Bow Planning Board members continued to hear presentations about an expansion of the Bow Recycling Center, with a conditional approval possible at the next presentation to the board.

At a Thursday, Jan. 3, Planning Board meeting, representatives from the plant’s consulting firm updated board members on their compliance with previous conditions and presented several peer reviews during a discussion that lasted about two hours.

The privately owned plant has been running on a 3-acre property on River Road, and over the years had purchased about 30 acres of land in the surrounding area.

Although officials would not confirm any specific timetable for the completion of the project, it will come in three phases. The first phase will be the construction of a 12,000-square-foot processing building, which will help split the waste stream into different categories of materials.

If approved, the second phase will include a 6,400-square-foot maintenance facility, which will help the plant fix its trucks and machines onsite, something it is unable to do now.

The final phase of the proposed process would be a 28,000- square-foot expansion on the current recycling and transfer building, and the total tonnage of the center would increase from about 300 to 1,500 tons per day. The final phase will also include a new access road and several other features.

“The reason why we did three phases is that it takes capital to expand, so we’re trying to grow the business with each phase,” said Dave Emanuel of Emanuel Engineering, one of several groups doing consulting for the project. “Due to market conditions, we haven’t been able to commit yet to a definite time period for the project.”

Throughout the now yearlong process, Emanuel and other consultants have done reviews on what different effects the expansion may have on the area, and how to minimize the impact.

At the Jan. 3 meeting, Emanuel and Pat Spooner of Spooner Associates gave presentations on the issue of increased noise. The zoning standard is for 60 decibels for the area, and recycling plant planners will look to keep the noise 200 feet away from residents in the area. Although the center is in an industrial zoning area, there are homes nearby.

“We’re not noise experts, so we’re being asked to become noise experts. We’re trying to be reasonable. It’s an industrial area and we’re trying to be sensitive to people who live and work in that area,” said Town Planner Bill Klubben. “We have to try to analyze and make projections ahead of time. It’s an expertise that we and they have hired and both experts are saying we’re very close.”

Klubben said if Recycling Center representatives come into the Feb. 7 meeting in full compliance, there is a possibility the board could grant a conditional approval for the project.

“They still have some things to do. With the snow, that’ll be a larger challenge than it would have been two months ago,” said Klubben. “If they’re not in compliance come Feb. 7, the condition of approval may include a future hearing where we’ll grant conditional approval.”

In addition to bringing in business for the Recycling Center, Klubben said the expansion has an extreme upside for the area.

“The town benefits when we have successful businesses and businesses that expand. We want the tax base, and the extra employment in town is helpful to the region. We’re supportive of business expansion,” he said. The increased production will help the state as well, he said.

“Recycling is a good thing. We produce waste, and anything that can be plucked out and put to another use benefits all of us. This isn’t just serving Bow, but will serve half the state bringing in construction and demolition waste from a large area.”

Emanuel said the process has for the most part gone smoothly, and he believes the two sides will soon come to an agreement on the plans.