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Pomfret hears objections to concrete recycling yard

Nearly a dozen residents attended the latest Town of Pomfret Zoning Board of Appeals meeting in opposition to the special use permit proposal submitted by Steve St. George to establish a concrete and asphalt recycling yard at a property he owns and operates.

The proposed facility is listed with an address on Christy Road in Fredonia, with a tax map number of SBL: 131.00-1-30. The public hearing was a continuation from a previous hearing that erroneously listed the project address as 3624 Webster Road in Fredonia. The original application was dated Aug. 25, 2025, but was amended on July 7. The property is zoned Employment Center (EC).


A building permit at the site was denied because the use was not defined under the zoning code's acceptable uses, meaning a special use permit is necessary for the project to proceed. The Zoning Board is required to evaluate the project under the State Environmental Quality Review Act guidelines.

Steve St. George operates S. St. George Enterprises, a construction company that often works with roadways in the region. The permit application is seeking to allow concrete and asphalt to be recycled on the property.

St. George Enterprises operates six days a week, with Saturday hours limited 8 a.m. to noon. Operations are scaled back during the winter. St. George stated that, if approved, the concrete and asphalt recycling would only happen once enough material is collected to make it worth the time and effort. He hopes that will amount to 10-15 days a year, at least initially.

The public hearing was delayed roughly 15 minutes as the Zoning Board and audience awaited St. George's arrival. Four members of the Board were in attendance - Michaelene Comerford, Ruth Eckstrom, Raymond Lewandowski, and Board Chairman David Fridmann. Alex Moon and Jonathan Townsend were not present.

With roughly a dozen guests, the Zoning Board proceeded with the public hearing, despite the absence of two Board members. Fridmann said, on behalf of the Board, that the public hearing was continued from the previous meeting because they wanted to hear from residents. With the error in the initial submission, the Board held another hearing to make sure residents could share their thoughts.

Six residents who spoke identified themselves as residents of Straight Road, which borders the land. Residents shared concerns with noise, dust, well water contamination, hours of operation, and lighting.

The Board also highlighted concerns with environmental impacts. St. George stated they are following Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) regulations. He stated that prior to recycling, the concrete and asphalt is "no different" than any other roadway. Regarding setbacks, St. George stated the operations would take place 500 to 1,000 feet from the nearest residence.

"It's recycling. It is regulated by the DEC," St. George said of the potential operations. He said the site has been inspected by the State, and offered to show the site to members of the Board to better inform their decision.

St. George responded to environmental concerns by highlighting the improvements he made to the site when it was first purchased. He also highlighted efforts to provide residents with privacy at their nearby homes.

"I think, overall, we keep the site neat, clean, and garbage free," St. George said of the site's current state.

One of the concerns residents raised was the use of Christy Road, which St. George dispelled. "I have no intention of going out on Christy Road," St. George said.

A resident who works at a similar facility shared a video of concrete recycling practices to demonstrate the noise it generates. Another resident demanded a 100% guarantee that well water would not be disrupted or contaminated by the recycling of materials.

Other residents cited instances of noise late at night, which St. George suggested could be coming from other sites, such as the nearby transfer station. He was adamant that his company does not operate late at night. He also stated that the lights, which residents complained about, were an issue to raise with National Grid.

One resident asked Fridmann, "How would you like to have that in your back yard?"

Fridmann responded, "I don't really know. I would probably be here, just like you are, asking questions about it."

Once the Board makes a decision, the applicant is notified and the decision is posted on the town's website. Residents would not be otherwise notified. The Board hopes to have a decision by the next Town of Pomfret Zoning Board of Appeals meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Upon conclusion of the recent meeting, Fridmann said, "I want to take a second to thank every single member of the public that came out here to speak about this today. Your input is invaluable to us. It is impossible for us to do our job when nobody shows up. ... Thank you so much for coming out and giving us your input. It's super important."