity to 347 Warren Street about the project and reported that, while there was some concern about more competition, "no one in the Third Ward is opposed to it." He offered the opinion that it was "a great use of space."

Mendolia encouraged the commission to "find a way to make it work," saying that the proposed project would create "a nice streetscape" and would "add to the redevelopment and revitalization of Warren Street."

In the end, it was decided that the public hearing would remain open, Whitbeck would draft a resolution that included stipulations to address the commission's concerns about aesthetics and public safety, and a special meeting would be held on Thursday, April 26, at 7 p.m., to review the resolution and render a decision. Despite the long and sometimes heated discussion, Donald Tillson, chair of the Planning Commission, stated, encouragingly, "In general, we're supportive of what [Davis] is trying to do."              

3 comments:

  1. Don Tillson is a good guy, glad he is Chair of the Planning Commission.

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  2. Brian Branigan of Tortillaville submitted this comment, which I post in two parts:

    Re: 3fortyseven food court

    Food trucks and gray water is a justified concern. For those not familiar with gray water, it is all of the water that is used to wash ones hands, or to clean food truck utensils throughout the day. It amounts to approximately 3 to 5 gallons per day. Fortunately, this is part of the DOH permitting process, how one handles ones gray water. They, the DOH regulates this. Food trucks are self contained units, meaning that there is separate storage for both potable water and gray water. The gray water tank need only be 15% greater than the food truck's fresh water capacity. This is how our food truck was designed.

    Nothing goes to the ground unless a given individual dumps it, much the same rules that a restaurant has to abide by. It is the same with garbage - which (by 347 contract) all food trucks are required to legally dispose of. How? Transfer stations and recycle outlets.

    And, food trucks have to be extra careful to abide by these rules, because the display is in plain sight, and in 347's case, the dumping ground would be on their property. So, it's a big double - no. Unless that is, the vendor wants to risk being fined and have their lease terminated.

    So, what does a food truck do? How do they handle their gray water matters? Simple. At the end of each day, the food truck does the following. It empties its contents of gray water into a 5 gallon bucket. They cover said bucket, and bring it back to their commissary to dispose of. That's what we do - everyday. So, gray water is not a concern. I have not heard about a 40 gallon gray water storage - ever, or dumping at a treatment center plant as mentioned, but that might be for food trucks that are water dependent - hooked up continuously to water, and then drive to a site to be pumped out? I don't know. For self contained non mobile and mobile units, it's this - gray water storage must be 15% greater than its fresh water storage.

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  3. Here's the continuation of Brian's comment:

    By the way, a commissary is an off-site kitchen that all food trucks require. This is another part of the DOH permitting process. All food tucks are required to have an off-site kitchen where they store; (dry goods, refrigerated goods, paper products, prepare certain foods, clean containers, and rid gray water.) The good news, and the biggest difference about food trucks of today versus those of yesterday is - cleanliness. Food trucks of today take great pride in their cleanliness.

    If anyone is wondering whether 3fortyseven is a good location for a beer and wine garden coupled with affordable food - I ask you to visit the back yard, look up at the steeple, and imagine yourself transported to Paris. You will be. It's the perfect spot, and promises to make a great addition to Hudson. Add to it, the responsible ownership - which it enjoys.

    Brian Branigan
    Tortillaville

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