YORK, Maine — Neighbors Beth Downs and Marilyn Zotos both enjoy the quaint, residential neighborhood where they live in York. It's the place where Zotos raised her children, and where Downs escaped to during the pandemic. Now, though, it's also one of the players in an ongoing dispute regarding whiskey fungus.
Downs and Zotos said it all began about a year ago when the Wiggly Bridge Distillery, which abuts their neighborhood, approached the town planning board, looking to build two additional barrel houses and add on to the existing distillery building. Downs and Zotos said during a walk-through last fall to check out the area for the proposed plan, a neighbor noticed some black whiskey fungus (or Baudoinia compniacensis) on a building next to the distillery. That sparked some concerns, since the fungus feeds off of ethanol vapors released during the distilling process.
"What we’re afraid of is the eventual impact–health impact–and there just haven’t been any studies. No one’s studying this," Downs said.
Downs and Zotos said eventually, the town commissioned a study by the University of Maine at Machias (paid for by the owner of the Wiggly Bridge Distillery) to examine whether whiskey fungus was affecting their neighborhood.
The report found "a significant cluster of whiskey fungus spores and mycelia centered on the distillery." It also said it was "highly likely" the distillery is the source of the cluster.
"Their shingles are covered with this [fungus] now," Zotos said about the distillery. "It’s apparent visually. It was a matter of getting some testing to support what’s going on.”
Zotos said about 200 properties–homes and businesses–fall within the area that UMaine at Machias was testing. She said she worries not only about health effects but also about the effect on homes.
"The regular everyday American understands that your most valuable possession is probably your home," Zotos said.
"We also feel the business owner should mitigate whatever damage their business produces and not expect us to mitigate that damage," Downs noted, saying they had been told they would have to power wash their houses if the fungus became a problem.
The York Code Enforcement Office hasn't ruled a violation, though, and a meeting about the distillery's proposed expansion is set for Thursday evening. David Woods II, the co-owner of the Wiggly Bridge Distillery, is one of the planning board members. He said he's taking steps to avoid a conflict of interest.
"I do recuse myself from any discussion that involves us–even down to setting up meeting times and whatnot," Woods said. "I just kind of abstain myself from discussion."
Woods said he has questions about UMaine's study and is looking forward to Thursday evening's discussion at the planning board meeting.
"We care deeply for the community that we live in and are raising our children in," Woods said.
DeCarlo Brown, the town planner of York, said if the code enforcement office did file a violation, the planning board could not continue with its review of the distillery's project. He said he wants everyone to win in the end.
"We don’t want our community hurt. We don’t want any health or property damage," Brown said. "We want our community businesses to be able to operate and to thrive."
The planning board meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at the York Public Library.