DUNBARTON – For the second time in four years, the owners of Page’s Country Store in Dunbarton are planning to install gas pumps but several abutters and local residents are fuming over the possibility.

Resident Michael Malloy, who has been a regular shopper of the store, said he will take his business elsewhere if, “they continue to be bad neighbors.”

“I don’t want this to happen for the same reason. It was turned down the first time four years ago when the zoning board of adjustment found that it would hurt the value of the family homes nearby to the gas station,” said Malloy.

“Even more important is that there is absolutely no fool-proof guarantee that a gas station would not pollute drinking water in an area that is exclusive to using well water.”

David Barkie, owner of Page’s Country Store, said he wants to offer gas because of the high demand among his customers.

“I would say we have roughly 500 customers a day and at least 90 percent of them have been in here over the past couple of years saying, ‘I wish you’d get fuel. There’s no where else around; I’m always running around on empty and you know, we could really use that service in town,’” said Barkie.

The store sits on Route 77, just past the intersection of Route 13. Barkie said he plans to go to the town for a special exception that will allow his business to sell gas. If all goes as planned, Page’s Country Store could be offering gasoline as early as spring, said Barkie.

“It’s going to take several meetings with the town zoning board, and I’m sure a couple with the planning board, to try to get driveways and lighting done according to Dunbarton regulations. So, I’m sure this will be at least a four- or five-monthprocess,” he said.

Still, many residents said they will fight the proposal. Herb Allen, who owns the Molly Stark House located across from Page’s Country Store, said he and his wife, Laraine, will make their opposition known when Barkie goes before the zoning board of adjustment on Monday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m., at the town office building.

“I think it would be a travesty,” said Allen. “It’s been very well documented that gas stations and historical homes, or for that matter, commercial development and gas stations don’t work well together.”

Allen said historic homes and gas stations cannot co-exist. Allen backed up his claim by citing three historic sites in New Hampshire that, due to a location next to or across from a gas station, have been unable to sell for almost a decade or have been disassembled and rebuilt at a new location.

Like Malloy, Allen said health is a concern as well.

“We’re all on well water around here and if that stuff gets into the water, it’s carcinogenic and really toxic,” he said. “If you drink water with gasoline, it goes without saying that you’re not going to do well.”

Although Allen said the carcinogen MtBE has been taken out of gasoline, it has been replaced by ethanol, which facilitates the spread of benzene into the water supply.

But, Barkie said he has gone to extreme and not necessarily cost-effective lengths to ensure that the gas tanks will not pollute local wells.

“The fuel system that we are having designed actually exceeds state standards as a super safe above-ground system,” Barkie said. “To address all the concerns of the neighboring wells, we’re going to do it right or we’re not going to do it.”

The above-ground vault system, as opposed to a typical below-ground tank, said Barkie, would actually hold the tank inside a double-walled cement structure behind the store, which would contain the gasoline should the tank ever run into any unforeseen issues.

Malloy said it doesn’t matter.

“It’s still not 100 percent and neither (Barkie) nor anyone else can guarantee that won’t, some time in the future, leak,” said Malloy.

“I’m the father of two children and while this may not affect me right away, what we do know is that a large percent of gasoline stations do cause pollution problems down the line. And, I don’t believe that is a chance we should or can afford to take.”

Resident Fred Mullen voiced similar concerns. Old Fort Lane, which runs to the left of the store, is not only supposed to be used as an emergency access, said Mullen, but customers use the access road regularly.

“As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed since the last time they tried to get gas tanks in there,” Mullen said.

“And, where does it stop? The next thing you know they are going to try to put a Dunkin’ Donuts in over there.”

Some of Mullen’s concerns include access for gas trucks on Route 77 without tying up traffic. Also, should above ground tanks be used, they would most likely have to be lit all night, but the store isn’t allowed to have lights on after 10 p.m., he said.

Barkie, a Dunbarton resident, said he understands the opposition’s point of view and is doing everything to appease all sides.

“Over the last year, we’ve had some pretty heavy traffic and we’re just trying to meet what the customers are asking for,” he said.

“I certainly hear and respect what the abutters are saying because I live in town also. We’ve spent a lot of money to go above state regulations in designing an above-ground vault system, which cost a lot more than your typical system of dumping in the ground to ensure that these wells are protected.”