York distillery faces ‘Whiskey Fungus Zone’ campaign
YORK, Maine — Signs warning York has become a “Whiskey fungus zone” have popped up around town as residents wait for a decision by the Planning Board on Wiggly Bridge Distillery’s proposed expansion.
“Stop Wiggly Bridge Distillery from soiling your property and risking your health,” read the sign posted on York Street. It shared a link for a page called fungusfreeyork.com, which condemned approval for the proposed new rickhouses at the award-winning distillery on Route 1.
Planning Board members are poised to vote on whether the presence of Baudoinia, known as “whiskey fungus,” will prevent Wiggly Bridge from getting approval for a new barrel house and facility expansion. The board is scheduled to meet Thursday, where they will either make a ruling on the application or continue it to a future meeting.
Many abutting property owners who have followed the application process have repeatedly expressed concern for the presence of the fungus, though, and its impact on property values as well as potential health effects. A study from the University of Maine commissioned by the town this summer concluded the distillery was the most likely source of nearby fungus.
Wiggly Bridge owners have said there is no evidence the fungus has any effect on human health, and they challenged the results of the town-funded study in an August Planning Board meeting.
Residents have become more organized over the course of the year in their effort to challenge the expansion. The website fungusfreeyork.com includes an interactive map that shows the locations of Baudoinia spores and their proximity to different addresses.
A new petition started Aug. 29 called for the town to find Wiggly Bridge in violation of the town’s ordinance just for the existing fungus brought under scrutiny since the application was filed.
It seeks to have Wiggly Bridge relocate its existing barrelhouse “to a location which cannot soil or stain homes and businesses.” There were 253 signatures on the petition at Change.org addressed to town Code Enforcement Officer Harry Norton, who could not be reached for comment Monday.
“They need to put a damper on this operation,” said Roger Barzelay, a resident near the distillery who signed the petition. “It’s not fair.” been done regarding the health risks associated with long-term exposure to airborne spores of Baudoinia,” the website states.
Still, the site argues whiskey fungus can damage and kill vegetation, as well as coat the siding of nearby homes. It includes a tab that reads “Is My Home Affected,” which in addition to a map includes a list of all the homes located in the “hotspot” based on the University of Maine study.
“Whiskey fungus adheres to many surfaces, accelerating aging of siding,” the website states. “It can be difficult and inconvenient to remove.”